[Elecraft] Demagnetizing Tools?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Certainly sounds easier than heating the tool red-hot and then beating =
on it
with a hammer, but that works too...

In one shop I worked in years past we had a big power distribution
transformer in a "closet". The beast was about 3 feet square and =
provided
the mains power to the shop. It looked like an over-sized power =
transformer
(which it was). Unlike most large transformers it wasn't immersed in =
oil.=20

Working on big magnetron microwave oscillators, we were around magnets =
that
weighed up to half a ton. It was a serious matter to pry off any tool =
that
happened to get 'stuck' to the magnet, much less the problems if part of
one's body got between the tool and the magnet. Needless to say, the =
ferrous
tools tended to get a bit magnetized even if they were kept well away. =
We
used to set any hand tools that had become magnetized on the big =
transformer
during coffee break. Fixed 'em up just fine.

If you have a big 12 volt LINEAR power supply (ASTRON, etc.) - the kind =
that
HUM <G> - you might try setting the magnetized tool on top of it during =
an
operating session and see how it is after a couple of QSO's.=20

The trick about turning off the transformer, coil, etc., when the tool =
is
well away is to avoid the chance that you happen to interrupt power just =
at
the PEAK of the AC waveform. In that case, the last thing the tool =
"sees" is
a peak magnetic field - just what you want to avoid.=20

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
Wow!  Thanks for the replies.

One in particular jogged my memory.... I have (somewhere...) a bulk tape =

eraser for VHS (etc.) tapes.  It's a hand-held 120 VAC driven=20
electromagnet.  It might just be the ticket!

I believe the key is to wave it over the tape (err, tool in this case) =
and=20
slowly increase the distance from tool to eraser.  At several feet away, =

turn off the eraser.

Will try it tonight!
73,
Steve
aa8af