posted on Feb, 24 2005 @ 11:32 PM
this is how you make a magnet. different materials like stainless steel, strontium, cobalt and carbide etc. will have different permability but
basically you place a red-hot piece of metal in a strong DC magnetic field and allow it to cool off and it becomes magnetized! simple!!
try this........if you can..
1.cut a piece of iron or steal into the shape you want.--the cross
2.then fab a holding jig-1 screw in the middle to support the cross 6 inches above your work table.
3. make 4 electromagnets coils (seleniods) that can handle lots of 12 dc current-example: to make a very strong magnetic field, i have used the coil
out of a car starter selenoid before.
4.set it up so you can arrange the coils quickly over/around the ends of the cross without touching the 'cross' before energizing. and also have a
way to brace them quickly so they don't jump when you connect the juice.--'cold test' the set-up first-to see if it holds together!
5. for your configuration, the outer-most connection should be positive
on all coils. you will energize all four coils,wired in parellel, at once-with a car battery-so use fat power cables-like jumper cables. have
everything ready to go and do a coulpe of 'dry runs' before you do the next step.
6. using a blowtorch, heat the cross to bright red(the part you want magnetized), remove blowtorch and quickly move the coils into position-lock 'em
down and energize them---leave energized untill the metal cools. you can use a fan or a blowdryer(on air only) to cool quickly--don't use water(coils
may short out).
this is how i made my own magnets in science class when i was in high school. good luck and please, don't get burned