LED light with magnetic base for milling machine

Find a large speaker magnet, round or square - local dump ? It will have 2 plates maybe 4-6mm thick or more, these can be drilled and tapped.Remove the cone and supporting structure. GENTLY heat the 2 plates and remove from the magnet in the middle. One plate will have the voice coil core and the other just a hole. Remove any protrusions by grinding or filing from plate with hole. Reassemble and see that the coil core does not stand proud, if it does then cut back so as to be flush. ALL surfaces MUST fit close, so deburr any holes made. Remove the magnet and wind insulating tape round the core to make a tight fit in the hole then reassemble as follows OR Assemble using glue ( epoxy ) and allow to set, making absolutely certain the core is in the centre of the hole. Now pour resin through the gap to fill the void COMPLETELY and let set. WHY fill the hole ? Ferrous swarf or particles it will bridge the gap and reduce the magnetic circuit !

WARNINGS. The magnet will be very brittle DO NOT hammer or pry on to dismantle. Magnets of this size and power will crush your finger tips, so be careful. Noel

Edited By noel shelley on 04/02/2023 11:32:21

I fitted a spare mag base I had with a £9.99 IKEA LED lamp on a flexible shaft. The head itself is only about an inch diameter so it can be placed virtually anywhere near the work. I think IKEA have stopped selling the particular one I used but I’m sure they have others?

If one stacks 2 magnetic trays (the type 6" Hilka type that hold screws and bolts etc) would that double the pull approximately? If so, they are only about £5 each at Screwfix and I could weld them together and weld a flat mounting plate to the top..

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/02/2023 14:59:39

I have two of the IKEA clip-on lamps. I like them a lot.

They have a plug-in transformer and are therefore low voltage. The head looks to be waterproof. They are very bright so ideal for localised work lamps.

Its also worth looking at annular selfie lamps, they give an even spread of light and also have a high output. They are often USB so 5V.

.

I don’t mind in the slightest, but just wonder why you would go to so much effort when the Eclipse magnet from Zoro is so inexpensive.

MichaelG.

Michael, I do appreciate your contribution and I followed your link but it ends up in 3 pages of technical discussion back and forth about different types of magnets and magnetic poles orientation and fragility of the things and how one magnet can negatively interact with another if not orientated accurately etc etc that made me realise its a subject too complicated for me, and anyway I would still need to make up a steel box to glue them into and to drill mounting holes into the top of. With a magnetic trays solution I simply need to screw/weld a piece of plate to the top tray and epoxy the two trays together and Bob's your uncle (assuming two trays on top of each other will give say 15 + kgs of pull).

E1001/Neo are currently £4.19 each (excl shipping) at Zoro with a pull of 10.5kgs. 6" Hilka tray is £5 at Screwfix but no idea of pull strength

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/02/2023 18:18:00

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/02/2023 18:33:15

Thanks for replying, Adam

Yes, I understand that the discussion got rather convoluted … but the bottom-line is that the pot magnets are excellent, and very easy to use.

I’ve just checked on ebay and that item is out of stock there … but they are offering this one, from the same series:

**LINK** https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114740730693 … which might possibly be of interest.

For ebay listings, Zoro usually offers free postage with no ‘minimum order’ … so it’s worth having a look at what they are offering there.

MichaelG.

Thanks Michael. Well I will think about it. If I can find a steel box in the meantime... I think magnetic trays around the workshop are brilliant and I already have a small one, so I might buy one 6" Hilka anyway and see what its pull strength is....

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/02/2023 19:23:42