Defunct Hard drives

I have a box full of failed hard drives, which I've just got round to sorting out.

Having taken one (mainly) apart, there are clearly some finely machined bits in it. flat disks, magnets. Motors.

Are they of any practical use? Can I get bearings out? what can I do with a dead flat small round thing with a hole in the middle?

From what I can see the drive motor (7200rpm) is built in so I can't easily extract it and do anything useful with it, but it may have useful bearings.

Or do I just bin the bits?

Any (publishable) suggestions welcome!

Iain

Edited By Iain Downs on 04/11/2016 18:39:04

The disk is can be cut up with a hacksaw if you need front silvered mirrors for anything.

Martin

Well I have seen the flat round things used as flywheels on hot air engines, also strung together as decorative light reflectiing mobiles.

Neither use has appealed enough for me to try personally though.

Edited By V8Eng on 04/11/2016 18:52:27

look on instructables loads of ideas.

one is a clock

The motors will probably need electronic controllers to make them work. I expect the electronics guys here or elsewhere may be able to help if you wanted to reuse them. Be careful taking the motor apart near your treasured machines and tools as it may contain a ferric fluid for lubrication that can leak out and contaminate surfaces, attracting fine iron based debris. Not worth messing with really.

The disks (platters) are usually aluminium coated in a ferric material layer and a lot of HDD's have ally cases, which could be melted down. It's usually all high quality material.

The magnets will most likley be rare earth, very powerful and can be reused for other things.

Ed.

Further to Ed's advice platters are often made of glass rather than aluminium. Also check the case before doing any melting - it may be Magnesium.

Smash the platter with a hammer if the hard drive ever had sensitive data on it.

I strip old drives down for my junk box. None of its been useful yet...

Dave

Hang the discs for the chickens to amuse themselves with!

Magnets are good for 'hanging' a drawing on the lathe splash back but a pain when they magnetise any screwdrivers you use to get hold of them.

The magnets have come in handy in and out of the shop for picking stuff up. The ones I had started to decompose after a year or two. At first it looked like a chrome plate pealing off, however, a months/year after that the whole thing crumbled and disintegrated. The flat shiny disks look too useful and shiny to throw away, but I have not found a use for them yet! One day I will make a foundry and melt the scrap aluminum pile ... one day.

Steve

http://www.instructables.com/howto/hard+drive+platter/

some good ideas here

Microscopists have made some superb 'slide-ringing tables' from them.

MichaelG.

I have used aluminium hard drive platters/disks to make spacers when mounting work on the milling tabl or the lathe faceplate.

Thor

Some guys use the tiny bearings out of hard drives when making small Stirling engines. Compact and low friction. I have a few thrown in my 'bits box', waiting for a Stirling engine to build itself around them.

Edited By Hopper on 05/11/2016 08:50:47

Hi, you can always use one of the platters to make a rough and ready compass, should you be taking one apart in the middle of nowhere, but you will need a container to hold some water and a method to mark the compass points on the platter.

The bearing in the actuator arm are very usable. I used one in a plastic guide wheel on my "Tapping and Drilling Machine" which was described in MEW 238.

Regards Nick.

I've got a vague memory of seeing a photo of a dremel type diamond disc stuck onto a computer drive and then used to sharpen things.

Bill

As mentioned on another thread. Wrap the magnet in a poly bag (I use dog poo bags, because I usually have one in my pocket) then use it clean swarf or other metal crud. Turn the bag inside out as you unwrap it and chuck away. The magnet is probably strong enough to clean anywhere.

Edited By Matthew Reed on 05/11/2016 11:31:50

I'v used the magnets in an alternator, and bearings in hot air engines, haven't got round to finding something for the discs to do. Old VHS video recorders are a better source of things like bearings. Defunct printers for steel rods and motors, the list goes on-----.

Ian S C

Friends

Please note that recycling of modern Electronic Divices can have NASTY sideeffects.

Modern materials can contain exotic substances and elements that are carcinogenic.

Think

The worst thing you can do is to scrap a microwave oven...

Rather long article.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2847329/

Johannes

The magnets are very strong. I've attached them to Janso lights on both the drill and milling machine. The co-efficient of friction between the plating on the magnet and the painted iron of the machine is very low so, although the magnets stick very well, they are inclined to rotate so that the C of G is at the lowest point. A bit of duck tape stuck to the magnet cures that.

Rod

How do you get the bearings out? Is it just a press fit? Can you get it out wiht a vice and some spaces or does it need more tender care?

I have the impression that the motor is integral to the case, but I've not followed that up yet.

Iain