# How do you like using heavy duty magnetic pickup tool around lathe and mill?



## nnam (Dec 7, 2019)

I plan to buy one just for that purpose.  I wonder if this is something you would do?


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## mmcmdl (Dec 7, 2019)

I never drop anything !


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## MontanaLon (Dec 7, 2019)

mmcmdl said:


> I never drop anything !


Do your chips just magically levitate to the scrap bin?

I've got a small one, 3" diameter on a stick. I put a heavy duty freezer bag around it and when it gets where it won't pick up any more chips turn the bag inside out and pull it off the magnet. This way I don't get chips stuck to the thing all over. It would be cool to find a huge mag base where the magnet could be switched off but that is just my lazy side showing.


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## Bob Korves (Dec 8, 2019)

For loose chips all over the floor, away from the metal machines, I use one of these:








						Long Reach Magnetic Pickup Tool with Quick Release
					

Amazing deals on this Long Reach Magnetic Pickup Tool W/ Release at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




					www.harborfreight.com


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## mmcmdl (Dec 8, 2019)

Until they invent a magnet for 300 series stainless , aluminum , plastic , wood etc , I just use a broom or a shop vac .


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## Bob Korves (Dec 8, 2019)

mmcmdl said:


> Until they invent a magnet for 300 series stainless , aluminum , plastic , wood etc , I just use a broom or a shop vac .


Indeed.  I only use it when I am making lots of ferrous chips that respond to magnets.


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## mmcmdl (Dec 8, 2019)

Bob Korves said:


> Indeed. I only use it when I am making lots of ferrous chips that respond to magnets.



We use and destroy many a rodless cylinders in here at work . The unfortunate ones that have to swap them out are the fortunate ones who get to keep the rare earth magnets . I have some on my push around cart and they attract anything ferrous within miles I think .  Those things are dangerous to play around with , ask me how I know .


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## bill70j (Dec 8, 2019)

Bob Korves said:


> Indeed.  I only use it when I am making lots of ferrous chips that respond to magnets.


Me too.  And also when I'm trying to find the tiny screw, nut, or part that I dropped and that disappeared.  Just happened last night when changing out an insert and the tiny Torex screw got lost.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Dec 8, 2019)

mmcmdl said:


> Until they invent a magnet for 300 series stainless , aluminum , plastic , wood etc , I just use a broom or a shop vac .


That magnet is called a Sock or Socks aka pair of socks!


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## Mitch Alsup (Dec 8, 2019)

nnam said:


> I plan to buy one just for that purpose.  I wonder if this is something you would do?


Unfortunately, most of my work is on aluminum, and they don't make aluminum magnets.


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## benmychree (Dec 8, 2019)

The ones from HF invariably break just above the large diameter where it joins the long shank; if you get one, immedediatly wrap that juncture up with a thick layer of plastic tape or a hose clamp, anticipating it's eventual breakage.


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## bhigdog (Dec 8, 2019)

A magnet for clean up sounds more trouble than it's worth. A chip brush, foxtail and dust pan makes short work of it. Sometimes a shop vac for wood chips comes in handy. I have a couple of small rare earth magnets for small parts retrieval but they are usually a pain in the butt because they are so strong they attract and attach themselves to any iron close to the part I'm trying to pick up...........Bob


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## mikey (Dec 8, 2019)

bill70j said:


> Me too.  And also when I'm trying to find the tiny screw, nut, or part that I dropped and that disappeared.  Just happened last night when changing out an insert and the tiny Torex screw got lost.



Works good for Albrecht ball bearings, too!


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## Ben Nevis (Dec 8, 2019)

I use a magnetic  pickup tool to save my back. For non ferrous items, I use an upright dust pan.





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						right angle dust pan - Bing  - Shopping
					






					www.bing.com


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## MontanaLon (Dec 8, 2019)

⁷





Mitch Alsup said:


> Unfortunately, most of my work is on aluminum, and they don't make aluminum magnets.


So that's why the silver and gold colored chips won't stick.


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## hman (Dec 11, 2019)

Ben Nevis said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I use one of these in my shop and another in the house, very handy, saves stooping.  You can get them at Home Depot and many grocery stores, probably Walmart as well.  Ask for a "lobby broom."  Many of these have a pretty short broom, which I'll either discard or keep in my pickumup truck tool box.  I'll substitute a regular broom.


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## darkzero (Dec 11, 2019)

I had thought about getting one but decided it may not help me much since it only works with ferrous. I just pick up the larger chips by hand & toss em in a bin then use the shop vac to vacuum up the rest. I also use drywall/fliter bags in my shop vac. Makes disposal easy & keeps the filter clean as well as the tank. I've had my current shop vac for 3+ yrs now & the filter is still clean as new.

My lathe & mill sit against a wall. For chips on the floor I just sweep or use my cordless leaf blower to blow them against the wall then use the shop vac again to vacuum them up.

I also recently got a new broom during BF. I was just using an ordinary household broom, would get annoying when the chips got stuck on the bristles. I purchased one of those heavy duty job site brooms that have thicker stiffer bristles on the outside. What a big difference it made compared to my old one, chips don't really get stuck anymore & it has no problem sweeping bigger piles. Only downside is the broom is much heavier but that's ok, will just take some getting used to


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Dec 11, 2019)

darkzero said:


> I also recently got a new broom during BF. *I was just use an ordinary household broom, would get annoying when tbe ships got stuck on the bristles.* I purchased one of those heavy duty job site brooms that have thicker stiffer bristles on the outside. What a big difference it made compared to my old one, chips don't really get stuck anymore & it has no problem sweeping bigger piles. *Only downside is the broom is much heavier but that's ok, will just take some getting used to*



This is where this little beauty shines



			https://www.amazon.com/Chouqing-Self-Cleaning-Dustpan-Handle-Upright/dp/B07YDL76GC/ref=asc_df_B07YDL76GC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385194985119&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3367919051950269744&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016916&hvtargid=pla-843986790937&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=84195605171&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385194985119&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3367919051950269744&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016916&hvtargid=pla-843986790937


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## darkzero (Dec 11, 2019)

Latinrascalrg1 said:


> This is where this little beauty shines
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Chouqing-Self-Cleaning-Dustpan-Handle-Upright/dp/B07YDL76GC/ref=asc_df_B07YDL76GC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385194985119&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3367919051950269744&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016916&hvtargid=pla-843986790937&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=84195605171&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385194985119&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3367919051950269744&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016916&hvtargid=pla-843986790937



Man I had a lot of typos in that one. Damn fat fingers. Haha

I briefly thought about one of those. The local DIY Center that just opened up (used to be an Osh) carries those types of dust pans. Liked the idea but I really don't have a need for a dustpan in the garage since I just vacuum up the swept/blown pile. The curly chips really got stuck & tangled on my old broom. The new broom not so much, I just tap it on the ground if they do & the chips fall right off. But I mostly just use the leaf blower or air hose then vacuum. Have to work smarter not harder as they say.


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 11, 2019)

What I may consider instead of a hand held pick up magnet would be one of those magnetic floor sweepers , you know the ones with a handle release, those would be great in a steel / fabrication shops but in my shop like many here, Aluminum rules.


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## Tozguy (Dec 12, 2019)

Magnets never worked well for me. For large piles of large chips I use a pitch fork, anything else is handled by the shop vac. Anything left behind is called Christmas decoration.


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## pontiac428 (Dec 12, 2019)

My magnet (works on aluminum and brass, too)


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## nnam (Dec 12, 2019)

I love using vacuums.  Just that I sometimes have a habbit of sucking useful things into them.
The other day, I had to use a telescoping magnet to try retrieving things out of a vac bag since the bag was not close to half full.  To my surprise, most of the stuff inside are metal shavings.  I then playing around with that magnet and went up here to ask this question.

I later saw a youtube video from Mr. Pete but it's a bit bulky using copper tube.  I have ordered some small rare earth magnets.

I plan to do that also, but using thinner tube so it can go into smaller gap on tables.

Hf has good price on these, but still too wide in diameter.

Talk about HF, I think they increase their products price alot lately.

I think a small magnet for gaps would work good.  A bit larger one for the places with harder to vacuum would work.  Then vacuum the rest.


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## MontanaLon (Dec 12, 2019)

nnam said:


> Talk about HF, I think they increase their products price alot lately.


Much of that is tariff related. You will notice the same across many other Chinese imports.


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## dirty tools (Dec 12, 2019)

Do you have a that will pitch-up aluminum


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## nnam (Dec 12, 2019)

dirty tools said:


> Do you have a that will pitch-up aluminum


That would be a vacuum and a toothbrush


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## hman (Dec 13, 2019)

nnam said:


> I later saw a youtube video from Mr. Pete but it's a bit bulky using copper tube.  I have ordered some small rare earth magnets.
> I plan to do that also, but using thinner tube so it can go into smaller gap on tables.
> <snip>
> I think a small magnet for gaps would work good.  A bit larger one for the places with harder to vacuum would work.  Then vacuum the rest.


See my post (#17) in https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/magnetic-swarf-wand-plans.35024/#post-303588


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## Tozguy (Dec 13, 2019)

To improve access to tight places with the shop vac a gizmo such as this can be a great help. It is made with a length of thin wall (but fairly rigid) hose, a screw on nozzle from a tube of caulking and a small pill bottle. It sure takes the headache out of getting in smaller places. And, useful things are not so likely to disappear into the hose.


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## nnam (Dec 13, 2019)

Tozguy said:


> To improve access to tight places with the shop vac a gizmo such as this can be a great help. It is made with a length of thin wall (but fairly rigid) hose, a screw on nozzle from a tube of caulking and a small pill bottle. It sure takes the headache out of getting in smaller places. And, useful things are not so likely to disappear into the hose.


Nice use of a pill bottle or a caulking 

This reminds me of using a shop vac and similar "adapter" to suck out lots of oil out of a cavity inside of an engine.  Later people said that would cause fire.  I was doing it outside, so if any fire, it probably wouldn't cause too much trouble, but it's something to learn.  I still have the adapter though, but last time I did it, I used a plastic cup to get oil out.  Somehow I still don't want to part with that neat tool.  I only duct tape it though.  So a bottle or caulk tube would be a big improvement.


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## Tozguy (Dec 13, 2019)

The caulk nozzle is a press fit inside the neck of the pill bottle. The hose is a press fit in the caulk nozzle.

Did an experiment once with a shop vac to suck out the oil from an automatic transmission. A length of hose was inserted down the dipstick tube. It worked but required patience. Dexron has a viscosity of around 7. I was never concerned about fire. There is a danger that the shop vac overheats but some air was bled into the hose and I kept tabs on how hot the exit air was getting.

When cleaning the lathe there is more air than oil going through the hose so no worries about overheating. Of course the vac is set up for wet work as opposed to using the dry paper media.


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## Suzuki4evr (Dec 13, 2019)

Bob Korves said:


> For loose chips all over the floor, away from the metal machines, I use one of these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think I want one. You know I envy you US guys having a Shars & harborfreght.


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## RobertB (Dec 13, 2019)

For tiny nooks and crannies I have one of these: https://www.amazon.com/EZ-SPARES-Attachment-Keyboard-Cleaning/dp/B07457CBCT

You do have to be careful with them though. They greatly restrict the airflow to the vacuum so the motor will get quite warm. I don't run mine for more than a minute or two at a time.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Dec 13, 2019)

For those of you who are using a shop vac to clean up the oil spills along with the swarf  that are concerned with starting a fire I would say that you have every reason to be cautious because there is a very real possibility for a fire to happen.
FWIW I would like to make a suggestion that will solve this potential problem cheaply and you probably have the materials needed around the house.
Basically I am suggesting the addition of a separator before the vaccum tank.
You need a bucket of water that is at least half full.  You need to cut 2 holes into the lid that allow the hoses to pass through so they are a "snug" fit that holds them in place without restricting the flow. Hose 1-(working end of hose) You take the long section of hose that goes from the "Wand" and you insert the end that would have been connected to the vacuum intake into the bucket so that it almost reaches the bottom (the opening MUST remain Under Water.) Hose 2- (usually a shorter length of vacuum hose) you insert one end into the 2nd hole that you cut into the bucket lid ****VERY Important**** the end of this hose that goes into the bucket must remain *ABOVE *the water line.

I remove my vacs filter when i use the seperator just incase i accidentally suck up water into hose 2 so it doesn't get ruin the filter.   Anyway it works great at eliminating the really fine dust that gets pass a normal filter and because it captures  all the garbage before it hits the tank you will eliminate the potential fire hazard before it could get started in that old vacuum tank.


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## nnam (Dec 13, 2019)

At first, I didn't know what the bottle is for.  Later, it seems the caulk tube doesn't fit well, so the pill bottle fits better and work together.  Very nice.  If not too much of a stretch (pun not intended), a heat gun can be used on the caulk tube to reduce the need of the bottle.


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## nnam (Dec 13, 2019)

Latinrascalrg1 said:


> You need a bucket of water that is at least half full.  You need to cut 2 holes into the lid that allow the hoses to pass through so they are a "snug" fit that holds them in place without restricting the flow. Hose 1-(working end of hose) You take the long section of hose that goes from the "Wand" and you insert the end that would have been connected to the vacuum intake into the bucket so that it almost reaches the bottom (the opening MUST remain Under Water.) Hose 2- (usually a shorter length of vacuum hose) you insert one end into the 2nd hole that you cut into the bucket lid ****VERY Important**** the end of this hose that goes into the bucket must remain *ABOVE *the water line.
> 
> I remove my vacs filter when i use the seperator just incase i suck up water so it doesn't get ruined.  Anyway it works great at eliminating the really fine dust that gets passed a normal filter and because it captures  all the garbage before it hits the tank you will eliminate the potential fire hazard that got started in that old vacuum tank.


This is a design they sell for avoiding dust sanding drywall, works very well.  I have it, but it never occurred to me to use it for preventing fire.  Very clever.  Thanks!


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## pontiac428 (Dec 13, 2019)

You are creating an explosive atmosphere inside the vacuum and hose by atomizing oil into an aerosol mist and charging it with plenty of air. You're just lucky you haven't encountered an ignition source yet.

Try an absorbant pad or something that won't put you in a burn unit.


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## nnam (Dec 13, 2019)

pontiac428 said:


> You are creating an explosive atmosphere inside the vacuum and hose by atomizing oil into an aerosol mist and charging it with plenty of air. You're just lucky you haven't encountered an ignition source yet.
> 
> Try an absorbant pad or something that won't put you in a burn unit.


People said fire, not explosion.  Now that you said it, I won't do it again.  Thanks.


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## ErichKeane (Dec 13, 2019)

My shop vac hose keeps getting clogged with metal chips :/ anyone have a good way to prevent that?


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## timmeh (Dec 13, 2019)

Here's one I prepared earlier.
Length of stainless rod, garden light tube(SS), magnet from busted pond pump, couple of bits of scrap brass.
Cap off paint can.


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## nnam (Dec 13, 2019)

ErichKeane said:


> My shop vac hose keeps getting clogged with metal chips :/ anyone have a good way to prevent that?


Put a metal net in front of the hose.  So when you got enough, point it to a bucket and shut down the vacuum.  Just like a magnet, turn switch and the magnetic is gone.  Sorry, I can't help it


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## bhigdog (Dec 13, 2019)

My shop vac hose keeps getting clogged with metal chips :/ anyone have a good way to prevent that?




Use a chip brush and dust pan...........................Bob


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## epanzella (Dec 14, 2019)

I use a 3 inch magnet on a stick.  It works well on ferrous chips and saves my back when cleaning the floor. For non ferrous chips I use a double reverse wound coil of farthing wire around an oak dowel powered by diLithium crystals.


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## Karl_T (Dec 14, 2019)

ErichKeane said:


> My shop vac hose keeps getting clogged with metal chips :/ anyone have a good way to prevent that?



I have a very high flow water outlet and oversize garden hose. Made a fitting to go from garden hose to vacuum hose. turn water on for 10 seconds. Done.

This won't work if you got a 3/4 or less water line to a boiler drain type water hose valve. Just not enough flow.

<EDIT> if you don't have enough flow, try pushing a golf ball through with water. I've not done this.


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 14, 2019)

bhigdog said:


> My shop vac hose keeps getting clogged with metal chips :/ anyone have a good way to prevent that?


I use a Dust Deputy with my shop vac,(got mine from Lee Valley) it picks all the metal chips , shavings, dust in an auxiliary bucket and almost nothing gets inside the shop vac. , I highly recommend it, if you are up to it you can build your own.
This is the type of set up I'm talking about:
Source: Google


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## hman (Dec 14, 2019)

I use one of these (actually a cheap Chinese knockoff) on my table saw.  Love it!


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