RE: Cutting NIB magnets (fwd)

[Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003 22:10:38 -0700
From: Dave Halliday <dh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: 'High Voltage list' <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Cutting NIB magnets (fwd)

I do not know anything about the chemistry involved but...

I have seen a neat way to make small stress-free cuts - build what is in
essence a small motorized "hacksaw" frame strung with tungsten (or
other) wire.  Make the motor mount operate at a bit of an angle and drip
acid on the wire as it is resting on the thing to be cut.  Have the
frame move back and forth 5-10 times/minute.  The weight of the frame
provides the cutting force.

You would need to find materials that were compatible (non-magnetic and
acid resistant) and you would need to find out what acid to use (you
don't want poisonous gas being evolved) but this should work and if you
use fine wire, the cut will be small.

I saw this being used by people making gas lasers where they wanted to
get the Brewster angle just right but didn't want to use a diamond saw
for fear of stressing or chomping up the quartz (expensive) tube.
Worked great - took about a day to make one cut but it was glass smooth.
Hydrofluoric and tungsten were used - YMMV

Dave

> -----Original Message-----
> From: High Voltage list [mailto:hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 12:18 PM
> To: hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Cutting NIB magnets (fwd)
>
>
> Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003 10:53:59 -0600
> From: Gomez <gomez@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Cutting NIB magnets (fwd)
>
> On Friday, August 1, 2003, at 08:07  AM, High Voltage list wrote:
>
> > Is there any safe easy way to cut NIB magnets.  I know too
> much heat
> > may ignite them.
>
>   I would try a wet-saw, like the diamond- or
> tungsten-carbide-coated tile saws one fines at Home Depot and
> the like.  Not sure how you'd do it on the cheap.  You
> probably want to minimize the kerf to minimize lost material.
> Perhaps a thin carbide rod saw (fits hacksaw handle) kept wet.
>
>   - Gomez
>
>
>