Yay! Let's hear it for magnetized tools. A while back this was quite a good
topic on the news group. I had even posed the possibilty of using 500# pull
magnets as a means of holding the lathe steady instead of pouring 2000#'s of
concrete or sand in boxes under the lathe. Dire predictions flew like
loosely mounted turning blanks! That much magnetism would pull all your
tools off the wall and skewer you. Or you wouldn't be able to get near the
lathe without the tool sticking to sompart of the lathe other than the tool
rest! As it turns out, I didn't go through with my lathe mounting scheme;
however, I do use the industrial strength magnetic strips to hold my tools
with. I grant you that there is some magnetism on the tool and it can make
the tool stick to the tool rest. The tool is not hindered in anyway by its
attraction to the tool rest and may well glide more smoothly and evenly as a
result of the magnetic field.. I did buy a degaussing tool from Harbor
Freight or some such outfit in the event I wanted a magnetic field free too
for some reason. I keep it mounted on my sharpening stand near the lathe,
but have hardly had occasion to use it, at least for my turning tools. It
is a hand held device with a circular ac coil at one end that you can pass
the desired tool through to demagnetize it. I have found it handy for
demagging, screw drivers and various other tools.

My advice: "Go with the flux!" *G*

Leif
"Alan Van Art" wrote in message
news:LM35d.1213$6f.645@trndny02...
I recently purchased a Robert Sorby Oval Skew from Craft Supplies. I'm not
positive, but I think it's magnetized. It really feels like it's sticking
to the tool rest when I go to pick it up. Has anyone else experienced
anything similar? So far, I don't think it's a bad thing, but I really just
started using it. Should I de-magnetize it or leave it alone?


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