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Wanted Magswitch magnets

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I don't know if you can find these offers in the UK now, but I wanted four of the MagJig 150 switches. I found them at the European Mag-Tools site for €57 each. However, the same site also had a bandsaw featherboard kit that had two of the MagJig 150 switches, plus extra hardware, for €80. I bought three of the kits with free shipping. Buying three kits instead of six separate switches saved me over €100.
 
I don't know if you can find these offers in the UK now, but I wanted four of the MagJig 150 switches. I found them at the European Mag-Tools site for €57 each. However, the same site also had a bandsaw featherboard kit that had two of the MagJig 150 switches, plus extra hardware, for €80. I bought three of the kits with free shipping. Buying three kits instead of six separate switches saved me over €100.
I did the same, but we don't have to pay duty etc.
 
they are very expensive for what they are (magnets)

They're expensive for magnets, but they are switchable, and come in a housing of defined dimensions so you can easily build jigs around them and swap just a couple of the magswitch elements between a lot of relatively low cost jigs.
 
Steve Maskery uses magnets designed for dredging together with a wooden handle to break the seal, see about 8 mins in. Not as elegant as the mag switches but a lot cheaper....

 
Neat idea Steve. These have 16kg pull each, should do the job with Steves 'lever' to pick them up?
They seem to be good, but all out of stock at the moment, I have arranged to be notified when they are back in stock, I have watched Steve's video and will use that principle for feather boards, it seems to work well, and 4 magnets for just over a £10
 
Do note that the most common mag switch is rated 150lbs (at a straight pull).
If you try to slide one sideways on a cast iron table top, it moves with much less than 150 lbs of force.
A 30Kg chinese mag base is not going to need a lot of shove to slide it sideways.

If you look at mag bases for dial indicators, 30Kg pull is typical at the weak / cheap end of the market. These don't inspire confidence. If you have a decent digital clock attached, you don't want a bump to a weak base to knock your clock to the floor.
The Noga ones I use are 800N (about 80Kg pull), far better, but cost similar money to the mag switch.
I guess it's a case of you get what you pay for.
 
If things do slip with magnets I always use a piece of none slip matting, I either stick it over the whole base if I've recessed the magnets or just under the magnets if they are the only things touching. The thinner the mat the better, I had an off-cut from a company called Dycem which comes on a reel which was good but now using some stuff that was sold for lining drawers from a £ shop.

Obviously @Sideways is super strong whilst moving things in a side ways direction, hence the forum name :unsure:
 
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