The neodymium magnets are typically in a little metal cap. Most of the time these can be removed by sliding a screwdriver into the gap and twisting… That’s enough to snap it off the adhesive, then you’ll have to dig it out carefully. One time I had to drill a hole in the bottom of the cap and push it out the other way but that was an oddball case
The ring magnets are a little bigger pain in the ass. You will need snippers to cut through the larger but thinner caps… And then they have different plugs and things you’ll have to deal with. There’s a lot of adhesive, and honestly it’s not easy
Once I get them out of the large metal cap, I have been soaking them in lacquer thinner and acetone. Some come off rather easy, others are just a nightmare and they end up shattering along the way. Most of the time, you’ll need a hammer and a socket of suitable size. You’ll press the socket up against the metal, not the magnet, and strike, to shock them apart
The ring magnets are the biggest pain to deal with, and it’s an ongoing process trying to figure out what’s the best way to dissolve the glues. Even 2 weeks in solvent like lacquer thinner or acetone doesn’t really do much. For some of them, it will soften enough that I can separate. Seems to depend on the individual build and glue used
Today I’m trying boiling them for 5 minutes, just to get them up to around 100 C, then putting them in jars of solvent thinking that the expansion/contraction might draw the solvent in and under the adhesive
For any pics inters for someone who’s never thought to remove a magnet from a device?
I accidentally replied to the wrong comment!
I hope the pictures show up here…pasting it…
There’s mostly two types you’ll be dealing with
Neodymium solid magnets and ceramic ring magnets
The neodymium magnets are typically in a little metal cap. Most of the time these can be removed by sliding a screwdriver into the gap and twisting… That’s enough to snap it off the adhesive, then you’ll have to dig it out carefully. One time I had to drill a hole in the bottom of the cap and push it out the other way but that was an oddball case
The ring magnets are a little bigger pain in the ass. You will need snippers to cut through the larger but thinner caps… And then they have different plugs and things you’ll have to deal with. There’s a lot of adhesive, and honestly it’s not easy
Once I get them out of the large metal cap, I have been soaking them in lacquer thinner and acetone. Some come off rather easy, others are just a nightmare and they end up shattering along the way. Most of the time, you’ll need a hammer and a socket of suitable size. You’ll press the socket up against the metal, not the magnet, and strike, to shock them apart
The ring magnets are the biggest pain to deal with, and it’s an ongoing process trying to figure out what’s the best way to dissolve the glues. Even 2 weeks in solvent like lacquer thinner or acetone doesn’t really do much. For some of them, it will soften enough that I can separate. Seems to depend on the individual build and glue used
Today I’m trying boiling them for 5 minutes, just to get them up to around 100 C, then putting them in jars of solvent thinking that the expansion/contraction might draw the solvent in and under the adhesive