Sometimes you need to make a steel object magnetic. For example, it is easier to disassemble a complex machine with a magnetic screwdriver. In addition, this process can also be an easy experiment for children, which requires only a few special tools. But before that, check the steel object you are going to use with the existing magnet. If the steel object you are going to use is not attracted to a magnet, you cannot turn the steel into a magnet.
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Method 1 of 3: Making Magnetic Steel Using Existing Magnets
Step 1. Take advantage of this method to quickly make a temporary magnet
With built-in powerful magnets, you can make several types of steel magnetic in just a few minutes. This process will turn the steel into a weak magnet which will lose its magnetism over time. You can use this method on a screwdriver, nail, or needle, right before use. You can also restore the magnetism of an old compass needle or other magnet that has weakened.
Step 2. Prepare a strong magnet
You can transfer the magnetism of any magnet to steel. However, the magnets commonly used in refrigerators have only a very weak effect. It is more suitable if you use rare metal magnets such as neodymium magnets. You can buy this type of magnet at home improvement stores, hobby stores, or online stores that specialize in magnets.
You can also buy tools specifically for making other tools into magnets
Step 3. Test the reaction of the steel to the magnet
If the steel you want to magnetize isn't attracted to the strong magnet you've prepared, you can't turn the steel into a magnet. This method, while it's easiest for you to work on long, thin metal like a screwdriver, can also work on any shape of metal.
If you're buying stainless steel and can't tell if the stainless steel will be attracted to a magnet, ask the steelmaker about the type. You will need stainless steel containing iron, or type "400 series" stainless steel. Although not necessarily, but the price of the type of steel that can be made magnetic will usually be cheaper
Step 4. Rub the magnet on the half of the steel repeatedly
Hold a steel object with one hand. Attach a magnet to the steel in the middle, then rub it all the way up to one end. Rub in one direction and only in half. Repeat several times. The more you do, the stronger the magnetism of the steel will be.
You can make a steel ball or other small steel object become a magnet by rubbing the small object against the magnet and not the other way around
Step 5. Rub the opposite pole of the magnet on the half of the steel that has not been rubbed
Rotate the magnet you are using, so that the other end is now touching the steel. Place it back in the center of the steel. This time, rub in the opposite direction, on the half of the steel that has not been polished. Repeat until the steel manages to lift a paperclip. If not, continue rubbing until the magnetism of the steel is stronger.
If you are not sure where the two poles of the magnet you are using are, you can test it with another magnet. One pole will attract the opposite magnetic pole surface, while the other pole will repel
Method 2 of 3: Making Magnetic Steel with Batteries
Step 1. Cut the skin at both ends of a piece of cable
Use cable cutting pliers to cut the cable skin about 2.5 cm from both ends. You'll need a cable long enough to wind the steel object you want to magnetize. You will roll at least ten turns.
The effect of "enamel wire" with thin skin will be stronger. Do not use exposed wires, which are completely skinless, as this will interrupt the current and will not work at all
Step 2. Roll the cable around the steel
Wind the part of the cable that is still skinned around the steel. Leave a few inches of cable at each end. The more coils you make, the stronger the magnetism of the steel. Roll at least ten turns for spikes, or more for larger items.
- You can also tie the cord around a heat-resistant plastic tube large enough for your steel object to fit.
- If a regular magnet can't attract the steel object you're using, you can't make the steel object magnetic. Some types of stainless steel cannot be made magnetic.
Step 3. Prepare the low voltage battery
A regular 1.5 V or 3 V battery will provide enough DC power to make a nail or screwdriver magnetic and safe to use. Other, larger steel objects will require higher battery voltages, but this process will produce more heat and more dangerous electric shocks if the procedure is wrong. A 12 V car battery can be used once it is removed from the vehicle; it is not recommended to use a higher voltage. Please note the safety instructions below.
never ever use a wall outlet or other AC power supply. The high voltage can turn off electricity in your home. The risk is also very high.
Step 4. Use rubber gloves and rubber-handled tools
These tools will keep you from being electrocuted. Although regular low-voltage batteries aren't too dangerous when used like this, it's still a good idea to wear gloves as they can get hot once they're plugged in.
Step 5. Connect both ends of the cable with the battery
Connect one end of the unskinned cable to the positive pole of the battery, and attach the other end to the negative pole. For small regular batteries, you can tie the cord around a brass paper clip to make it easier to hold. Place the paper clip head on the battery (make sure the cable is connected), then use tape or rubber bands to secure the paper clip on both sides of the battery. You can add one more rubber band to hold the paper clip at its length to hold the paper clip more tightly to the battery.
If you are using a battery with a higher voltage, you will see a spark when the battery connection is complete. Always hold the cable by the skin on it
Step 6. Test the steel
An electric current flowing through the coils will create a magnetic field, which will make all the ferromagnetic metal in the steel magnetized. If the type of steel you are using is a magnetizable type, it will be able to lift small iron objects after they have been in the coil for some time.
Steel that has been made magnetic by the coil method will lose its magnetism if it is placed in the coil a second time
Method 3 of 3: Making Magnetic Steel Without Tools
Step 1. Find the north direction
If you have a compass, the needle will point to the magnetic north pole. If you don't have a compass, you can simply look for the real north pole.
Step 2. Set the steel object you are using to face north
Place the steel object so that its length dimension extends from north to south.
This method won't work well for small objects or steel balls that can't be pointed north
Step 3. Hold the steel
Use tape or other support to hold the steel in place.
Step 4. Hit the steel object repeatedly with a hammer
Hit the end of the steel object many times. The steel object will slowly become a weak magnet and will only get stronger as you hit. You can test this by placing a paper clip next to the steel from time to time.
Some types of steel cannot be made magnetic with household appliances. Try another steel object if you don't see a magnetic effect at all, or use an iron one
Step 5. Understand how this method works
The additional energy from your blow causes the atomic-sized magnetic field in the steel to change its configuration. Since Earth's iron core creates its own magnetic field, these tiny magnets will self-regulate northward. Once hit enough, these tiny magnets all pointing in the same direction will create a magnetic effect strong enough for humans to see.
Tips
- At the atomic level, steel is already magnetic. However, when the atomic configuration is random, the magnetic effect does not operate on a macroscopic scale. These methods alter atomic size magnets to align with the magnetic field of another object and force the atoms to exert a magnetic force in the same direction.
- Not all steel can be made magnetic, because the addition of different chemicals during steel production can change the microscopic configuration of the steel atoms.
- Strong magnets are created with special high-voltage appliances that are not possible with household appliances.
Warning
- Keep magnets away from hard drives, computer monitors, television screens, credit cards, or identity cards with magnetic stripes.
- Always use rubber-coated pliers and tweezers, and always hold the rubber-coated side of the cable when connecting to the positive pole of the battery.
- Heat or striking force can mess up the configuration of the magnetic atoms, reducing or eliminating the magnetic effect.
