American Science & Surplus is selling a magnetic laboratory mixer
that has an adjustable speed from 100 to 1000 rpm.
It is item number 92998 MAGNETIC STIRRER on their site (I’m not
posting the link because I’m not sure it’s OK, but you can Google the
company name to find them).
It’s only about $90. Could this thing be adapted to use as a small
magnetic tumbler?
Kathy Johnson
Feathered Gems Jewelry
www.featheredgems.com
It's only about $90. Could this thing be adapted to use as a small magnetic tumbler?
In a word, no. magnetic mixers are able to spin a small bar magnet
in the bottom of a beaker of liquid. that’s all. For one thing, the
rotating magnet that does it, is small, centered, and rotating on
it’s own axis to power the equally centered mixing magnet. For a
magnetic tumbler, you need a rotating disk roughly the width of the
container you will use, with two or more magnets (very strong ones,
much stronger than the mixers usually need) mounted around the
periphery of that disk. And the disk will need a more powerful motor
rotating it as well.
But the magnetic mixers do have various uses, for agitating certain
plating or etching baths, or helping to dissolve various chemicals to
make fluxes, liver of sulphur solutions, and the like, without you
needing to stir it manually. In the cases of things that dissolve
only slowly, that can be pretty handy. Those stirrers with a heating
ability too, are more useful still.
Peter
I don’t believe these have enough power.
jesse
Hello,
I have been using a “magnetic stirrer” with a combination of steel
pins and shot (the tiny ones) for some years now. I add a bit of
detergent and water and throw in the item to be cleaned for up to 3
or four hours at a time or as little as ten minutes. There would be
about three tablespoons of combined shot and enough liquid to cover
the article. It works brilliantly for me… It seems such a waste to
buy a big polishing device if you are working on one item at a time.
I would say go for it, try it and see if it works for you. Mine is
certainly used daily!
Gwen
It is item number 92998 MAGNETIC STIRRER on their site Could this thing be adapted to use as a small magnetic tumbler?
An interesting question. My guess is no, because magnetic stirrers
are designed to move a tiny magnetic capsule, not a load of pins. I
have one and would be happy to experiment, but I don’t have any of
those little steel pins. I have shot, but it is stainless.
Noel