Making Electro magnets

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MariaQ
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Joined: 02 Sep 2015, 08:41
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School: Central Coast Grammar
State/Location: NSW

Making Electro magnets

Post by MariaQ »

Hi Peeps,

Just wondering do most of your teachers want the students to make their own electro magnets with insulated copper wire? Just seems such a waste to me making new coils every year :-( what does everyone else do?

MariaQ
mtg
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School: NDSC
Suburb: west gippsland
State/Location: VIC

Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by mtg »

I save the used wire into a kit and re-use it every year.
Merilyn1
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School: Wollondilly Anglican College
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Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by Merilyn1 »

Always just given them last year's efforts. They usually get so squashed and stretched out of shape before they even get back to the prep room, they need to be rewound. Never had anyone complain.
bigmack
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Joined: 15 Dec 2015, 10:49
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School: FCAC
State/Location: QLD

Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by bigmack »

I reuse the wire . We use cotton covered stuff as the plastic insulated stuff tends to melt and hurt children :whistling2:
Electromagnet kits.jpg
I prepare the ends ...IE cut back the cotton and add a dab of fingernail polish or PVC to stop it unravelling. We find a 2 meter length is ample .Any longer and the kids just tangle it all up . it will easily pickup small nails and paper clips with either a "D" cell or 2V on the power packs .
Ends.jpg
I ask the teachers to get the kids to leave them on the rods so I can carefully unroll it so it doesn't kink but there is always one that has to pull the rod out and give you a coil .
on return.jpg
To straighten the wire , I tip my chair over and pull the wire around the stand a few times ( but any fixed round bar or pole would work ) . Comes out like new :thumbup:
straightening.jpg
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MariaQ
Posts: 84
Joined: 02 Sep 2015, 08:41
Job Title: Boss
School: Central Coast Grammar
State/Location: NSW

Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by MariaQ »

:giggle: Thanks Bigmack for such a detailed reply! Awesome :wink2:
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Labbie
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Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by Labbie »

Your the best Bigmack Really you are.
Regards Labbie

Lab Manager/Lab Tech, mind reading etc etc
Now retired :wub:
MariaQ
Posts: 84
Joined: 02 Sep 2015, 08:41
Job Title: Boss
School: Central Coast Grammar
State/Location: NSW

Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by MariaQ »

Ok next question, I have a little of the cotton covered copper wire, but not enough. Does anybody know where I can purchase this? Did a quick goggle search and not much came up.....MariaQ :thumbup:
bigmack
Posts: 816
Joined: 15 Dec 2015, 10:49
Job Title: Lab Technician
School: FCAC
State/Location: QLD

Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by bigmack »

Good question Maria .Gosh , I thought our regular suppliers still sold it but no .....it's a lot worse than that as you say .
You can get 500KG spools @ around $2,500 from China :crazy:

or about 30 metre reels from the UK .
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cactus155
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Joined: 15 May 2006, 10:00
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School: Claremont College
Suburb: Claremont
State/Location: TAS

Re: Making Electro magnets

Post by cactus155 »

I found this one site in Australia
https://www.evatco.com.au/solid-core-vi ... vered-wire

Cheers
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