Removing rare earth magnet from backing

[Professor Frink]

I was just able to procure 4 rare earth magnets from 2 hard drives at work, which I want to use to secure a drip tray to my kegerator. The problem is getting the magnets off the metal brackets they're attached to. Has anyone had any success with this?

 

[sTango]

the only way ive removed them is by playing around with them and they just come off. have you tried a flat tip screwdriver?

 

[Drunkensatyr]

http://www.takeitapart.net/archives/quantum-fireball-ex-hard-drive/


This may be a bit different but it is pretty step by step. I used a Seagate and it was really simple. Just unscrew EVERYTHING and pry gently to break any glue used in assembly.

 

[Professor Frink]

the only way ive removed them is by playing around with them and they just come off. have you tried a flat tip screwdriver?

No luck just yet with the flat tip, I think that's the best bet. I have a broken magnet and a cut thumb from trying the hammer.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Use some thin piece of metal - knife, paint scraper, etc... Stick the bracket in a vice and gently tap the blade between the magnet and bracket. Worked fine for both the magnets I removed.

 

[Professor Frink]

So I was able to salvage 2 full magnets and 2 smaller pieces. Hopefully that'll be enough to attach a drip tray and a bottle cap catcher.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Hopefully that'll be enough to attach a drip tray

And here I've been wanting to add one to my fridge for quite some time now, but couldn't figure out a great way to do it with screws so it would look decent but be easy to remove for cleaning. Wish I'd thought of using magnets - thanks for the idea!

 

[Professor Frink]

No problem. The two magnets I didn't break are about 2 inches long, and they can hold a lot of weight, I think they should be able to handle a drip tray.

 

[Bobby_M]

I just epoxied some brackets to the kegerator and attached the tray to the brackets with velcro.

 

[lustreking]

Easiest way to get hard drive magnets off their mounting brackets is to bend the mounting bracket. I put one end in a vise, and grab the other end with pliers. Bend the bracket away from the magnet, and you should easily be able the get the magnet off.

 

[keiths]

I just clamped it in a vise and using a screw driver I just taped it a little and they just slid off.

 

[Professor Frink]

Easiest way to get hard drive magnets off their mounting brackets is to bend the mounting bracket. I put one end in a vise, and grab the other end with pliers. Bend the bracket away from the magnet, and you should easily be able the get the magnet off.

I think that works for certain ones, but when I tried that, the magnet bent (then broke) right along with the backing.

 

[zoebisch01]

Oh hey cool idea . I like salvaging things. Man I need to get a keg setup going...the time has come dammit! Off topic, but on subject D) I worked with some Samarium-Cobalt (I think it was) magnets that so insanely strong you could not pry two apart...and if you didn't hold them away with all your might they'd collide and shatter into razor sharp pieces.