I swear I've watched this video a dozen times over the years just to refresh my memory how these magical devices work. Best one on the internet, for sure. Cheers!

I wasn't really up for making a plywood version but this I will definitely do. You really do have a talent for coming up with ideas and making them work

Hi Andrew, Do you realise that you could have saved 50% of magnets, without losing any strength? Now each layers has six magnets in a start orientation. Instead, you could have used three magnets per layer, going around in a loop, 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6. That would also saved you the central steel pin, which could be a simple screw. Inspired by your video, I bought the steel and magnets, and confirmed this finding. Of course a new challenge is how to get the magnets in there. My trick is to have a pause in the gcode, put the magnets in, and then continue the print. Thanks again for the inspiration! Oskar

this was awesome, thanks so much for sharing! love that you're reading old patents and then adapting the concepts for the contemporary diy culture!

Thanks Andrew, for the nice design for a mag switch and the clear explanation of the working principle. I am planning to make my first mag switch with plywood. I feel, there are advantages if you use cube magnets and steel rods with square cross section. - A 10x10x10mm cube magnet has 127% of the volume of a 10mm dia x 10mm high cylindrical magnet. - 8 cube magnets can be used instead of 12 cylindrical ones and the rotation angle will be 90 degrees. - Since there are no curved surfaces anywhere, the cube magnets will have a larger area in perfect contact with the square rod at the center as well as the peripheral rods, resulting in a stronger mag switch even though the number of magnets is reduced from 12 to 8. - Cube magnets and square rods are easily available. - If the device is going to be 3D printed, it's only a design change. However, if plywood is to be used, making a square hole may not be that easy. Looking forward to your comments. Thanks.

This is awesome! Bought the files, bought the magnets, can't wait to make it!

I really enjoy how you transposed physical mecanisms and concepts rigth into a very useful everyday tool. And magnets have this very feature that it always seems remote and magical … really amazing work, and that’s very nice you even took time to explain the magnetic field involved.

It is refreshing to watch a video that does not make out that he was the first person in the world to make this mag switch.So many people copy from other people and make out that they are the first to make different things.

I simply can't stop seeing you as Charles "Trip" Tucker III, portrayed by Connor Trinneer one of my all time favorite star trek characters.

Watched the other video - was really excited to see this! Awesome job!

Great breakdown of how and why that works. Thanks, Andy!

Very cool! I know what I'll be printing this weekend. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for the visual explanation. Makes sense now

I’m totally buying this file. I love magnets. Especially switchable.

Great that you learned Fusion 360 and created the STL files. Congrats! Awesome explanation too. Thanks! : )

I printed a small set and a big set. The magnets arrived yesterday. I’ll round up the rods and begin the assembly. Thanks for the STL files!!!!!!

Well, this is official.... You are doing good! As a former high school teacher, I see students start with the design in sketchup, understand the principals you explain here, understand the importants of tolerances in their design and then, 3D print this. Thank you for this!

Andy, the whiteboard explanation was very helpful! Love this little invention. Originally I thought the top section had magnetized metal rods and rotating the tool aligned the lower (normal) metal rods with the upper magnets. Now I see you have a much more interesting and stronger design! Davis

Enjoy your adventures and enthusiasm in your work. Hope things continue working out for you. Don't know if you like teaching but you are a good teacher.

Really cool job! I like the 3d printed version. Great application for printing.

title: "magnetic switch"; video: "switchable magnet".

Subscribed, this is one of the most easy to understand explanation of this phenomenon I've seen. Thank you.

Thanks so much for this, these are so cool. Printing mine this weekend!

Thank you so much! This is the perfect follow-up video! I'm not great with woodworking, but I do have access to a 3D printer, and I was very curious how the magnets worked.

Ingenious and simple - an elegant, original adaptation of an old theory. Well done Andrew!

Great illustration! Thank you!

Awesome video. You should do like a top 10 uses for a mag switch like yours.

I want to thank you for sharing this, you're great.

Ok, this is clear where the magnets go and how they work with the rods and the centre post now, thanks. :D

Brilliant explanation to a question I’ve had for sometime now. Thanx.

Awesome content, great presentation and didn't take any more time than you needed too

Thank you for sharing your time and talent.

@7:49...how could you *not* use that! Love you videos/projects/explanations. Well done as usual.

Thanks for sharing. Well worth $5 This allowed me to connect a bunch of dots from smarter every day’s polymagnet video that your design could lead to a number of other mechanics - something I think you could get ahead of and also sell

Great. Just purchased. Upgraded my Anet A8 with an MKS Gen L and MKS TFT24 today and fully calibrated it. I was looking for an stl file worth printing and I have been looking for a printable mag switch for ages - stl file found. Cheers!

The whitening of your PLA is actually the fumes from the superglue. This occurs without activator as well. Painters tape may help

Thanks for the nice explanation...your way of implementing this is really good....keep up the good work...thanks again

Purchased your design and printed the smaller Mag Switch. Printed very nice! Now gotta cut up some rods and work on accuracy. It's a fun project.

Well explained theory. Reminded me my college days. Thanks for sharing.

Now this is the video i've been waiting from this guy (even thought i still didn't get that) and 5 bucks for that design?! that's worth every penny of it!!

Thank you, dude. Very good explanation.

Thank you so much for the explanation and great video! Order placed!

Just bought these plans, and will be ordering the magnets soon. Just have to decide how many of each size I'm going to make. But I don't know how much steel rod I need to order -- cut lengths for the 1/2", 3/4", and 1" steel rod would be FANTASTIC! Right now I'm going to have to print the parts so I can measure them before I can order my steel rods.

Thank you!! Smart guy and great teacher!!

Really cool! Always been impressed by the commercially available magnetic fences and feather boards, but turned off by the price. I'll definitely make a few of these when I finally get a 3D printer. Curious to see how big and how small you could make these...

wow! this is a great channel ! glad to have found it

Thanks I loaned something new because of you

I was waiting for this video Thanks for this information

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

great video! I'd love to see what the magnetic fields look like from the top down. specifically how they line up within the central steel rod.

Andrew, can you please post a link to the magnets that have the right dimension to fit into the 3D print as well as letting us know the gage rod you used?

Great application of good idea into useful product, thank you

Thanks for explanation! I'm building a locking mechanism and I'll try this principle

Thanks for the explanation.

Nice Andrew! Thanks!

All I need now is a 3D printer ;-). Cool invention once again Andrew. Nice!

Great Explanation

Look into halbach arrays, you can basically contain all the field lines on one side of the magnet using those, that way your pulling force is basically doubled for the same number of magnets :)

thank you very much for the explenation

baking soda works for activator for CA glue as well

Excellent vid! I washed the wood one first and though the same. I did download the files and they look great but I was interested in Fusion 360 files or STEP SAT. Just to use stock on hand or adjust for 3D printer tolerance?

Bravo Andrew! A good accelerator for CA is simple baking soda. As well the only UPside I see to the plywood versus this is the wood not scoring or being less likely to scratch your surfaces- but then again- Meh- put it on a washcloth! Have you tested the lift/hold/pull of this model? Love it- Thank you!

Great video my friend 😍🤩👍

...and also, keep your "switched magnets' in the OFF (no attraction) mode or ON with two steel plates on them when not in use. Magnets like to have their magnetic fluxes set to their maximum and leaving these switches to their ON position without any steel on them will have their fields in less than optimal condition.

Andrew I purchased the 3D files, but wanted to know what settings you used. Layer height, % of infill, Material PLA or ABS and does this need support option. Also would you be able to provide the 3d model from your previous bowl gouge holder video for purchase on your sight.

My favourite youtube video this year.

Nice information thanks

Excellent job! Order placed, and I can't wait to start printing these. Also, thanks for including resources for the magnets.

Hey my brother I like it awesome idea to I will see you later :)

Good idea, thanks

Great video! Is it possible to pick up & drop a magnet of similar strength instead of metal? Also, can this mechanism be reversed to repel another magnet instead of attract? Thanks!

I'm looking for a switchable magnet of mini-size (few more than 1 inch in dia) with a smaller "switch angle" than the 60 degrees of your example. Did you experienced any drawback in decreasing the angle between the magnets and increasing their number? (Obviously by properlyreducing the size of magnets and iron parts too).

When drawing the magnetic lines it's better to use arrows to indicate the flow of them From N to S Sometimes you draw them from S to N confusing me so I had to Google to make sure Other than that great video! 👍👍

Amazing!

Andrew what activator do you use for CA glue and where do you purchase it from

when the magnet is in the off position, no flux given

I love magnets lol what exactly do you use them for? I saw the picture on instagram that said "I wish I'd put my thinking cap on sooner". Can we go through what a few of those are?

damn Brian Adams song stuck in my head now

Very cool! What is the pull force of the small and large switchable magnets once assembled?

Hi Andrew. Great project. Can you tell me where the buy those magnets and sizes for them? Thanks.

awesome follow up and lesson on how it actually works. now I have to get someone to print it for me. it's interesting that the smaller switchable magnet bases machinists use for attaching dial gages etc use one magnet and a few strips of aluminum in a steel case also works, but with only one magnet. I guess the aluminum blocks the flux when aligned with the pole (since the pole is like the "opening" to the flux). are you considering an updated design based on what OskarPuzzle said? I would buy that plan too! thanks!

you're definitely the smartest person I know! Any input into your print settings/temps/infill density etc?

Would you consider adding the model file to the purchase? It's kinda tricky to convert STL's to normal metric measurements...

Great stuff! How much is the ready made set? Thanks. And keep it up.

Wish your website worked Love to have the stl files

Does the center rod contribute to the strength? I will have at all times the same amount of south oriented magnets as well as north oriented ones pointed to it. They should cancel out, so I think there is no need to use steel for the center.

Interesting 👍👍👍👍

a 3D printer is on my wish list. I'm a Chiropractor, and a woodworker/maker in my spare time. I'm trying to design an incremental locking hinge for a Chiropractic cervical chair. A hinge that allows the backrest to be set at different angles, and then also fold all the way to the floor out of the way, when not needed (google "gonstead cervical chair"). Its been difficult, but have a few ideas - just need to get them printed out and see if my ideas would hold up. Great project, by the way - I will purchase the plans once I get my 3D printer!

Fantastic device. I've been interested in creating a magnetic switch to use in the shop for several months. I'd like to buy the plans but I'd like to modify the frame with mounting points for attaching items such as jigs or fences, etc. Are you willing to sell the design source files ( Fusion, SketchUp, SCAD, or other) so I can do that? I can import an stl into Fusion, but the 3D source would work better.

I don't feel like I would ever use this or very often but I feel like I owe you the $5 anyways!

Awesome video! How would this be done in a linear set up. Say a 2"x12" rectangle.

great idea but where and what do you use them for how can they be used like mag switches

I dont know about the magnets, but heat up the steel road and push into place.. It makes the material retain some of it's strength

Leaving out the cost of the plans that is perfectly reasonable considering you can make as many as you want for that 1 time purchase, i was wondering if the single set comes with the templates for the plywood version as well as the stl files, or is it just one or the other? I was also wondering how much the magnets, and metal cost? And what kind of lifting power the finished product has?. Trying to get a idea of how it compares to commercially available models both in lifting capacity and overall cost. Its a given that it cant be used for something like welding, far to much heat for either version to survive without starting a fire. but would it hold up on a cut off saw. or something similar do you think? Or is this strictly for cold working applications only?

By any chance could you have a link to the steel rods and magnets you used?

This is awesome! How strong are these? Do they compare to a retail magnetic switch in strength?

Question, will scaling work, to make smaller or larger? Awesome design and video.

What is the gap between magnets and steel rods? Approximately how much force do you need to apply while rotating the blocks away from steel rods? Finally where to buy these rods?

well done!

when I was in high school shop class we had a surface grinder that had a switchable magnetic table to hold down the item to be ground. I'm sure that machine was as old as that school shop which means it had to be a minimum of ten years old in 1970 which brings it to 1960 when it was new but it could easily be built in 1950 !