Cleaning trick that may be useful....(Required components list)

[davec2]

By the way, if you have any magnetic bits collected on a magnet from dropping it in the dirt (or whatever), I just use a small piece of duct tape and remove any magnetic particles with the sticky side.

[retired fella]

Davec2,
I have been tinkering with the magnet with  hose attached and am finding that the magnet is not strong enough to hold a seal.  I used the 3/8 inch neodymium magnet with a hole in the center supergluing a nipple in the center and using a super thin silicone gasket.  I even used 2 magnets thinking that it would increase the strength.  No luck yet.  Great idea but I suspect I'll continue with a toothpick.  Let me know if you can figure it out.  I will be happy to help you spend your first million if you do.

[davec2]

Retired,

A 3/8 inch diameter magnet with a 1/8 inch hole in it and 1/4 inch thick has less than 5 pounds of pull (with a thin gasket).  The magnet I am using is 1/2 inch in diameter, with an 1/8 inch hole and is 1/2 inch thick.  It has a 16 pound pull.  I think that's the difference between what you are doing and what I have done here.

P.S.   I'm working on my second million.....my first one didn't work out worth a $#@*.....

[EC121]

There's another one for the Lucky Bag!!

[WadePatton]

Retired,

A 3/8 inch diameter magnet with a 1/8 inch hole in it and 1/4 inch thick has less than 5 pounds of pull (with a thin gasket).  The magnet I am using is 1/2 inch in diameter, with and 1/8 inch hole and is 1/2 inch thick.  It has a 16 pound pull.  I think that's the difference between what you are doing and what I have done here.

P.S.   I'm working on my second million.....my first one didn't work out worth a $#@*.....

Oh man we need to ALL work on this in the coming Winter (you know right after hunting season when we're all cabin feverish and stir crazy and posting to/starting endless loop threads*) and decide exactly (and uniformly like any good herd of cats) the following details:

magnet-shape, density, diameter
gasket- material, thickness, and durometer reading.
per flash hole construction--yes there's going to be more pull from any serious magnet where the hole is a simple thru-bore than where coning has removed bbl steel by insert or actual internal relief.  Of course the internal relief type won't lose as much pull as the drilled and tapped insert.  Also there's the carbon steel insert to consider.  Smaller bbls are going to give less pull too, but smaller bores might generate less internal pressure. Hmmm.

What if we make an electro magnet for the purpose? Then: voltage, voltage source, windings, core materials, polarization, etc.  So much to consider. I'll be ready for that in February or January. 

*endless loop threads that come to mind:

-patching (thickness, material, sources, lubrication, shape)
-cleaning (solvent  , material, after oiling)
-softening fouling by breath
-caps vs. rocks
-P-word is the Devil
-where to get BP
-how they did it BITD.








It's coming.



 again

[WadePatton]

BTW I do like the idea and have a magnet or two to try out, just busy with other stuff and a new job presently.  The magnet idea that is...

[Marcruger]

Neat idea Dave.  You are quite the innovator.   :-) 

For those who are using toothpicks, I always trap a patch flat under the frizzen along with the toothpick. That way it catches any drips before they can migrate to running down the stock.  Maybe half the time the patch will catch a drop or two.  I obviously clean the barrel with the lock in place, then clean the lock afterwards.  Works for me. 

God Bless,   Marc

[smokinbuck]

Dave,
The only thing you haven't told us is what the magnet, with hose fitting, will cost?
Mark

[davec2]

Mark,

I have a long personal history of what I consider "good ideas" that no one else really likes or cares about. 

(Here is a link to one of my favorite "good ideas"....      https://www.luckybag.us/GunnersMate.html      )

I have no intention of selling these magnetic plugs / flush tube set ups.  I can tell you where I got the few purchased parts I used and how I made the rest of it up so you can make one for yourself.  Doesn't take very long, although I did use a lathe to modify one of the parts.  Let me know if you want the details and I'll 0make up a list of parts and instructions.  The rare earth magnet is about $16 by itself.  The fittings and tubing are just a few more dollars.

[davec2]

Several people have sent me an email about this magnetic flush tube.  Here are all the components and a description of how to make one, if you are so inclined......

The magnet I used is from McMaster Carr:

High-Pull Rare Earth Magnetic Ring, Nickel-Plated Neodymium, 1/2" Thick, 1/2" OD, 1/8 " ID      Catalog #   3360K74

The brass tubing to hold the magnet is cut from this:

Ultra-Formable 260 Brass, Round Tube, 1 Foot Long, 0.014" Wall Thickness, 17/32" OD, .503" ID      Catalog # 8859K34

The fitting I turned down to solder into one end of a piece of the brass tube is this:

Brass Barbed Hose Fitting, 3/16" Hose ID, 1/8 NPTF Female End     catalog #  5346K39

You will also need one of these fittings as a weight on the bucket end of the tube:

Brass Barbed Hose Fitting, 3/16" Hose ID, 1/8 NPTF Female End       Catalog #  5346K51

The tubing is transparent and can be purchased at most hardware stores by the foot.  Get the really soft, flexible type.  The hose barb fittings can also be purchased one at a time at the hardware or auto parts store.  You will need two of the hose barb fittings.  The 1/8 " pipe female ended one gets turned down to a 1/2" OD on the hex so it will fit inside a short length of the brass tubing and soldered into place.  The magnet is then glued into the brass tube with CA (Super) glue or epoxy.  I used a piece of silicone tape as a gasket between the magnet and the barrel side but you can use several different materials.....just keep the gasket as thin as possible so as not to reduce the pull of the magnet.  In addition to lathe turning the few parts to hold the magnet, the only tricky part is to get a high quality magnet.  I have found several that are the same size but are nowhere near as strong and fall off fairly easily in use. The thin wall brass tubing is also available as some hobby stores.  However, the only place I know to get the high quality magnet is McMaster Carr.

Hope this helps...

Dave C

[Daryl]

You're the MAN, Dave!

[davec2]

Daryl,

I saw from another post that you have also had one of those clamp on "gizmos" hanging on a hook and unused for several years.  I used the tube and the end weight from mine to make the magnetic one, so it's even easier for those of us who had the clamp on one to start with.  Might save you from having to pull the barrel out each time you clean.

DC

[Standing Bear]

OFS!!   (a little Navy lingo)