Author Topic: Mag-Frag Plugs (Read 10238 times)

MechanicalEngineer · « **on:** March 21, 2009, 23:10:58 »

So, my inner DIY-spirit has kicked up again. After extensive research, I've figured out how to make the uber-expensive mag-frag plugs for a reasonable price. If they turn out well, is there any interest in buying a few (the parts get cheaper in bulk)?

Here's the website. Mine should look rather similar (and will actually probably be able to hold more.) They are selling them for $8.45 each or 3 for $19.95
http://www.aqua-mags.com/product.php

I think I can get the cost down to $2.50 each or 3 for $6.00. I will use plastic-silicone-nickel coated neodymium N-52 magnets. They each have a pull-force of 16.67 lbs each before the coatings (not sure how much they'll hold with the coatings or through differing thickness of glass, but it should hold all but very large colonies...and by then they should've grown onto the glass.) If they don't hold well for whatever reason, then I'll double the magnets up.

Anyway, let me know if you're interested before I drop the big bucks.

Nikki

JoeAyers · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2009, 23:14:54 »

I'd be interested.

UD Flyer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2009, 23:21:36 »

I'm interested. Do you have any ideas or thoughts on making larger ones possibly 4-6 in long?

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2009, 23:26:25 »

I've looked at the Mag-rocks...shouldn't be hard to do at all. It would take a few extra sets of magnets though...or some more beefy magnets (which are more expensive). I'd probably do a set of magnets for every 2", so a 4" rock would probably cost about $5 and a 6" rock would cost about $6 (I'm guessing right now.)

Baggerhog · « **Reply #4 on:** March 21, 2009, 23:35:55 »

I am interested in a few sets of mag-plugs.

cyberwollf · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2009, 23:37:29 »

me too

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2009, 23:39:57 »

Ok, sounds like there's enough interest to order some. I'm going to order enough supplies to make 125 plugs (or "sets" if a few people want mag-rocks). Please let me know how many you may be interested in so I know I'm buying enough or if I should order more (you're not committed to them...who knows, they might turn out terrible.)

Riderc82 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2009, 00:47:37 »

I'm digging the mag-rock would you just glue the magnets to a small piece of your live rock (I just wonder how much weight super glue can hold). I was also wondering what you do with the coral once it has encrusted the plug do you then have to epoxy the whole magnetic base?

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2009, 01:01:18 »

I'm going to try a few different ideas I have to see what works best. Ideally, I'm going to partially encase the magnets in a concrete/sand mixture, so that the magnet is fully covered except when viewed from the side. The concrete should stick to the plastic pretty well, but if not, I'll pull the magnet back out of the concrete and super glue it (which should hold very well since the magnet will be encased plus glued.)

Some people permanently leave the mag-frag-plug on their walls...and the coral eventually (or hopefully) will encrust onto the glass...making its own base. The magnet wouldn't need to be removed.

Once the coral has fully encrusted on to the frag plug, with my design, you could pop off the concrete/sand top...and reuse the magnets for something else (or maybe I could make a few extra toppers).

The magnets will be coated several times, so there shouldn't be any worry over their use in saltwater. The corals could grow on them...no worries there.

I will do my disclaimer...don't allow these magnets to touch each other...and use extreme caution with them (and with them around children). They are very powerful magnets that can at least cause painful blood blisters...or have caused serious gut-pinching injuries when two or more were swallowed by a creature (insert dog, kid, whatever.) BE CAREFUL! I'm not liable.

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2009, 01:02:38 »

Oh, I also have on my list...Mag-Racks! I'm planning to attach some of these magnets to egg-crate for the perfect frag rack.

yinyang · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2009, 04:39:24 »

count me in also!!
by the way here is my
mag float rack

i superglue the egg crate to the mag float

JoeAyers · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2009, 09:43:10 »

Hey Niki,

Can I buy a couple (6-8) magnets from you? I would also want to get some plugs fronm you but I use magnets for othewr things with the tanks and would like to replace the neodyme ones I am using with ones that are coated.

Thanks,
Joe

Amstar · « **Reply #12 on:** March 22, 2009, 10:05:36 »

im interested

jeblin · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2009, 10:14:02 »

Add me to the list too. I'd take 10 or so singles and 1 or 2 of the larger size. Let me know if you want payment in advance and we can figure it out. Thanks,

Jerry

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2009, 11:44:44 »

Joe - no problem...I'll order you some extras. What lb-force are you wanting? I'd order some a bit higher than what you need because the coating I'm applying will lower it some.

Jeblin - did you want just the magnets or were you referring to the mag-plugs?

Nah, no payments in advance. I want to make sure these work out well first.

jeblin · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2009, 12:31:57 »

I was referring to the entire plug/rocks not the magnets. Just let me know when you get everything tested and working right. Thanks!

Jerry

pontiac2002gtp · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2009, 20:44:13 »

I would be interested in some but they would have to be pretty strong magnets.

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #17 on:** March 22, 2009, 22:44:33 »

Yeeeah...that's why I'm getting the Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets that have almost a 30 lbf pull each (two per plug). 30lbf should take into account the shearing forces due to gravity, the shearing forces due to tank flow, the air gap (technically a glass gap), and the coating gap. Most people that have made these before used a lower quality magnet than what I'm getting...and didn't use as high of a pull force (I got a few different magnet pull-forces to see what works best...and on differing thickness of glass/acrylic). I'm not using ceramic magnets...which won't work. Neodymium magnets are pretty expensive...which is why the mag-frag-plugs are so expensive. Believe me, this isn't something I just jumped into. I've researched a ton on this (I didn't want to dump as much money as I did without knowing what I was doing.)

Oh...btw...I'm an engineer. If anything, these might be over-engineered.

cyberwollf · « **Reply #18 on:** March 22, 2009, 22:57:20 »

Whats the word on people breaking glass while attaching the magnets wrong? I'd guess just putting them together would cause a good SNAP on the glass vs having the plug flush and SLIDING the outside magnet into place.

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2009, 07:08:04 »

I haven't heard a thing about that yet. I think unless you're putting a huge magnet on a 10g tank, it shouldn't be a problem. I have a mag-rack, and yeah, it was powerful outside the tank, but the glass thickness really diminished the strength of the magnets. They didn't snap at all together. It was like putting a Koralia's magnets on. They just kinda found each other and lined up...no snap. But...that's why I'm playing around with them first to make sure the magnets aren't over or under-powerful for different size tanks and applications.

joelbegt · « **Reply #20 on:** March 23, 2009, 19:34:37 »

30lbs of pull is more than you probably think it is when it snaps together. I used 20lb pull on the one I made a while ago, and superglued it to the back of a frag. The magnets I used were only a dollar or so and were epoxy coated to keep them from rusting. I thought it would be cool to have a monti cap scrolling out of the back of my tank when I did mine. It worked pretty well, but If I did it all over again I would have used slightly stronger magnets probably 30lb like you suggest. Make sure they are very well sealed. You don't want heavy metals in a reef.

This grew from a small frag.

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #21 on:** March 23, 2009, 21:06:54 »

Sweet...that's pretty cool! How long has that Monti been there?

gthorpe2 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 23, 2009, 21:29:29 »

I'd be interested in some mag-rocks... any ideas how to make those?

MechanicalEngineer · « **Reply #23 on:** March 23, 2009, 21:35:35 »

I have a few ideas

Riderc82 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 23, 2009, 22:43:16 »

Maybe Nikki should mass produce them

I think the mag rocks are really cool if I had them I wouldn't have to scrape the back glass.

2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

Author Topic: Mag-Frag Plugs (Read 10238 times)

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer

MechanicalEngineer