Handy Magnets: Blog Posts

Industrial Magnet Solutions

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 EST

Reliable Industrial Magnetic Assemblies

When a magnet needs to be part of a working tool, the assembly matters. A handle, housing, mounting arrangement, or protective casing can make a magnet easier to use and better suited to a particular job. Handy Magnets offers practical magnetic tools for recycling and other industrial applications.

Industrial Assemblies For Working Applications

Magnetic assemblies are used in applications that require more control than a bare magnet provides. A handheld design can make repeated material checks easier, while a pickup-style assembly can help retrieve ferrous pieces from a work area.

The right configuration depends on the job. Think about the material being tested, the distance between the magnet and the surface, how often the tool will be used, and how it needs to be held or mounted. For jewelry and collectible items, a silver jewelry magnet test can provide a quick preliminary check. It should be treated as one part of the identification process, not as proof of a metal's composition.

Built For The Work

Handy Magnets serves customers who use magnets as tools, not toys. Our products are suited to practical jobs in scrap yards, workshops, manufacturing facilities, and other work settings. We also offer options for customers with requirements that do not match a standard product. Anodizing can add color for quick tool identification, while engraving can put a name or other marking directly on the magnet. Our industrial magnet solutions are designed to give customers a useful tool that fits the job.

Browse Handy Magnets' industrial magnetic assemblies to find the right tool for your application, or contact us to discuss a custom option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a magnetic assembly?

A magnetic assembly combines a magnet with other components, such as a handle or housing, to create a more usable tool for a specific task. These components can also make the magnet easier to position, handle, or mount during regular use.

How do I know which assembly is right for my application?

Start with the job itself. The size of the material, available access, required reach, and handling method can all affect the best choice.

Can magnetic assemblies help with material sorting?

Yes. A handheld assembly can provide a quick way to check whether a material responds to magnetic force before additional testing or sorting. This can be useful when separating ferrous materials from nonferrous items during routine sorting. The magnet can also help identify small metal pieces that are difficult to assess by sight alone.

Can I request a custom configuration?

Custom work may be available when an existing product does not meet your requirements. Contact Handy Magnets with details about the application and desired setup.

What should I look for in an industrial magnet?

Look beyond the advertised pull strength. Magnet grade, dimensions, construction, finish, and mounting method can all affect how the finished tool performs.

Here are some of the magnets we've produced to our customers' specifications.

What are Neodymium magnets?

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 00:00:00 EST

What are Neodymium magnets?

Neodymium magnets are one of the rarest types of magnets found on Earth, and one of the most widely used all around for industrial and commercial purposes. They are also heavily used in the fields of medicine and dentistry among other purposes. The chemical element neodymium was identified in 1885. This element, which has the atomic number 60, is a member of the periodic table's lanthanide group, a subgroup of the rare earth elements (atomic numbers 57–71), and it oxidizes quickly in the air. It resembles of silver and white metallic-like color. General Motors and Hitachi discovered neodymium-iron-boron magnets in the 1980s. It has been given a more significant role in the production of powerful permanent magnets made of rare earth elements because it produces high magnetic force even within smaller concentrations. Neodymium magnets are utilized primarily in hard drives, mobile phones, and television video and audio systems in the area of information technology.

How strong are Neodymium magnets?

Neodymium magnets are found to be extremely strong and have powerful magnetic properties unlike other magnets near its class. They have taken the place of other types of magnets in many applications because they are so powerful. For example, they are more than 10 times stronger than ceramic magnets, so you could replace a much smaller neodymium magnet for a ceramic magnet and produce the same (or more!) pulling power.

Where are Neodymium magnets found?

While neodymium is refined for general use and has been mined in the USA, Brazil, India, Australia, Sri Lanka, and mainly in China, it does not naturally occur in metallic or mixed forms with other lanthanides.

What is Neodymium magnets used for?

Neodymium magnets are used for various purposes and in a wide range of industries. They are used in the medical field for MRI, Magnotherapy, and other medical devices that require the magnetic power of these small, yet strong magnets. They are widely used in the Information Technology field as well within computers, laptops, and phones to say the least. Most of our computing hardware in the world utilizes Neodymium magnets of some sort. They are also heavily used in the Jewelry industry. Some newer research & development uses are in the aerospace industry to harness newer technologies of flying and using magnetic forces to levitate in futuristic hoverboards and other micro-granular uses in the field.

Where do I buy Neodymium magnets?

You can purchase industrial-grade magnets right here at Handy Magnets, we are leading the industry in supplying the best magnets for all uses. We test our magnets through rigorous processes and can assure you the best magnets in the industry. Shop now and check us out at Handy Magnets!

Understanding Magnets

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 00:00:00 EST

Understanding Magnets

Today, magnets are used in a broad range of businesses and industries. These include, but are not limited to mining, food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and plastic and glass manufacturing. They are also incredibly valuable in sorting materials.

Clearly, magnets are popular, but not everyone understands how they work. In order to better understand why they are so prominent, we have shared some basic magnet information.

First, a bit about magnets in general. As you may have noticed, magnets have two sides. These are referred to as the poles …. North and South. And, as often in life, opposites attract - so the north and south poles of two separate magnets would be attracted to each other. Not surprisingly, the opposite is also true - two north or two south poles will repel each other. But magnets also attract other items that are NOT magnets themselves - they are magnetic.

When determining what materials will actually stick to a magnet, the key lies predominantly in one word - iron. So, if you have something made of iron or something that contains iron (like items made of steel) a magnet will attract them. But that’s not to say that iron is the only element magnets attract. In fact, nickel and cobalt are also magnetic.

It is important to recognize that when identifying what is attracted to magnets, the single word “metal” is not a good answer. You see, metal is a term that encompasses a broad range of elements and materials. While iron is a metal, so is aluminum. But, aluminum is not magnetic. Just try to stick a magnet to your soda can…..it does not work.

If you were wondering what types of items are magnetic, we can help. The list below shares a number of items in your home. that your magnet will attract or stick to:

Office Supplies: including scissors, paper clips, and staples
Headphones/earbuds
Certain appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers)
Tools: Nuts, bolts, and screws
Keys (if they are made of iron)

Other items that use magnets to operate include:

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Machines
Compasses
Filters (used to separate ore from other metals and to remove any metal from grain products to be used in food manufacturing)
Mines (in the Military)

On the surface, magnets seem simple. They attract certain materials and repel other magnets. But, in reality, they are incredibly complex and used in businesses and industries across the country and around the world. Even more impressive, new uses for magnets are constantly being developed and honed. Their value continues to grow and as a society, we continue to benefit from their uses.

Magnets Stick To Different Types Of Materials

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 00:00:00 EST

What Do Magnets Stick To?

Ever wonder what materials are attracted to a magnet? Let’s face it, at some point, growing up, we all were curious. Don’t you remember walking around your house or classroom (perhaps during a school science experiment) with one of those large, red, and silver U-shaped magnets - trying to see if anything within reach would stick?

This question is a good one. Because magnets are an important tool in so many tasks, understanding what they attract and where they “stick” is wise.

Magnets Attracted To Certain Metals

In general, magnets are attracted to metals that contain nickel, cobalt, and iron. Fun fact, iron is a component of steel, so many items made of steel will also stick to a magnet. That said, one question often asked is if magnets are attracted to stainless steel.

The answer, unfortunately, is not particularly straightforward. You see, whether or not a magnet will attract stainless steel is dependent upon the type of stainless you are talking about.

Stainless steel can be divided into three categories, austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic. Austenitic stainless steel is the one most commonly used today. It contains a significant amount of chromium and nickel and is leveraged by a host of manufacturing industries including automotive, aircraft, and food and cookware equipment, among others. This type of stainless steel is further segmented into 304 stainless and 316 stainless. While 304 may become slightly magnetic after it is processed, 316 remains not magnetic at all times.

Ferritic stainless, which is less expensive than austenitic, is magnetic. And finally, we have martensitic stainless. While this alloy is incredibly hard, it also is not magnetic.

Magnetic Properties

When looking at magnetic properties, regular steel is more magnetic than stainless, even the ferritic variety. If you are wondering if the stainless steel you have is magnetic, the best way to get an answer is to grab a magnet and see if it sticks! It is hard to tell the composition of steel from just looking, but the magnet itself always tells the truth. The task is easy to complete and the results are reliable.

Unfortunately, you cannot tell if any metal, including stainless steel, is magnetic simply by its appearance. Luckily, the magnets testing process is both simple and reliable.

Scrap Metal: Tips and Tricks for Identifying

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 00:00:00 EST

Identifying Scrap Metal: Tips and Tricks

Scrap metal recycling can be a valuable source of income to those who can work efficiently and effectively. Knowing what to look for and identifying what you have found is important. The value of what you find can differ significantly depending upon its composition. Certain metals (like copper) are simply worth more than others.

Once you have determined where to look, differentiating what you find is important. You want to be able to separate the metals accurately as certain buyers only want specific products. Additionally, you want to know exactly what you have to ensure that you are paid appropriately.

What Metal Have You Got?

Perhaps your friends and family give you their scrap metal. Maybe you collect it on bulk pick-up days. You may even gather it from trash locations. Whatever the method, you likely have a mix of metals in your collection. Accurately separating them is your first course of action.

Traits of Commonly Found Metal

While on the surface many metals have similar properties, there are also a number of traits to help differentiate them. Consider some of those shared below.

Copper: Often identified by color, pure copper is pink, but turns red or brown when tarnished. Have something that you believe is copper, but it’s green? You could be right. This is the color copper turns when it oxidizes under certain conditions. Common sources of copper include, but are not limited to, electrical wiring and cookware. You may also find it in electronics and radiators. Copper can be incredibly valuable in terms of scrap metal.

Aluminum: This plentiful metal is light and does not rust, although it can oxidize, usually with a white, powdery surface appearance. Think about all of the soda cans you see in the trash and on the street - these are aluminum and easy to collect.

Bronze/Brass: While generally less valuable than pure copper, these metals are still a good find. Often located in the form of discarded musical instruments, sculpture art, and pipe or plumbing valves. These metals are usually identified by their yellow tone. But, it's not all yellow. In fact, two major grades of brass are 'Yellow Brass' and 'Red Brass.' Red brass contains higher levels of copper, generally making it more valuable than yellow brass.

Stainless Steel: available in different varieties, this metal is often identified in discarded appliances. Scrap metal buyers may be interested in purchasing these from you.

Tools Can Help

While your eyes and hands (looking at color and determining weight) are great ways to identify metals, sometimes tools can help. One of the most valuable, and easiest to use, are magnets. If the item you found is attracted to the magnet, then it contains a ferrous element. For all intents and purposes, this is almost always iron, although nickel and cobalt are also ferrous elements.

Items that don’t respond to a magnet, for the most part, are not ferrous*. Metals comprised of iron are referred to as ferrous. You can use your magnet to separate metals containing iron from others like aluminum. If you are interested in pursuing scrap metal sales, investing in a magnet is a good decision. Both portable and inexpensive, this tool can be incredibly valuable when separating metals and determining their composition.

*Stainless steels are ferrous, for example, but may not respond to a magnet. This is usually due to a complicated interaction between the iron and nickel atoms, and how the nickel changes the atomic lattice. In fact, just like the non-ferrous metals, stainless steels that are non-magnetic tend to be worth more than magnetic stainless. More information on sorting stainless steel will follow in a later blog.

Industrial Metal Test Magnets

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 00:00:00 EST

Premium test magnets are one of the most valuable tools for those who work in scrap recycling yards, pawn, and jewelry shops. These professionals appreciate the value of such high-quality tools. In an effort to meet our client's needs, at Handy Magnets, we stock a broad range of industrial test magnets.

We are proud of our extensive inventory which includes a broad range of strength and casing material options and configurations. Our variety is considerable and includes magnets in a range of sizes for use with diverse materials. Determining which is the best for your needs is dependent upon both the materials with which you are working, the application of your work, and how portable your magnet needs to be.

Bigger is not always better. Our larger test magnets can help identify smaller amounts of ferrous content and allow you to work faster. That said, larger magnets are more cumbersome; thus, you lose portability and have to work more carefully. You must ensure that no accidental attraction to ferrous objects occurs and that fragile items and electronics are clear of your workspace.

Our products include, but are not limited to:

Key Chain Format Test Magnets: Available in 8 sizes, these powerful magnets are ideal for those working in the scrap metal recycling business as well as those evaluating precious metals. They can also be used as retrievers. The smaller magnets in this line are ideal for portable use, as they are small enough and light enough to carry all the time (every day carry).

Test Magnets With Handles: Primarily used in gold and silver testing in pawn and jewelry stores and scrap metal recycling yards. These heavy-duty magnets contain an N52 grade neodymium insert and have a Delrin resin handle and metal magnet casing for durability.

Our high-quality test magnets are manufactured in the United States by the industry leader, Revolution Machines LLC. We invite you to browse our selection of industrial test metal magnets and purchase the perfect magnet for your applications.

Questions? Fill out our contact form and one of our experts will reach out to assist you.

How To Make Money Picking Up Scrap Metal

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 00:00:00 EST

A little bit of work and the right tools can help you earn some extra money. Sound like a good idea? We think so.

You've probably heard about selling scrap metal. Perhaps from someone looking to take old auto parts, aluminum cans, or something else off your hands, or maybe it was a friend or relative. You may have questioned their actions; is it really worthwhile? The answer is a resounding yes!

In order to make money selling scrap metal, you’ll need information. Knowledge is power and a little can go a long way.

Types of Scrap Metal

First, you will want to know the major categories of scrap metal and which ones are most valuable. In truth, all scrap metal has substantial value but that value is often less than the value of your labor and resources (time, fuel, equipment, etc.).

A major value consideration is whether the metal in question is ferrous (iron-based), which includes cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, tool steels, nickel alloys and more;or non-ferrous (metals and alloys that do not contain iron, which include: copper, brass, bronze, gold, silver aluminum, etc.). With the exception of certain stainless steels and nickel alloys (which contain high nickel or chromium levels) ferrous metals are worth less than non-ferrous metals in the recycling market.

The majority of scrap metal you will find is ferrous but the value varies substantially. Home appliances and motor vehicles, despite having mixed metal content, would be considered a low-value ferrous metal at a scrap yard. Specifically, most scrap yards consider these types of mixed-content metals to be “shredder steel”, a category that usually pays in the range of $200 per ton ($0.10/pound). But not all ferrous metals are worth this little. Stainless steel, for example, can be worth five times as much.

Pure, non-ferrous metals including copper, tin, and aluminum can be worth even more. Aluminum cans are one of the most plentiful non-ferrous items and have a current value of around $0.55/pound. Other common recycling metals (radiators, heat exchangers, aluminum engine blocks) may range between $0.25-$2.00/pound. Semi-precious and precious metals are worth far, far more.

What You Need To Test Scrap Metal

The beauty of collecting and selling scrap metal is that you don’t need much to get started. In fact, all you really need to start is a strong magnet.

A key test for ferrous content is the magnet test. Almost all ferrous metal, with the exception of a few stainless and nickel steels, is magnetic. None of the non-ferrous metals are magnetic. So put that knowledge together with the values observed earlier on and we can conclude: All non-magnetic metals have substantial value at the scrap yard. The magnetic metals have value, too, so don't overlook them. But it is critical to sort the metals as best you can before heading to the scrap yard and know as much about each 'pile' you have made. Even a pickup truck full of mixed metals may be worth as little as $50, but just a couple of buckets of copper or brass solids can be worth multiple hundreds of dollars. As a quick example, used iron pipe fittings and used brass pipe fittings will look identical if they have been painted. A scrap yard may not notice (or might notice and not tell you) that the fittings you are turning in are brass. You could lose big money. However, just showing them that the fittings do not respond to a strong magnet is proof they are not iron.

You will want to have a magnet that is as strong as possible, but also as portable as you need. Rare Earth (neodymium) magnets tend to be very strong and the highest grade is known as N52. These magnets, by themselves, are very fragile. So we sell a complete range of test magnets where the fragile neodymium magnet is encased in solid metal.

One more note: If you know the types of metal you plan to recycle, don't be shy about calling the different scrap yards to see what they pay for the categories you have. It can vary substantially.

How to Find Scrap Metal

Access is key. Luckily, you have lots of options. Consider some of the ideas below:

Bulk Pick Up: Lots of cities have days allocated for bulk garbage pick-up. This is a scrap metal treasure chest. People throw out old appliances, doorknobs, plumbing fixtures, pipes, wires, and more. Often it’s out on the curb and free for the taking. Please be aware that some municipalities actually forbid taking anything out of a curb-side recycling bin. These cities and counties are also counting on the value of certain household recyclables. Namely, aluminum cans.

Word of Mouth: Talk to your family and friends, and ask them to spread the word. Let them know you’d be happy to pick up items they may no longer want. It is likely they will be thrilled to have an easy way to dispose of them.
Social Media/Internet: People are constantly moving, redecorating, and renovating. They often post items online, free, for local pick up. Regularly check websites like Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, Craig’s List, and OfferUp.

Remember, Sorting is Key

As mentioned above, lumping all of your scrap metal together in one location isn’t wise. You will want to separate it by type. Remember, the value of each metal is different and you want to be sure you are paid appropriately.

In addition to separating ferrous and non-ferrous metals (by using your magnet), you want to segment them even further. For example, aluminum, brass, and copper are all non-ferrous, but you want to keep and sell them separately. If you don't know much yet about the various metals, sort the non-magnetic pile into metal colors or textures. Even this modest step can be very profitable.

Who Buys Scrap Metal?

The best place to sell your scrap metal is, not surprisingly, scrap yards. There are often multiple scrapyard businesses in and around any location. Take some time to contact them to understand both their prices, how they want the product delivered, and their payment practices. Choose the one that best meets your needs.

Speaking of payment, you are likely wondering how much you can actually make. While the figures vary depending upon where you live, how much you can collect and the type of metals you find, scrappers have been known to make $100 a day on plain salvage steel. The non-ferrous and stainless categories can net much more.

If you are looking to make some extra money, picking up scrap metal may be an excellent option. Take some time and do some research to identify the best opportunities in your neighborhood.

Welcome to Handymagnets.com

Mon, 4 Jun 2018 00:00:00 EST

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