Magnetic table platform

#1

Hi all, I’m planning to build a booster platform (like a tiny coffee table) for the centre of my dining table where I can put a gaming mat, in order to have a little extra space underneath for drinks and papers etc. I’d like to make it with a sheet of metal on top that will strongly attract rare earth magnets.

My physics classes seem so long ago. Would galvanised iron work best? Steel? Also, where would I source a 30x24" sheet of such metal, perhaps a millimetre or two thick? Do hardware stores cut sheet metal to size for you?

Bonus question: My girlfriend (brand new member!) and I are heading to the space in half an hour or so – are we allowed to bring our well behaved dog? :dog:

#2

No idea about the rare earth magnets but going on what has been said to other members with dogs, well behaved dogs are fine as long as they stay in the clean room and you keep an eye on them. Electronics night is happening in there tonight.

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#3

Beth has it right re dogs :slight_smile:

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#4

Any advice about the sheet metal?

#5

Any ferrous material will work fine - if it doesn’t need to be structural I would select a reasonably priced sheet of mild steel or galvanised sheet, whichever is cheaper, from your local metal dealer. Check online, there are dozens in London and they will deliver (unfortunately the reliable one I know is in West London or I’d recommend Fay’s metals of Acton). The websites will list sizes too - moat places are very helpful if you ring up and give an idea of what you need.

You can go for a thinner sheet than a mm: steel is heavy! 24 gauge is about 0.6 of a mm thick, and if all you want is the mag effect then use that and glue it to a ply substrate for stiffness.

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#6

Thanks so much for the advice! Would a sheet of iron attract the magnets noticeably more powerfully than a sheet of steel? I’m trying to get the strongest ‘bond’ possible.

#7

No problem! I’m a gamer myself so I loom forward to seeing how this turns out.

You won’t be able to buy ‘iron’ sheet: it’s sold in castings or for specialist applications as bar (at least I haven’t ever seen it on sale, put it that way). The difference in bond strength would be negligible anyway - go for whatever cheap sheet steel they have in stock.

Have you thought about what you’re going to coat it with? E.g. a baize cover, or laquer etc? Steel or iron both will want something as an anti-rust measure (unless you go for stainless which is pricey and probably overkill).

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#8

And usually not actually magnetic!

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#9

Also a good point!

#10

Well…not strictly accurate!

Anyway, my advice would be to repurpose something steel - it will be cheaper than buying new. Old tray? Piece of a fridge door?

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#11

Good advice! Only possible issue is I need a pretty specific size: 30" x 24" (or roughly 61cm x 76cm)

Do we have anything at the space capable of cutting sheet steel?

#12

Off top of my head, few options - I think we have tin snips, not 100%. Angle grinder we have, would need to do it outside prob. Hacksaw (going to be slightly awkward but not impossible). Maybe we have a ferrous metal cutting blade for jigsaw, not 100%. Stick welder (will be v messy on the cut), again outside.

#13

There are ferrous blades for the jigsaw (and that would probably be my first choice, maybe pick up a new blade to get a nice clean finish).

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#14

Agreed. Also, if you cut it on a scrap piece of wood will help stop it wobbling about.

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#15

Just a reminder that welding isn’t allowed outside the space, and currently we don’t accommodate it in the space either.

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#16

I use a circular saw with a tct blade at work for cutting straight lines in steel. Used to use a £30 Aldi one which was surprisingly good.

Maybe we should get one?

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#17

To clarify: it’s purely lack of space that prevents welding in the space.

#18

To clarify your clarification: is the lack of space related to lack of space to store a welder, or lack of space to do the actual welding?

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#19

the latter, we have a surprisingly large collection of welders in the snug.

#20

Great, that’s what I hoped. I reckon we could fit in small items on a v small welding table, I know we don’t have space to weld large stuff (e.g a bed), but I’ve got a suspicion that even a welding station that was v small would be popular/used for small jobs.