Thick Magnets

[Rick Aiello]

With my limited grinding ability (my wife won’t be springing for one of those high end belt grinders like on TV). … hogging off hardened high carbon steel-all while keeping the temperature low, really isn’t going to happen with a belt sander and a grinding wheel.

So when they come out of that quench , I’m just going to wire brush them, degrease and plate … to prevent oxidation.

Knife guys temper after heat treating, softens it just abit by using controlled sessions at various temps & times … a necessary step to reduce brittleness) so producing heat while grinding hardened steel isn’t critical to them

[Rick Aiello]

Here’s what it looks like ….

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I also ran the big ones for another 30 minutes … looks like a I hr immersion is best

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Thanks for watching

[Michael Kiese]

Mahalo for sharing your notes for posterity, Rick!

I'm sure there is someone now, or in the future who will be happy that you documented this on the forum.

[Rick Aiello]

All done with this seven stringer … going into a prewar A25

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[Anthony Parish]

I have been lurking in the background reading these posts and I gotta say: the work you are doing with these pickups warms my heart. Thank you for advancing the adjacent possible of pickup design, Rick!

Tony Parish

[Gary Meixner]

Rick,

Your original post and subsequent follow-up inspired me to learn more about magnetism which led me to read a brief biography of C. F. Gauss. The guy sure was a heavyweight. I don’t know what they were putting in their pilsner back then, but Germany was home to a lot of smart dudes. Apparently in his day it was common for men of distinction to have a personal motto, his was quite memorable: “Pauca sed Matura” which when translated from Latin means: “Few, but ripe”. I might have to borrow that. His birthday is coming at the end of April, perhaps you plan on celebrating it. Thanks for all your posts: they are always educational and often entertaining.

G. E. Meixner

[Rick Aiello]

It’s new home :

att.9YdU5CDmTHvxj0NGqLvNEAq589ctYhs-ecAY0f8nYxk.jpeg

[Rick Aiello]

The next logical project … 1” x 1/4” 1095

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They will mount on a series of closed cell foam plates … lining the pickup bay … reduce pedal/knee noise

[Rick Aiello]

The 1” wide pair in front are going into a Bigsby/Clinesmith , the other pair is for the ShoBud

They’re going to get heat treated and quenched tomorrow…

Should know in a couple of days if my “foam installation” plans for the psg pay off

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[Michael Kiese]

The 1/4" think mags look great! Great look and more juice = more gooder!

People better get them while they're hot! Pun intended! lol.

[Rick Aiello]

Well, the Liberty Bell is cracked too …

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A very violent “birth” …

[Michael Kiese]

The Mana was too strong with that one. lol.

[Mark Evans]

Perhaps, with a flaw birthed in fire, a unique tonal ‘voice’ will emerge?
(E.g. Willie Nelson’s ‘Trigger’ with the gaping hole)
And then the prospect of recreating the flaw for the hungry masses of lap steel players
(See # of steel players/100,000 population thread here somewhere)

[Rick Aiello]

Well, put it down as an extra dose of “mojo” …

As for the little 1” wide ones … they got heat treated yesterday too and charged up big time …

Did a quick test on the ShoBud, they sound pretty much the same as their bigger counterparts … picks up the pedal noise real well … ha ha … good thing I’m a non-traditional user

https://youtu.be/OA9Gobl9d2I?si=3u6_SoCK7TEKUuZ-

[Rick Aiello]

In reality … after a few days practice the pedal noise .. well here is a segment of Drowsy Waters which I use pedals on just about every other note …

https://youtu.be/J7HP5x4XpSE?si=HTXnTPv-qXMyLWFl

I’m happy …, Luigi’s happy

Again, thanks for watching the evolution of the thick magnets