Source of iron (not steel) wire or nails?

[Bill Jeffrey]

I need some soft iron.

In this case, "soft" isn't a mechanical property. It is a magnetic
property, meaning that the material does not permanently hold a magnetic
field. Wind a coil of wire around a soft iron nail, run current through
the winding, and you have an electro-magnet. Turn the current off, and
all magnetism goes away. Do the sanme thing with a steel nail, and some
magnetism remains when you turn the current off.

Anyway, anyone know of a source of iron nails, iron wire, iron rod, iron
sheet?

Thanks

Bill Jeffrey
For email reply, unmangle my return address.

 

[Charles Schuler]

I need some soft iron.

In this case, "soft" isn't a mechanical property. It is a magnetic
property, meaning that the material does not permanently hold a magnetic
field. Wind a coil of wire around a soft iron nail, run current through
the winding, and you have an electro-magnet. Turn the current off, and
all magnetism goes away. Do the sanme thing with a steel nail, and some
magnetism remains when you turn the current off.

Anyway, anyone know of a source of iron nails, iron wire, iron rod, iron
sheet?

Thanks

Bill Jeffrey
For email reply, unmangle my return address.

For low retentivity, transformer iron works well. You can take a microwave
oven transformer apart, for example. These are free, if you look around.

 

[John McGaw]

I need some soft iron.

In this case, "soft" isn't a mechanical property. It is a magnetic
property, meaning that the material does not permanently hold a magnetic
field. Wind a coil of wire around a soft iron nail, run current through
the winding, and you have an electro-magnet. Turn the current off, and
all magnetism goes away. Do the sanme thing with a steel nail, and some
magnetism remains when you turn the current off.

Anyway, anyone know of a source of iron nails, iron wire, iron rod, iron
sheet?

Thanks

Bill Jeffrey
For email reply, unmangle my return address.

Iron wire should be pretty easy to find although I'd advise annealing it
before working it for an electromagnet core.
http://www.fortepiano.com/wire.htm

 

[Anthony Fremont]

I need some soft iron.

Anyway, anyone know of a source of iron nails, iron wire, iron rod, iron
sheet?

Soft iron wire is used by clock repair persons (horologists) and also
florist shops for binding dried floral arrangements. If I'm not
mistaken, this is the type of material for which you are searching. I
believe that is also called black iron wire.

 

[Bill Jeffrey]

I need some soft iron.
Anyone know of a source of iron nails, iron wire, iron rod, iron
sheet?

Thanks, guys, I appreciate the good quick responses. That should take
of my needs!

Bill

 

[Jim Adney]

Anyway, anyone know of a source of iron nails, iron wire, iron rod, iron
sheet?

You can buy soft iron welding rod in a variety of diameters, starting
at 1/16". I don't know for sure, but I'd bet that it is soft
magnetically, too. It commonly comes in 36" lengths, but you can also
buy spools of it.

Check with any welding supply shop.

-

 

[KLM]

I need some soft iron.

In this case, "soft" isn't a mechanical property. It is a magnetic
property, meaning that the material does not permanently hold a magnetic
field. Wind a coil of wire around a soft iron nail, run current through
the winding, and you have an electro-magnet.

Iron nails are a pretty good source. To make soft iron heat the
nail(s) with a propane torch until red hot then withdraw the flame
gradually to let the nail cool slowly. When cooled it will be
literally soft, that is you can actually bend it with your fingers.
This soft iron will have the property you seek, ie. easy top magnetize
but won't retain its magnetism.

To harden the same nail heat it red hot and quench it in water or oil.
The iron will then be hard and brittle and will snap if bent with a
pair of pliers. To temper iron the iron is reheated after quenching
and the temperature is controlled to give the right degree of hardness
and springiness

 

[Van Gardner]

I used to work in a machine shop and when we wanted to work a piece of
hard steel we would heat it with a acetylene torch until red then put
it in a box of lime and cover it. The lime would hold the heat
allowing the metal to cool slowly. When cool the required machine
work was done on the piece and we would reheat it and plunge into oil
to retemper it.

Van Gardner