Anyone ever use magnets? | Squat the Planet

Anyone ever use magnets?

mycophage

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A friend of mine told me that he once saw someone carrying a magnet for riding. I've never seen or heard of anyone doing it. However, I've looked online and you can buy magnets that hold like 200 lbs that are rechargeable or permanent magnets, and they only weigh like 1 or 2 lbs. Seems to me like they could be useful for getting over trains in the yard, but they don't look like they would be super useful for catching on the fly or anything. Maybe they would be useful for keeping a tarp up or something when your riding.

sparked my curiosity though, and i searched the forums and couldn't find much.
 

Matt Derrick

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I've never heard of anything like that. They wouldn't be good for much besides ruining your cell phone, mp3 player and anything else electronic in your pack.

Also, the big ones you're talking about are really fucking hard to pull off once they're stuck to something, so I can't see any practical use for them.
 

Matt Derrick

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Kim Chee

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I fashioned a camera mount which uses a magnet. I could mount the camera on the train and get shots that I couldn't if I were holding the camera.

Slack action can easily dislodge a magnet, be sure to only secure things you are OK with losing.
 

West

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There's an article in the zine "Mostly True" by Bill Daniel where a 'bo fills his jacket with magnets to catch a train on the fly. In the next yard he just detaches from the train and walks blissfully away. <3 but it'spretty tongue in cheek.
 
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Ive been thinking of using a magnet to attach a cell phone/usb type charger. My invention uses a generator style bicycle front wheel hub (no spokes) with a solid urethane wheel stretched over the alluminum hub. I figure it must have an adjustable arm to accomodate different style of grainers. I will attach the whole generator with a large magnet. I think the newer style generator hubs have a built in voltage regulator so you wont cook your device. This is an unproven invention at this time so builder beware. I will get around to this eventually & create its own thread.
 

kidbob

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Ive been thinking of using a magnet to attach a cell phone/usb type charger. My invention uses a generator style bicycle front wheel hub (no spokes) with a solid urethane wheel stretched over the alluminum hub. I figure it must have an adjustable arm to accomodate different style of grainers..


Ur sayin u want to invent a charging generator that u bolt to the frame of a train car and use the train wheels to generate the power to the usb/dc powerbank?

similar to how those weed-eater motors and skateboard wheel mopeds operate?

maybe use a industrial handcrank flashlight as ur generator? or a storm radio..powerbank crank and regulator all in one.
U would have to modify the gear ratios to step the torque of the train down..a old(or new) bike light generator and say an old aluminum broom handle flatened and bent right...and i think u got it right there...
Adjust ur genni's wheel with say big soft longboard wheel and use a pair of vice grips.....shit....any things possible with duck tape and stupid glue lol...
 
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