08-28-2016, 10:23 AM
Hmm....I was sure that I replied to this thread around 5:00AM this morning - must've been dreaming. 
You can lower the current draw and improve the performance of open frame motors simply by replacing the stock magnets with rare earth magnets.
I did so with this brass switcher...
![[Image: Locomotives013.jpg]](http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/doctorwayne/locomotives/Locomotives013.jpg)
With the new magnets (and quite a bit of added weight), this little sweetheart has become a real monster. The starting voltage has dropped and even though my layout is DC, it crawls just fine when needed and pulls like an ox.
Micro Mark offers such magnets, but, in Canada at least, you may be able to get them at Lee Valley, Princess Auto, or Canadian Tire.
The procedure is to stack as many as will fit in the space where the original magnets were, then make-up any remaining gap with steel plate - a cut-up sheet steel weight from a freight car works well. Even though the stack of new magnets is of less area than the originals, you will be amazed at the improvement in performance.
I looked for my thread showing the procedure but couldn't find it - probably in with another, completely unrelated topic.
I did, however, find this remark which I made, which shows that these aren't your ordinary run-of-the-mill magnets:
"As for magnets, I just tested a rare earth magnet which easily picked up a 22 ounce mini-anvil. The magnet is 1" long and 3/16" in diameter. The same magnet will raise a steel bar 1"x1.5"x8" from a lying-flat position to standing-on-end, but won't quite lift it. Weight of the bar is 51 ounces."
Wayne
You can lower the current draw and improve the performance of open frame motors simply by replacing the stock magnets with rare earth magnets.
I did so with this brass switcher...
With the new magnets (and quite a bit of added weight), this little sweetheart has become a real monster. The starting voltage has dropped and even though my layout is DC, it crawls just fine when needed and pulls like an ox.
Micro Mark offers such magnets, but, in Canada at least, you may be able to get them at Lee Valley, Princess Auto, or Canadian Tire.
The procedure is to stack as many as will fit in the space where the original magnets were, then make-up any remaining gap with steel plate - a cut-up sheet steel weight from a freight car works well. Even though the stack of new magnets is of less area than the originals, you will be amazed at the improvement in performance.
I looked for my thread showing the procedure but couldn't find it - probably in with another, completely unrelated topic.
I did, however, find this remark which I made, which shows that these aren't your ordinary run-of-the-mill magnets:
"As for magnets, I just tested a rare earth magnet which easily picked up a 22 ounce mini-anvil. The magnet is 1" long and 3/16" in diameter. The same magnet will raise a steel bar 1"x1.5"x8" from a lying-flat position to standing-on-end, but won't quite lift it. Weight of the bar is 51 ounces."
Wayne