This self-reloading magnet dispenser is the type of invention you didn’t realize you needed until you see it in action and can’t picture life without it. Maker EmGi has created a handheld tool that places neodymium magnets precisely where you want them, with the correct orientation every time, and loads the next one from a built-in stockpile so you never have to pause to fiddle around for the next one.
EmGi began with a simpler version last year, as the original tool employed a simple plunger with a fixed magnet on the end to pick up and pop discs in without getting your fingers in the way or worrying about the polarity flipping at the last second. It did the trick for casual use, but the tip was a little awkward to get into tight spaces, and reloading required stopping to search for individual magnets in a clump. Anyone who has ever attempted to assemble a grid of magnets or arrange them in small pockets understands the irritation, as magnets appear to snap together out of nowhere, stick to your tools, or spin to the incorrect side just as you are ready to push them into place.
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The new design resolves both of these issues. EmGi has managed to reduce the tip size so that it can fit into confined areas, and added a self-feeding magazine. Simply pack a stack of magnets into the body, and each press of the lever moves the next one to the ready position. The mechanism is based on a rack and pinion system that converts the plunger’s motion into a precise tiny nudge. One press separates the bottom magnet from the rest of the stack while dragging it along a guided path to the tip, where a permanent magnet keeps it in place and the attraction pulls the disc along without allowing it to spin or flip over.
Nailing that sequence took a bit of trial and error. Magnets can be stubborn since their fields resist movement. Press too quickly, and the disc will shoot right off. If you press too slowly, it will stick back to the stack. Emgi experimented with various slopes, adding a tiny edge to the tip to give it more control over speed, and modified the design until the magnet simply slides into position. Slow motionfootage shows the disc tipping smoothly onto the tip and remaining in the proper orientation. Then it’s merely a clean press into its slot, a release, and the next one is ready for you when the lever returns.
If you have a 3D printer, assembly is a breeze because the body, case, tip, gear, picker, and lever are all printed in PLA. Five screws hold all of the main parts together, a rubber band provides the tension that causes the lever to spring back into place, and a few little neodymium magnets simply slot into pre-drilled holes, one at the tip to keep things secure and a few more in the mechanism to help guide things along. They’ve created variations for the most common sizes, such as 6x2mm, 5.1mm, and 8.2mm discs. If you’re feeling daring, head over to MakerWorld and get the files for free; printing one should be as simple as getting some filament and waiting for it to print.
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