wired magnet wanted

[up1950s]

Purpose ... Easy connect and disconnect for steam to tender , and multi lash ups of diesels or passenger cars for lighting .
Size ... Those strong magnet rods of pencil lead diameter maybe 2 or 3 times as long .

I have done this some years ago using a coupler spring with a wire attached to maintain contact with the magnet . This was glued within a plastic tube . The mating side was the next size up telescoping tube . A real pain to make , but it did work .

A thin wire welded to one face of a tiny rod magnet would solve a ton of issues on many many projects  .

[JMaurer1]

I'm guessing you are looking for something like this, only in N scale?

https://rixproducts.com/product/rix-uncoupling-tool-ho/

Actually not a bad idea. Should be easy for one of the 3d print people to design something, glue a couple of rare earth magnets on to, and done. I would want one or two!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Like an Apple magsafe for models?

That'd be hot!

[up1950s]

No , the idea is for electrical connections .

https://www.albmagnets.com/blog/1-mm-diameter-magnet.html

If a wire was welded to one flat side of the magnet ..........

Or if we soldered a flat ferris disc or maybe a pin head to a wire .... hmmm , glue the magnet in a tube and mount it on one of the units we want to mate electrically .

[fire5506]

I think that you are looking for something along the lines of this.
https://www.adafruit.com/product/5360



Richard

[Ed Kapuscinski]

No , the idea is for electrical connections .

https://www.albmagnets.com/blog/1-mm-diameter-magnet.html

If a wire was welded to one flat side of the magnet ..........

Or if we soldered a flat ferris disc or maybe a pin head to a wire .... hmmm , glue the magnet in a tube and mount it on one of the units we want to mate electrically .

Oh! Haha, I just realized Apple has reused the magsafe name. I've always thought about it as the magnetic laptop power connector that will breakaway instead of dragging your device to the floor.

[peteski]

Funny you mentioned maneto-electric coupler.  Just recently I picked up a 2-unit N scale model from REE Models (French model manufacturer) and it utilizes the type of coupler you are looking to make.  I have not had a chance to run it yet, so I don't know how reliable it  is. In that size even those rare-earth magnets are not all that strong, but it is an interesting concept.  the couplers are attached to a standard European-style kinematic coupler arm that swings on curves.  The wires seem to be just held against the side of the magnets (not soldered).



Small magnets like those (1mm, 2mm etc. diameter) are available on eBay, but I don't know how easy they would be to solder.  Also, heat is a big enemy of magnets.  They might lose their strength if exposed to heat of soldering.

[Lemosteam]

Yep- tried and lost.  Better off with some form of forced retention against the wire.  My magnetic switch prositioners are designed this way.

[up1950s]

Wow Pete that is a step further , I just want a electro path .  Another use for a polarity pair mag connection is the damn shell mounted leds that need to be wired to the chassis etc .

[peteski]

Wow Pete that is a step further , I just want a electro path .  Another use for a polarity pair mag connection is the damn shell mounted leds that need to be wired to the chassis etc .

Richie, I also hate the "umbilical cord" for headlights between the chassis and the shell.  Instead, I sometimes use home made contacts.  Here is an example.


A small PC board with contact pads (3 in this case) is installed in the top of the shell.


I then install matching phosphor-bronze (or brass) contacts on top of the chassis.


When the chassis is installed in the shell, the contacts rest on the contact pads.

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  I did basically the same thing to wire the two units of my Kato EH-10 electric together.  I wanted to be able to take the shells off, or separate the units, if I had to, but wanted the jumper wires on the roof. 

Brass tubes through the roof, with a phosphor-bronze wire on the lower end, to contact the frame halves, and a bent-wire jumper inserted into the top of the tubes, make a good jumper, and curves are no problem.  A pair for each side and it's done.

[up1950s]

Nice Pete , with O scale you could use a stereo plug and jack but N scale only leaves slivers of room .

[peteski]

Nice Pete , with O scale you could use a stereo plug and jack but N scale only leaves slivers of room .

Very true.
But with a jack, you still have to have wires in the setup where  in this case there are no wires and no plugs to pull.  The shell simply comes off, without unplugging anything.  For the kind of setup you describe, I have used multi-pin male/female connectors with 0.050" pitch.