metal bracket on hard drive magnets ?

Originally Posted by TheHoss

Well, how do you get said magnets off the bracket? Without destroyin the bracket or magnet, of course.

It's a lot of work; but, here's how I do it:
1) Sort magnets into matching groups. (If you ignore this step, you'll wind up regretting it.)
2) Have some scrap plexiglass handy, either hanging or leaning against a non-magnetic surface. (I like strips that are about 4 to 6" wide and about 12 to 18" long.)
3) Have a metal surface, covered with a mat or a piece of plexiglass, handy. (This is extremely important; since, these magnets will bite the daylights out of you, given even half a chance!!! Even with just 1/8" thick magnets, if you get skin trapped between them, about all you can do is grit your teeth and tear the skin off... If they're not on a magnetic surface, they WILL jump several inches to get to another magnet.) Putting them directly onto a metal surface makes them VERY hard to get back off. With a mat or plexiglass, it's possible to slide them to the edge.
4) I use a metal beam with an end cap, attached to the old "feet" from a scrapped out semi-trailer; but, some folks use a securely mounted vice, to hook one end of the bracket into. I have a pair of vice grips attached to the other.
5) Bend the bracket just until you hear a quiet "pop."
6) Slide a break-off blade razor knife into the small gap; and, CAREFULLY work it along the length of the magnet until it comes loose.
7) Set magnet on the covered metal surface.
8) Remove vice grips and toss bracket into one of 2 buckets: Clean or needs further cleaning. (I also have a bucket for the ones that aren't nickel plated.)
9) CAREFULLY pair the magnets on each side of the plexiglass. WARNING: They will try to grab onto the mags you're reaching over; so, I try to work from the far side to the near side, to minimize having to reach over already placed mags. (They're a bear to get apart, if you let them stack!)
10) Clean all plastic, brass, etc. from the "to be cleaned" brackets.
11) Find somewhere that's willing to pay decent for the brackets. (I'm still looking...)
12) Find a project for the magnets. (I'm working on some alternative energy ideas for my own use.)

OR....
Blow off all of the above, keep all of your skin on your hands intact, and give me a shout... ;p If the price is right, I'd probably be interested in taking them off your hands; especially if I can find a decent market for the permalloy...