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If you’ve ever had to pick up the nails littering the ground after tearing off an old roof or had to snag the bits of metal that can accumulate on a job site, this magic, er, magnetic broom is for you.
As shown in the accompanying drawing:
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I created the magnetic broom by first modifying an old, defunct push broom by affixing a 1x3 to the broom’s head.
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Then, I attached 10 1-inch diameter rare-earth magnets to the 1x3. (I bought mine from Lee Valley Tools.) These magnets are astonishingly strong; each one can lift a 30-lb. block of steel.
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The magnets fit into steel cups (also available from Lee Valley) that are screwed to the 1x3.
— Mike Nathan, Hailey, Idaho
Safety Note: Individuals with pacemakers or internal medical devices should not handle strong rare-earth magnets.
Also, rare-earth magnets can pinch forcefully if they come together against the skin. People should always wear gloves and eye protection when handling strong rare-earth magnets.
Tips & Techniques provided by Fine Homebuilding.
©2010 The Taunton Press
To contact Fine Homebuilding, e-mail Christina Glennon.
Get NAHB BuilderBooks 2010 Virtual Publications Catalog Online
The NAHB 2010 Publications Catalog from NAHB BuilderBooks is available online.
Presented in a virtual format as part of the NAHB BuilderBooks effort to go green and streamline delivery, the catalog includes publications and products to help building industry professionals ramp up for a successful year as the industry and the economy begin to recover.
The materials in the catalog, written by industry leaders in various fields of residential construction, feature publications and products related to accounting, estimating, business management, green building, sales and marketing, safety, construction codes, 50+ housing, multifamily housing, construction management remodeling and more.
Some of the newest publications in the catalog include “Social Media for Home Builders,” the “National Green Building Standard Commentary” and “Paper Trail: Systems and Forms for a Well-Run Remodeling Company, Second Edition.”
To view the virtual catalog, click here.





