Looking for ideas on how to connect magnets to pick

[meMiner]

This year I used an Eastwing prospector pick which had a small (read useless) magnet on the bottom of the handle. I also had a couple of REMs (rare earth magnets) bolted on the bottom of a plastic paint stir stick - - that worked rather well to find little bits of iron in my hole. Next year, I want a digging pick with the magnets attached. I know I can buy one (read expensive), a detector pick with magnets, but wonder if there are any words of advise on how to do it myself and have an effective "all in one" nugget pick?

 

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[DDancer]

Just get yourself some gorilla glue or liquid nails. You can mount the magnet to the base of the handle or to the top of the pick (I mount mine to the top). Just pick up a half inch or one inch round coin super magnet, scuff the spot up where you want to stick it, apply the glue and put it on. Some people carve a depression in the base of the handle for the magnet when attaching it to wood. When you stick it to the pick end the magnets reinforced by the attraction to the pick. Leave a little excess goo around the magnets sides to help retain it. I've never lost a magnet.

 

[meMiner]

Good stuff. I was worried that the magnet would fall off with the jolt when the pick hits rock. Sounds like you got it solved.

 

[IMPDLN]

You really don't need anything to hold a magnet to a pick. REM's will stay in place pretty well by themselves on the blade. They will move around some, but I have never had one come off the blade. Dennis

 

[meMiner]

I guess if it does fall off, I ought to be able to find it again with the detector. If I cannot, I should give up detecting little nuggets. LOL

Thanks for the advise.

 

[DDancer]

Gotta disagree. I've lost one magnet with that kind of thinking IMPDLN. I've also found several magnets. At near 20 bucks a pop its better to lock it down.
Thing is you probably wont find the magnet because you wont know when you lost it.

I need to amend my first statement: I've never lost a magnet after I glued it down

 

[AZADAM]

After all the time I have had in the field, I don't really think magnets are necessary.. They add weight to the pick and they don't do a hell of a lot more than that other than build up magnetite that needs to be cleaned off regularly ( more weight) More than one magnet is over kill , and yes,, overkill is overrated..

 

[Ron (CA)]

I won't nugget hunt without a magnet on my pick. And I agree that you need to secure it someway.

I use an apex pick and they have a metal ring welded on the pick blade and the magnets stick inside the ring.

 

[fowledup]

I also have an Estwing pick which does double duty for prospecting so I don't really want a magnet on it. What I use and so far has worked really well is; a collapse magnet "pen", it's an automotive deal that resembles a pen when collapsed, it extends to around 2'. This one came in a kit with interchangeable ends, mirror, two or three sizes and strenghts of magnets, and a magnifying glass. Around $10 bucks at Harbor Frieght if I remember right.

 

[2cmorau]

used a cow magnet for a long time, drilled a hole and glued to a think it was 3/4 dowel, now use the groundhog

 

[AZADAM]

No need for a magnet...period
Only the newbies will think they need one

 

[DDancer]

Newbies huh. What a fascinating comment. I feel quite certain there are plenty of old timers here who are perfectly happy with our magnets. They probably save a lot of time scratching around with them and even pick up the odd nugget now and then with them. *Exclamation Point*!

By all means don't use one. Someone will appreciate the effort after you have moved on.

 

[AzViper]

I like the way Royal Manufacturing addresses the pick / magnet. Prior to heat treating the head is machined to accept the magnets from the backside leaving the head of the pick smooth on the topside. Either magnets are pressed into place or glued into place. The pick is heat treated to Rockwell 52. We have a few of these picks and they are holding up very well. Shows no sign of wear and the rare earth magnets are very strong.

​

 

[AZADAM]

AZVIPER, Thanks for the stock photos and pretty pictures of the shiny pretty pick .....But the depiction of the nicely placed magnetic items is not a representation of real world, in the field scenarios.. The pick itself looks like it would work however with a longer handle.

DDANCER, I think most "old timers" know they don't really need the magnet, yet fail to remove it because that is more work than just leaving it on. I`ve been metal detecting for 5 months now , and it is obvious to me that the magnets are over rated..

 

[DDancer]

AzViper: I've seen a few picks with magnets built in. Its an interesting incorporation to the age old tool Hehh. Not sure I'd like two in the pick though.
When I mount a magnet I prefer it to be on the head at mid point so I can pendulum the head by the handle for a sweep then flip it up to easily check the catch for any nuggets that have a lot of iron stone in them. A flick of the finger in the trash pouch, scuff of a boot to fill the hole, and I'm off again. With that design shown I'd have to check 4 times and clean 4 times~

AZAdam: A whole 5 months. If that's how you feel about magnets like I said, by all means don't use one. Its nice you think you know~ and I for one will let you keep on knowing it. Personally I've worn out to many boots, coil covers and a couple of picks in the bush to feel offended myself but your argument holds no water for me. I'd really rather not chase a piece of iron scrap off an old wire brush or tin can while digging under a choya cactus or prickly pear.

 

[IMPDLN]

I'd have to agree with Adam that a magnet isn't necessary. Especially in damp soil as I don't care how strong it is iron still gets past them. I like my Apex pick just fine, except the fact that it has 3 magnets which just catch more black sand and add extra weight. When you have as much black sand magnetics as we have in Az., magnets don't really help that much. I certainly haven't found any magnetic nuggets out there and certainly would not want a magnet if the gold in a particular area had enough iron stone attached to make it stick to a magnet. That would be a lost nugget for sure.

Now on to attaching a magnet by glue or anything else. If you have proper strong magnets they aren't going anywhere. I can beat on hard pack all day without the magnet hardly moving. If your magnets are falling off, maybe you need a stronger proper magnet. Dennis

 

[AZADAM]

DDANCER, Actually I have only been detecting about 3 months with 2 months of walking around trying to figure out why I bought a detector.

IMPDLN, I think you are correct. If a magnet keeps falling off, then its probably a cheap, non neodymium magnet The good ones don't move around to much if at all.

 

[AzViper]

AZVIPER, Thanks for the stock photos and pretty pictures of the shiny pretty pick .....But the depiction of the nicely placed magnetic items is not a representation of real world, in the field scenarios.. The pick itself looks like it would work however with a longer handle.

"Real World" Every pick has its advantages and disadvantages. They do offer a 36" handle with 1 magnet in the center of the head.

For those who are against magnets I suppose having an iron meteorite jump onto your pick has no value to you. I kinda like knowing something that has traveled hundreds of millions of miles from somewhere we have no clue jumped onto my pick while digging. Meteorites can have lots of value... I will keep my picks with magnets as its just not gold that has value.

 

[NiagracountyNY]

Meteorites would be a alot of fun to look for in my Book.Those picks are perfect for that.Here's a link to a 200 pound magnet with a hole you can screw it to the shaft of your pick.its 10 bucks products_id_712 | Ceramic Cup Magnets 5 inch Magnetic Cups 200 LBS Holding - Applied Magnets & WindMax Wind Turbines I have not used this so i cannot say how well it works.Just one that came up when I did a search.

 

[DDancer]

AZADAM, Keep swinging its out there It was about 2 months before I found my first nug detecting. You probably heard it, or read it, but go where the gold was found. For a good while at least. It helps in understanding what your looking for in terms of ground and terrain and tools that make the hunt more efficient. Magnets are just a tool in the arsenal and its those old timer areas where they really shine. Virgin areas are nice, and a magnet is just a tag along there but good for sorting hot rocks, but oh so frustrating to find. Been nugget shooting as I can since 1998 and pulling gold in a pan or otherwise since 1982

AZViper, Nice piece of space rock there Picked up a few small ones myself.


Been a couple of comments on weight that's added by magnets. A one inch coin magnet only adds about an ounce and even with heavy black sands built up not more than another ounce might build up. Pretty negligible considering what else a person carries. That extra weight in the head of a pick actually helps drive the pick. True, in damp or wet conditions it can be problematic using magnets~ just got to get dirty~ but they will still pull a bit of junky iron up and save time playing in the mud. Keep it clean is the key.

On target recovery the fact that the magnet didn't pick something up can be exciting to Here in the USA it can be frustrating though.... lots of bullets. But every little clue helps on a dig or no dig situation.

Check it before you clean it after target recovery~ its no joke that it'll pick up an ironstone encrusted bit of gold (I've chased a few) but the iron trash it picks up can give you an idea of activity in an area as well. In prospecting junk can be a lead on an old camp and the faster you can move on from a target the quicker you'll know if its eureka or bust. My thoughts.