For those of us who don’t do it every day, working with sheet metal can be nerve-wracking. Sheet metal is thin, heavy, and sharp, and one misstep in handling it can have the same result as other similar objects, such as guillotine blades. If only there was a way to reduce the danger.
Perhaps something like this solenoid plate regulator [Lucas] In Cranktown City, it would be more useful to keep the fingers and toes glued. Like many interesting builds, this one starts with taking apart some old microwave ovens to free up their transformers. Further dissection resulted in open-frame electromagnets that, when powered by a Ryobi cordless tool battery, do a good job of sticking to things.
[Lucas] then assembled the battery connector from Ryobi’s cheapest tool, an electric fan, and built a prototype that worked well enough to move on to a more polished second version. This one had the same power in a beautifully designed case that was 3D printed from lime green filament for an OEM look. The video below shows the design and construction as well as field tests. We have to say that this gave us a bit of pause, especially when the battery came out of one of the controllers and nearly dropped the sheet. [Lucas]”fingers. Hang up there.
If you’re thinking you’ve seen MOTs repurposed as solenoids before, you’re right. No matter how it goes up [Spider-Man]lifting heavy steel beams or walking upside down, microwave transformers are key.
Thanks [Zane Atkins] for a tip.