How Do I Balance My Plate Stirer Magnets?

[gjhansford]

My electronics wizz mate is making me a plate stirer with magnets glued to a computer cooling fan. How do you get the magnets balanced? We've had two goes and they're still not balanced ... out of wack ... :wacko: .

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

:icon_cheers: ghhb

 

[newguy]

I must have been lucky when I made mine (I've actually made 2). I used j-b weld epoxy. I glued one down, then when the glue dried I glued the other. I just eyeballed it and tried to make it as close to 180* apart and the same distance from the center of the fan as the 1st. No balance issues so I guess I was close.

I suppose you could put little dabs of glue on the fan to add weight, sort of like how a car's rims/tires are balanced. No idea how you'd figure out where to put them though.

 

[warra48]

When I raced slot cars in an earlier life, we used to rewind the rotors of the little electric motors.
To balance them, we used dabs of araldite (epoxy) mixed with solder filings.
Should work with this as well.

 

[fraser_john]

If its not too late....

When I did mine I scribed a line through the center of the fan, so I knew the line, then carefully measured my spin bar, marked the length of the spin bar on the center line of the fan and scribed the ends, naturally with the center lined up with the center of the fan. Then carefully glue each magnet down one at a time, wait till the first has dried. You will also need do press with a light clamp or something as the magnets in the fan try and drag the magnet you are gluing down!

If you do this, it should come out damn close.

 

[mfeighan]

here is what i did

1)when the fan is on grab a pencil and stick it on the fan, it should draw a pretty even circle relative to its spin
2)glue a big metal washer to the fan using the circle previously drawn as a guide, if it dosent look right(which it should) turn the fan on again whilst the glue is still wet and use your finger to align it whilst it is spinning sort of like how a lathe works
3) let it dry and then place your magnets on the washer, no need to glue them and you can adjust them until it feels right

 

[Gout]

i have a few mag bars, and i let the magnets stick to the large bar, then glue it to the fan(the magnets not the bar). - the bar holds them in place till it dries and that's worked with 5 units - should work for you

 

[newguy]

i have a few mag bars, and i let the magnets stick to the large bar, then glue it to the fan(the magnets not the bar). - the bar holds them in place till it dries and that's worked with 5 units - should work for you

Slick idea! :icon_chickcheers:

 

[gjhansford]

here is what i did

1)when the fan is on grab a pencil and stick it on the fan, it should draw a pretty even circle relative to its spin
2)glue a big metal washer to the fan using the circle previously drawn as a guide, if it dosent look right(which it should) turn the fan on again whilst the glue is still wet and use your finger to align it whilst it is spinning sort of like how a lathe works
3) let it dry and then place your magnets on the washer, no need to glue them and you can adjust them until it feels right

Great ... thanks ... good lateral thinking ... and when they are in place they can be glued.