Magnetic Screwdriver, why not ???

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Originally posted by jasonflorida1:
The poll today showed that 41% of techs don't use magnetic screwdrivers, I'm wondering why not? Unless newbies think that magnetic rays will erase hard drives or floppies, but guess what newbies it won't, if you don't believe me try it. You need a pretty strong magnet to destroy a floppy. Magnetic screwdrivers are major time and headache savers. Poor newbies

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I have always use magnetic screwdriver, but of course I don't go rollarskate in buffao herd either. There are common sense in doing everything. So if you have to use magnetic screwdriver use one.

Though I forget where I ordered it from, the 90 piece "Proffessional PC and Networking Toolkit" I bought a couple years ago came with all magnetic tip drivers most of the Phillips head drivers have since been replaced (with magnetic tip).

While they are handy I still keep a non-magnetic tip for placing screws near Bios chips on the mainbard ( my rule of thumb is if it is within 4" of the bios chip use a non-mag driver).

By the way the best non-magnetic solution is "Tacky-Finger" available at most office suply stores or good ole "Stick-um" from the sporting goods store (yes the same stuff they banned in the NFL)

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There is no Spoon!

Hmmmm...I have used magnetized screwdrivers for around 6 years with no problems at all..actually I magnetize the tips with old magnets taken from Hard Drives...

I have used magnetic drivers for years and never harmed a thing.

https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/08/1.gif Please forgive the length


I really hate to disapoint all of you but has anyone heard of EMPs(electro magnetic pulses)???? Granted the EMPs the military is refering to are much stronger (X1000 or >).

I have worked on computers for the last 6 years now and HAVE seen people (generally not techs) KILL or DESTROY everything from 486s to PIIIs using magnetic tools.

For those of you NOT familiar with electronics: "current can be generated when a magnetic force is moved with in a coil". Also " If a magnet is moved over 2 "or more" wires in close proximity it will induce a current through them. "Wires" in this instance can be conductive traces or actual wires.

If you know how IC's are constructed you will know that inside there are MANY "wires" or conductive traces. Many of the NEW ics can NOT withstand pulsine current in the 100x~1X mA range (as they were not designed for it) with out burning out or being stressed.

And as many of you know that technology is making both general ICs and CPUs on a much smaller scale (.15 for coppermine). Thus they will not handle the current and will be MORE prone to EMP damage.

In case you still doubt that damage can be done then please think of how flouresent lights (over 4~5ft away) affect a computer's comunication to a printer with an UN sheilded cable.

Sorry this is so long but the magnetic tool use must be thought out before being used. Like any other tool when "properly" used it is a GREAT asset. When it is NOT properly used....

In ending I have seen VERY strong magnetic tools that were designed for AUTOMOTIVE use being used on a mainboard. So it all goes down to experience which is essentially knowledge!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well gang, got bored this afternoon and decided to see how much damage I could do to a machine with a magnet. Used a working P-166 for a test subject. Rubbed down the CPU and all the chips (BIOS too) on the MB and cards with a powerful magnet removed from an old HDD. Booted it up and it ran fine. Shut it down and placed a magnet on all the chips in the system and fired it up that way. It's been running fine for the past 8 hours now. Diagnostics and stress tests look good. If there were any real issues with magnetism and parts issues, there would be warnings with the parts, like the ESD warnings. I'm sure the parts manufacturers don't want to RMA all the parts that us uneducated techs destroy with our magnetic screwdrivers. Me, I'm "sticking" to my magnetic drivers. For the skeptics, there's chewing gum. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2000/09/1.gif

Iguana I tried the same thing on an AMD 350 machine that was still under warranty(RMA if it goes bad). I placed a magnet i removed from a hard drive on top of one of the chips and let it run all week with the magnet on top of it. I had no trouble all week and its been there 6 days now. Anyways I didnt plan on this post being dragged out so long. If you don't believe get out an old 486 and try it.

Hi Everyone,
I've been technician for over 10 Years (now i am a sys. Admin...).
I use Magnetic ScrewDriver ONLY for external parts of system (no hdd, floppy, slots, pci/agp card).
Fellowes, don't take potentialy unecessery mistakes. it is not worth it...

Never use a magnet and always put on the surgical mask before opening a computer. ... Just trying to come up with some other crazy logic. From the 41% how many actually ever erased a floppy with a bulk eraser? It takes a good while to erase a floppy with a electro magnet 100,000 times stronger than the heaviest screwdriver magnet and I never seen a hd erased with a magnet. I let all my techs use magnetic bits in their power screwdrivers. There is less chance that a screws accidentally dropped in the machine causes eventually a short.

A magnetic screwdriver is like a knife for a surgeon, as long as yer carefull, nothing will happen.

There is a difference here in what we are all talking about.

A small magnetic screwdriver like Compaq and Toshiba send their tech's isn't going to do anything don't care if you touch leads of the bios chip!

A magnetic screwdriver like you use on a car or truck with a battery in the handle (can pick up a whole computer not just a screw) is likely to damage something or everything.

Just like eating, drinking, ESD proctection, etc. Enless you go overboard a magnetic screwdriver is VERY usefull. I only use a magnetic screwdriver/bits. And I always have a ground strap on. (cept when working on monitors.)

That gets to something else. I wear a grounding stap on my right wrist. My shirt/pants/etc build static. and a wrist strap only offers a little protection.

Not only do I use a magnetic screwdriver, but mine has a little flashlight built into the handle.

I've used it for several years w/o problem.

Yes, I am careful of what I touch with it, the only thing I want to touch with it is a screw.

I got an idea put a piece of chewed gum on the end of your screwdriver to pick up those lost screws in your system so we won't have to bitch about this anymore!

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I am a bomb technician, if you see me running try and keep up

I don't use magnetic tools, mainly because I don't want to pick up my screwdriver out of my toolbox and have junk stuck to the tip. Instead of a magnetic screwdriver, I use one that I found at Sears that has little jaws near the point. You push up on a little thumb knob to extend and open the jaws, and pull down to retract and close them. It's a very simple, very effective design that holds the screw on much better than a magnetic. You can put a screw on that thing and wildly flail it around the room if you want - that screw is not coming off unless you want it to. Very useful, not too expensive.

Interesting thread fellows....

I am an RF engineer by trade and I can tell you that there are NO magnetic tools in my toolbox. They are ceramic, plastic or brass. The only reason for this is that ferrous or magnetic tools will detune RF circuits.

In computer work there is a slight chance that a highly magnetized tool MAY induce a current strong enough to destroy a MOS or MOSFET type device, but, IMHO, it is unlikely.

I freely use magnetized ferrous tools around and in my computers and have never had any hint of a problem. https://forums.windrivers.com/