[l008com]

I'm putting new bow seats in my boat. They are basically just a flat cushion. But they aren't permanent, there are compartments under them. The original seats were hinged but that was kind of shitty, I was planing on using magnets to keep the seats latched. I found these nice 3/4" round rare earth magnets. I was going to use four per cushion (two cushions) to keep them firmly in place. It seemed like a good idea at first. But now I'm thinking, what happens when someone sits on the seat and had an iphone in their pocket. Or some other electronic device. Will they all get killed? Your iphone could potentially be 2" from the magnet if it was in your pocket just right, and you sat directly over one of the magnets.

[turtle777]

Yeah, probably not the best idea. Those suckers can be strong.

-t

[BLAZE_MkIV]

-snip-

Oops only 2 cushions, that won't work. Key them with an inner lip to fit the opening.

[moonmonkey]

Reminds me of the magnetic tables on french trains, great for hot beverages and playing chess at high speed- didn't go down to well when laptops were invented.

[ghporter]

This is a job for Industrial Velcro, not magnets. The problem with magnets, beyond the iPhone issue, is that not all rare earth magnets are hardy enough to take exposure to impact and high humidity environments. On the other hand, Velcro makes heavy duty stuff that will survive humidity, sun exposure and more and still work great year after year.

[Waragainstsleep]

Humidity and sun exposure affect magnets? Never heard that. I wonder what mechanisms are involved.

[Dork.]

[l008com]

WTF happened to the title of this thread??!?!?

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by l008com 

WTF happened to the title of this thread??!?!?

It got &lified.

[l008com]

newthread.php has been drinking a bit too much redbull.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by Dork. 

Shouldnt that damn GIF read "how they doeth work"?

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep 

Humidity and sun exposure affect magnets? Never heard that. I wonder what mechanisms are involved.

Ceramic magnets are not as sturdy as iron-based magnets, and the binder materials can break down in high UV environments, due to mildew, and due to physical abuse (dropping stuff on them, etc.). Rare earth magnets are powerful, but at the cost of being subject to damage from all sorts of non-magnet sources.

[l008com]

Sounds like a thin coating of 3m 5200 adhesive sealant is in order. I was going to glue them into their cups with that stuff anyway. A thin layer over the top to should protect them nicely. It will seal them from mildew, and add just enough of a cushion so they should break when coming together. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. These things will be located in a spot that is very easy to access.

[ghporter]

Solid protection against impact and UV will help a lot. I've been told that a magnet that has a ferrous plate across its poles (the magnet holding something by way of a steel plate in it, for example) produces a much more constrained field, but I've never seen it demonstrated, nor quantified. I really don't know how a magnet in your application might affect portable electronics.

[11011001]

If you are concerned about the field of the large magnets, just use a bunch of smaller magnets.