DIY Magnetic Oil Drain Plug

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:51 am

How effective this is I don't actually know but, if any of you have ever played with hard drive magnets, you know they can snap your fingers. I've lost blood from them before. Being in IT, I've found a stranger pleasure in disassembling Hard Drives. Anyway, for the last 9000 miles or so I've had the same one stuck to my drain bolt. I'm impressed it hasn't gone wandering!

I did play with the bolt after removal from the first 3K to make sure the metal had been at least a little bit magnetized, and sure enough I could lift screw and things with it.

If anyone is thinking of trying this, I recommend rubbing/spinning the magnet a bit before removing the drain plug as it should induce a little bit more magnetism.

Thoughts?

91beatuphatch · Post by **91beatuphatch** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:48 am

so u just stick it to the hex of the drain bolt and leave it there?

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:47 am

91beatuphatch;281401 wrote:so u just stick it to the hex of the drain bolt and leave it there?

Exactly

Phate · Post by **Phate** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:50 pm

I dont mess with those platter drives when they go bad. I just throw them at things. I actually haven't had one go bad in several years now, sigh.

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:00 pm

Phate;281409 wrote:I dont mess with those platter drives when they go bad. I just throw them at things. I actually haven't had one go bad in several years now, sigh.

I;m required to destroy them in some fashion.... and who doesn't love the shiny things inside!

Waffles · Post by **Waffles** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:02 pm

I miss having a job where we had to do that. Now we just send them off to a company to shred.

Phate · Post by **Phate** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:30 pm

delslo;281410 wrote:I;m required to destroy them in some fashion.... and who doesn't love the shiny things inside!

You can come out here and I'll throw them at roadsigns. You know how good my aim is. haha.

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:40 pm

Phate;281414 wrote:You can come out here and I'll throw them at roadsigns. You know how good my aim is. haha.

True, but the KGB could still get that data!
We have massive magnetizer at the office, but I'm never there and still enjoy the disassembly process.

I have put one back together just to see if it would work. DID!

Waffles · Post by **Waffles** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:44 pm

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd_O7-rqcHc"]Data Security - Shredder - YouTube[/ame]