Dapol EASI-FIT/SHUNT Magnets Alternatives

[Paul-H]

Hi all

Has anyone found a suitable alternative to the Dapol Magnet for their EASI Fit couplings.

After bulking at the cost of Dapols own magnets £7.18 for two I have been looking for a suitable replacement, especially given that magnets of a similar size from the likes of GuysMagnets and First4Magnets are only about 50p each but those all have one problem, that is they are polarised North-South along their length, whereas the Dapol Magnets are polarised East-West across the width, this means to use the cheaper magnets I have to use two placed side by side with a small gap between them, although this does work its not such a neat installation, and to look ok needs to be done before the track is laid so they go under the sleepers, whereas Dapol magnets can be fitted at any time.

So anyone know of a Supplier that does magnets 7mm wide x 2mm thick length somewhere between 30 to 40mm polarised East-West.

Thanks

Paul

[woodbury22uk]

.......but those all have one problem, that is they are polarised North-South along their length, whereas the Dapol Magnets are polarised East-West across the width,

So anyone know of a Supplier that does magnets 7mm wide x 2mm thick length somewhere between 30 to 40mm polarised East-West.

Thanks

Paul

I think that the Dapol magnets are North-South across the width.

@Karhedron had an effective working set up. I can't find it on here so here is a link to the RMWeb photos.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48728-dapol-easi-shunt-magnetic-couplings-in-n/?p=570075

[Newportnobby]

By halving the magnets you could halve the cost (and trim less sleepers from the track)

[Railwaygun]

A search for "dapol magnets" in the entire forum will find a number of alternatives

[Delboy]

I may be wrong but I am recollecting that another similar topic on here had someone trialling the Easi-shunt couplings using two separate rows of small cylindrical neodymium magnets with each row polorised to simulate the way the normal Dapol magnets work. As far as I remember they got this to work well. If not on here I have seen it on you-tube.
Below is just an example and you can get 50 (3mm diameter x 1,5mm deep) for just over £2 including delivery.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Small-magnets-tiny-neodymium-discs-2mm-3mm-4mm-5mm-6mm-strong-craft-magnet-disk/162003918151?hash=item25b82f9d47%3Am%3Am_euh7sVwz52cj2XuHdtF4g&var=460974252500

Check out this forum by searching Dapol Easi-shunt.

[Portpatrick]

I have experimented.  I found the little cylindrical magnets I could source so strong wagons almost stood on end .  I also tried some similarly to Dapol shaped neodymiums and they did not on the test track seem so consistently reliable.  I have therefore stuck with Dapols .  In the terminal platforms I have left them at full length for absolute certainty in hands free uncoupling of the loco arriving with a local.  but in the goods yard, around the coaling stage etc I have used half length which has fiven 85+% first time success.  I choose my goods locos carefully and only shunt with those who are consistent and good crawlers.  Has proved the most reliable so far.  Always open to cheaper ides though.

[Delboy]

I have experimented.  I found the little cylindrical magnets I could source so strong wagons almost stood on end .  I also tried some similarly to Dapol shaped neodymiums and they did not on the test track seem so consistently reliable.  I have therefore stuck with Dapols .  In the terminal platforms I have left them at full length for absolute certainty in hands free uncoupling of the loco arriving with a local.  but in the goods yard, around the coaling stage etc I have used half length which has fiven 85+% first time success.  I choose my goods locos carefully and only shunt with those who are consistent and good crawlers.  Has proved the most reliable so far.  Always open to cheaper ides though.

I appreciate what you have experienced but I have now found the thread on this forum that I referred to earlier and it seems that some members had success with alternative cheaper neodymium magnets.
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=35313.0
I would suggest Paul checks this out.

[Paul-H]

Hi all

Thanks for replies

Obviously when I said East West polarity, I know magnets are always north south but was just trying to say the polarity was across the width not the length.

Annoyingly although retired now I worked for years for a magnet maker and could have done a few thousand on a quite night shift, but in those days I had no use for them. Sods Law.

[Portpatrick]

Ah yes Del boy has found the ones I tried.  Others may have more luck or I may have missed something but I was disappointed with them.

[Paul-H]

I know with all the magnets I have tried, other than the Dapol versions, the only way to get them to work is to use two flat bar magnets similar in size to Dapols, placed side by side with a plastic or wooden strip between them, either placed under the rails with the sleepers removed or under the sleepers with a hole cut in the base board, doing this and they work fine and although they are very strong because of the wood between them they don't tip up metal wheeled wagons, like they did if placed between the sleepers, like the Dapol magnets, even though they didn't uncouple when used that way because the polarity is wrong.

Will have to stick to the expensive Dapol magnets and use them at full length as I found cutting them in half drastically reduced their reliability, and once cut you can't just but yhem back together as they then just sat as two separate magnets with a dead spot at the join.

Still its a shame no one has found a supplier of magnets polarised across the width rather than length.