The One Thing Magnetic Gearbox

Specs & Breakdown

This... thing... features a complex nested design utilizing magnets and grub screws to create a unique magnetic gearbox effect.

• ▶5 Rings total
• ▶4 Bearings of different sizes. 3/4" up to 4" in diameter.
• ▶1st Ring (Outer): has 24 magnets alternating between North and South (12 pairs of N/S)
  • Umm Actually: Technically there are 48 magnets. Single thin N and S magnets weren't strong enough, so I have 2 stacked for each N and S. I could have looked at buying magnets twice as thick but already had a bunch so I bought more of the same size.
  • The Dream: A Halbach Array for the first and innermost rings. A Halbach Array is a specialized arrangement of permanent magnets that concentrates a strong magnetic field on one side while nearly cancelling it on the other.
• ▶2nd Ring: 16 grub screws
• ▶3rd Ring (Middle): 8 magnets alternating between North and South (4 pairs of N/S)
  • Umm Actually: Technically 16 magnets, 2 for each North, 2 for each South
• ▶4th Ring: 12 grub screws
• ▶5th Ring (Inner): 16 magnets alternating between North and South (8 pairs of N/S)
  • Umm Actually: Like the 1st and 3rd rings, single magnets weren't strong enough. The inner ring is the smallest so instead of stacking the 2 magnets like usual that pocket for each N and S is twice as deep and can accept 2 vertically.