Magnets

[R D S]

I have a pair of swinging doors and thought about using disc magnets to help them close neatly.

What's more important, diameter or depth? Or both?

[Bill Wright]

You might end up putting thin pvc tape on the face of the magnet.

Bill

[polygonum]

Strength, I think.

You are wishing to pull the door closed from a distance and that requires considerable pulling power. But, as the magnet and the other part get close, the force rises sharply. You might do better with a very strong magnet but mounted in such a way that the two parts never actually touch at all. Also, if you use a powerful magnet and the parts actually touch, it might require an excessive effort to open the door again.

[Martin Brown]

What do you mean by "neatly" ?

The pulling power of the magnet is critical and very sensitive to its separation. The most important thing will be attaching the magnet(s) firmly to the door in a way that they cannot come free or impact.

Magnets powerful enough to damp a swinging door represent a serious trap hazard to fingers, flesh and bone. The magnets are ceramic and inclined to break if they ever get hit. One magnet donut type with a screw hole in the middle and a mild steel plate might be cheaper.

Beware of zapping magnetic strips on passing bank cards too.

[newshound]

+1 to all that, but with something like this you could put a pair at the very top and very bottom, set into "holes" so that the metal could never touch.

You might also be able to use them at the "hinge" end.

[Graham.]

My Blackberry came with a handy little wallet that contains a hidden magnet.

It's the car park tickets and hotel room key-cards that are most susceptible, and I speak from experience.

[Adam Aglionby]

Alignment, magnets settle in one place......