magnetized parts tray good idea or not?

Ha! I have a Snap-On magnetic tray! (Cue Mr. Howell laugh…dating myself here)
I also have a Harbor Freight one too. I never use them for gun parts though, only for motorcycle and truck parts mostly.
Maybe I am weird but I don’t want my gun parts magnetized, though I have used magnets to find wayward springs and parts launched by springs.
I know folks say magnetized parts won’t bother the operation of a gun, but Murphy rides my left shoulder…

I use magnetic trays in my shop for holding bits and pieces of various projects from fab projects to working on the race car, tractors and trailers. Good stuff. Several of mine are from Kubota from when I bought my Kubota tractors. (It just would not be right to put a Kubota part in a John Deere magnetic tray, The part might get "contaminated".)

It would be a good idea to get a small one to keep in the gun service area.

I use a bunch of them, maybe a dozen between the gun bench and the automotive crap.

I have several, they come in handy.

No, because it'll magnetize anything you put in there, which is a side-effect you may not want. Apologies if already mentioned, I didn't read the whole thread - the correct answer was alread obvious. Just use a little dish and put your small parts in there.

I prefer the magnetic tool bars. In fact I just asked for more of them for Christmas to use for various purposes, and one will absolutely be sunk into my reloading/gunsmithing bench when I set it up. The magnetic bars have stronger magnets and are better for looking for dropped items (wave them over the carpet and listen for the tink noise when the magnet picks up something). I do have a few of the trays though and at least 2 antiques are disassembled with small parts in a tray in my safe.

Pittsburg Dibital calipers work just fine. they check out fine with my Mitutoyo mike

I use magnetic strips on my loading bench to told tools. And to hold all my case trim parts. And my shell holders. I have speaker magnet on my Lyman turret press. It holds my swaging die accessories. And of course a parts tray too.

I use a magnetic tray whenever I work on my 1911. There aren't many parts but I don't want them rolling around on my bench with a possibility of them falling. Funny how when parts fall they seem to know where to hide and don't show up again until after I buy a replacement.

There are many times when having magnetized pieces can be problematic, especially small pieces.

Just get a demagnatizer and don't worry. They are inexpensive.

I have magnetic trays and some very large zip closing plastic bags.
Larger enough to put a gun and hand tools in
Each has their place.

AzShooter1 said:

Just get a demagnatizer and don't worry. They are inexpensive.

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Ummmm....you every try demagnetizing a dozen little screws? Best to not let them get magnetized in the first place.

Yes I use the HF magnetic tray for my gun parts and fasteners. I even work over it when working with really small fasteners like the screws on my knives, that way they drop right into the tray and not get lost.

I also do this:

LiveLife said:

Best part? I keep them stuck to the sides of rollaway tool chests for out of way storage and easy access.

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I use them, especially when I'm disassembling a firearm.

Steel Mint tin with magnets from old shower curtain tossed in

-kBob

wiscoaster said:

Ummmm....you every try demagnetizing a dozen little screws? Best to not let them get magnetized in the first place.

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Not really.
You use a degaussing coil and move it back and forth while slowly increasing the distance to the magnetized object.

A plastic tray works well here.