Compasses

I had this great idea that I might try another time but I offer it up to the world now. I want to make a clock out of compasses and put a magnet on the second hand so that when it moves around it causes the compasses to spin. Genius I know. So I went to Oriental Trading (.com) and ordered 144 compasses and eagerly awaited their delivery. This is what they sent me. Each one is individually wrapped.

I bought 200 neodymium rare earth magnets and in a giant stick of awesomeness moved it over the table o' compasses. Nothing happened. None moved. Sadness. The internets tell me they may have been demagitized by being too near a strong magnet (???) ok so I took some of the neo's and put them on and around the pile. Not easy since they have a tendancy to attract each other and go flying.

I took the remaining stick of magnets and moved them over each and every compass and one worked. For days I came home from work and went over them again and again. This was not working! Here you see the one that works.

I took a pair of pliers and kinda crushed one open but no little piece of iron on the now destoyed needle. Ok well I can get in another way. I heated up my soldering iron and melted a couple open and again no iron. I am left to comclude that they are nonworking. I still want to make my clock but have to buy compasses locally where I can test them. I think I can turn these into charms or something with some paint or decoration.

This is my new clock. I tried really, I have holes drilled ready for some lines of wire to be attached so I can get more movement but in an effort to have a working clock in the living room I settled for creepy.