Super EASY and Super CHEAP Magneto Scratcher!

Intro: Super EASY and Super CHEAP Magneto Scratcher!

"Magnero scratcher " is device which can create funny sounds just by "scratching" magnetic materials. Such as audio tapes, video tapes, credit cards, magnetic disks etc...

Here is an super EASY way to build one. No need of soldering. Only tool you need is JUST a Screwdriver!

So everything you need is:

Screwdriver
Car Audio Tape Cassette Adapter
Audio recorder with microphone input (a computer with microphone input will work fine)
Something magnetic to scratch (credit cards work fine)

Super cheap also. Car Audio Tape Cassette Adapters go for just a few bucks in Amazon or in eBay for example. You can buy it anywhere and any type you want. They are all just as simple as seen in this Instructable. I have made three of these already and all work fine. They have little bit different sound quality, but all work just fine. The ones with stereo are little bit more fun! Remember to make sure that casette adapters "input plug" is right size for your equipment or buy adapter for it.

Cassette adapters are completely "passive electronics" so they do in work both ways. Normally music (electric currence) is inserted in it and magnetic head oscillates. With magneto scratcher it is works completely opposite way. Magnetic head picks the oscillation in magnetic surface and turns it into electric currence.

STEP 1: Open Up

1) Remove screws with Screwdriver

2) Open casette into two parts

3) Remove magnetic head

YOU ARE DONE! Super easy!

STEP 2: You Are Done!

Congratulations! You are proud owner of magneto scratcher!

You can make fancy handles or other cool stuff for it, but basically you are done and scratcher is already operational.

Next thing is to find something to scratch! (Look at second picture!)

a) Audio tapes
b) Credit cards

WARNING! magneto scratcher has not damaged any of mine credit cards or tapes, but it is still a magnet, so I am NOT responsible for ANY damage done to your magnetic items. Better to scratch ONLY those items you are willing to damage.

STEP 3: Ready to Scratch

1) Just insert the plug into any microphone input (computer, mp3 player or anything)

2) Hit the record button

3) Move tape head on any magnetic surface and you will hear a sound!

Soundsample in following video (two diffirent credit cards):

Comments

[El-Frencho]

This is flippin fantastic!
Does anyone know of a free program I could use to manipulate the sound? And add layers of recording etc??

[tekija]

Complitely free:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

You shoud pay for it if you like it (does not limit funtionality if you don't):
http://www.reaper.fm/

[rodeo.slang]

What are you plugging the connecting jack into to amplify the sound? Any ideas on how this could be used as an instrument in a live, computer-free setting?

[tekija]

I have plugged it into computers microphone amplifier, but any microphone amplifier will do. Actually a good microphone amplifier with more gain that those cheap computer amplifiers are way better for this, because it needs a lot of gain.

[Jimbobwey]

Mine seems to have ALOT of static when I have it playing from the speakers...if I hold it "just" right, it goes away. I made sure no wires are touching...it's weird...but a totally neat concept!

[Jeroen1022NL]

huh? i opened an cassette but all i saw was a little metal plate and a really small weird spongy thing

[tekija]

Reqular casette? One with tape inside?

Picture?

[panzuman]

just an idea since all this needs is a magnetic strip some one should try a credit card you might get some crazy stuff out of that!

[tekija]

That saund sample in that video is from credit card.

[panzuman]

oh well then shouldnt it work on cds sice it is based on similar principle? or what about old 45's / vinyls?

[tekija]

It works everything that is magnetig. cd:s and vinyls work in diffirent pricible so those do not work.

[elkalpin]

Diz iz de bezt!!! XD

[samuraiclinton]

this is what i'm talkin' about!

vinyl record turntablism is now a "thing of the past".  now you can crunch your scratch package into a strip of magnetic tape!  Too bad professional DJs don't go the extra mile to be like this!

[SkateboardingForLife]

Dude this is awesome!!! i have, maybe, 3 of the cassettes and am a Dj. This will be a cool odd addition to my set up

[lukaj2003]

Nice Instructable. After seeing this, I rushed online and bought myself a car cassette adaptor off eBay for around 0.99 cents. After waiting the anxious 3 weeks, I opened it up and decided to give it a whirl, only to find it won't work. I took a look at the PCB and noticed the soldering, it seemed to bridged at one point but I'm not sure whether it should be like that. Here's some pictures, I might fix up the mistake tommorow if I can get around to it.

[tekija]

My both magnetic heads seem to be different than that one. There seems to be lots of different kind af magnetic heads. Really can't be sure what's wrong there. Probably some soldering because there are not many things that can go wrong with these.

[BOOM5601]

Could I use a small coil of wire instead of the Audio Cassette Adapter?

[tekija]

Yes. Quality depends very much which kind of coil you have. Probably more noise and strange frequency range if it is not just right type of coil. Still worth trying.

[BOOM5601]

I'll just try wrapping it around a pencil. You could probably make a whole range of sounds with different sizes of coil.

[tekija]

Yes. Sounds interesting. More times you wrap it around, less noise you will get. On the other hand you will lose higher frequencies also. I think you should use quite thin wire, but not quite sure about that.