Magswitch Welding Magnet Review

← All Posts shop equipment Weld Gear Team Last updated on July 19, 2026

The first time you use a switchable welding magnet on a clean steel surface and feel 150 pounds of holding force release in a quarter-turn of a knob, the passive arrow magnet in your other hand suddenly looks like a prototype from the wrong decade. Magswitch Technology built their product line around one idea: a rotating internal magnet array that turns completely on and completely off, mechanically, with no power source. The MagSquare 165 is the flagship of that line for welding and fabrication use.

Magswitch makes switchable permanent magnets for metalworking, manufacturing, and lifting. The “switchable” distinction separates them from every standard welding magnet on the market: turn the knob to off, position your part, turn the knob to on. No fighting the magnet during placement, no metal dust coating the faces when it’s off, no yanking the piece away when you’re done.

The MagSquare 165 is the most common entry point into the Magswitch line for welders. Here’s what you need to know.

How Magswitch Works

Inside every Magswitch product, two rare earth magnets are arranged so that a 180-degree rotation aligns or misaligns their poles relative to the steel contact face. When aligned (on), the full magnetic force is directed through the contact face into the workpiece. When rotated 180 degrees (off), the poles cancel each other out and the net magnetic force at the face drops to near zero. The mechanism is entirely mechanical - no battery, no electricity, no remote.

This is the same operating principle as the Strong Hand Tools MSA-series on/off magnets, but Magswitch builds their products around rare earth (neodymium) magnets, which produce significantly higher holding forces per unit volume than the ferrite used in passive arrow magnets. The tradeoff is that rare earth magnets are more sensitive to heat than ferrite - Magswitch specifies avoiding prolonged heat exposure above about 175°F to protect magnet performance.

MagSquare 165: Specs and Real-World Performance

The MagSquare 165 (B00EXYIYM0) specs from magswitch.com:

Max breakaway force: 150 lbs (some Magswitch sources cite 165 lbs - the product name reflects the design target; the Amazon listing confirms 150 lb holding force)
2:1 shear working load: 18.5 lbs
Weight: 0.7 lbs
Dimensions: 1.9 x 1.2 x 2.5 inches
Machined at 90 degrees
Pre-tapped holes on four sides
Multiplane magnetic grip on five sides

The five-side grip is a significant practical feature. Unlike an arrow magnet that only works on two faces, the MagSquare holds on any of five faces. This means you can use it as a corner square, a flat hold-down, or a guide for cutting - the same tool for multiple setups without repositioning to a specific face.

The pre-tapped mounting holes let you bolt fixtures, stops, and guides directly to the MagSquare body. Fabricators who build their own jigs use this to create repeatable setups that the magnet mounts and releases with a knob turn.

Buy Magswitch MagSquare 165 on Amazon

What Makes Magswitch Different from Standard Welding Magnets

The three things that distinguish Magswitch from every passive welding magnet:

1. True on/off. Not reduced force, not partial release - the magnet goes completely off. You place it against your workpiece with no magnetic drag, confirm your geometry, then switch on. This speeds up setup on complex weldments where you’d otherwise be repositioning against full magnetic resistance.

2. Clean faces. With the magnet off, grinding swarf and fine steel particles don’t stick to the contact faces. Passive magnets collect debris aggressively; a Magswitch stored off stays clean. This is a quality-of-life difference that adds up across a full production day.

3. High holding force in a small body. 150 lbs from a tool that weighs under a pound is the value proposition of rare earth switchable magnets. Arrow magnets achieve 25 to 75 lb in a larger body.

Does Magswitch Make a Grounding Clamp Version?

Yes. Magswitch produces magnetic ground clamps that use the same switchable rare earth technology to attach a welding ground to a steel workpiece without a traditional C-clamp. Baker’s Gas and Welding Supplies carries the Magswitch grounding clamp line. At the time of research, the standalone grounding clamp model was not confirmed in an active Amazon listing, so it is not linked here. Check magswitch.com or Baker’s Gas for current availability.

Magswitch vs. Strong Hand Tools MSA46-HD

Both use switchable rare earth magnets with mechanical on/off mechanisms. The comparison points:

Holding force: Magswitch MagSquare 165 at 150 lbs vs. Strong Hand Tools MSA46-HD at 90 lbs - Magswitch wins on raw force
Body size: MagSquare 165 at 1.9 x 1.2 x 2.5” is smaller and more compact than the MSA46-HD at 4.4 x 3.8” - Magswitch for tight spaces
Mounting versatility: MagSquare has pre-tapped holes on four sides for fixture mounting; MSA46-HD has a simpler profile better suited for corner fixturing
Angle holding: MSA46-HD is specifically designed for 45 and 90-degree corner holding; MagSquare 165 holds flat and round surfaces on five faces but is not angle-specific
Investment: Magswitch is priced higher than Strong Hand Tools at the comparable force tier

For corner fixturing at standard weld angles, the MSA46-HD is the more purpose-built tool. For versatile hold-anywhere use and jig building, the MagSquare’s five-face grip and mounting holes make it more flexible. Many serious fabricators own both.

Named Flaw

The MagSquare 165 and the Magswitch product line carry a noticeably higher price point than comparable-force passive magnets and even some switchable competitors. For a home shop welder doing occasional tack work, the investment is significant for a tool that does what a set of passive arrow magnets does, just more conveniently. The shear working load of 18.5 lbs (at 2:1 safety factor) is also substantially lower than the breakaway force - the MagSquare will hold a piece vertical against gravity but is not a lifting device and shouldn’t be trusted for any overhead hold without additional support. Buyers coming from lifting magnet products sometimes misread the 150 lb figure as a total load rating, which it is not.

Verdict

For a fabricator doing regular weldment setup who has hit the ceiling on what passive arrow magnets can do, the Magswitch MagSquare 165 is the clearest upgrade on the market. The on/off mechanism is genuinely different from a passive magnet, the five-face hold expands where and how you can use it, and the pre-tapped mounting holes open up jig-building options that no arrow magnet offers. The price premium is real, but so is the capability gap.

FAQ

What makes Magswitch different from standard welding magnets? Magswitch uses a rotating rare earth magnet array that goes completely on and completely off mechanically. Standard arrow magnets are passive - always on - which means you fight the magnetic force during placement and deal with constant debris collection on the faces. Magswitch eliminates both problems.

What is the benefit of an on/off switch on a welding magnet? With the switch off, you position your parts without any magnetic drag, confirm alignment, then switch on to hold. This speeds up setup on complex assemblies and keeps the magnet faces clean when not in use. It also makes releasing the part after tacking effortless - switch off and lift.

Does Magswitch make a grounding clamp version? Yes. Magswitch produces magnetic ground clamps using the same switchable technology. These attach to the steel workpiece without a traditional C-clamp. The standalone grounding clamp was not confirmed in an active US Amazon listing at time of writing; check magswitch.com and Baker’s Gas for current availability.

How does Magswitch compare to Strong Hand Tools? Both use switchable rare earth magnets. The MagSquare 165 has higher holding force (150 lbs vs. 90 lbs for the MSA46-HD) and a five-face grip with mounting holes for jig building. The MSA46-HD is more specifically designed for 45 and 90-degree corner holding. Magswitch is priced higher.

Is Magswitch suitable for heavy steel fabrication? Yes, within its rated spec. The MagSquare 165 holds at 150 lbs breakaway force, which covers most tacking scenarios up through medium plate. For structural steel and heavy section work, Magswitch makes larger-format products (MagSquare 400, MagSquare 1050) at substantially higher force ratings.

Can I use a Magswitch magnet to complete a weld, not just tack? No. Like all permanent welding magnets, Magswitch products should be removed before completing the weld. Sustained welding heat can demagnetize rare earth magnets over time. Use them to tack, switch off, remove, then complete the weld.

References

URL slug: magswitch-welding-magnet Excerpt: Magswitch’s MagSquare 165 uses a rotating rare earth mechanism to go completely on and completely off without any power source - a genuine functional difference from passive welding magnets. This review covers the 150 lb holding force, five-face grip, jig-building potential, and the price-premium flaw that every buyer should weigh before purchasing.