I Got 7+ Minutes of Magnet Disc Spin With One Wrist Flick

Hook

I gave this thing one quick wrist flick and it just kept going… and going. Over seven minutes of magnet disc spin with nothing but permanent magnets and levitation. No power, no fancy circuits – just pure mechanical magic that still has me scratching my head.

Watch this experiment

I set the stacked discs on a levitating pole, hit record, and flicked the top disc. Timer running, I subtracted my reaction time and watched the numbers climb. At first it looked like any other spinner, but past the two-minute mark it was clear something interesting was happening with the bottom disc magnets.

What you'll learn

You’ll see exactly how long one wrist flick can keep a magnet disc spin alive. I break down the role of the 10-inch bottom disc, why the edge magnets seem to help, and what changes at the 4-5 minute mark when the fields start interacting more. Plus the weird fan test that turned the whole thing into a windmill.

From the bench

The setup is pretty simple but took a lot of tweaking. There’s an 8-inch disc on top, then a 10-inch disc, and another 10-inch disc underneath that. The bottom one has little round neodymium magnets stuck around the outer edge. The whole stack levitates so there’s almost zero friction on the central pole. I tried adding an electromagnet and infrared sensors earlier but the cleanest results came from just flicking it by hand.

I started the timer and gave it a spin. First runs were disappointing – only 20-30 seconds. Then I noticed the bottom disc seemed to add something. One run with a fan blowing on it went for 30 minutes because the magnets acted like little sails. That got me excited. So I turned the fan off and tried again. This time, pure wrist flick, no air movement.

How it works / what we changed

The secret seems to be the combination of magnetic levitation and the way the edge magnets on the bottom disc interact with the upper fields. Because the disc isn’t touching anything mechanically, it can keep its momentum for a long time. I subtracted 20 seconds from every reading to be fair. Best run without the fan hit 7 minutes 40 seconds. You can see in the zoomed footage that around 4 minutes the bottom magnets start “impacting” the top ones more but it doesn’t stop the rotation.

magnetic disc spinning

The magnetic disc spinning behavior changes over time. At the beginning it’s fast and smooth. By the 5-minute mark it slows but the bottom 10-inch disc with its round magnets keeps adding little pushes. It’s not electronic – it’s just the arrangement of the fields. I think the extra mass and the specific placement of those edge magnets creates a tiny amount of forward torque that fights the natural slowdown.

magnetic levitation disc

This whole test depends on a magnetic levitation disc setup. The central pole uses opposing magnets to float the stack so there’s no bearing friction. That’s why it can run so long from one flick. Without that levitation the drag would kill the motion in under a minute. I’ve tried lots of different levitation arrangements but this one feels stable and low-drag.

pulse motor experiment

Even though this is a pulse motor experiment at heart, I stripped away the coil, transistor, and sensor for this run. The goal was to see the raw mechanical behavior. Earlier I had the electromagnet and infrared transmitter/receiver trying to add pulses but the passive magnet disc spin actually performed better in this configuration. It makes you wonder how much of the “pulse” we really need sometimes.

diy magnetic spinner

Building this diy magnetic spinner was cheap and quick once I had the discs cut. Two 10-inch plates, one 8-inch on top, a handful of round neodymium magnets, and a levitation pole. No soldering, no programming. If you’ve got a few magnets and some plywood or acrylic you can try your own version. Just focus on getting the levitation gap right so it spins free.

neodymium magnet disc

The neodymium magnet disc on the bottom is the part I keep coming back to. Those little round magnets on the outer edge seem to be doing real work. I don’t have clean RPM numbers but you can see the spin stay lively longer than it should. Maybe they’re creating a weak reluctance motor effect or just acting like a flywheel with magnetic bias. Either way, it’s exciting to watch.

long spinning magnet disc

Getting a long spinning magnet disc from one wrist flick felt like a fluke at first. Then it happened again. And again. Seven minutes plus is crazy for something with no external power. I kept saying “unbelievable” on camera because it really was. The best part is it’s repeatable if you get the balance and levitation right.

wrist flick magnet spin

The wrist flick magnet spin is the whole point of this video. One quick twist of the hand and that’s it – no more input. The fact that it coasts for over seven minutes says a lot about how efficient magnetic levitation can be when friction is almost zero. I’m definitely going to keep tweaking this and see if I can break the 10-minute mark.

magnetic windmill effect

When I left the fan running the magnetic windmill effect took over. The edge magnets caught the airflow and the whole thing ran for 30 minutes. That was the moment I realized the bottom disc was special. Turning the fan off proved the effect wasn’t just air – the passive run still gave seven-plus minutes. So the windmill test was useful but the real discovery was the passive behavior.

levitating magnet rotor

At its core this is a levitating magnet rotor. The way the fields interact between the top and bottom discs creates stability and apparently a little extra push. Coming up on six minutes I was still impressed. By seven minutes I was laughing on camera. The rotor isn’t perfectly balanced but the levitation forgives a lot.

Builder checklist

• Cut or buy 8-inch and two 10-inch discs
• Place round neodymium magnets evenly around bottom disc edge
• Set up opposing magnets for central levitation pole
• Check that the stack spins freely with almost no wobble
• Have a stopwatch or phone timer ready
• Record multiple runs and subtract your reaction time
• Try both with and without fan for comparison

Troubleshooting

If your disc stops in under a minute, the levitation gap is probably too tight and causing drag. If it wobbles badly, the magnets on the bottom disc aren’t placed evenly. When it slows down fast after 2 minutes, try a slightly larger bottom disc or different magnet spacing. I had to fiddle with the height of the levitation magnets a lot before it behaved.

Safety

These are strong neodymium magnets – keep fingers clear when the disc is spinning fast. The edges can pinch if it wobbles off the pole. Wear eye protection in case anything flies off. Adult supervision recommended if kids are around the bench. No electricity in this particular test but always be careful when experimenting with spinning parts.

FAQ

How long did the longest run last? 7 minutes 40 seconds with one wrist flick and no fan.

Did you use any electronics? Not in the final test. Earlier I tried an electromagnet and infrared sensors but the passive run worked better.

What makes the bottom disc help so much? I think the round magnets on the edge create extra magnetic interaction that adds tiny amounts of forward push while the levitation removes friction.

Can I build this without a lathe? Yes – I used simple cut discs and hand placement. Balance is important but not perfect.

Will this charge a battery or run forever? No, it eventually slows down. This is not free energy, just a very low-friction spinner.

Related on this site

• How to Build a Pulse Motor: Complete Beginner's Guide
• Pulse Motor Rotor Design: Magnets, Materials and Balance
• Magnetic Levitation on a Pole – Experiment 1: Push, Pull & Balance
• Understanding Magnetic Friction in Pulse Motors
• Donut Magnets — Outside Poles & Motion

Watch & support the channel

• ▶ Watch on YouTube
• Subscribe free
• Join as member — $2.99/mo — exclusive videos, Discord, live shoutouts