A method of assembling a shaft of a magnetic motor comprising the steps of providing a plurality of magnets (210), providing a plurality of pole pieces (212), stacking (S11) said magnets and pole pieces to form a subassembly (202) having an outer surface of a first diameter, providing a precipitation hardenable stainless steel sheet material, forming said stainless steel sheet material into a tube (S20), drawing said tube to form a precision tube having an inner surface of a second diameter (S21), said second diameter being greater than or equal to said first diameter, heat treating said precision tube to form a tubular sleeve of a Rockwell C hardness of at least about 40 and a magnetic permeability of at least about 100 (S22), and inserting said subassembly axially into said sleeve (S30), thereby forming a shaft for a magnetic motor.