Magnetization studies were carried out on Tm
2Fe
17-xCo
xand Tm
2Fe
17-xAl
xcompounds in the temperature range 4.2 K to 1200 K. Tm
2Fe
17changes its easy axis of magnetization from the basal plane to c-axis below 85 K. This transition occurs at higher temperatures as cobalt or aluminum is substituted for iron. The

lattice parameter goes through a maximum as a function of x in the Tm
2Fe
17-xCo
xternaries. The results are interpreted in terms of distance dependence of the magnetic interactions and a competition between the sublattice magnetic anisotropy. Tm
2Fe
3Co
14has an anisotropy field of 38 kOe and a potential energy product of 43 MGOe at room temperature.