What size magnets do you use?

[Cinncinnatus]

Hi all,

So I've begun the processes of rebasing my old Aelf models, and I was looking to magnetize them for transportation as I've done with my Stormcast and Ironjawz. Once I put magnets on those models I was hooked! Transportation is a breeze now and I can't imagine sticking with foam. But the 25mm round bases are an odd depth, and none of the magnets I have will work for them.

 

So what are your magnetic solutions for 25mm bases?

[Nubgan]

How are you magnetising them usually? I have seen people just get sheets of that magnetic material they use to make floppy fridge magnets and such, and just literally glue that to the bottom of bases so they can carry them round in a metal box. Going through the effort of finding the correct depth metal magnet sounds a little more expensive?

[TheOtherJosh]

Are the bases you have actually not deeper than 1.5mm?

Or better asked ... what kind of magnets are you using for your Stormcast and Ironjawz?

[RuneBrush]

The way I've done mine is to glue a piece of plasti-card into the base and then a magnet onto the plasti-card.  I think the card thickness is something between 0.5mm and 0.8mm and I tend to use a 3mm dia x 2mm magnet (or 4mm dia for heavier models).

[Cinncinnatus]

So I have 1/8" by 1/8" (3mm by 3mm) rare earth cylinder magnets. They work like a charm on 32mm bases and up. They even fit flush into the cylinders under the 40mm bases! @RuneBrush that sounds like it would work, thanks for the idea!

[TheOtherJosh]

So I have 1/8" by 1/8" (3mm by 3mm) rare earth cylinder magnets. They work like a charm on 32mm bases and up. They even fit flush into the cylinders under the 40mm bases! [mention=896]RuneBrush[/mention] that sounds like it would work, thanks for the idea!

The GW 32mm and 25mm bases were ~2mm deep from the bottom last time I checked.

So you'd want to use 1/8" x 1/16" (~3mm x 1.5mm)

[Cinncinnatus]

@TheOtherJosh I thought the same thing, but they don't seem to fit right either (I have a few in this size that I tried). I've been using the 1/8 x 1/8 on the 32mm bases to great effect. The 25mm just seem to be a tad shallower.

[DarkWingDuck]

I wrote the above to this exact question about a year ago.

[Greyshadow]

I use 2 mm diameter rare earth but use more than one magnet per model on the larger ones.

[Guest]

In the past I've used 2mm neodymium magnets. Stick a blob of green stuff under the base then stick the magnet to the blob. Press it onto a flat surface and wiggle it around slightly until the magnet is flush with the surface. Leave the green stuff to set then apply some superglue where the green stuff meets the base, just in case. You might need a bigger magnet, or more than one, depending on the size and weight of the model.

Probably not the most efficient method to be fair.

[TheOtherJosh]

And while it isn't as much of an issue these days ...

Neodymium magnets are not friends of standard (non-ssd) hard drives, floppy discs, credit cards.

To get around that, the alternative is to put washers on bases, and magnetize the tray itself to keep the models stuck to it.