Modelling: Fully Magnetized Space Marine Commander

[jay79]

I order all of my magnets from K&J Magnets. They're fairly priced and ship fast. The size that works best on Space Marines are the 1/8" x 1/16" (axially magnetized) discs. This is the perfect size for fitting into the shoulder and arm mounting locations. 10 should give you enough to do most of the model and to equip the most commonly used weapons.

For reference here is a picture showing one next to a penny:

In order to create the holes needed I start with a small drill bit and work my way up so as to not damage the bits:

As you can see I drilled holes for both arms, head and backpack. Be careful when doing this and take your time. You don't want to go too far and punch through the other side of the model. The torso is optional but I find that if you are going to actually play with this piece it is best not to else you might end up lifting the upper body and leaving the legs behind come time to move.

Next up are the arms, head and backpack. Again, take your time when doing this. The head is also optional but I just thought it would be really neat to be able to pose the figure like that of an action figure.

Here are some poses. Note that the head can be turned from side to side and the arms may move up and down. Posing is really cool... but the main reason for magnetizing my commander was so I could change his weapons out or give him a jumppack if needed.

Thanks for taking the time to read and look over my short tutorial on magnets. If anyone is wondering, the base I've used is a warmachine 30mm base. :P

[Shortsonfire79]

Cool, more in depth than my videos. I was going to hit this once I finished my Chapter Master, but it seems that I don't have to now.

 

For posing something like an action figure, I estimate you'd need about...22-24 magnets, not making it interchangeable. 4 magnets per knee (one in thigh-near-knee cap, two in knee cap, one in upper shin. ) 6 magnets per arm (2 for wrist, 2 for elbow, 2 for shoulder joint), 2 for head, 2 for backpack, 2-4 for lower torso(one in legs, 3 in lower torso (for rotation). It'd be WAYY crude, but it could work, and you'd need the 1/16" by 1/32" in some places.

 

Good tutorial.

[jay79]

Whoa... that would be a ton of work but well worth it. You should give it a shot! I'm thinking a true action-figuresque SM wouldn't be playable on the table-top though... I could see him falling apart if you move him too much or make the base heavy. Your videos are great, I enjoyed them. Thank you for your compliment. :P

[Brother Captain Andrecus]

I did this with my Commander model, and I used much smaller magnets, about the size of the date digit on that penny. (I keep forgetting the actual diameter and thickness, lol...) They hold him together pretty well, and they fit in the hand of the mini, so he can have more than 2 potential ranged weapons. They're a bit harder to work with than larger ones though...

 

Magnetizing is an excellent idea for an important model like a Chapter Master or a Captain. I use my magnetized Commander as my Chapter Master, with A Stormbolter (which I converted to have a box magazine, as I really hate that tiny little magazine that comes with it...) and a Lightning fist. He killed a Trukk and four Boys in my first game using him. (Kind-of sad, actually, lol.)

 

That Commander looks very well done, Jay. Good to see another Brother who loves his magnets!

[jay79]

Brother Andrecus: I'm glad you and others have done this. I first magnetized a commander years back when he first came out and then sold him along with the rest of my SM army. I wish I hadn't... but I feel that this one is even better.

 

The smaller magnets are great as well... I had forgotten about placing magnets in the hands and wrists but figured I would only ever use the storm bolter or the plasma pistol, none of the combi-weapons. So since he came with two arms... I figured I would just magnetize each arm with a different weapon glued on at the wrist.

 

Where did you find your box magazine? From one of the Black Templars range? I will have to peruse warstore or bitkingdom if that is the case. Sounds cool.

Thank you for the compliment. I hope to share more progress soon as I am now going to move on to painting him. :mellow:

[Brother Captain Andrecus]

I took the box mag from one of my Assault on Black Reach Terminators.

 

I just hacked it off the Termi and then glued it onto the Commander's Stormbolter after filing it down so it had a cleaner edge (of course, I cut the Commander Stormbolter's mag off first, lol...)

 

It looks pretty good.

 

Can't wait to see some pics of this guy when he's painted!

[jay79]

Oh I see. Very good idea. I don't have a Terminator to steal one from at the moment but maybe I can buy just the bit. Good idea... the clip does look a bit small. I guess I'll have to go with it for now considering I've already started painting him.

 

I will have pictures up soon!

[Guest Azeikel]

Thanks for the tutorial! I'll definitely be doing this with any command models i buy in the future (maybe even some sergeants).

 

Azeikel

[jay79]

Thanks for the tutorial! I'll definitely be doing this with any command models i buy in the future (maybe even some sergeants).

 

Azeikel

 

Right on, Azeikel. :) Post up pictures when you do! ;)

[sword brethren]

this looks really good im ging to give it a try, how much are the magnets because if they are really cheap you could do lots of limbs and chang the arm depending on the opponent.

[Zopha]

this looks really good im ging to give it a try, how much are the magnets because if they are really cheap you could do lots of limbs and chang the arm depending on the opponent.

 

They can be quite cheap depend on who you buy from. I got 200 for about 13 euro including postage and they where a mix of 3cm thin magnets up to 5cm ones. The 3cm ones look great for marine armour.

[jay79]

Yes, like Zopha said they can be had for very cheap. The exact magnets I bought are found here: http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D21

 

So if you wanted 100 of them... that would be $9.00 USD. That is really cheap. :pinch:

[Shortsonfire79]

Yes, like Zopha said they can be had for very cheap. The exact magnets I bought are found here: http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D21

 

So if you wanted 100 of them... that would be $9.00 USD. That is really cheap. B)

 

ORRR.. If you want to go cheaper. You can hit eBay, and get the same 100, for about $7, and you get a few of the randoms they give too (they'll give them to you if you buy any 100 mags), and shipping is about $2 cheaper to boot.

 

So...I think price B is cheaper than price A.

[jay79]

Yup it's a bit cheaper but some people don't wanna hassle with ebay, myself included.

[Metallicop]

I got mine at KJMagnetics.com too... one day randomly stumbled upon that site and figured i'd go that route. Unfortunately for me, I havent found a canadian company that sells Neodymium magnets online or locally. I live in Ontario, so I paid $18 for 200 magnets, then somewhere around $12 for shipping, then $20 for UPS to bring the box over the border.

 

All in all, worth it for what I'm doing with these babies! I almost have my commander finished, although I'm not going to do the wrists and hands for the gun arm. My magnets are 3mm diameter so it wouldnt look right (or maybe it would, I play Iron Hands :P)

 

This will also come in handy for vet. sergeants, vehicle additions (extra armor / damage counters), wound counters and special weapons in squads.

 

The hard part is lining all the magnets up the same way!

[elijahdprophet]

I also magnetized my commander. I did the left shoulder the same as the tutorial, but on the right arm I actually glued the upper arm bit, then put a K&J 1/8" by 1/32" in the wrist, and matching magnets on a variety of ranged weapon hands. I did the same thing, with the same polarization, to my tac sgts, so the commander and the sgts can swap melee and ranged weapons.

 

Magnets are cool stuff.

[Runepriest2007]

I got mine at KJMagnetics.com too... one day randomly stumbled upon that site and figured i'd go that route. Unfortunately for me, I havent found a canadian company that sells Neodymium magnets online or locally. I live in Ontario, so I paid $18 for 200 magnets, then somewhere around $12 for shipping, then $20 for UPS to bring the box over the border.

 

$20 for UPS?

 

I ordered mine from KJMagetics, and had them shipped via USPS. Shipping for me was about $9 IIRC.

 

(BTW I live in Manitoba, so I share your pain about a lack of rare magnet distributors)

 

 

Runepriest

[CobaltEarthgem]

K&J is a fantastic company to deal with, but make sure if you're in Canada you ask them to ship USPS. Their international default is UPS and UPS's "brokerage fees" are absurd. No brokerage with USPS and I've never had to wait more than 5 business days for any of the 11 orders I've placed with K&J. And actually one of the two orders that took 5 days was the ONE UPS order I got from them, similar, $15 worth of magnets netted a $23 "brokerage fee". Ever since I've asked for USPS, after explaining why I noticed the USPS option reappear on thier shopping cart for Canadians..

[Runepriest2007]

K&J is a fantastic company to deal with, but make sure if you're in Canada you ask them to ship USPS. Their international default is UPS and UPS's "brokerage fees" are absurd. No brokerage with USPS and I've never had to wait more than 5 business days for any of the 11 orders I've placed with K&J. And actually one of the two orders that took 5 days was the ONE UPS order I got from them, similar, $15 worth of magnets netted a $23 "brokerage fee". Ever since I've asked for USPS, after explaining why I noticed the USPS option reappear on thier shopping cart for Canadians..

 

Hmm. Interesting.

 

I just recently recieved an order of magnets from K&J. They arrived via USPS. When I ordered them, I did not specify one or the other.

 

From now on, I will be specifically asking for USPS.

 

 

Runepriest

[ShinyRhino]

Slightly off-topic, but slightly-on:

 

I have my package of D21s from K&J Magentics, but am wondering if you MUST go magnet-to-magnet contacts. I'm a cheapskate, and if I can insert small lengths of paper clip into one side of the socket, and the magnet into the other and still have it hold firm, I get double the magnet usage. Has anyone tried this, or had experience with it?

[jay79]

I've not tried it. But it seems as though it would not work especially if you're supporting something heavy like a powerfist. You can get literally hundreds of magnets for $10-15 USD, so I don't see the need to skimp on using them.

[Metallicop]

I did consider trying to find very small metal washers / discs for that purpose, that way I wouldnt have to worry about polarization. Probably the best way to go if you can find consistent metal in small sizes that will hold a good amount of weight. Paperclips look they might work, even for a small amount (might have to try that myself)!

[wiplash]

is it really neccessary to magnetize anything other than the weapons?

no offense because its a well done tut im just saying

[jay79]

Of course it isn't really necessary to magnetize anything but weapons. But magnetizing the backpack allows you to swap in a jetpack and magnetizing the head allows for other heads or simply for posing the mini like I suggested. It's just a "cool" factor. Nothing more. Same with magnetizing the waist if you wanted to.

[Dhx711]

Has anyone tried to use fridge magnets (the flat kind that you get from businesses and fast food places) to stick the k&j magnets too? Gearing up to magnetize my whole BA army with all weapon choices and I was gonna stick k&j magnets in the torso and use small bits of fridge magnet on the shoulders. I don't trust my skill drilling the arms so I thought the fridge magnest would be quicker and easier.