Magnetization

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

Is this guide to sizes still fairly accurate for me to buy a bunch on amazon ?

http://www.miniwargaming.com/magnet-guide

What do you all think about this drill I got to do it?

http://i.imgur.com/H7jn0DYm.jpg

[Ovidius Incertus]

Is that model Dremel variable speed?  Just keep your rpms set low if it is and don't work too fast, or you can melt your plastic.  And start your holes small and work up in size.

 

I'm not sure what drill bit set you have, but I got a Dremel branded one years ago (from Lowe's or Home Depot) and it meets most of my magnetizing uses.  A 1/8" magnet is my go-to for most situations, except weapons, which I use 1/16" magnets, and proper sized drill bits came with the magnet set.

[JeffTibbetts]

I just use a hand drill for mine. A lot of magnets are sunk into very, very tight spaces nowadays. I'd be concerned about going just a little out of tolerance, and now you've ruined an arm or something. The hand drill allows very accurate depths as well. I put a piece of masking tape around the bit to the depth I want so I don't go any deeper than I need to. 

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

Is that model Dremel variable speed?  Just keep your rpms set low if it is and don't work too fast, or you can melt your plastic.  And start your holes small and work up in size.

 

I'm not sure what drill bit set you have, but I got a Dremel branded one years ago (from Lowe's or Home Depot) and it meets most of my magnetizing uses.  A 1/8" magnet is my go-to for most situations, except weapons, which I use 1/16" magnets, and proper sized drill bits came with the magnet set.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002L3RUVG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[WarriorFish]

Keep it on the lowest setting (5,000), but you'll need to make sure everything is firmly in place before you start as that's still speedy and can melt the plastic if you're not careful. I don't find it a problem though as you tend to go slowly anyway to make sure nothing goes wrong. Obviously the drill makes things a lot easier but for small things like arms a hand drill is best - the drill will save a hell of a lot of time on larger kits though (like my Knight!) :)

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

Keep it on the lowest setting (5,000), but you'll need to make sure everything is firmly in place before you start as that's still speedy and can melt the plastic if you're not careful. I don't find it a problem though as you tend to go slowly anyway to make sure nothing goes wrong. Obviously the drill makes things a lot easier but for small things like arms a hand drill is best - the drill will save a hell of a lot of time on larger kits though (like my Knight!) :)

Ok so I should get a hand drill, than use this on vehicles or dreadnaughts?

[WarriorFish]

Generally, yes. A Dremel is OTT for infantry as you'll only be using small magnets and will often have little room for error so I go for the traditional method. For larger models you need larger magnets (and therefore holes) and the Dremel will save you a lot of time and effort. I heavily magnetised my Knight (and more) and I don't think I could have done it without my Dremel - I've logged a WIP where you can see what I mean.

Once you get the hang of using it it'll be a valuable tool in your hobby arsenal. I recommend experimenting on scrap/spare bits first to get a feel of using it. A pilot hole from your hand drill will give it good purchase and reduce the risk of slipping, then it's just about a good working surface and securing the plastic (or the 5,000 RPM might send it flying :lol: ).

I like to go slowly, but that's as much due to my poor eyesight meaning I need to keep double checking I'm going straight than anything else Must work though as I've not ruined anything (yet?)

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

So those magnet sizes are accurate ? I can buy a bunch online ?

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

Picked up a bunch from Home Depot. Hopefully the ace will open next door so I can get a hand drill haha.

[Subtle Discord]

Consider a power screwdriver for the job of drilling holes. Very good torque and nice slow-and-steady RPM that will never be too fast. the only rotary hand tools (read: dremel) that I've found useful for model building have been the battery powered ones; even the lowest RPM of most plug-in units is waaay too fast for my liking, and they all tend to lack the necessary torque at lower speeds.

 

Edit: and I've never found anything better or more accurate then hand drilling the holes. I understand that it's not an option for some people, and by all means use what works for you, but for me it's the truth. Yes, large holes will require you start small and work you way up to the large size, but once the first hole is done as a guide, the drill bit tends to 'pull itself through' the material really quickly.

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

Consider a power screwdriver for the job of drilling holes. Very good torque and nice slow-and-steady RPM that will never be too fast. the only rotary hand tools (read: dremel) that I've found useful for model building have been the battery powered ones; even the lowest RPM of most plug-in units is waaay too fast for my liking, and they all tend to lack the necessary torque at lower speeds.

 

Edit: and I've never found anything better or more accurate then hand drilling the holes. I understand that it's not an option for some people, and by all means use what works for you, but for me it's the truth. Yes, large holes will require you start small and work you way up to the large size, but once the first hole is done as a guide, the drill bit tends to 'pull itself through' the material really quickly.

Thanks :) have a dremel, I need to start the while / not model with the drill.

[Deschenus Maximus]

I put a piece of masking tape around the bit to the depth I want so I don't go any deeper than I need to.

That's smart! I'm going to use that trick next time.

[JeffTibbetts]

Do it! I've also used nail polish but it's obviously more permanent.

 

I can't believe I never thought to use an electric screwdriver before. I've got two of them. I don't think they have an easy way to hold a bit, now that I think of it. Just the hex head. I'Il look when I get home.

[Subtle Discord]

Yes, pretty much all power screw drivers are hex-head, but it's usually not a problem. While I generally prefer Metric for most measuring tasks (designing especially, I find is easier with a measuring unit that divides by 10) and you can find Metric hex-head drill bits, I tend to use Imperial sized neodymium magnets because of the huge variety in sizes you can get in Imperial. So, naturally it's usually very easy to find the corresponding Imperial drill bits with a hex-head to match the magnet I'm trying to mount. In fact, the hex-head is usually large enough to used as a handle for drilling holes by hand if I'm trying to be delicate, and I can switch to the power screw driver if it's a particularly large hole or it's being stubborn.

 

P.S. A rotary tool is still an excellent general purpose tool that can work for this purpose and be very useful for all sorts of other hobby tasks, so it's not a bad investment in the slightest.

[Hfran Morkai]

Magnetising marine arms (like B@C marines, particularly for Combi-Weapons and close combat weapons bht also special weapon troopers)at the wrist, possible? If so what size magnet?

 

They're pretty small surfaces to work on but being able to simply swap wrists instead of entire arms seems like a big boon as don't need loads of spare arms then.

[WarriorFish]

It is yes, but you'll want the tiny magnets - I've used 2x1mm. The only issue is making sure they line up properly as it's a little more fiddly than normal because of the limited working area but it's not a big deal with some patience Here's a couple of examples:

Magnets are great

[Hfran Morkai]

Fantastic, thank you.

 

I forsee myself buying lots of power weapon and combi weapon packs from FW when Inferno drops.

[Ovidius Incertus]

Magnetising marine arms (like B@C marines, particularly for Combi-Weapons and close combat weapons bht also special weapon troopers)at the wrist, possible? If so what size magnet?

 

They're pretty small surfaces to work on but being able to simply swap wrists instead of entire arms seems like a big boon as don't need loads of spare arms then.

 

I use 1/16" x 1/32" magnets for this, and it's generally not too difficult.  You can even magnetize many of the various combi-weapons with this size magnet, provided there's enough thickness on the combi part to drill into.

 

Just plan wisely, drill pilot holes and repeatedly check depth and alignment and it works out fine.

[White Wolf]

I can recommend the Proxxon 12 volt power screwdriver for drilling holes in plastic. Unlike a lot of power screwdrivers it has a chuck so you can fit drill bits into it. You will need to buy the 12 volt adaptation from Proxxon as well, but you can also use this for a variety of their other 12 volt power tools which I recommend, like the power file and drills. The tools are designed for model engineers and as a consequence they are perfect for model building.

 

Well worth the money - I swear by Proxxon stuff, the quality is way better than Dremmel and Minicraft.

 

I use the Proxxon high speed drill for metal and the resin figures, and the screwdriver for the plastics. It does away with the problem of melted plastic

 

ATB WW

[Major_Gilbear]

I am going to suggest something slightly different (because apparently, that's what I do!).

 

1) Use a hand drill, not a powered drill. Most of the time you are drilling holes in delicate pieces to precise shallow depths. A hand drill gives you so much more precision (and saves you so much money) that I really can't think of any significant reason to get an electric drill.

 

2) Buy ground drill bits, not rolled bits. They are shaped more precisely and won't gum up and stick/break inside the model.

 

3) Buy bits which are carbide or carborundum-coated. They keep their edge much better (especially if used on metal models), and again reduce the chances of a blunt cutting tool getting stuck and breaking in your model.

 

4) Buy your drill bits in metric. You want 0.5mm bigger than the magnets. This is a good clearance tolerance, and gives the glue a little bit of room - smaller than this and you risk the magnet getting wedged before it's properly in, and larger will leave you with a gap around the magnet that will need puttying.

 

5) If you are finding the bits bind in the holes you are drilling, drill the bits through an old wax candle first; the tiny amount of wax they get coated in helps to keep them free in the model as you work.

 

6) Use a small amount of electrical tape wrapped around the drill bit so that you can gauge how far down you've drilled. Then, test-fit the magnet and run your finger over it to make sure it's flush in the hole you've drilled.

 

7) Buy N42 grade neodymium magnets. Lower grades are cheaper but not as strong, and higher grades are prohibitively expensive for miniatures applications.

 

8 ) Buy your magnets in metric, 0.5mm smaller than your drill bits. Good websites show you the relative pull strength of each size, so have a think about what you will need before you buy. It may be better to go with a smaller diameter but thicker magnet than a wider shallower one for example. You might also be better off buying two small magnets than one big one for lager parts too (but again, do a little research!).

 

9) Take a little time and dry-fit parts first, measure the sizes of magnets (and their larger holes!) for each part, and then test all the magnets as you fit them, etc. Some patience and forethought will save you a lot of problems later on!

[JeffTibbetts]

Wow. There are some amazing tips there, good sir.