Magnetic Bases

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:23 pm

For any of you who have grumbled as the ball falls off the base of the player who is carrying it (usually when they are in the middle of a giant scrum), then grumble no more I have a solution!

I have madce use of some very small magnets called "rare earth magnets" these little things are tiny but powerful!

The first thing you need to do is to set up a "league standard" ball, it is important that if more than one players in your league are going to do this, that you need to have all the magnetic poled in the ball facing the same way, or otherwise your players will attract some balls, but repel others!

After stting the standard, hollow out the bottom of the ball (I like the one with the grass for this). When this is done insert a magnet and glue it in place.

The put a small magnet under the base of one of your players. Put the magnetized ball on top of the players base, and voila! the ball will attract the magnet underneath to the proper position, and hold it in place while you glue it in. Repeat this for all your players.

Once done, you need never worry again about the ball falling off accidentally from your players bases! These little magnets are so stong, that you will need to pull the ball off!

If you are going to be at the Spike! tournament, then I would behappy to show you what I have done with these.

Here are a couple of links for places in North America:

http://www.indigo.com/magnets/neodymium-magnets.html

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/

And for the Uk boyz:

http://www.forestroad-uk.com/

Enjoy,

Spazz

Jimmy_pop · Post by **Jimmy_pop** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:43 am

thats a smart ide.. maby I'll try it out..

/Jimmy

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:41 pm

hmm, i've seen that before

http://www.wolfzell.de/magnete.htm (german)

Adopted that method, first thing i do when putting a mini on a base is adding a magnet. Helps alot in priming, painting, transport and for the ball thing. It's sufficient if you drill some holes in a plastic ball and fill them with standard wire. A magnet is stronger, but usually the wire (must be magnetisable though, so no copper or similar alloys) is enough.

narkotic · Post by **narkotic** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:46 pm

And I have seen that avatar before! Dark Lord...?

Snew · Post by **Snew** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:51 pm

I've often thought of doing this.

I was thinking of a magnet in each piece, base/ball, but the wire/nail/paperclip thought of Tim is a much better idea to avoid the polarity problem you mentioned.

yeah, Narc, DL had that same avatar for a while. I hate it when people start using avatars that you associate with someone else. I doubt anyone is going to grab my old catcaur avatar anytime soon though.

Darkson · Post by **Darkson** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:56 pm

Check out the NAF forum. Spazz is an active poster there, and I'm always having to do a double take!

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:58 pm

snotsngrots wrote:but the wire/nail/paperclip thought of Tim

Actually ... Frank's idea (or Wolfgang's?)

Just to make sure i'm not sued

Snew · Post by **Snew** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:59 pm

Darkson wrote:Check out the NAF forum. Spazz is an active poster there, and I'm always having to do a double take!

I know. I am too.

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:02 pm

Thw whole paper clip idea sounds like a really good one, and I will have to try that with a spare ball. but for anyone who wants the strength of two magnets I am re-posting the following from the NAF site where it was originally posted.

Okay, I have done some experimenting, and have figured out which way the magnet is facing on my game ball. I have the south pole facing out . I think that anybody who does use the magnets should use this as a a standard so that there is not a problem when we meet in tournaments, etc.

The way to tell (as rare earth magnets are not marked) is to put the magnet in (probably best with sticky tack) and then use a magnet of reasonable strength (I used a horseshoe magnet) that has the poles pre-marked. With magnets opposited attract while like poles repel. So when I tried my ball, it was repelled by the south pole and attracted to the north pole. Therefore the south pole is facing out.

Then when doing the players, use the method that I described earlier and the magnets will sort themselves out. The ball is really the only one that requires careful planning.

Enjoy,

Spazz

And w.r.t. the avatar, kinda sucks that someone else had used it before, but as I had not seen it used, I figured it was as good as any. But no, I am not Dark Lord, Pariah or anybody but little old me.... Spazzfist.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:42 pm

My only concern is the static grass I have on all my BB minis... I don't want it to get mashed down.

Lahatiel · Post by **Lahatiel** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 9:24 pm

I was wondering about the grass, myself.

Grumbledook · Post by **Grumbledook** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:18 pm

the grass isn't magnetic

Lahatiel · Post by **Lahatiel** » Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:40 pm

Grumbledook wrote:the grass isn't magnetic

Oh, OK. Thanks for clearing that part up.

Craigtw · Post by **Craigtw** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:44 am

I use static grass on all of my figs, andf there is no problem with the two magnets being able to attract each other through it. However, I am not so fussy as to notice whether the grass gets all flat. Jeez man, are you some kind of wood-elf gardener?

I have not experimented with the paper clip in the ball yet to know if it will be attracted enough through the base and the grass. Anyone else know about this?

Spazz

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:14 am

Craigtw wrote:I am not so fussy as to notice whether the grass gets all flat. Jeez man, are you some kind of wood-elf gardener?

I just take great pride in my minaitures. I know a lot of people who don't give a rats if the paint get scratched off, etc... Some people just keep their minis in a shoebox... loose. That I could not deal with. So yeah the grass getting mashed would bother me. Also I have other bits on some of my bases, like severed heads, limbs, etc...