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So, I tried to magnetize the guns in my drop pods a few years ago. Didn't turn out so well. The magnets have a bad tendency to just rip right off.

So, as I gear up to magnetize my Tau battlesuits, here's my question:

What's the best way to remove a magnetized part in order to prevent the magnets from tearing loose from their moorings? Do you A) pull the two parts in opposite directions, B) twist the two parts in opposite directions (so that you reverse the polarity of the magnets and they just push apart on their own) or do you C) slide them opposite one another along a perpendicular plane? Option C seems like it would be least likely to tear one of the magnets loose, but I thought I would kick it to the folks with a better grasp of physics than myself.

Twist or slide.

They have less resistant strength with either of these forces - as opposed to trying to pull them apart. Often the magnetic attraction is stronger than the glue bond when you try to just pull them apart.

Slide, if there's room to do so. Twist is the next best option. Pull puts the greatest strain on the magnet-model bond.

Typically when i apply a magnet i drill a hole just big enough for the magnet, apply some glue, and put the whole stack of magnets in there so i got some leverage. Once you get a single magnet in there, just pull it to the side. Assuming the magnets arent holy crap strong and your hole isnt too big, there shouldnt be any issues. I have such a wide array of drill bits im actually able to get the magnet stuck (legitimately) without glue, so when i do glue it that thing is NOT coming out lol.

I magnetized my tau suit guns and im actually going to rip their arms off (and legs technically) and kitbash them back on because the weapons like to spin and it drives me nuts lol. Im horrible when it comes to aligning pegs so i cant just add a paperclip spike to prevent it.

Try putting a dab of glue over the magnets. I've been doing this, and I've never had a magnet rip loose.

I hadn't thought of stacking multiple magnets one atop the other. That might actually work.

its leverage. It not only helps me keep track of which side im using (so i dont have dedicated weapons for each Tau Crisis suit for instance, every arm and every gun has a magnet facing the same way) but it helps me hold the blasted tiny things.

Just be careful you dont jab it into a hole with excess glue. Ive wasted a couple magnets doing that as they suddenly became stuck and there was no way i was getting them out rofl

Twisting does nothing, unless you made your life difficult by going for non-round shape magnets or magnets that don't have the polarity on the flat ends.

Slide or tilt the magnets relative to another to break the bond.

Best for our use are round/rod magnets with the poles at the flat sides. They can be easily recessed by drilling a matching diameter hole in the soft plastic and fixed with superglue. Best is superglue with an applicator brush, since you need only a tiny amound, but want it in the hole. ;-]

To ensure that a magnet is exactly flush with the surface it is recessed in, apply it with a slightly bigger magnet. That way you have a natural stop. I use a couple of 4mm thick, 10mm long magnets as handles. I add a bigger diameter magnet if I'm working with 4 or 5mm magnets. Then I just leave that magnet there while the glue dries.

To have consistent polarity, I always install one magnet first, and use that as reference. Very handy when doing something like a couple of vehicles where interchangeable parts are a plus. Where it is not practical to use the installed magnet to insert the other half of the pair, I use a slightly bigger magnet as handle. By clicking it into place on the already glued magnet, and putting the next magnet onto that magnet in turn, I have a nice handle and no risk of messing up polarity.

When doing a joint that you want articulated, like an arm or a wing of a big figure, it's a good idea to deliberately make it too tight. That way the plastic halves of the joint are pulled together and it's friction keeps the plastic part from swiveling with gravity. To get the position right, I drill both holes with a fair bit of paranoia about getting the angles and therefore the magnet axis to line up perfectly. Then I insert one magnet. When the glue is dry, I put the other half of the magnet pair on the first magnet, but with a 1mm magnet disk of matching size as a spacer. Using the limb as a handle, I then push the other magnet into place until the joint is snug. After the glue dried, the spacer disc magnet is removed and the joint is immune to gravity (unless I messed up with the angle or undersized the magnets).

I've found that a bigger problem is the shock of contact when you put the parts together. The sudden snap together of the magnets can crack the glue bond. this is then exacerbated if you try and pull directly away when taking the apart. A layer of glue or paint over the magnets will help damp the shock and keep them in place.

 Vineheart01 wrote:
its leverage. It not only helps me keep track of which side im using (so i dont have dedicated weapons for each Tau Crisis suit for instance, every arm and every gun has a magnet facing the same way) but it helps me hold the blasted tiny things.

Just be careful you dont jab it into a hole with excess glue. Ive wasted a couple magnets doing that as they suddenly became stuck and there was no way i was getting them out rofl

^ This. I've been magnetizing for a couple of weeks now. When I apply magnets, I handle the whole stack instead of trying to handle a single 1/16" magnet. I learned my lesson when I started to glue them to my fingers or dropping and losing them on the floor.

It does really help in getting the polarities correct, too.