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Hey everyone! I'm just starting up my Chaos army, and the first thing on my build list is the Forgefiend I purchased. I'd like to magnetize it so I can switch freely between the Hades Autocannons and the Ectoplasm guns. But, I'll admit I have never magnetized anything before. I have a few questions and I'm open, of course, to all tips that might not apply to said questions!

1. Is there a preferred size magnet that will work for a model as large as the Forgefiend but still be strong enough and small enough for smaller models like Infantry, or do I need larger magnets for walkers, and tinier magnets for infantry? Or are even smaller magnets strong enough for the extra plastic of a walker?

2. With how the Forgefiend seems to go together, would I be ok just glueing the magnets on, as the model should hide them well enough, or should I glue the magnets to the insides of the model, or drill spots for them?

I thought I had other questions, but I can't remember them now I'm sure I'll remember them later! Halp! :p

I haven't done chaos specific models, but generally, you want to drill out a space for your magnets. Greenstuff and glue is your friend. Depending on how big or how heavy the piece is, you'll want different sizes of magnets. If the magnet you're using isn't big enough, you will get drop or it just won't hold the piece on. Once you've gotten your polarity figured out, make sure you've keep to that. It makes it super easy to swap among your army if the polarity of your magnets if all the same.

If you have a really big model, like a dreadknight, it's sometimes really useful to magnetize the bottom of the model to the base. One of the guys at my FLGS has done that to make it easier to transport.

(I've magnetized several of my 'nids. My nid warriors can all swap weapons...and while warriors are one of the things that are a huge PIA to magnetize, it's worth it.)

 Schlyne wrote:
I haven't done chaos specific models, but generally, you want to drill out a space for your magnets. Greenstuff and glue is your friend. Depending on how big or how heavy the piece is, you'll want different sizes of magnets. If the magnet you're using isn't big enough, you will get drop or it just won't hold the piece on. Once you've gotten your polarity figured out, make sure you've keep to that. It makes it super easy to swap among your army if the polarity of your magnets if all the same.

If you have a really big model, like a dreadknight, it's sometimes really useful to magnetize the bottom of the model to the base. One of the guys at my FLGS has done that to make it easier to transport.

(I've magnetized several of my 'nids. My nid warriors can all swap weapons...and while warriors are one of the things that are a huge PIA to magnetize, it's worth it.)

Great tips, thank you Do you recon you can make a guess at what size magnets (in mm) I should use for something like the Forgefiend?

Edit: I'm thinking perhaps these might be strong enough for the Fiend?

http://www.magcraft.com/NSN0592

When I first started doing magnets, I was using this
http://www.miniwargaming.com/magnet-guide

as my general guide to sizing.

I would dig around on youtube, I'm sure there are some videos of people magnetizing the forgefield, and the videos might be able to give you a better idea and some tips on sizes.

I'm with Schlyne, the http://www.miniwargaming.com/magnet-guide is very helpful, what I started using when I first started magnetizing.

As for the magnet you found, those are good for infantry, but the forgefiend is dreadnought sized, so I would go with something like this for the arms.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warmachine-20-Rare-Earth-Super-Magnets-6mm-X-1-5-mm-lot-Large-/291412838634

That is the guy I order my magnets from on eBay. But plenty of places to find magnets if you don't like using eBay.

As for placement, I always drill out the hole for them. With plastic models, I just use the bit and my hand to make the hole, so I have more control and can get it just the right depth, go to deep and the magnets aren't close enough they lose strength. So if you can get it so the magnets touch, you are good to go.

Not a Chaos player so never built one, but lots of people have put up there two cents on how they went about it, either on here or looking it up on Google. So should have plenty of options to make your kit how you want to.

Thank you both for the helpful links I'll do some homework when I get home from work, and place some orders! Get this guy magnetized and looking pretty...or...chaos-y...or something...y.

Here is a quick tip that I use when magnetizing figures in order to keep the polarity straight:

Before attaching either magnet to the model, stick them together and clearly mark the sides which will be glued into the miniatures. This way, if you drop or put down the magnets, you won't forget the polarity. Its simple, but I have caused all sorts of problems by forgetting the polarity arrangement of my magnets after one has been glued into the model.