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Im putting together a Dread and looking to magnetise the arms and wrists similar to here:
https://warbuilder.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/magnetizing-the-furioso-dreadnought/

The idea i have is for a few 2x1mm magnets drilled into one surface and to have a washer on the other 5mm internal diameter 10mm external.
However i keep coming across conflicting info regarding washers and magnetising as some info says washers will work with magnets while others say wont.
What kind of metal should i be looking for?
Does anyone else use washers for magnetising can point me in the right direction?

Alot of ebay sales are in high quantities and i dont want to end up with 100 washers that are no use.

Cheers

I just use magnets on both sides. much stronger connection, and you don't need two sets of parts

If you're anywhere near a Wilkinsons store I'd pop in.
I recently picked up a load of steel washers, bolts, nuts and hooks from their pick and mix fixings section for a couple of pounds.
The bits are loose so just take in the model, a magnet or two and have a play around with what fits/works.
Other hardware stores are available but for small quantities or even single pieces of varying sizes I'd try heading to a smaller general ironmongers and just explaining what you need to the staff and having a test fit with the model to hand.

Charax wrote:
I just use magnets on both sides. much stronger connection, and you don't need two sets of parts

Actually as long as the magnet is in contact, a metal <-> magnet bond is just as strong as a magnet <-> magnet bond. That's because the magnet induces magnetism in the metal, so the metal is effectively acting like another magnet of similar strength to the one it's connected to.

It's only when there's a gap between them that magnet <-> magnet is stronger (because the induced magnetism in the metal isn't as great).

But anyway.... I usually use magnet <-> magnet because I haven't found a source of cheap metal discs

As for what washers will work with magnets, anything that's not stainless steel should work. Some stainless is magnetic, most is not and even the varieties that are magnetic aren't as strong. Zinc coated/plated should work fine because that's just regular steel (which is magnetic) with a zinc coating on it to stop it corroding.

If you're going to a hardware store to buy them you can just take a magnet to test it though,

Charax wrote:
I just use magnets on both sides. much stronger connection, and you don't need two sets of parts

Very occasionally, people don't want both halves magnetised. For example, I'm putting together a display board, and I don't want it to pick up random screws and bits of metal if I put it away.
So sinking washers would be very useful in such cases.