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So I am still making my army and was wondering what is a simple way to magnetize a Leman Russ. I was looking at this guide (http://www.excommunicatetraitoris.com/2011/05/magnetising-made-easy-leman-russ.html) and I was wondering what type of magnets was used for the sponsons?

If this isn't a good guide please let me know. I am new to modeling and so far I have only made guardsmen and a commissar.

No good way to mag the sponsons imo; I paint mine without it, then glue on with a clear drying gel glue on the ones I want sponsons.

The only parts I mag on a Russ are the hunter killer missiles and pask.

 Big Mac wrote:
No good way to mag the sponsons imo; I paint mine without it, then glue on with a clear drying gel glue on the ones I want sponsons.

The only parts I mag on a Russ are the hunter killer missiles and pask.

What about the turret?

WingedHussar88 wrote:
So I am still making my army and was wondering what is a simple way to magnetize a Leman Russ. I was looking at this guide (http://www.excommunicatetraitoris.com/2011/05/magnetising-made-easy-leman-russ.html) and I was wondering what type of magnets was used for the sponsons?

If this isn't a good guide please let me know. I am new to modeling and so far I have only made guardsmen and a commissar.

Those look like 3mmx1mm neodymium magnets and while I did my turret pretty much the same way, the sponsons I handled a little differently. I haven't got the light at the moment but as I've only done the magnatisation on my russ I can take a few pics and show you exactly how I've done mine as an alternative. My way involves a little extra work but I find small neo's come unstuck easily (even when done correctly) and I've tried to eliminates that problem.

Another thing to note is that the mantelet (turret gun armour plate) isn't really a snug enough fit with all the turrets to be left unglued without getting lost and can't really be magnetised without it looking really obvious and out of place. So you might want to either buy more or find some kind of alternative. Unfortuantely bits shops probably won't be much help here as most people have had the same idea and they're nearly always sold out.

 Sasquatch wrote:

WingedHussar88 wrote:
So I am still making my army and was wondering what is a simple way to magnetize a Leman Russ. I was looking at this guide (http://www.excommunicatetraitoris.com/2011/05/magnetising-made-easy-leman-russ.html) and I was wondering what type of magnets was used for the sponsons?

If this isn't a good guide please let me know. I am new to modeling and so far I have only made guardsmen and a commissar.

Those look like 3mmx1mm neodymium magnets and while I did my turret pretty much the same way, the sponsons I handled a little differently. I haven't got the light at the moment but as I've only done the magnatisation on my russ I can take a few pics and show you exactly how I've done mine as an alternative. My way involves a little extra work but I find small neo's come unstuck easily (even when done correctly) and I've tried to eliminates that problem.

Another thing to note is that the mantelet (turret gun armour plate) isn't really a snug enough fit with all the turrets to be left unglued without getting lost and can't really be magnetised without it looking really obvious and out of place. So you might want to either buy more or find some kind of alternative. Unfortuantely bits shops probably won't be much help here as most people have had the same idea and they're nearly always sold out.

Sure I would appreciate it if you took some pictures. Would it be better to order said magnets online or at the gaming store? I can't seem to find 1mm x 2mm magnets anywhere.

I usually get mine online either through ebay or amazon. If you buy them online check where they're coming from and for negative seller feedback. Chinese magnets are cheap but they're gonna take a very long time to get to you and quality can vary especially on ebay! make sure there's no complaints about the magnets crumbling etc.

But that said if your local store stocks them then yeah as long as they're not taking the piss with the price pick them up there.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

WingedHussar88 wrote:
I can't seem to find 1mm x 2mm magnets anywhere.

Your search could be at fault here stick to one dimension and keep it simple. So "3mm Neodymium" got me what I was looking for on amazon I think it was the 3rd result down.

unless it visualy gets to you, glue the side sponsons permenantly on. their weps are peg system and if you dont completely remove the mould line on the peg it will stick in place all by itself.
as for the turret i just magneted the upper and lower main turret body. that way i dont need to modify the weapons or their mounting point and can use all weps as i see fit.

I have to disagree...magnetizing Leman Russ sponsons is really easy. I do it for my Russ-Rhinos.

I use some larger Neodymium magnets, but it's really cake. the problem is that it needs to be done during the build.

http://myminiaturemischief.blogspot.com/2017/10/hobby-tips-building-rhino-russ-part-one.html

This is my how-to for my tanks, but it includes magnetizing Russ sponsons on. They're super easy to do, and work well. Start at Step 11 on that post.

 Sasquatch wrote:
I usually get mine online either through ebay or amazon. If you buy them online check where they're coming from and for negative seller feedback. Chinese magnets


Automatically Appended Next Post:

WingedHussar88 wrote:
I can't seem to find 1mm x 2mm magnets anywhere.

Your search could be at fault here stick to one dimension and keep it simple. So "3mm Neodymium" got me what I was looking for on amazon I think it was the 3rd result down.

Still not finding any 1 mm x 2mms. Where did you find one? Maybe he meant 2 x 1? Not finding them online but my local store sells them cheap.

I use some larger Neodymium magnets, but it's really cake. the problem is that it needs to be done during the build.

http://myminiaturemischief.blogspot.com/2017/10/hobby-tips-building-rhino-russ-part-one.html

This is my how-to for my tanks, but it includes magnetizing Russ sponsons on. They're super easy to do, and work well. Start at Step 11 on that post.

What size magnets did you use?

Not sure, I don't have the case any more. Honestly I just have six or more size magnets all stuck to the metal leg of my desk - purchased over a while. You might be able to guess given the images. If I remember, I'll try to measure one.

WingedHussar88 wrote:
I can't seem to find 1mm x 2mm magnets anywhere.

Ah I misread earlier I don't think you can get 2mm x 1mm magnets so go for 3mm x 1mm that's what I used on mine and they're just the right size for the turret and weapons. For mounting the sponsons to the side of the Russ you'll need something a little bigger though, I haven't got around to that part of my build yet and while I'll probably do it a little differently to Elbows his method works so you should give it consideration.

So for the turret and the sponson guns here's a pic that'll show you all the important bits



For the turret its pretty much the same as the first guide you found. All I've done differently is bulk out the area behind the magnet in the turret with some scrap plasticard so they sit flush. I've also added small round covers to the magnet on the gun so they can't pull through. These also function as spacers to stop the turret just sticking to one side and flapping a little loose from the other, they need to be a little bigger than the magnet so you have enough of a lip for them to glue properly and a little thicker than the gap you're trying to bridge so that you can sand them down to a snug fit. I used 0.50mm plasticard for mine and cut them out with a centre punch. This did leave them a little ragged around the edges so I'll probably try to find a proper hole punch for when I do the rest.

For the sponson guns I've adapted a method I came up with for hull mounted weapons. Its purpose was to remove the possibilty of an ill fitted hull weapon due to the magnet being slighlty misaligned. The concept is simple enough, a small plasticard box that the magnet can slide around in (but not flip) is mounted in the hull or in this case the sponson so that it self aligns with any gun you use. It means I don't have to get the magnets on all my guns perfectly placed to make sure they fit nicely (though I do need to get the magnets placed the right way around).

In this case you need a magnet holder to stick to the gun and a magnet to stick in the inside of the sponson gun mount. The magnet holder is made from 1mm thick plasticard to hold the magnet with a 0.25mm thick plasticard(don't use anything much thicker than this or your magnets might struggle to hold) cover to stop the magnet pulling out of the hole. You'll need to drill the hole for the magnet before you cut out the holder as the edges are too thin on the sides and if you try to drill it out after you've cut it to size you'll split the plasticard and you won't get a round hole. (you'll just end up with a mangled useless bit of plasticard) I recommend using a pin vice hand drill for this just make sure you have a collett that can fit a 3mm drill piece (most pin vices have a second collett hidden in the bottom of the handle that'll be big enough.) Once you've drilled your hole cut or file down the holder till it fits within the footprint of the back of the gun and add your magnet and attach and trim the 0.25mm plasticard cover.

Once you've made and glued this first one to a gun you can use it as a guide to make sure all the rest you make have their poles facing in the same direction just stick a new magnet to the back of the finished gun and push the holder onto it.

For the sponsons first you'll have to cut out a hole in the sponson mount as you see in the middle right of the picture. I did mine by drilling it out with my pin vice using a 3mm drill bit then cleaning up the hole with a scalple and file. you'll want to make sure you've cut this level with the inner walls so it doesn't get in the way of the magnet on the back of the gun.

To make the magnet box measure the inner dimensions on the rear of the sponson mount and cut a piece to match that out of 1.5mm plasticard, then take that piece and cut out a square (ish) hole out of the centre that is roughly the same size as you cut you made in the sponson mount. This doesn't have to be super neat so I just drilled a couple of holes cut out the waste with a scalpel the I dropped it in the back of the sponson to eyeball the rest of the cut. This'll give a space for your magnet to move around in so that it can align itself with the guns magnet. Once done, cut the front and back cover from 0.25mm plasticard and glue on either side with your magnet sitting in the hole between them. I recommend cutting a little off the corners just to make them fit into the sponsons easier.

Make sure to check the magnets facing before you glue the magnet box into place as the magnet can move about but it doesn't have the room to flip over.

I hope this helps. If you've got any questions you can either drop them in this thread or pm me.

or you can do it the very easy way with just two 5mm magnets, a pice of a plastic sprue, a file and super glue.
the trick is as said, dont glue the turret together.

This was actually the way I was originaly planning to do the turret until I realised how often I'd end up picking it up by the turret... Yeah for my Russ's safety I decided to make it idiot proof XD

Not got pics currently be heres a rough description of how I did "cheese" & "onion" for mine.

the sides had holes drilled in prior to assembly, and a bit of plastic stuck to the back of the hole - that allowed a magnet to be flush with the outer surface, to the point that when painted its hard to see.

the sponson had a bit of sprue stuck inside it as a vertical, this has another magnet stuck to it - there are enough ridges in the model to stop the sponson twisting and it seems to work fine.

Sponson and hull weapons left as a push fit

The turret was interesting, basically I sawed the barrel off short, then stuck a magnet on the front, then assembled the various guns with a magnet on the back of the barrel and went with that - gets the two battle cannons and Nova cannon easily, the twin auto cannons didn't work very well but built a custom housing that would fit the same way, it looks pants so didn't bother.

Idea I had afterwards, its always afterwards isn't it?

take the gun, cut off the pegs, drill through the middle for a steel bar, flush with the sides, then mount magnets in the holes inside the turret - should now be able to push the guns in and out easily enough, and elevate on magnetic bearings.

Heavy stubber was stuck to a bit of wire and drops into a small hole, invisible when not installed.

They are not equipped with HK missiles so never did work that one out

 FrozenDwarf wrote:
or you can do it the very easy way with just two 5mm magnets, a pice of a plastic sprue, a file and super glue.
the trick is as said, dont glue the turret together.

What do you do with the turret guns then?

WingedHussar88 wrote:

 FrozenDwarf wrote:
or you can do it the very easy way with just two 5mm magnets, a pice of a plastic sprue, a file and super glue.
the trick is as said, dont glue the turret together.

What do you do with the turret guns then?

you can swap them freely. the pegs that are on the turrets will hold them in place.

WingedHussar88 wrote:


What do you do with the turret guns then?

nothing to do with the guns.
they are designed to stay in the "cradle" by default from the kit as all weps have the attatchment pegs, and that is where they stay.

but as Sasquatch said, you cant lift or move the model by its turret, you must allways lift by its hull.

Is there really any reason to magnetize the sponsons?

The weapons slotting into the sponsons? No.

The sponsons themselves? In other editions you used to be very limited to what you could fire, and at what target...so often people used to run stripped down minimal Leman Russes without sponsons, to save on points.

With the current edition you can fire all of your weapons and at varied targets so there's little reason to not take them. It also depends on how much variety you have in your Leman Russ tanks and what else you've magnetized.

I magnetize mine on my Rhino-Russes because each chassis is used for four different vehicles. A normal Guard player may not be doing anything like that with a normal Leman Russ. Also, removable sponsons can save a little room when packing them in foam? Maybe that's a consideration (though Imperium vehicles are generally pretty robust to storage and travel).

For the turret would I need 5x1 or 5x2 magnets if I wanted to use Dwarf's method? Or does it mater?

They look to be 5mm x 1mm. You could go for thicker magnets but you potentially risk the strength of the magnets being stronger than the hold of the glue.

yup, i use 5x1 cuz again, what Sasquatch says is correct, too strong magnet MAY have a chanse of beeing too strong for the superglue.
4x1 should allso work, fine but i fear that 3x1 would be to small.

so, a solid dab of plastic glue onto the plastic spure to the turret (plastic glue welds plastic together so it is a realy stong bond when it has properly dryed) and a solid blob of superglue on the magnet to the sprueframe. (when it all has properly dryed, give it a nother pass whit glue and now fokus on adding supreglue around the magnet`s edge)

you leave both magents attatched to each other so you dont mess up the polarity or the placment, as placment and correct lenght of the plastic prue rod is vital for a good result. (thus why you need a hobby file as you can remove 0.01mm at a time or less)
if the plastic rod becomes too short you just simply make a new one.


the whole prosses can be a bit fiddly at first try but overall it is less work. call it the lazy way of magg`ing a russ.

(i dont own a demolisher, BUT if the demolisher shares the same turret construction and wep slot system as the russ, then this allso works on that kit)

 FrozenDwarf wrote:
yup, i use 5x1 cuz again, what Sasquatch says is correct, too strong magnet MAY have a chanse of beeing too strong for the superglue.
4x1 should allso work, fine but i fear that 3x1 would be to small.

so, a solid dab of plastic glue onto the plastic spure to the turret (plastic glue welds plastic together so it is a realy stong bond when it has properly dryed) and a solid blob of superglue on the magnet to the sprueframe. (when it all has properly dryed, give it a nother pass whit glue and now fokus on adding supreglue around the magnet`s edge)

you leave both magents attatched to each other so you dont mess up the polarity or the placment, as placment and correct lenght of the plastic prue rod is vital for a good result. (thus why you need a hobby file as you can remove 0.01mm at a time or less)
if the plastic rod becomes too short you just simply make a new one.


the whole prosses can be a bit fiddly at first try but overall it is less work. call it the lazy way of magg`ing a russ.

(i dont own a demolisher, BUT if the demolisher shares the same turret construction and wep slot system as the russ, then this allso works on that kit)

Would those work for the Spontons as well or would I need a stronger magnet? If so what magnet should I look for?

if you are following Elbows method then they are too weak.
my guess would be something along the lines of 5x3mm.