I recently magnetized the bases on my Brets to two reasons:
1. To store them in a metal toolbox. This was cheaper than foam, and I can fit a lot more models in a similar sized case.
2. To keep my models from sliding off their movement trays. This is a big pet peeve of mine- I hate it when I move onto a hill and all my models slide off their tray.
Magnetizing the bases are pretty obvious- glue a magnet to the bottom of the base. Gale Force 9 even sells pre magnetized bases I believe. I used rare earth magnets since I store my models along the sides and lid of a metal tool box and didn't want them sliding around.
After having finished a few movement trays and being pleased with the results I decided to share how easy it is to magnetize movement trays. This is my first tutorial, and my camera work is pretty awful, so if you have any questions please ask!
1. Tools
Most everything I needed to do this I already had, and it only cost around $20 to buy what I didn't. You can enough sheet metal to base an entire army or two at Home Depot or other hardware store for less than $10. The tin snips were around $10 as well. I used Gorilla Glue because I already had some and it's very very strong.
I will shamelessly plug the
GW modular movement trays. They are awesome, and at $10 well worth the price (which is something I almost never say about
GW products).
2. Measure
Measure the inside area of the movement tray. Make sure to leave a little extra room on the sides. I used a T Square to make sure the lines were strait and as accurate as I could manage and marked the metal with a sharpie.
As quick note, with the
GW movement trays you will need to fill the gaps with green stuff, spackle, or some other material. I found it was easiest to do this before I glued the metal down.
3. Cut
This is as easy as it looks, just cut along the line you've drawn. When using tin snips avoid cutting to the tip of the snips or it will bend the metal.
4. Bend
After cutting the sheet metal I found that the metal was usually bent a little at the corners. Use a pair of pliers or your hands to straighten the metal out. As you can see on my picture, the trays can be slightly curved all over as well. Straighten it out as best you can, but a slight cure shouldn't really matter if you clamp the tray when you glue it.
5. Glue
Apply glue to the movement tray. If you're using Gorilla Glue note that it expands and so you need to keep it a fair distance from the edges. If it seeps out it is easy to cut off with an exacto.
6. Clamp
Clamp the metal to the tray until the glue dries. Read the glue's bottle for how long the glue needs to dry. I would clamp at least the corners down as well as the center of the tray. You can find small clamps for cheap, but you can also use binder clips or stack weights on the tray as well.
7. Paint
Now just base, prime and paint your movement tray as you would the bases of your models. I found that the flat edges of the movement trays needed some sanding to help the basing grit adhere well. I've found with use that the primer will scratch off of the metal with use. If you're bothered by this it's easy to touch up with some black paint.