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Just finished Magnetising my Deff Dread and the bigger arms seem to be drooping along the floor. I am using rare earth metal magnets, 3mm x 1mm (they work fine on Killa Kans). I'll probably do some surgery after the game I have today.

How would I prevent drooping for future Dreads? Do I need bigger magnets in the torso, arm or both? Or a better type of magnet?

How many magnets per arm, and how are they arranged.

If they are centred, then the arms become pivots and gravity works against you. Even with larger magnets.

Pictures will help with determining how to fix your issue, though.

Your used magnets are too small/weak. Probably both.
Neodym N52 is widely available, find the desired diameter and determine how thick it can be.

You can add a pin to help keep it in place, if there is space around the joint.

3mmx1mm is too small.
I use 3mm diameter and 2mm deep for large torsos. Sometimes I double-up for really big bits. This is anything from a Space Marine's shoulders to Dreadnoughts and so on.
If the arm can take it, I use the same size there, too.
Make sure there is enough friction between the pieces. Paint over one of the magnets if you get droop.

I usually use 1.5mm diameter and 2mm deep for smaller models. Smaller still for wrists and some Eldar models.

Pinning is a good idea, and I pin stuff like wing packs. Put the magnet it, and stick a pin just above it, sticking out a bit. Drill a hole into the piece, and the pin will hold it in position. Put another pin below too, of you have to, maybe in the part, not the body.

Magnets sound too small, double stacking up may help.
I also find that lone magnets tend to be influenced by gravity. You may want to try using two sets so the arm doesn't rotate.

I use 6 x 1 for marine dreadnoughts. 3 x 1 seems too small and weak for a Deff Dread.

I used 4mm long x 4mm dia on my dreads - no drooping

It can happen with age. They make pills for it. Don't worry!

I've got METAL dreadnought arms on a metal dread held on with 2x 3mmx1mm magnets (washer around arm mounting pin, 2 magnets in arm) per arm - they both hold and prevent rotation.

The magnets are on opposite sides of the socket.

Plastic models get by with single magnets if the moment arm/leverage isn't large.

Keep in mind that the magnetic force only pulls the magnets togehter - it proviedes zero resistance to pivoting on the axis the magnets form. They are usually chromed, which makes for almost no surface resistance as well.

When trying to avoid unwanted rotation, recess the magnet slightly and use the resistance of the surface of the parts against each other as a brake. Alternatively, you can take a tiny bit of PattaFix or similar poster putty to act as a brake.

And yes, I'd use bigger magnets than that on a dreadnaught sized model, not much bigger, but bigger ;-]

Thanks for all the comments peeps!

I'll try and edit this post with a picture to better illustrate what I did (strangely enough, when I applied a Leadbelcher spray for the game as priming minimum was required, the magnets seemed to hold a tad better).

From a description though:

The arm and torso each have one 3mm x 1mm REM magnet in them.

Torso - more or less directly in the centre and doesn't seem to be sticking out since I drilled right through the sockets.

Arms - drilled a hole between the pre made plastic holes (for optional extras). May be sticking out by maybe 0.2mm.

For what it's worth the option arms (lower parts) are holding up fine for my Skorchas.

EDIT: hopefully those attachments should work

 Frozocrone wrote:
Thanks for all the comments peeps!

I'll try and edit this post with a picture to better illustrate what I did (strangely enough, when I applied a Leadbelcher spray for the game as priming minimum was required, the magnets seemed to hold a tad better).

From a description though:

The arm and torso each have one 3mm x 1mm REM magnet in them.

Torso - more or less directly in the centre and doesn't seem to be sticking out since I drilled right through the sockets.

Arms - drilled a hole between the pre made plastic holes (for optional extras). May be sticking out by maybe 0.2mm.

For what it's worth the option arms (lower parts) are holding up fine for my Skorchas.

EDIT: hopefully those attachments should work

Then this is definitely a matter of magnets being slightly weak + Gravity.

One thing you could try would be to pin the the arms to prevent them from moving.

Just drill a small hole below (or above/wherever you want) the magnets on both pieces, and on one piece, glue in a pin/paperclip. It doesn't need to be super long or anything, just enough to go into the other part a little bit.

Use the magnet to hold the arm to the body, and use the pin to keep it in place.

Hopefully these make sense.

It also depends where the magnets come from. China - throw them away - they say "N52", but it's not even close to that.

Those pinning pictures show what I have done before, but I put the pin at the top.

I use these:
http://r.ebay.com/pnXybc
Guys Magnets have sold me all sorts of shapes and sizes, and I've had no problems at all with them.

I second guys magnets

bigger magnets.

I use N52 6mm magnets for anything I want a really strong joint.

Also, as others have said, you can rough up the surface of the magnet with a thin layer of pva on both of them (let it dry before touching together).