WORKBENCH:

Magnet thoughts continued.

After I had the sheet metal cut and was working with it all I realized that there was a cheaper way of achieving the same effect as the metal bases also without the need to permanently attach the magnets to anything.

You take a cardstock section cut to the size of base desired, then 'punch-out' the holes for the magnets (either with a paper punch as Pete did it or cut out otherwise). This forms a 'center' layer. The bottom layer is medium or heavy weight paper glued onto the cardstock. Once this is dry place in the magnets into the 'pits' now formed and glue on a top layer of grass paper. This top layer could also be thin artist board or thick paper and then you could 'flock' it to taste.

Once completed the entire little sandwich then works the same as the metal base, without the high cost (but also limited in 'other' functions).

Pete has done this with his Norden Duchy forces and the effect is quite workable.

Other notes to finish off this section about magnets for now.

I now use 5mm magnets, I had tried some 3mm ones, but they are just not powerful enough (even mounted in pairs) to hold a metal 25mm man sized figure upright during anything but the most gentle handling (something that would definately not take place on most game tables I have seen); do not even think of a horse being held at all by such small magnets. The 5mm ones are generally available in quantity at a good price, combined with the sheet steel (or paper sandwich) then the magnets can be re-used over and over again in new cominations, unlike my first attempt which is now permanent.

I understand that some 40K players have been using 3mm (and smaller) magnets for attaching different limbs or weapons etc to their figs, but I have not seen this in practice, I would think that over time the tiny parts would have an unfortunate tendency to 'get lost', but I recognize the flexibility that such a system would allow.