Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: JollyBob on 04 August 2023, 08:17:11 AM
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Bob's having lots of ideas this week...
But as the title says, what's the best way to do it?
As I'm toying with magnetising the play area, I'm thinking very small washers, but not sure if they are readily available.
I've seen the MDF bases some people use but to my eyes they are almost the height of the figure again...
Any suggestions gratefully received.
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I can cut very thin acrylic and have done for several people in the past. 1mm or 0.5. Drop me a pm if you’re interested :)
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10mm diameter washers are available on amazon link (https://www.amazon.co.uk/AMLOOPH-Washers-Thickness-Stainless-DIN125/dp/B0C26SV12B/ref=sr_1_12_sspa)
I have used thin (possibly 0.75mm) plasticard, cut with a 9mm diameter craft punch
I have also 3d printed some for 6mm figures, but mainly because I wanted to recess the integral base on the figure
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I used small washers - the key is to find ones with a small central hole, as well as the right diameter.
The washers add some weight to the bottom of the figure which helps with stability.
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Thanks for the quick replies, very useful.
@James, thanks for that, I'm not sure acrylic is magnetic :P but if I decide to go another way I'll drop you a line.
@zemjw and Fred - excellent, I should be able to work with that
But bloody hell, tiny washers are more expensive than I thought! :o
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Those linked washers look expensive - try eBay too. I’m sure I got 100 for that price (but a few years ago)
What you do find is that 1p coins are nearly always the cheapest basing option - but they are bit big for single 10s
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...not sure acrylic is magnetic...
I've used punched-plasticard (for 6 and 15mm figs) with an embedded magnet (1.5mm dia) or -to make it 'magnetic'- a little piece of metal (I use tiny pieces of old x-acto blades - got lots of those lying around!).
Using magnets on the figs allows me to put the metal bits I want to stick them to on the terrain (or storage) rather than the other way around, which -while an either/or proposition- seemed the better/easier way to go? dunno...
...tiny washers are more expensive than I thought! :o
Be mindful of the ferrous content of such stuff. I bought a box of cheap nails to use as painting stands but the little buggers have so little iron in them that the magnets hardly hold the figs at all! :(
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You could use magnetic sheet. I base all my 6 mm (not individually needless to say) on 1mm sheet.
Another alternative are pennies. 1p pieces are copper plated steel since 1992 so are magnetic.
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The washers in that link all appear to be stainless steel, so not magnetic. You need BZP ones, which don't seem to come smaller than about 20mm.
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Might be too expensive for the freight but Wargame Accessories in Florida sell 1/2" x 1/2" sheet metal bases that would work with magnets. Used to be 50 per bag. Hmm, just checked (https://www.wargameaccessories.com/Wargame%20Products.htm#Metal%20Bases (https://www.wargameaccessories.com/Wargame%20Products.htm#Metal%20Bases)) and they are now only 25 bases for $8.50. Prices went up in the last year or so and numbers of bases per pack went down, in this case dramatically. Probably still very competitive versus washers I'd guess based on the last price I paid for washers.
Blame the cost on the commodities market and those blasted speculators who cost all of us tons of money in many directions.
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Why don't you use a small coin. We have 1 cent coins in the Eurozonling.
Don't you have something equivalent?
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0.01 euro coins. Cheep and cheerful would be my suggestion