magnets

[trek3159]

okay,......how do you go about using rare earth magnet on two-piece ships? Do you paint over them, putty over them, leave them shiny....? What about gluing them in? ( let me think a while and I'm sure I'll come up with more questions. The reason for my asking is I would like to keep the saucer separation on the OS Titan as a functional option....

[MEATLOAFr]

best bet is to have something between them when holding ship together, they can be brittle and break if they snap together by themselves.

if using styrene, put them on the inside of the model.

Another tip - to save some money, use only 1 magnet and a metal washer on the opposite side

[trek3159]

Thanks for the washer idea, MEATLOAFr, I was wondering if two together would be too much. Now I guess I gotta find some small washers....

[Tesral]

Depends on the size of the magnets. The bigger they are the more they really need to have separation. Inside the styrene, buried in epoxy on resin, and so forth. Past a certain size you can't separate them if they touch.

[trekriffic]

Past a certain size you can't separate them if they touch.

Ain't that the truth. Even the tiny baby aspirin sized ones take some real effort to pry apart if you stack them together.

[Moongrim]

I'd also recommend trying out the magnets upon various types of styrene and epoxy for attachment. I've had one set of magnets adhere at first with a two part epoxy with no problem (at first) and then suddenly there was a reaction that both softened the styrene and made my magnets deteriorate.

Ruined everything. So, as above- maintain a good distance between the magnets- but also prior to setting the magnets into wherever you wish to place them- coat them with some kind of clearcoating agent. (Nail Polish) before fixing them into place- and double checking that they'll endure.

[trek3159]

Hmmmm, yeah, these lil suckers are something on the order of 6mm, I think

[trek3159]

Okay... 6 x 1.5 mm

[TonyG2]

I haven't used them on any Trek kits. The kit of the NSEA Protector came with a detachable bridge section that could be connected to the ship using magnets supplied with the model and it works really well. One magnet embedded in the bridge and one in the hull. The strength of the magnets is such that the plastic in between didn't impair the strength by which the parts were held together.

I used a drop of superglue to hold them in place but also capped over the molded socket with a piece of sheet styrene for extra security. I haven't seen any sign of the plastic being affected. That being said, I seem to recall that Pegasus might make their kits from ABS as opposed to styrene and perhaps that makes a difference. I do recall I used Plastic Weld adhesive on the plastic parts as opposed to my usual Humbrol liquid poly....

I have also used magnets to connect components of Games Workshop models. Specifically the engines on the Hammerhead gunship where I managed to break the connecting plastic lugs that allowed the engines to rotate for take off etc. I drilled holes in the engines and boy and inserted the magnets held in placed with superglue and capped over with a piece of styrene sheet. Again has worked fine.

Great idea about the washers though. Will have to try that.

[trek3159]

should I put them in more than one location? like, say, the front of the saucer and one at the rear? never used magnets is why I ask.