"Magnetic Bases, metal trays?" Topic

OK, so I'm going to be basing my ECW and 7YW figs individually on 20mm bases for unit flexibility, casualties, etc. The next question for me is:

1) Metal bases and magnetic trays, OR
2) Magnetic bases and Metal trays?

1) seems good in that 20mm metal bases should be cheaper than 20mm magnetic bases, and then the magnet 'paper' is also pretty cheap.

2) is nice in that the figures can be attached to any metal flat surface for transport, and metal trays should be cheap altho I don't know exactly what I'd make them from.

What say the rest of you? And if you've a preference for a manufacturor or creative way to make them cheap, please feel free to reference it.

Cheers!

I use 1, not least because the metal doesn't degrade, but magnets do – and I'd rather make new movement trays than rebase figures.

Another option is magnetic paint on the bottoms of your bases and rare earth magnets properly spaced on your tray. This allows for a wider variety of materials for bases and trays.

I prefer metal bases w/ magnetic for trays and lining storage boxes.

I figure that the magnetic sheet will lose its magnetism some time in the future. And that advanced date, it will be easier to replace the sheet than rebase my minis.

I've have both types. I have a bunch on Litko wooden bases w/magnetic bottoms on metal trays. And more recently, metal bases on plasticard trays w/stick-on magnetic sheet. I now prefer the latter method, as I can more easily construct the movement trays to sizes I want/need – and they're a bit lighter than the metal movement trays. I use Wargame Accessories for the metal bases – either 20X20mm or 20X40mm & cut in half to make 20X20mm. I also use metal washers for some figures, so then can also go on the plasticard/magnetic sheet movement trays. I haven't noticed any loss of "magnetism" on either method. Dean

1) as Phil and preston have explained.

If I want to use something like a baking sheet for local transport, around the house or such, I just go out to the garage and pull an offcut of magnetic sign material off the side of the spare fridge where I store it. Slap it onto the baking sheet and add figures.

Metal bases from Wargames Accessories here in the US. Or fender washers, as Dean says.

Movement trays I make myself--cheap, from 60-cent 12" square linoleum floor tiles from the home improvement store, cut to size; and offcuts of magnetic sheet from the local sign shop. Cost: pennies per tray.

Allen

1) for all of the reasons cited above.

I use the Wargame Accessories metal bases and prime them black at the same time that I prime the figure. This gives them a coat of paint and prevents rust. It is easy to make movement trays out of foam core and magnetic sheet. Then I transport them in plastic boxes lined with rubberized shelf liner.

I guess I am just a contrarian. I use magnetic bases and metal liners for storage and movement trays.

I also use the #2 method, magnetic bases and steel storage drawers and trays. Makes it easy to store the miniatures in various places while painting, i.e. the sides of the filing cabinet next to my painting desk.

I've had some of the miniatures on magnetic bases for a couple of decades now, with no sign of the magnets losing their oomph. I haven't done any experimenting, but I'm fairly sure these magnets can be re-magnetized if they do lose their strength.

1) If you plan to buy the bases cut to size or use washers etc. Cutting metal flat and accurate enough for bases is very difficult.

2) If you want to make everything yourself. You can cut mag sheet easily for bases and cutting large movement trays out of sheet metal is doable. Also means you can use biscuit and otehr tins to store figures.

While mag sheet can theorectically lose strength, none of mine have over the last 20 years. Just don't stick them on other mag sheet for storage. If needed, they are pretty easy to eemove and replace.

I use 12mm rare earth magnets affixed to the bottom of my 20mm square bases. Two 6mm magnets on my horse bases. cost is roughly 50 cents a fig. The way I look at it, it cost me at least $1.50 USD a fig + $8-10 for the paint job. That 20 x 20 base cost me another 20 cents or so. So I've got about $10.00 USD into each fig.

This way I can use different sized galvanized steel bases to use my figs (Gauls) with virtually any set of rules -- not to mention WAB.

I glue sheet metal to the bottom of my transport boxes and further separate figs with folded card stock so that I have rows of 10 figs. It would take a major collision to unseat these figs.

mjc

I base my 15mm syw, colonials, and ancients on metal bases then make movement trays with a layer of magnet sheet, a layer of plastic card, and a layer of the steel paper you can get from Renaissance ink. Then I line the storage box with magnetic sheet. Figs stick to the base which in turn sticks to the box for transport.

You can't dump the figure boxes around like with a foam case but as long as you keep them upright they are very secure and the figs are already on the movement trays, ready for a game.

I always use megnetic sheet on the figure bases and then either use steel boxes or normal box file slined with steel paper.

I can't say that I've seen any marked deterioration in the magnetism on the bases in the 12 years sincve I started using this method. They do somtimes get bits of grit on the bottom which can reduce the grip, but they just need wiping off. In the smaller scales the mag sheet is so powerful that I actually put figures and vehicles on the vertical sides of the box, and upside down on the underside of the lid as well without any problems.

Method 1.

I use pre-cut steel bases for all my figures and now wouldn't use anything else. Don't know where you are but in the UK I use PWS for all my bases and think both the product and the service is brilliant. 20mm squares are a standard size but Ian will do custom runs for you – much of what I buy is to my own specific sizes.

As DAF mentions just make sure you cover every bit of the steel base with paint to avoid rust.

I use #2, magnetic sheet on my figure bases and sheet steel cut to fit movement trays. See my post on your other topic for more detail.

I've been doing this for 30+ years (yes since the 1970s) and I still have some of the old figures. Sometimes the adhesive dries up and the sheet magnet comes loose from the base, but if I glue it back on it works fine. No appreciable deterioration of the magnet.

I think that's because the plastic magnetic sheet is not a single magnet so it has different properties.

I did try #1 a few years ago, sticking washers under some Warhammer figures and lining movement trays with sheets of magnet. For me it doesn't work as well -- the magnetic force isn't as strong, the washers sometimes come off, and it's hard to keep the edges of those washers painted, so it doesn't look as good. It does nicely correct the balance of top-heavy figures however.