"Using ring magnets for flight stands" Topic

I'm looking for some advice on how to use ring magnets and steel ball bearings for flight stands. I want to use them for 3mm aircraft. Should the width of the magnet be the same as the diameter of the ball bearing, i.e., if I use a 1/8" diameter ball bearing, should I be using a 1/8" thick ring magnet or a 1/16" ring magnet? I want to be able to show the planes climbing/diving/rolling.
Thanks!

I've done this for years. Although I have not experimetned a lot, I think that the size of the hole in your ring magnet is most important. Using a larger hole will allow the ring to seat better on the ball. The only problem I see usually comes from the aircraft sliding along the surface of the ball.

The system I've got has 1/4" steel balls mounted on the flight stands and some sort of disk magnet (1/8" x 1/16" or 3/16" x 1/32" usually for my 1/300 planes). Between these two as a coupler I place a 3/16" x 3/16" barrel magnet with a 1/16" interior diameter. This does a pretty good job of supporting most 1/300 WWII fighters and showing pitch and roll. It will not hold 1/300 bombers (even twin engine) or bigger 1/300 jets like the F4 while showing pitch and roll. The bombers are not a big deal. They are seldom pitching much anyway, so I have flat topped stands to hold those in level flight.

Next time I order magnets I plan to get some different size barrel magnets and see if using a larger interior hole will give me better purchase on the ball atop the stand.

Thanks! I have a bunch of disc and barrel magnets laying around already--I think I'll try your method.