What are Neodymium magnets?

They are the most powerful that exist on Earth and are made up of three main elements: Neodymium, Iron, and Boron. These rare magnets can be really small and can be purchased in disc, sphere, block, or ring shapes according to your needs. Despite being a brittle material, it has incredible magnetic strength and high resistance to demagnetization. They are found in different grades, with the N35 being one of the smoothest and most common for miniatures and modeling, and the N52 is the most powerful.

Where to buy neodymium magnets for wargames?

On the official website of Green Stuff World, you have all the neodymium magnets for wargames that you may need in packages of 50 or 100 units depending on the needs. You can find a definitive solution for your movement trays, and transport cases as well as for the magnetization of miniatures.

We have magnetic sheets to cut with scissors, as well as the same ones but already pre-cut for quick and immediate use. We also have Rubber Steel Sheets to cut with scissors to metalize surfaces where you can stick your magnets. And finally all kinds of magnetic solutions in many shapes and sizes for the bases of your miniatures in 2 forces of attraction N35 and N52, the latter being the strongest on the market.

Why use Neodymium magnets in miniatures?

To save or display all the miniatures you have, it is best to do so on a magnetic base where the figures sit and remain fixed without moving. To do this, you can insert them into the base of each of the figures so that they fit correctly.
Normally the bottom inner gap of a plastic miniature base is approximately 2mm, so we can never use anything thicker than 3mm to magnetize figures, and therefore we can only increase the diameter to be used. It is also possible to use smaller than 2mm, but you will need to put a ball of green putty between the magnet and the plastic inner gap of the base to fill in and help the magnet to set.

Magnets are widely used in the construction of Miniatures carry cases (or army boxes). These suitcases have trays with metal plates or rubber steel sheets where the miniatures are attached thanks to the magnets that we add to the bases. They are also widely used to build movement trays, which follow a process similar to that of suitcases, placing the metals on the trays and then magnetizing your minis.

What is the difference between N35 and N52?

The denominations N35, N42, N52, etc... refer to the qualities of the material used in its production. The higher the value of "N", the more powerful it will be.

In modeling, N35 is usually used as the minimum attractive power and N52 as the maximum possible on planet Earth. The difference between the N35 and N52 is about 25% more power of attraction. If you put them in a pile and bend them at an intermediate point with your fingers, it is even possible to notice the difference in strength between 2 of them of the same size, but with a different degree "N".

How to create a magnetic base for your miniatures?

The most important thing to create a movement tray is to use the right combination of metal plate and magnet.
We always recommend gluing a rubber steel sheet that can be cut with scissors on the movement tray. The trays can also be found in our online store.

Once you have the movement tray with its rubber steel sheet, then we can use 4 types for figures:

- Adhesive vinyl (fridge magnet type) is used to hold light plastic figures that move as a block. Cheaper option.
- 3x2mm are used to hold medium plastic miniatures to their transport bases.
- 5x2mm are used to hold lead or metal miniatures to their transport bases
- 8x2mm are used to hold very heavy miniatures to their transport bases

How to attach Neodymium magnets to miniatures?

Attaching them to your figures can be a great way to make your miniatures more versatile and interactive. They can be used to connect the miniatures to metallic surfaces, as well as to other miniatures parts such as arms, weapons, horses, etc..., allowing for dynamic and customizable gaming experiences.

For that, you will need: 

• Hobby Hand Drill to make the holes to hide them. 
• Instant CA glue to be able to work fast and securely.
• Sandpaper or a file to rough up the surface of the miniature base where you will attach the magnet. This will help the glue adhere better.
• Green Stuff Epoxy putty to improve grip as well as to the level and fill excessively large voids. 

Once the glue is completely dry, your miniatures will be ready to use. You can experiment with different magnet sizes and strengths to find the best combination for your gaming needs.

To improve the gluing to the inner parts of the plastic bases of the figures, we recommend following the steps below:

1. Mix the two-component of epoxy putty, for example, green stuff putty, and create small balls to fit between the base and the magnet without protruding.
2. Make a mark with paint/permanent pen on the same face of all of them to know where each pole is at each moment.
3. Place a drop of cyanoacrylate in the center of the putty and place a magnet on each one.
4. Place a magnet on top of each green putty ball, and press the base against your desk so that the magnet sinks in and is placed flush with the edge of the base.
5. Let dry and you already have your figures and the movement tray totally magnetized.

In our online store, you have a wide variety of N35 and N52 in different sizes that you can adapt to the size of your figures and your bases.

What is the difference between a neodymium magnet and a ferrite magnet?

Ferrite versions are traditional, less powerful and do not have a silver coating, and can even loosen small particles during handling. These types are easier to oxidize and have much less attractive power than neodymium magnets.

Neodymium magnets are manufactured with a coating of copper and nickel that gives them that striking silver color but does not prevent them from being very brittle. They can become small enough to be used in the assembly of figures, models, and miniatures, which is why they are widely used in wargames.

Are neodymium magnets harmful to children?

It is important to know that they are not toys, no matter how they are sold. They are dangerous items for children and therefore you should keep them away from them.

When ingested, they can stick to each other through the stomach or intestine, causing internal ruptures or fistulas, creating perforations in the intestines that could even cause death. They have been banned or limited in many countries due to their danger if they are not adequately controlled.

However, its proper and controlled use by an adult does not pose any danger to health.