Large Scale Central

Keeping figures standing

Modeling Figures
#1

A club member asked me about keeping figures standing on a moving train. Without thinking it through, I said “magnets.” Then I thought “What have I done?”

Went home and tried it out. Now, if I want figures standing in vestibules or car platforms, I simply glued a steel plate (thin, like gutter flashing) to the feet of the figure. (I used Goo, we’ll see how it holds up.) when the glue dried, I placed the figure on the platform, then placed (not stuck) a small magnet on the underside of the platform. Magnetism holds the plate against the floor. Then when you want to remove the figure, replace it etc, there’s no harm done to the car OR the figure.

The metal base also provides much better support for the figure than just two feet stuck in the dirt!

#2

Dick,

Have you tried silicone, just a small dab?

#3

that sounds like a very good idea to me.
no more leftovers of glue at former figure placements.
thanks for that idea.
(on a less serious note… sitting figures.
just put a metalic plate below the seats, and drill tem a bigger a… hole, that can take a small magnet?

#4

That is a great idea Dick.

#5

Out here in “shakeyland”, you can buy silicon for the purpose of keeping small objects from falling off shelves during an earthquake, objects such and beer steins, statuettes, cups and saucers, etc. Comes in a small bottle, not expensive, and it works.

#6

I did something similar with magnets. I found 1/8" diameter magnets on Ebay. Drilled holes in the feet of my figures (no anesthesia). Then glued the magnets in the holes. I placed small pieces of sheet metal on station platforms, etc. The figures stay in place nicely. That is until my grand daughter decides that her arrangement would be better.

#7

Gee, I dunno if I am attracted to this idea.

It does seam to have some metal.

I can see where it could have some pull.

But I am not sure if I could get my mind in flux with putting magnets in my people’s feets.

#8

Thought of putting the magnets in people’s feet, but feet are too small. Might work with the puddles some figures have. But I like the looks of the painted metal base, and the fact that I can put figures most anywhere. When I get back home, I’ll take some pix.

#9

Why not put small metal tack in feet and magnet in the ground or under floor. Maybe silicone as mentioned.

#10

Use BluTak or WhiteTak .

Mike

#11

Glue is too permanent for what my friend needed. He needed a temporary (on purpose) fix.

Small tack if steel or iron is a really good idea! Wish I’d thought of that. Will try it out when I get home.

#12

Dick Friedman said:

Thought of putting the magnets in people’s feet, but feet are too small. Might work with the puddles some figures have. But I like the looks of the painted metal base, and the fact that I can put figures most anywhere. When I get back home, I’ll take some pix.

I’ve stuck magnets in some Preiser folks. It’s a bit tricky, but if you first drill a 1/16" hole, then drill the hole out with the 1/8" drill, it works well.

#13

Dick, if you dont mind to have visible foot-plates:
the belt-holsters for celular phones have very flat magnets for closing the flap.

glue two of those to a figure and any washer or other metal below.

#14

So what exactly is wrong with using Blu Tak ?

Mike

#15

Mike Morgan said:

So what exactly is wrong with using Blu Tak ?

Mike

Brittleness in cold weather?

#16

Ross Mansell said:

Mike Morgan said:

So what exactly is wrong with using Blu Tak ?

Mike

Brittleness in cold weather?

Ross ,

It certainly hardens up a little when cold , but does not lose its grip .

In hot weather it softens and becomes more tacky , so still grabs on .

I’ve used it for holding printed circuit boards on the underside of carriages , holding batteries in Radio Control Cross Country 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 , they get a heck of a walloping and are not all gravity assisted sitings .

I also used it on a servo to hold it in place , but it was not hefting anything heavy . Surface area of servos helps , even the 1"x1/2" .

It’s also useful for hanging up tools that have no convenient hanging part (razor saws , etc.,) , and right now there are 4 highlighting pens stuck on the wall in front of me along with my mascara pens and nail varnish (guess) .

Blutak has to be applied correctly for it to work . Therein lies most of its problems .

Mike

#17

At Michael’s (a craft store) last Sunday I found the flat magnetic sheets that are used to make refrigerator magnets out of your grand children. Er, photos of your GC.

It’s much flatter than the magnets, and lets you put the magnet on top of your ground. It’s flat black, and won’t hold as well as the ceramic magnets, but is a better solution (to me) if you’ve got lots of people, animals, etc., to put in one area. I’ll try to get some pix this weekend in Roseville, at the Roseville Railfair at Placer County Fairgounds.

#18

Hi

I liked your idea of magnets for holding things in place so I started looking for magnets.

I found these that would fit into the feet of my figures and will use a larger one on the underside to keep them in place.

They are small, very powerful and reasonably priced.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200Pcs-3mm-X-1mm-Neodymium-Disc-Super-Strong-Rare-Earth-N35-Small-Fridge-Magnets-/361094738351?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5412ec71af

what are your thoughts?

Bill

#19

Has anyone thought about closing the club car? :wink:

#20

Bill Ewing said:

Hi

I liked your idea of magnets for holding things in place so I started looking for magnets.

I found these that would fit into the feet of my figures and will use a larger one on the underside to keep them in place.

what are your thoughts?

Bill

I wouldn’t use two separate magnets. Then you would always have to be concerned about polarity, and of course you would want to do them all the same (i.e., all figures with a N down and all cars with a S up) so any figure could be used in any car.

I would probably use one magnet and a cut down nail (for the head) and not worry about this potential problem every time you do another.