# Magnetizing the Devastator Squad (a tutorial)



## Warlord Imp

Okay, I wanted to share my WIP on my devastator squad. I wanted to utilize all the weapon configurations in the sqaud box. This also allows the same configuration to be used in a tactical squad. Therefore, my solution was to magnetize the legs and torsos to be swiched and interchanged as needed. So, here is how I did it.

Tools used:
Stanley File Kit
Superglue

Materials needed:
Devastator Squad Sprue
Spare Torsos (from bike squad and assault squad kits)
Magnets









First, assemble your torso and legs.









Second, take your round file and make a starter hole on the top of the legs and underneath the torso. Next turn it arround so that you are using the base of your file and make the hole larger. It so happens the diameter of the base of my file and my magnets are the same size.









Third, I dry fitted the magnet in the hole again using the base of the file to hold the magnet. Be very careful not the put the magnet in all the way in as you need to make sure the polarity of your magnets are in the correct position. Make sure the hole is deep enough so the magnet will be flush/flat with the surrounding surface.









Fourth, take the legs, place a drop of super glue into the hole, and slide the magnet into the hole. Again, use the base of your file to push the magnet into the hole. Allow the glue to dry. Then, take another magnet and place it on top of the legs as shown below.








This will ensure the polarity is correct when you glue the torso magnet in place. Take your torso and place a drop of super glue into the hole and push the torso and legs together. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, slide off the torso (do not pull as the magnet may come out) and again use the base of your file to push the magnet into the torso. Allow the glue to dry. Legs and torso should look as shown below.









Fifth, assemble the torso and weapons. Notice that I used some bike squad torsos. If you do, additional work will be needed as the bottom of the bike squad torso is flat and the legs are rounded on the top.









Now, you have multiple torsos you can interchange to customize your army as a Devastator Squad or as additional unit choices to add to your tactical squads.









I hope that this tutorial will help anyone and everyone on customizing you army. There is more on customizing the sergeant and that tutorial will follow shortly.


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## Warlord Imp

Now for part two, magnetizing your sergeant. The whole procedure is the same as you can see in the photo below, my sergeant is using a powerfist and bolter. 








I am planning to assemble a torso with a plasma pistol. 

SO you may be asking why am I separating this from the rest of the squad? Well, you may have noticed that he does not have his backpack yet. Let's take a look at his back.








Yes, the same magnet is a perfect fit. I snipped of the peg for the pack and made a hole using the base of my file again. It is very important that you keep your file centered because if you are a little off...well, you can see from the photo how small the gap is left on the side of the magnet.

Now for the pack, the hole is the right size for the magnet but it needs to be flatened out so the magnet can fit flush as shown below. Again using the base of your file, flaten out the bottom of the hole. Be careful not to go too far as you might go through the entire pack.









So the finished product is shown below.

















Now, he can be used as a sergeant or you can place another devastator torso on him to function as a tactical squad unit. The possibilities of options are only limited to the number of torsos you have on hand.


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## NurglingStomper

Excellent tutorial! Ill have to try that. Plus rep fo sho!


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## The Son of Horus

Wouldn't it make more sense to magnetize the weapons rather than the entire assembled torsos, since the same basic pose has to be used with all the heavy weapons?


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## Warlord Imp

I made due with what I had. Those were the smallest magnets I could get and the diameter is larger than the arms/arm sockets. Rod magnets are long and would have to go in at an angle into the arm, thus the magnet would not be flush.

Maybe magnetizing the arms would be a better option but I had all these extra torsos laying arround but not enough legs, so I was able to use all the torsos, even the biker torsos.


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## The Son of Horus

Fair enough-- I've never worked with magnets, so if they don't actually fit that way, that definitely explains it. A shame, really-- I always thought it'd be handy to be able to swap arms for Veteran models converted from plastics so they could go from bolter to pistol and chainsword depending on the kind of Veteran I wanted 'em to be.


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## Crimson_Chin

Magnetizing the upper torsos is the best option for devastators, if you have the bodies lying around. The reason is, I magnetized arms, and there are simply TOO many pieces that are individual to each gun. You have left arm, right arm, backpack for each gun. In order to make it work you need 6-8 magnets per gun.

Trust me, I did it. Magnetizing at the waist saves a lot of hassle, saves magnets, and makes the models look better since all the wiring/tubey parts match up.


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## MaidenManiac

Crimson_Chin said:


> Magnetizing the upper torsos is the best option for devastators, if you have the bodies lying around....
> ...Magnetizing at the waist saves a lot of hassle, saves magnets, and makes the models look better since all the wiring/tubey parts match up.


Spare bodies is something all SM players will get, since Assault Marines comes with extra torsos on their sprues and some other special boxes or uppgrade sprues brings you metal torsos or extras too. Legs are always the problem, its lack of extra legs that prevents you from building "extra" marines:wink:

And yea making the waist the magnetized part will save _alot_ of trouble with swapping weapons. If you start doing this you should do it for tactical marines too, in fact for all heavy weapons in the army!
Hell I'd even consider building 2 Sternguards from plastics and greenstuff lots of things on them and give them a heavy flamer torso and a bolter one

This is one brilliant tutorial! Rep is heading your direction Warlord Imp:biggrin:


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## Warlord Imp

Thanks everyone. I was working on these guys for a few weeks and was about the start priming when I just got another Tact Squad and started to work on magnetizing them also. Since I didn't document my devastator squad, I just used the Tact Squad parts to fill-in the tutorial pics.


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## Djinn24

At work so I can not see the pics, but when I get home I will try and review and move this to the tutorial section.


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## Warlord Imp

Here is the Squad with the Sergeant using the two different Packs. Eventually, I will get another assault squad and magnetize their Jump Pack to go on my tact squad torsos.
















Comments are welcome. Thanks!


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## Lord of Rebirth

I think I would have magged the arms with smaller magnets but I like what you did. Really clean work even if magging the back pack on the sergeant seems pointless to me. XD


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## Warlord Imp

Magging the back pack allows the posibility of attaching a jump pack.k:


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## Gothminion

Warlord imp - you dont need to buy an assault squad for jump packs you can just get them on their own as bitz fr0m GW. awesome tutorial btw - I'm about to try magnetizing some jump packs so I can have another assault squad.


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## Pherion

Good idea here. Though I'll agree with other, I perfer magnetizing the arms. The way I did it, it only takes 4 magnets per guy (two for an arm, and two for the backpack.) Of corse the fact that all of my right arms will be staic and won't come off probably changes the way it's done.

Anyway, great idea if you have extra torsos.


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