Magnetic Paint

More appropriately: magnetically receptive paint. That was my latest experiment. I read about magnetic paint on The Miniatures Page where someone was using it and painting the bottoms of cardboard boxes to use for soldier storage. So, I had to go out and get some to try it.

I bought Rustoleum's version and gave it a try. I followed the directions painting a thin coat on, letting it dry, then painting another. No luck. Added a third and still no luck. The magnets that I use just weren't strong enough to stick, so I set aside the paint and the plastic storage tubs.

Well, it has started getting really hot here in Arizona (100°F days) so I decided to give it one more go. This time I poured a thick coat - something it tells you not to do - and let it bake in the sun. Success! It is thick enough for the magnetic to react to and the sun baked it hard in a reasonable amount of time.

I now have a storage system of shallow plastic boxes with clips to hold on the lid, which fit nicely into shoulder carry bags and each box's bottom coated in magnetic paint. All of my troops (in the future) will use 3mm thick Litko Aero laser-cut plywood bases with magnetic sheet glued to the bottom. Each box can typically store two small DBA armies or one larger DBA army.

I'm still looking for a storage box for my 40mm Napoleonics, as they are so much larger than my 15mm troops that their bayonets and plumes rise above the tops of the storage boxes. Don't want them too tall, however.