Tiny Magnets, Big Difference: What Worked for Our Dwarf Weapon Swaps
We had one of those very practical hobby chats recently — the kind that starts with a simple question and ends with a useful little lesson for future builds.
This time the topic was magnetising dwarf weapon options and, more specifically, a question many of us have probably asked at some point:
are these magnets actually big enough?
The question: hero or regular trooper?
The conversation started with Stas asking whether the model in question was a character or a regular rank-and-file dwarf, and then immediately getting to the real hobby issue:
which magnets did you end up using?
That was followed by a very relatable problem report:
the magnets he used were probably too small, because they held only weakly and the arms rotated too easily.
Honestly, that is exactly the kind of thing that sounds fine in theory when we are planning a conversion, and then becomes obvious the moment we dry-fit the piece for the first time.
What worked here
End3r’s answer was reassuringly straightforward: it was a regular dwarf, not a hero, and he used the smallest magnets he had — 2x1 mm.
And the interesting part is that these tiny magnets were good enough in the right situations.
According to his experience:
- for small, single-point elements like a shield or a small axe, they worked perfectly,
- for larger two-handed weapons, where you need to line up two contact points, the result was only so-so for now,
- but that seems to be more a matter of practice and alignment than a total failure of the magnet size.
That feels like a very useful distinction. Sometimes the issue is not just magnet strength, but also how demanding the join is.
Single connection vs double alignment
This is probably the biggest takeaway from the exchange.
A small magnet can be completely fine when the part has:
- low weight,
- a single connection point,
- and not much leverage working against it.
That is why a shield or a one-handed weapon can sit nicely even on a small 2x1 mm magnet.
But once we move to something like a two-handed axe, the challenge changes. Now it is not only about whether the magnet holds — it is also about whether both arms and weapon line up cleanly at the same time. That introduces a lot more room for tiny positioning errors.
So if a two-handed setup feels awkward, it does not automatically mean the magnets are too weak. Sometimes it is just a trickier assembly.
Why bigger is not always better
The obvious reaction is: fine, just use bigger magnets.
And sure, that may help with larger weapons or bulkier parts. End3r also pointed out that bigger magnets would probably be useful for larger weapon options or larger components.
But there is an important limitation here, especially with dwarfs:
there often just is not enough space for a larger magnet.
That is a classic issue with smaller infantry models. We would all love the security of a chunkier magnet, but if the wrist, shoulder, or hand connection is tiny, there is only so much material we can drill into before the whole thing becomes more trouble than it is worth.
Our practical takeaway
Based on this little discussion, our rule of thumb would be:
- 2x1 mm magnets are enough for dwarf-sized infantry weapon swaps when the part is small and connects in one place,
- two-handed weapons are more demanding, and success depends not only on magnet strength but also on precise fit,
- larger magnets may be worth considering for bigger weapons, but model size can make that impossible,
- and with compact models like dwarfs, going too big is often not an option anyway.
Most importantly: if your magnetised arms rotate too easily, the problem may indeed be that the magnets are too small — but it is also worth checking whether the part itself is just difficult to align, especially when two points need to meet at once.
Final thought
We like these small hobby exchanges because they save time, frustration, and unnecessary drilling on the next project. Sometimes the best tip is not a grand technique, just hearing that someone else tried 2x1 mm magnets on dwarf infantry and got solid results on the smaller options.
So if we are magnetising shields, one-handed axes, or similar bits on dwarfs, tiny magnets can absolutely do the job. For bigger, more awkward weapon setups, we may just need a bit more practice — or a bit more room than the model is willing to give us.
If you have had similar experiences with tiny magnets on infantry models, we are always happy to hear what sizes worked for you.