Magnetic building platform

A friend at our RC club started using a magnetic building board instead of the traditional pinning method. He shared his insight and I decided to try this out when building the Chicken Hawk. After researching the topic I found several web pages and instruction videos on the topic, and here is what I ended up using for the build:

  • 12"x24" galvanized sheet metal that I purchased at the local hardware store for $12
  • 24x square magnets with metal plates. This type is used for cabinet doors and are sold in bulk on places like Amazon for a 24x (73c a magnet) or 100x count (46c a magnet)
  • All for about $30
I attached the sheet metal to the lower half of my 24"x24" building board and started my build. This picture is of the bottom part of the left wing, sheeting, spar, and ribs held firmly down while glue is drying.


I would recommend getting the magnets with the metal plates on them. The plates are removable and seem to align the magnetic field when a stronger hold is needed. I also use four Neodymium magnets (the odd-shaped ones in the picture above). These came from hard drive motors.
These two web sites are good resources for studying the method "The magnetic building board" and "Make a magnet building system"


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