Leman Russ Magnetization Guide

Full guide

This article explains how to magnetize the Leman Russ model using our magnetization kit. You will be able to use the end model as any of the Battle Tank, Demolisher, Executioner, Punisher, Vanquisher, Exterminator, and Eradicator variants available in that box.

Please follow the normal assembly instructions that come with the plastic kit; the steps below cover only the magnetization.

To keep track of magnet polarity we use a set of Magnicator tools. We refer to a magnet's polarity as "red" or "blue," after the Magnicator end that is attracted to that magnet's surface. If you do not have those tools, use another method to track polarity, for example mark one face of a large spare magnet and reference it every time you place a magnet.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through all of the steps in magnetizing your Leman Russ Battle Tank using our easy-to-use Magnetization Kit.

Magnetized Leman Russ Battle Tank with the Battle Cannon turret, built with our magnetization kit

The kit comes with a set of 35 magnets.

Magnets

Shape	Size	#
Disc	3mm x 4mm	22
Disc	4mm x 1mm	1
Disc	4mm x 4mm	3
Disc	5mm x 1.5mm	1
Disc	5mm x 2mm	1
Disc	6mm x 1mm	1
Disc	6mm x 2mm	1
Disc	6mm x 2.6mm	1
Disc	6mm x 3.5mm	1
Cylinder	3 x 11.5mm	3
Total		35

Tools For this guide you will need

Leman Russ magnetization kit: every magnet and part this guide uses.
Thick or gel super glue, such as Maxi-Cure Plus: glues each magnet in place without running the way thin CA glue does.
Magnicators V2: show which face of a magnet is red or blue, so every pair attracts.
Needle files or sandpaper: clean up a hole or socket so the magnet sits flush.
Hobby knife or clippers: remove parts from the sprue and trim the areas the steps call out.
Drill bits, 3mm, 5mm, and 6mm: the bit sizes the steps drill with.
Small Hand Drill: holds bits from 1mm to 3mm and turns them by hand.
Large Pin Vise: holds bits from 0.5mm to 8mm and turns them by hand.
Drill Bit Small Metric Bundle: supplies the 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, and 3mm bits.
Drill Bit Medium Metric Bundle: supplies the 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm bits.
Masking or painter's tape: marks the 2mm drilling depth on the 3mm drill bit.
Permanent marker: marks the BLUE end of the 6mm x 1mm magnet before it goes into the Battle Cannon hard point.

Step 1 The easy part

Simply build your lower hull, treads and body of the Leman Russ Battle Tank as listed in the manual(s) provided with the model, completing steps 1-8 (in the Leman Russ Demolisher Manual) or steps 1A - 2E (in the Leman Russ Vanquisher Manual).

Basically, stop when your tank looks as follows.

Leman Russ lower hull, treads, and body built to the point where magnetization begins

Step 2 Magnetizing your sponsons and front hull mount

Magnets Used

Size	#	Where
3mm x 4mm	18	Back of each sponson and hull weapon
4mm x 4mm	3	Each sponson drum, including the front hull mount

Our Engine-seers have decided that since the cost of the Tank already includes sponsons, they will be welded on once built and magnetized. This guide does NOT include instructions to magnetize the sponson TO THE HULL, only to magnetize the weapon options.

Once you have built the sponsons to this point

Leman Russ sponson built up to its drum, ready for the magnet

Using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool, glue a 4mm x 4mm magnet into each sponson drum (including the front hull mount), as close to the middle as possible.

4mm x 4mm magnet glued into the middle of a Leman Russ sponson drum

Using the flat end of a 5mm drill bit, I glued the magnet in place as the Magnicator Tool will not fit into the sponson drum.

Flat end of a 5mm drill bit pressing a magnet into a sponson drum

You will need to repeat this step for each sponson drum including the front (hull) mount as well.

Once your magnets are in place within the sponson drum, you will need to begin magnetizing the individual weapons. Begin by clipping the back of each weapon off, making your cuts as flush as possible.

Sponson weapon with the back clipped off flush, ready for drilling

Second sponson weapon with its back clipped flat for the magnet

Each weapon will be modified in this way. You will then drill into the now-flat back of each weapon using a 3mm bit. Using masking or painter's tape, measure the length of the 3mm x 4mm magnets that will be used, marking your 3mm drill bit at a depth of 2mm. This will ensure that the magnet is properly secured within the weapon and will sit flush once attached to the sponson of your choosing. For the purpose of this photo, I used a stop-collar for my drill bit, and a 2mm magnet as the depth guide.

3mm drill bit with a stop collar set to 2mm depth, a magnet used as the guide

BE SURE TO DRY FIT EACH BEFORE GLUING TO VERIFY PROPER DEPTH

Once all weapons have been drilled, use the RED end of your Magnicator Tool to glue a 3mm x 4mm magnet into the back of each sponson weapon.

3mm x 4mm magnet glued into the back of a sponson weapon

Several sponson weapons with magnets glued into their backs

Magnetized sponson weapons ready to attach to the sponson drums

After you have magnetized the sponsons and their weapons, you can complete the next step of the manual build, gluing the sponsons onto the tank hull, securing them in place.

Magnetized sponson glued onto the side of the Leman Russ hull

Leman Russ hull with sponsons and front hull mount in place

Step 3 THE BIG GUNS!!!

Magnets Used

Size	#	Where
3mm x 4mm	2	Plasma Cannon and Demolisher Cannon interiors
4mm x 1mm	1	Plasma Coil turret attachment
5mm x 1.5mm	1	Back of the Punisher Gatling Cannon
5mm x 2mm	1	Turret stowage piece
6mm x 2.6mm	1	Rear of the turret's internal housing
6mm x 3.5mm	1	Front of the turret hard point

Now's the part we've all been waiting for, the SHOOTAS! ... Sorry, not sure what came over me. Won't happen again.

We will be building and magnetizing the Executioner turret first; this will consist of the Plasma Executioner, the Punisher Gatling Cannon and the Demolisher Cannon.

Executioner turret with Plasma Executioner, Punisher Gatling Cannon, and Demolisher Cannon options

DO NOT FULLY BUILD THE TURRET - STOP AT (DEMOLISHER) STEP 12A

Starting with the upper turret construction, you will need to decide if you want to have an open with crew or a closed hatch. Once you have made your choice, use the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool to glue a 6mm x 2.6mm magnet into the rear of the turret's internal housing.

6mm x 2.6mm magnet glued in the rear of the turret internal housing

Next you will glue and place a 4mm x 1mm magnet using the BLUE end of your Magnicator tool into the interior of the Plasma Coil turret attachment.

4mm x 1mm magnet placed inside the Plasma Coil turret attachment

Plasma Coil turret attachment with its magnet glued in

Plasma Coil attachment held on the rear of the turret by its magnet

After this, glue and attach a 5mm x 2mm magnet into the interior of the turret stowage piece, using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool, repeating the steps that were used with the Turret Plasma Coils.

5mm x 2mm magnet glued inside the turret stowage piece

For the front of the turret / weapon hard point, you will need to drill through the turret mount. Using a 6mm drill bit, drill through the front facing center of the turret hard point, drilling through the front only. Once you have done this, dry fit your 6mm x 3.5mm magnet for sizing, using the RED end of your Magnicator Tool. Then glue the magnet flush into the newly drilled hole.

6mm hole drilled through the front center of the turret hard point

6mm x 3.5mm magnet glued flush in the front of the turret hard point

Once the hard point has been magnetized, you can glue the part into the turret housing (or leave the part loose within the turret housing).

Magnetized hard point fitted into the Executioner turret housing

DO NOT COMPLETE DEMOLISHER STEP 14 UNTIL MAGNETS ARE SECURED

Plasma & Demolisher Cannons

Plasma Executioner cannon option for the Executioner turret

Demolisher Cannon option for the Executioner turret

Using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool, align a 3mm x 4mm magnet into both the Plasma and Demolisher Cannon interiors, gluing them into place (as pictured below). This process is repeated for both weapon options.

3mm x 4mm magnet glued inside the Plasma Executioner cannon

3mm x 4mm magnet glued inside the Demolisher Cannon

Punisher Gatling Cannon

Glue the parts of the Punisher Gatling Cannon together. Once the glue is set, you will need to gently drill the back of the cannon, using a 5mm drill bit.

Only enough to bore out space for your 5mm x 1.5mm magnet to sit flush.

Dry fit for depth correction.

Back of the Punisher Gatling Cannon drilled with a 5mm bit

Using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool, glue the 5mm x 1.5mm magnet into the Punisher Gatling Cannon, securing it in place.

5mm x 1.5mm magnet glued into the back of the Punisher Gatling Cannon

Punisher Gatling Cannon held on the turret hard point by its magnet

You may now complete Demolisher Turret Step 14 as listed in the manual.

Step 4 The Main Guns!

Magnets Used

Size	#	Where
3mm x 4mm	2	Left and right sides of the standard turret
6mm x 1mm	1	Battle Cannon hard point
6mm x 2mm	1	Battle Cannon barrel
3 x 11.5mm cylinder	3	Through each cannon hard point

Next we will go through how to magnetize the next turret, which we will call the STANDARD. You will be building and magnetizing this turret's hard point and its options as pictured below.

Standard turret with its hard point and cannon options to magnetize

DO NOT COMPLETE STEP 6 IN THE VANQUISHER MANUAL. LEAVE ARMOR PANELS OFF OF THE TURRET

First you need to magnetize the hard point for the standard turret. Using your 3mm Drill Bit and Pin Vise, drill through the spot pictured below.

Spot on the standard turret side to drill with a 3mm bit

Once you have drilled through one side of the turret, guide the bit across the open gap of the turret front and drill through the next hard point mount as well as the other turret side.

3mm bit guided across the turret front gap to drill the opposite side

Once you have done this, use the RED end of your Magnicator Tool to insert and glue a 3mm x 4mm magnet into the hole drilled on the LEFT side of the turret, making sure the magnet does not enter the hard point gap.

3mm x 4mm magnet glued into the left side of the standard turret

Once the LEFT side is magnetized, you will repeat this step on the RIGHT side of the turret, using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool to glue a 3mm x 4mm magnet in place.

3mm x 4mm magnet glued into the right side of the standard turret

COMPLETE STEP 6A IN THE VANQUISHER (STANDARD) INSTRUCTIONS

This will place the armor panels on the turret sides, covering the holes you drilled to insert magnets.

Standard turret with armor panels covering the drilled magnet holes

For each cannon option of the standard turret, you will need to fully build each respective cannon. For the Battle Cannon, only build the hard point portion (build the 2 barrel options but do not glue them into the hard point).

Standard turret cannon hard points built, Battle Cannon barrels left loose

Once all of the cannon option hard points are built, you will clip off the pegs on either side of each hard point and using your 3mm bit, drill completely through each. You MAY need to drill from either side to ensure that your drilled hole is level. You will do this for all options for this turret.

Cannon hard point with pegs clipped off and drilled through with a 3mm bit

Using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool, insert and glue a 3 x 11.5mm cylinder magnet into the RIGHT side of each hard point as pictured below.

3 x 11.5mm cylinder magnet going into the right side of a hard point

Cylinder magnet glued through a cannon hard point

Standard turret cannon hard points with cylinder magnets fitted

Next you will need to drill down the middle of the barrel of the Battle Cannon hard point using your 6mm drill bit. Once you have done this, using the BLUE end of your Magnicator Tool and a permanent marker, mark the end of a 6mm x 1mm magnet. Then using the flat side of your drill bit, insert the 6mm x 1mm magnet into the hole you've just drilled into the Battle Cannon hard point, gluing it into place.

6mm hole drilled down the middle of the Battle Cannon hard point barrel

6mm x 1mm magnet marked with a permanent marker before gluing

6mm x 1mm magnet pressed into the Battle Cannon hard point with a drill bit

You will then gently drill into the connecting end of the Battle Cannon barrel with your 6mm drill bit, boring out space to fit a 6mm x 2mm magnet. Dry fit the magnet to ensure proper spacing and depth before using the RED end of your Magnicator Tool to glue the 6mm x 2mm magnet in place. The Magnicator Tool should be flush.

Connecting end of the Battle Cannon barrel drilled out with a 6mm bit

6mm x 2mm magnet in the connecting end of the Battle Cannon barrel

Battle Cannon barrel attached to its hard point by magnet

The Vanquisher Barrel will not need to be magnetized as the parts are a snug push fit.

Vanquisher barrel push fitted into the Battle Cannon hard point

In the Leman Russ Battle Tank model kit, you are only provided 1 shield for the Standard turret, this is a dry fit piece that can be swapped between the Battle Cannon, Exterminator Auto-Cannon and Eradicator Nova Cannon. Do NOT glue the shield piece into place.