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Mini Stands
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Atrox7
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 30

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:39 am    Post subject: Mini Stands Reply with quote

Does anyone do anything to give the bottom of the plastic mini stand more weight?
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djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the mini needs it, I epoxy small lead fishing line weights (which I pound flat with a hammer) into the bottom recess. Others epoxy heavy steel washers to the bottom of the stand.
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Scoutdad
Commodore


Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been known to add lead weight to the bottom of some of the stands for balance issues. As with Will, I used to use lead fishing weights for this... but now I've found a better solution. The local tire center will give me a box of their old, used wheel weights. I cut a piece of these off, pound it flat, and glue to the base of the stand.

Another thing I do, is to fill in the underside of the stands with Testors brand contour putty to provide a flat surface and then I cut a hex-shaped piece of "Presto-Felt" and glue to it.

* Presto-Felt can be obtained from any local hobby store and is a sheet of felt with an adhesive coating on it.
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Scoutdad
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Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One other thing I have done:
Quite often, I have acquired Battleship or Dreadnought minis through ebay that have not come with the metal stands. On these, I have been known to use the standard plastic stand - but hen glue the whole unit to a Battlemech hex base. The lead hex bases for the 'Mechs has a recessed area that is exactly the same size as as the standard, plastic stand from ADB.
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OGOPTIMUS
Captain


Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 980

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've used plastic stands on Fed DN miniatures, both the one from ADB and the more generic circular ones from that unnamed British Company. I find it very useful to drill into the stand (if you're careful you don't need to cut off the top thinner peg that goes in the hole-just drill right through it) and pin the mini to the stand. It actually doesn't even require glue if you make the hole on the mini a bit deeper. That way the mini stays on the stand and you don't have to glue it and run the risk of it breaking off.
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Mazza
Lieutenant SG


Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 114
Location: Brisbane, Australia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whenever I have a model which can't stand up on its base, whether it is a ship or a figure for other games, I glue an Australian 5 cent piece to the bottom. They're a good shape because they can be pushed into one corner but still cover most of the bottom of the base.

A dab of superglue on the echidna on the "tails" side works nicely. I couldn't possibly put superglue on Her Majesty's face on the heads side!

Try small coins. At first it might sound insane but unless you already have some appropriately shaped weights, it is probably cheaper than going out and buying them. And just think of how much you are spending on miniatures in the first place. Very Happy
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Steve Cole
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Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 3828

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I need the balance, I just glue the stand to a big thick steel washer. I have to go to Home Depot or Lowes and dig around in the bins to find one the right diameter and as thick as I can find.
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jmt
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 394
Location: Plano, TX

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To address tipping issues, I've found that gluing a piece of stiff clear plastic (like that found in the blister packs) to the base and extending it in the direction the mini tends to tip to work well. Being clear means it doesn't affect the look and doesn't require the sacrificing of legal tender or bits of metal to be glued under a base.
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Mazza
Lieutenant SG


Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 114
Location: Brisbane, Australia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The coin or washer under the base is under and inside the base and thus doesn't affect the look of the models either.

Reading your post I think you mean some plastic which extends out from the base of the model, but which is transparent? Don't you find that gets in the way especially when you use the miniature for gaming?
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CyrDraconis
Ensign


Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've done the same thing as Scoutdad for some of my wobblier ships - stick the regular base to a Battletech hex with a bit of filler in the hollow. Had to go back and paint the extended bases, but if it keeps a front-heavy BC from nosediving on the table, I'll take it. Probably going to do the same thing for any monsters I pick up.
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Scoutdad
Commodore


Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Battletech hex bases also work well for the larger minis... Battleships, Andromedan Domintors, etc. Anything wiht a lot of lead that gets a bit wobbly when that much mass is lifted up and over a light-weight base.

One other things I've done...

I picked up some flight bases from a different company (I dumped them all in the base box, so I can't remember the company name) that were constructed identical to ADBs hex base... but the shaft that supports the mini was 1/2 the length of the regular flight base. Using this shorter base with the heavier, larger ships also gives a bit more stability.

and, you can put two minis in adjacent hexes w/o them bumping if one is on a short stand and one is on a regualr stand.
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jmt
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 394
Location: Plano, TX

PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mazza wrote:
The coin or washer under the base is under and inside the base and thus doesn't affect the look of the models either.

Yes, you can; depending on the type of base and the underlying plastic.

Quote:
Reading your post I think you mean some plastic which extends out from the base of the model, but which is transparent? Don't you find that gets in the way especially when you use the miniature for gaming?


Yes, and no. The plastic is thin enough that you can actually slide it under another miniature w/o toppling over the second mini. Given the area of the base, there usually isn't that much sticking out (maybe a 1/4 inch on one side).
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markgeorgetwo
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Posts: 372
Location: london england

PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:29 pm    Post subject: post subject Reply with quote

There is, a few i use steel washers about the same size has the base. this is handy has i keep some miniatures in a box file and use magnetic strips on the bottom of the box. also there is a firm that supplies both in the uk but i can not rember it.

I also use fishing leads and where i fish for carp i use like a lead putty that also does the same job.
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malleman
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Posts: 307
Location: Lafayette, LA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was wondering how do you prepare you mini stands?

1. I sand the flash off first. Next I superglue the base to the T peg, leaving a little bit of the T peg above the stand to sand down.

2. I then sand the top of the stand smooth.

3. Next I use Tesors plastic cement to coat the base. The plastic cement melts the stand to the T peg nicely.

4. Finally, I sand it down again and wash the stand. After that I give it a nice coat of Wal-mart black.

5. If the stand is not smooth (no visable seam) at the top after the spray, I repeat processes 2-4 until it is.

Sometimes I do use greenstuff in order to fill in any gaps if there are any (whcih happens mainly with the metal T pegs).

Using this process, I can get my stands to look as though it is all one piece without seams.
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djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I should be more elaborate like that, but I'm not.
I epoxy the T-peg (metal or plastic) into the stand base. Once the epoxy cures, I dremel it and the legs of the T-peg reasonably flush with the base top. If there's really bad gaps or holes, I'll through a little 2-part putty in them, but not all the time. I'll also sand a little bit if there were any really bad scratches or other problems but again, not always.
Once it's attached to the mini, I brush-coat the stand in flat black acrylic (which also gives me the opportunity to hide any excess epoxy glue on the mini's stand hole area.
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