Federation Commander

We've seen glimpses of people's workbenches and storage facilities, and caves for miniature building in other posts, so I'd like to ask how does everyone store their unbuilt and otherwise idle miniatures?

A big pile of metal in the corner?

Bags and bags and bags?

The original blisters?

Something else?

Obviously, some minis invariably get stored on the workbench as progress on them slows and ten accelerates, and then sometimes finished minis stay there for reference, or for a lack of a better place to put them.

I've gone to plastic storage bins. Each empire gets its own bin unless I only have a few minis for that empire, in which case, all those minis go in the "everyone else" bin.





I went this way since they're cheap (~$1.50 US each), stack easily, and hold plenty of minis. Plus, labels aren't essential, since the sides are clear I can see the minis inside for identification (though I am going to start using labels since it's easier).

I use something very similar (plastic specimen bins). They interlock and stack.

Mine can be seen here:

I have three or four of these bins for each empire...
One of which is for unbuilt miniatures.
They start out hanging on the peg board rack over the desk...
Then move to the prime / prep / base-coat counter along the back wall of he man cave...
eventually, they either go to the paint desk, or into the temporary storage container for the respective empire...
Minis in paint progress that get delayed have a special, lucite cabinet with a latching door mounted on the wall beside the desk. Partially painted minis reside there to prevent dust, dirt, and cat-astrophies...

I keep my unfinished miniatures in a box like scoutdad's. Mine are seperated by ship class. When I paint, I usually like to do one of each empire at a time. I have been planning to paint NCAs for some time. I have them primed and waiting on the bench. When I do so I will paint one for the Klingons, Lyran, Kizinti, Hydrans, and Federation all about the same time. That way I don't feel like I leave anyone out.

[EDIT: I just realized this thread was originally about unfinished miniatures, but perhaps someone might still find this useful with respect to techniques for storing finished miniatures.]

Here is my miniature storage technique.
1. I bought Sterilite REorganizer Large Clip Box cases (from Target)
2. Padded the bottom of each case with craft felt
3. Used 1" furniture foam (from HobbyLobby) and cut out hexagonal holes with a very sharp modeling knife. The distribution of holes is customized to the shape of the ships.

Also...
4. For travel only, I cover the top of the minis with another piece of 1" furniture foam.

Most of the minitures stay very secure. The Federation DD, DW and metal CA are the exceptions and tend to tip more than I like so I put extra foam around them for travel.

Note: I glue all of my miniatures to their bases.

I use a system almost identical to Dr. Cordeiro's.

Un assembled minis stay in their baggies (or go in one if they came in a clamshell) and then sit in clear plastic bins (by empire, for the most part) until their turn on the bench.

Minis that are actually "in-work" at various stages sit, bare, with 6-12 others at a similar state in plastic specimen trays.

I also usually have a "pile" of minis actually going under the tools, day to day, just sitting on the workbench.

When I am priming and painting, I have several plastic and metal racks I use for moving them around and for drying.

Now I will follow the original intent of this thread...
Here are my bins in which I store my unfinished minatures.
The grey foam is from my Border Boxes.

This is my primary bin of in-progress miniatures or miniatures that I will start soon:


This is my secondary bin. It contains damaged miniatures, not started miniatures that are farther down the queue, and a few from my high-school days that I plan to strip and repaint.