l33tpenguin
Mongoose
mthomason said:
Ohhh.. I like it. Though I hope that the continue to produce metal minis as well as plastic. I'm rather found of metal and wouldn't want half my fleet ending up in plastic.
Plastics
- Thread starter Reaverman
- Start date
Ohhh.. I like it. Though I hope that the continue to produce metal minis as well as plastic. I'm rather found of metal and wouldn't want half my fleet ending up in plastic.
Sidewinder: I use several different master making methods, most commonly
I will find a size I want to make, locate appropriate size metal washers at the local hardware store, I then silver solder two washers together for extra thickness and heft in the as cast base. I then sculpt whatever detail and final shape I want into the master using Magicsculpt a two part epoxy product out of Carmichael, California, USA.
This product is far superior to green stuff in all catagories :smoother, can be sculpted thinner cures literally rock hard, can be drilled sanded etc. once cured. The most important quality is that Magicsculpt handles the extended heat of the mold vulcanizing process without breaking down.
Magicsculpt is available in quantities from a small test sample for $5.ooUSD to one hundred pound containers.
Then you must have the proper mold making and casting tools as well as the knowledge of working with them and casting molten metal alloy at 600-750 degrees F. It is a lot of fun but not the safest aspect of the hobby.
Another process involves the use of high temperature resistant RTV which allows for direct casting when cured byut doesn't involve high temperature vulcanizing,
Sorry for such a lengthy reply, Hope it helps. :twisted: :twisted:
I will find a size I want to make, locate appropriate size metal washers at the local hardware store, I then silver solder two washers together for extra thickness and heft in the as cast base. I then sculpt whatever detail and final shape I want into the master using Magicsculpt a two part epoxy product out of Carmichael, California, USA.
This product is far superior to green stuff in all catagories :smoother, can be sculpted thinner cures literally rock hard, can be drilled sanded etc. once cured. The most important quality is that Magicsculpt handles the extended heat of the mold vulcanizing process without breaking down.
Magicsculpt is available in quantities from a small test sample for $5.ooUSD to one hundred pound containers.
Then you must have the proper mold making and casting tools as well as the knowledge of working with them and casting molten metal alloy at 600-750 degrees F. It is a lot of fun but not the safest aspect of the hobby.
Another process involves the use of high temperature resistant RTV which allows for direct casting when cured byut doesn't involve high temperature vulcanizing,
Sorry for such a lengthy reply, Hope it helps. :twisted: :twisted:
One thing I've heard about plastic molds as opposed to metal is that while the metal is conciderably cheaper to produce they also last only a fraction of the life of a mold for plastics...Case in point, the AoG molds are already falling apart...
Basically the economics came down to demand in that the higher up front cost, longer life span, and cheaper materials mean that plastics are only economical for long term, high volume sales...
As for conversion, yes you can make conversions with metal minis but they are generally much harder to do...Heck, I've got the tools to do plastic and even "green stuff" conversions but nothing to cut cleanly through metal...
And incidentally a lot of GW plastics are expensive because they are including the up front cost in the price rather then spacing it out some...And then there are others which are simply priced based on the importance of the model in game terms (characters models cost more then an almost identical squad leader which cost more in turn then the basic trooper)...That's one thing that's always bugged me about GW pricing...No more or less effort went into designing it and they are almost identical in production costs...
Sorry, the last part was a little rantish...
I didn't vote because the option I would choose would be "only the most common models for each fleet" which includes fighters and usually a couple of ships (probably 1 Patrol, 1 Raid/Skirmish, 1 Battle)...
Basically the economics came down to demand in that the higher up front cost, longer life span, and cheaper materials mean that plastics are only economical for long term, high volume sales...
As for conversion, yes you can make conversions with metal minis but they are generally much harder to do...Heck, I've got the tools to do plastic and even "green stuff" conversions but nothing to cut cleanly through metal...
And incidentally a lot of GW plastics are expensive because they are including the up front cost in the price rather then spacing it out some...And then there are others which are simply priced based on the importance of the model in game terms (characters models cost more then an almost identical squad leader which cost more in turn then the basic trooper)...That's one thing that's always bugged me about GW pricing...No more or less effort went into designing it and they are almost identical in production costs...
Sorry, the last part was a little rantish...
I didn't vote because the option I would choose would be "only the most common models for each fleet" which includes fighters and usually a couple of ships (probably 1 Patrol, 1 Raid/Skirmish, 1 Battle)...
deathlynx said:
Heh. I bought an Assassin back when they were ridiculously expensive. YOu paid twice as much for a 1 or 2 piece assassin as opposed to a squad leader that was a multi-part model with a sprue of plastic add-ons...
Seriously, I'd love to see ACTA plastics, even if they're a weird chunk of the product line. Of course, I've also argued for a true '2nd edition' at some point in the future. Maybe the 2nd edition box set could be a mix of the new 'starter set' featuring two armies, but with full rules and a selection of plastic minis.
I wouldn't complain about a few stealth resculpts being added in... Like the wonderful Hyperion/Avenger hybrid I've seen posted here.
And, of course fighters... And I just managed to get a shipment of Thunderbolts and Starfuries in (Insert joke about LBH having them all here), but I still could sue some Nials and that's not counting the fleets I'd like to build.
Shadow Queen
Mongoose
Ok Fighters and Capital Ships like the Victory and the super carrier Persidon should be plastic of something lighter so it is easyer to handle
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Shadow Queen said:
Nooooo!!!! You can't make the VCD a lightweight!!!!
LBH
Shadow Queen
Mongoose
lastbesthope said:
Mine fell and landed on my big toe that has an ingrowing nail ...wouldnt it be nice if LBH could have the pain
lastbesthope
Mongoose
"Pain doesn't hurt!"
LBH
(Name that movie)
LBH
(Name that movie)
Greg Smith
Mongoose
lastbesthope said:
It would save your shelves from collapsing under the weight of unassembled metal.
OK, follow up question:
Would people want plastics to begin a process of 'size normalization' with effort expended to bring sizes more in line? I.E. more accurate scale between capital ships. (Although I think fighters would still be oversized unless they were made miniscule.)
Would people want plastics to begin a process of 'size normalization' with effort expended to bring sizes more in line? I.E. more accurate scale between capital ships. (Although I think fighters would still be oversized unless they were made miniscule.)
prelude_to_war
Mongoose
Yes.
But, for a fleet that I already owned (EA for example) that would depend on price and quality of the sculpts.
But, for a fleet that I already owned (EA for example) that would depend on price and quality of the sculpts.
Shadow Queen
Mongoose
mthomason said:Greg Smith said:lastbesthope said:
It would save your shelves from collapsing under the weight of unassembled metal.
And the assembled unpainted metal
Yes folks, it's "lets gang up on LBH" day!
No Matt everyday is pick on LBH day
emperorpenguin
Mongoose
Chernobyl said:
I don't remember that line, I do remember the classic "I ain't got time to bleed!" :lol:
lastbesthope
Mongoose
Chernobyl said:
They should put that in the next Mongoose Calendar :lol:
LBH
