Bones: Frequently Asked Questions - Unofficial!

[OneBoot]

I use the Medium and Fine, and found they work just great. I got some of the Coarse ones, but oddly enough they really don't work all that well. The Fine ones seem to be the best for removing any "fuzzies" left over afterwards.

 

Huzzah!

--OneBoot :D

[Magnus Mercury]

The Fine ones seem to be the best for removing any "fuzzies" left over afterwards.

 

Neat; I'll try to find some fine grit needles and see how that works for me.

 

I've had a hell of a time trying to get rid of said "fuzzies" without making a bigger mess... definitely the most challenging part of Bones in my experience thus far!

[Wren]

Are you filing in a back and forth motion? That seems to make more fuzzies. What's worked better for me is to file in one direction, then finish up by very lightly filing in the opposite direction to remove fuzzies.

[Wayne Rogers]

I wonder if Dull-Cote could work as a primer?

[Wren]

If you read the first coat article that's also pinned up here, you'll get more info and pictures on my experiences with Dullcote. Yes, it works in the sense that it makes it easier to paint over. However, if you are planning to put your figures to use at all, my advice is to not use it. In my durability tests, the figure 'primed' with Dullcote experienced significant damage compared to all others, and it appears that once you get some damage on one primed that way, the paint has a greater tendency to continue peeling and flaking off than with figures that are unprimed or primed in other ways.

[Froggy the Great]

I can report that Minwax does NOT cure over unprimed Bones, but if you prime with Testor's White (it does cure eventually, but takes a couple days) you can dip the figure in Minwax and wipe off the excess. What's left will cure in a day or two. If you do not wipe off the excess, you're looking at a week or more for a full cure.

 

In regards to durability, my orally-fixated cat has been unable to damage Kaladrax's tail even after prolonged gnawing, but she was able to sever a Bonesium sword in the five seconds she had before I removed her from the painting desk.

[wreichlein]

I know that climate does produce different results with spray primers, so that being said, I'm in the Pacific North West. I have found that here, I do need to prime my Bones, and of all the primers that I have tried (Krylon Fusion, Krylon Paint + Primer, and good old fashioned Games Workshop Chaos Black), only the GW spray cures fully here. The Krylons stayed tacky for over a week, until I soaked in Simple Green and sprayed again with the Chaos Black.

[Slendertroll]

Being in the PNW (my home when I'm not away at school) shouldn't affect the need for primer, though it might very well affect the way different primers behave. The reaction between paint and mini should be pretty much unaffected by climate, though aerosols are known to be heavily affected.

[mikem91]

I wonder if Dull-Cote could work as a primer?

 

I'd try matte medium before dullcote - it's grabby without any talc.

[LittleBluberry]

We're in the PNW and haven't had any problem with paint straight on the Bones. (Okay, metallics don't behave as a first coat, but that I can work with.) We do scrub them well with a toothbrush and dishsoap, then rinse very well. Reaper HD does stick better than MSP, too.

[Dontfear]

Has anyone else noticed how paint takes on a gloss finish on bones when heavily using a glazing technique? I never used matte varnish on my peices as I like to paint for display but I find it to be necesary for bones.

[Grim]

We're in the PNW and haven't had any problem with paint straight on the Bones. (Okay, metallics don't behave as a first coat, but that I can work with.) We do scrub them well with a toothbrush and dishsoap, then rinse very well. Reaper HD does stick better than MSP, too.

Hrm. I actually did a base coat of steel mixed with black (a dull steel color to build up from) and it went on fine. Possibly mixing in another color helps the metalics stick.

[spencerjohn]

OOPS I BAKED MY BONE IN THE OVEN!!! (This may have been covered elsewhere.)

 

So I got an earth elemental figure and couldn't get the poor guy to stand up, soooo I made a sculpey base for him,but its wrapped around and over his broccoli base. I put him in the oven for half an hour at 275 degrees. I had primed him with Army Painter white before all of this so he went into the oven primed with spray primer.

 

He came out of the oven really, really flexible. I ran him under some cold water after reposing and hes perfect now. I had not planned on reposing him or I would have had a pot of cold water ready. I would probably not do this on a regular basis, but it was kinda neat.

[OneBoot]

Ah, yeah, doing that on a regular basis would probably be a really bad idea. I've no idea what gasses Bones or primer might put out when exposed to dry heat that high, but it probably isn't good.

 

Glad to hear that everything worked out in the end, and that nothing bad happened to you or anybody else.

 

Huzzah!

--OneBoot :D

[WolfLord]

I'm just getting around to painting some of my Bones and was wondering if anyone had tried Army Painter's matt varnish on a finished mini and what was the result.