Metal or Plastic miniatures

[Gadgetman!]

Heh....

 

Did a bit of googling and happened on 'High Temperature RTV Rubber'...  

Yeah, vulcanises at normal room temperatures, but can withstand high temperatures, up to about 330C at least for a while. 

So in theory, it's possible to cast some of the softer metals in moulds made of the stuff....   

(Probably need to go into high-Lead alloys, though)

 

 

[Dr.Bedlam]

Isn't much I can add that hasn't been said already.

METAL is my go-to for display quality and when price isn't an issue.

REAPER BONES, I tend to favor over other plastics, simply because they're usually very good quality, and because I have plenty of experience with them. Easy to convert or do head or weapon swaps, repose, etc.

OTHER PLASTICS, I tend to judge on their own merits. I am not fond of 3D printed minis, due to detail issues, although I understand they're getting better. Perhaps I will change my  opinions when they're as cheap as Bones and comparable in quality.

RESIN, again, I judge on their own merits. Hasslefree makes some splendid resin pieces, and Reaper's done a few that were excellent, but I did NOT care for GW's resin models, which were crazy overpriced and riddled with bubbles, holes, and miscasts.

HUMAN BONE, I tend to avoid; quality varies wildly... and you don't know where they've been.

[SparrowMarie]

Personally, because it's what I started on, I'm a big fan of Bones. I love that I can get neat sculpts for a reasonable price and I just enjoy painting them. The flexibility for the most part I like because if I can't reach an area I can usually bend an arm or whatever a little and am able to get to that spot.

 

I also paint a lot of plastic minis that aren't Bones. I've had mixed results with this. I think though most of that issue is how good the molds are. I definitely have some minis that look like blobs and some that look great.

 

I tried painting some metal minis like a month after I started painting and did not have very good results so I've kind of steered clear of it. Though looking back on it now I didn't properly prep them. And as I am now starting to get more metal minis I'll probably try to pick it back up and give it another shot.

 

Resin, most of all, is something I avoid. I don't like how fragile it is but for the most part the ones I have painted have great detail.

[Egg of Coot]

When I started gaming thirty odd years ago metal was the only game in town.  It remains my preferred medium for miniatures with resin trailing a distant second.  At the risk of being burnt as a witch, I'm not really a fan of Bones.  For me it is a material of last resort - if there is a Bones-only fig, I'll suck it up and get it, but only because there is no alternative.  As always, YMMV.

 

The Egg

[Pillpeddler]

My preferences are use dependant, I use my minis for gaming.  My fellow gamers make the baggage handler in the old Samsonite commercials look careful in comparison.  Therefore I often use Reaper Bones or similar products when possible.  They don't break and paint sticks to them very well if they are correctly prepped.  Large models are affordable.  I hate removing the mold lines on Bones, every method I've tried is tedious at best.

I think some metals and resins have better detail but are more easily damaged.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Pillpeddler

[Argentee]

See, removing mold lines on bone's doesn't bother me. Either a swipe with an exacto-knife or a couple swipes with a sanding needle and things are good. Mold lines on metal are a pain to me.

[Cyradis]

Metal doesn't fray with a dull knife. It burnishes. Tougher to remove hunks though. Plastic easier to deal with for sprues, I think worse for mold lines and finishing touches. 

[Lord of the Dish Pit]

I started out on hard plastic Battlemasters figures then metal, discovered Bones a few years ago. Bones took a bit of getting used to but now it is the majority of what I own, mainly due to price. Mostly though I'm not picky as to material.