Stupid question... Do you use a fixture, stand or base when painting?

[Otyugh 706]

During my attempt to escape the darkhole called YouTube, I witnessed many devices to secure a mini to while working on it.

 

Being a barbarian, I just use my big mitts. The concept of a device for handling my mini during processing is wondrous but foreign.

 

I was most impressed by one made by Rathcore (a turned 3 part wooden pedestal with a rotating hand support, that under further investigation runs around 20€). Most people used wine or Champaign corks (material comes free with a delicious beverage).

 

What is your go to for working on your minis, and how does it help you?

[ManvsMini 13384]

I make my own. This is what it looks like.

 

All the detail about it in this thread.

[haldir 42641]

I use empty or almost empty Tamiya paint cans & double stick foam tape for my painting figure needs. I've got big monkey-like paws so the cans are perfect for me to hold. For my small parts stuff I've got alligator clips on bamboo skewers (home-made) that I stick in a large foam block.

 

[WhiteWulfe 40469]

I tend to use Motrin bottles, since we slowly go through them here in the house apartment. They fit well in my paws, and lids are removable, which let's me cycle through whatever project I'm working on. 

 

Eventually I plan on picking up a Game Envy handle or three, because those have brush rests on them.  I might also pick up a turned handle (WarGrip) from ThunderdomeDru (ThunderdomeWargrips on Etsy), because I like the look of them. 

Edited November 14, 2020 by WhiteWulfe

[Cranky Dog 30826]

Used to be pill bottles with poster tack. But the bottles were either too small or too large for my hand size

 

Then I got a Citadel paint handle.

 

It works if you have a standard round base. Square ones take more room and may slip, and larger bases need an extra adapter. It's iffier for Bones broccoli bases.

 

During ReaperCon 2019, I got one of those Hobby Holder type 3D printable paint handles that uses screw on bottle caps with poster tack and is my favorite.

It allows me have multiple projects at the same time, where I just unscrew one piece for another instead of ripping one off the pill bottle's poster tack again and again.

[WhiteWulfe 40469]

^speaking of Game Envy's handles.. 

 

I totally forgot I also use a Citadel paint handle, it does well, but the springs very slowly start to stretch, and it doesn't hold bases as strongly over time. 

[Otyugh 706]

Thank you @ManvsMinifor the link to the thread. There were hints, lots of information, and even a meth lab.

 

Do you only use the peanut butter jar lid to steady your working hand? I tend to perform contortions and colourful language when attempting to paint my minis while I am accidently fouling up another part of my work.

 

 

 

 

[Otyugh 706]

@Cranky DogThe Citadel base looks really cool, but my wallet is screaming in tormented agony at the thought of me hitting up the GW website... It would be useful for the hordes of gobbos still in my work queue.

 

I should get a 3D printer one of these days. That screw on hand rest would look awesome in alien green or clear bubbly lager yellow...

[Glitterwolf 202454]

I usually just use my hands, I also have the GW miniholder @Cranky Dog showed.

Sometimes I pin a mini on a cork, but overall I still use my hands...

[Otyugh 706]

@WhiteWulfeThank you for your comment on the Citadel paint handle. It would be annoying for a mini to become kamikazes, and maybe even damaged, because of underpowered springs.

 

Looking at some of my nearly empty lye bottles, and maybe this one might do:

@haldirI like the idea of alligator clips (without the feather tassels) attached to wooden skewers go small parts or minis. I still have scads of epic minis to paint, and most of those get covered by my sausage fingers when I am painting them.

[haldir 42641]

1 hour ago, Otyugh said:

@Cranky DogThe Citadel base looks really cool, but my wallet is screaming in tormented agony at the thought of me hitting up the GW website... It would be useful for the hordes of gobbos still in my work queue.

 

I should get a 3D printer one of these days. That screw on hand rest would look awesome in alien green or clear bubbly lager yellow...

 

Shockingly, the Citadel handle is price pretty reasonable for GW.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Otyugh said:

@WhiteWulfeThank you for your comment on the Citadel paint handle. It would be annoying for a mini to become kamikazes, and maybe even damaged, because of underpowered springs.

 

Looking at some of my nearly empty lye bottles, and maybe this one might do:

@haldirI like the idea of alligator clips (without the feather tassels) attached to wooden skewers go small parts or minis. I still have scads of epic minis to paint, and most of those get covered by my sausage fingers when I am painting them.

 

They make them now is packs by various Japanese model companies now. When I did mine there wasn't any listed. If you want to DiY, look at Harbor Freight. I saw the other day pack of alligator clips that I may get to refresh my sticks someday.

 

[ManvsMini 13384]

1 hour ago, Otyugh said:

Thank you @ManvsMinifor the link to the thread. There were hints, lots of information, and even a meth lab.

 

Do you only use the peanut butter jar lid to steady your working hand? I tend to perform contortions and colourful language when attempting to paint my minis while I am accidently fouling up another part of my work.

 

For the brush hand, yes, I mainly use it to steady my hand, I can use it for that in most orientations that I spin it. There should have been a pic of me doing that in the linked thread.

 

But steadying the brush hand was a secondary goal, the main purpose was to design something for my holding hand that didn't require me to squeeze something narrow (too many hand problems to do that) and with a base that couldn't be knocked over easily when I wasn't holding it. It works well for me, I can alternate between various ways of holding the entire thing. Really takes the stress off that hand for me.

[Otyugh 706]

@haldirHarbor Freight is a dangerous toy store. Things are more than reasonably priced, but it is so easy to need so many things from there it negates the savings on the item that was the original reason for the visit.

 

Harbor Freight is a truly evil organization whose goal is to deplete your hard earned savings.

@ManvsMiniThe pet & family proofing is a great added bonus to your solution!

 

Unfortunately all my peanut butter jars contain assortment of nails, bolts, screws, nuts and other fasteners.

 

Guess it is time to go to Aldis. Nothing better than indulging in peanut butter spoons.

[ManvsMini 13384]

9 minutes ago, Otyugh said:

@ManvsMiniThe pet & family proofing is a great added bonus to your solution!

 

Unfortunately all my peanut butter jars contain assortment of nails, bolts, screws, nuts and other fasteners.

 

Guess it is time to go to Aldis. Nothing better than indulging in peanut butter spoons.

 

We always have peanut butter on hand here in the house, so it works for me. But you can use other jars. For larger figures where the mini was too wide for the jar's mouth, I made a couple from those big square M&M plastic containers that you can get at Sam's Club (they are also the type of plastic jar that have replaced glass jars for pickles, or that you can get normal peanuts in, if you know what I am talking about? The jar opening is about 4" wide in diameter).

 

Use whatever you've got. I'd caution against using glass jars, simply because if they fall it's a mess and semi-dangerous, but you could use those if necessary.

 

Only step I don't remember showing when making those is that with the peanut butter brand I use (JIF) the inside of the lid has a tiny circular raised portion about 1/4" in diameter. The dowel doesn't sit flush to the top of the lid, so I had to take a drill bit and just drill a shallow hole into the dowel so it fit over that "nipple" on the lid. No problems after that. Other pb brands may not have that.

[Cyradis 52254]

I use wine corks or pill bottles with either poster tack, a pin, or hot glue to secure the figure. Using a handle is one of those bits of advice that was game changingly good. Never again mangling a figure with my grubby mitts all over it.