Lena Rivera
Painting miniatures is a fun hobby that welcomes painters of all skill levels. However, painting miniatures can be challenging, especially when it comes to holding the miniature while painting it. Many people use their fingers, but this can be irritating when you need to paint the lower half of the miniature. To solve this problem, some people use sticky tack or blue tack to attach their miniatures to wine corks, plastic cups, or pill bottles. Others use hot glue to attach their miniatures to wine corks or the bottoms of old containers. For larger miniatures, some people recommend using a clamp or vice with pegs to hold the base. In addition to holding the miniature, it's important to use a primer to help the paint stick and avoid flaking or chipping. Spray primers designed for miniatures are often the best choice, as they spray in a finer mist and are less likely to fill in the details of the miniature.
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What You'll Learn
Using sticky tack to hold miniatures
Stick With It is a brand of poster tack, which is a type of adhesive putty used to hold lightweight objects in place. It is often used for mounting posters or other lightweight objects to walls or other surfaces without damaging the surface or leaving residue.
Now, for using sticky tack to hold miniatures, there are several methods that people have found success with:
Using Sticky Tack with a Wine Bottle Cork
One popular method is to use sticky tack or blue tack (a similar product) with a wine bottle cork. You can buy wine corks at a craft store, or simply drink some wine and save the corks! The cork provides a stable base for the miniature, and the sticky tack holds the miniature securely in place on top of the cork. This method is especially useful for spray painting, as it gives you plenty of space to grip the miniature and the weight of the bottle makes it easy to set down if needed.
Using Sticky Tack with a Pill Bottle
Another option is to use sticky tack with a pill bottle. This method is similar to the wine bottle cork method, but it provides a smaller, more compact base for holding the miniature. The pill bottle can also be easily gripped and manipulated to get the perfect angle for painting.
Using Sticky Tack with a Beer Bottle
A variation of the above methods is to use sticky tack with a beer bottle. This provides a similar benefit to using a wine bottle in terms of weight and stability, but with a different shape that may be preferred by some people.
Other Tips and Tricks
In addition to the above methods, there are some other tips and tricks that people have found useful when using sticky tack to hold miniatures:
- If you are concerned about leaving residue on your miniatures, you can place a piece of paper between the sticky tack and the miniature.
- For heavier miniatures, consider using Scotch Indoor Mounting Tape instead of sticky tack. It provides a stronger hold but may be more difficult to remove.
- If you are looking for a long-term solution to hold your miniatures in place, consider using museum wax instead of sticky tack. It is nearly clear, so it doesn't show, and it doesn't harm finishes or paint.
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Drilling holes and using paperclips
To hold miniatures while painting, one can drill a small hole in the bottom of the miniature, such as through the foot, and glue a paperclip or toothpick into it. The other end of the paperclip or toothpick can then be inserted into the handle of an X-Acto knife or pin vise. This provides a handle to hold the miniature while painting and can be easily removed when finished.
For pinning miniatures to their bases, a small hole can be drilled into the bottom of the miniature and the corresponding spot on the base. A paperclip or pin can then be inserted into the hole and glued in place. This method ensures that the miniature is securely attached to its base.
When drilling holes for paperclips, it is important to use a drill bit that is the same width as the paperclip. This can be checked by holding the paperclip in front of the drill bit and ensuring that neither is visible through the other. It is also recommended to start with a small drill bit and gradually increase the size until the desired hole size is reached. This gives more control over the drilling process and helps to ensure that the hole is the correct size.
In addition to paperclips, other materials can be used for pinning miniatures, such as veneer pins, panel pins, or toothpicks. These can be cut to the appropriate size and glued into the drilled holes.
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Gluing miniatures to a wine cork
Preparing the Wine Cork:
- You can buy wine corks at any craft store, or you can collect them from wine bottles. Make sure the corks are clean and dry before using them.
- If you want a better grip, consider gluing the wine cork to a hunk of wood. This will give you a larger and more stable base to hold onto.
Gluing the Miniatures:
- Use a hot glue gun to apply a small amount of glue to the bottom of your miniature. You can also use other strong adhesives like superglue, but be careful not to use too much, as it might spill onto the visible parts of the miniature.
- Quickly attach the miniature to the wine cork, holding it in place for a few seconds to ensure a strong bond.
- Allow the glue to dry completely before handling the miniature again.
Additional Tips:
- If you don't want to use glue, you can also use sticky tack or blue tack to attach your miniatures to the wine cork. This is a less permanent option and allows for easy adjustment.
- For larger miniatures, you might need to explore other options, such as using a pin peg holder or a clamp with pegs.
- Always be careful when handling hot glue guns and other sharp tools, and make sure to work in a well-ventilated area.
By following these steps, you'll be able to securely glue your miniatures to wine corks, making the painting process much easier and more enjoyable.
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Using primer to make paint stick
Using primer is essential to making paint stick to your miniatures. Without primer, paint may not stick at all, or it will chip and scratch easily. Primer adheres to a new surface and prepares it to receive paint. It increases the durability of your project and gives you an even and uniform space to work on.
There are a few things to keep in mind when priming your miniatures. Firstly, not all primers are the same, and not all miniatures are made of the same material, so it's important to read the labels of both your primers and miniatures to ensure they are compatible. For example, resin miniatures are particularly finicky, and some propellants and solvents in spray primers may react badly with certain materials.
Secondly, the amount of primer you use is crucial. You want to use just enough primer to cover your miniature in an even layer so that the paint will stick. Using too little primer may lead to chipped paint, while using too much may cover up fine details and create a surface that is too smooth for the paint to adhere well. Thin coats of primer are best, as they give a slightly rough surface to the miniature, which paint sticks to better than a shiny, smooth surface.
Thirdly, when priming, it's important to control the air and paint flow to avoid build-up in the nozzle. Spray in short bursts, and always follow the instructions on the can, including the recommended distance to hold the can from the miniature and how long to shake the can before spraying. It's also a good idea to test your spray can before using it by spraying upside down until no more paint comes out, ensuring an even flow.
Finally, remember to prime outdoors whenever possible, as primers contain chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled. Temperature also plays a significant role in how well your primer performs, so avoid extremely hot, cold, or humid conditions. For low temperatures, consider using brush-on primers instead of spray primers to avoid issues with sticky coats or uneven textures.
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Magnetising miniatures to a handle
Stick With It is a brand of paint sticks for miniatures. Paint sticks are used to hold miniatures while painting them. Some alternatives to paint sticks include using blue tack, sticky tack, or hot glue on wine bottle corks, old pill bottles, or chessex dice containers.
- Plan your customisation: Decide which parts of the miniature you want to be interchangeable, such as the arms, heads, or weapons.
- Choose the appropriate magnet size: Consider the weight and balance of the parts to ensure the magnets will hold them securely.
- Prepare your tools: Gather a hand drill or pin vise, safety glasses, a hobby knife, tweezers, super glue, and magnets.
- Drill holes: Using a drill bit that matches the diameter of your magnets, carefully drill holes into the marked points on your miniature. Ensure the depth of the holes matches the thickness of your magnets.
- Clean the holes: Use a hobby knife to clean up any rough edges or debris around the drilled holes.
- Test the magnets: Before gluing, place the magnets into the drilled holes to ensure they fit properly and adjust if necessary.
- Glue the magnets: Apply a small amount of super glue to the magnets and insert them into the holes using tweezers. Be mindful of the polarity to ensure the parts attract rather than repel each other.
- Let it dry: Allow the glue to dry completely before handling the miniature or attaching any parts.
By following these steps, you can effectively magnetise your miniatures to a handle, enhancing your wargaming experience and opening up a world of customisation possibilities.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to stick miniatures to paint them. One way is to use sticky tack, which is sticky enough to hold the miniature in place but not so much that it will tear the paint. You can also use blue tack, which is similar to sticky tack, to stick the miniatures to cardboard or wood. Another option is to drill a small hole in the miniature and glue a paperclip or toothpick into it, which can then be placed in a handle for an X-Acto knife or pin vice.
Primer helps paint stick to miniatures by providing a surface for the paint to adhere to. This prevents the paint from flaking, chipping, or moving around as it dries. It is important to use a flat or "matte" primer, as well as to avoid spraying too much primer which can fill in the cracks and fine details of the miniature.
Sticky tack can be used to create a handle when painting miniatures, making it easier to hold the model and preventing paint from being rubbed off by sweaty hands. It can also be used to cover glue joints when painting a miniature in parts, as well as to mask off areas of the miniature that you don't want to paint.
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