"Easy to make metal bases (for magnet trays) in USA" Topic

what substance and store should I hit to make my own metal bases in the GW size range (25x50mm cav, 20x20mm infantry).

I've heard of people buying metal cutting scissors and sheets of tin, but never attempted this. And the bases will be on magnetic trays, so should be a metal that is magnetic!

Don't even try. Unless you have access to a metal fabrication shop, you won't get the sizes consistent, and the rolling action from the shears won't give you bases that lie flat.

Mr. Natural sez: "Get the right tool for the job!"

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Allen

Allen has it right--cutting sheet metal is very difficult without a quality metal shop shear. I buy high-quality steel bases from Wargames Accessories:

wargameaccessories.com

Matt Beauchamp
Hydra Miniatures
hydraminiatures.com

I back, Hydra.

All of the miniatures I transport are backed with Wargames Accessories metal bases.

I also have a small number of miniatures with 1" round bases that have 1" round sheet magnets on the bottom and that I store in a toolbox. I got the 1" round cutter at a Scrapbooking store and the toolbox at a garage sale.

-W

"I got the 1" round cutter at a Scrapbooking store…"

Got mine at Michael's. But as on the other thread, I use it to cut magnetic sheet and stick it on "skirmish" trays for figures that are mounted on steel fender washers. But Will's technique sounds good, too.

Allen

I kind of do the hybrid method. For 20x20 bases, since you get the same number of 20x20 bases in a pack as the 40x20 bases, I buy Wargames Accessories 40x20 bases & cut them in half. With a pair of heavy shears, you can get a single reasonably straight cut.

OTOH, when I buy the 40x40 bases & cut them in half for my Warmaster units, 1 corner does get bent a bit by the cutting, so I have to spend a few minutes to bend them back.

I do the same thing with WA 40X20mm bases, but only because I ran out of 20X20mm & my local gaming store only carries the 40X20mm. I have good pair of metal shears, but even then the metal curls enough that I end up hammering the bases flat afterward (I think I've lost some of my hearing doing it – those old-time smithies surely had to be deaf). As Allen points out, it's almost impossible to get them the exact size. And, as everyone else has already mentioned, get the stuff already cut if you can. As far as magnetic sheets, I get mine at JoAnn's. They have smaller ones with adhesive backing & larger ones withouth, but I can carefully peel the plastic backing off & "super glue" them on the trays. Regards, Dean

I use to cut my own bases by hand but the cutting process bent the base so I then had to hammer them flat, followed by smoothing the sharp edges, then washing off any oils on the metal with petrol.

I worked out the chances of losing a finger during the cutting or hitting by finger with a hammer against paying a few cents per base from Wargames Acc. Needless to say I am now looking at rebasing all my existing stuff with Wargames Acc stuff.

Don't even bother just buy pre-cuts.

You dont have to buy from wargames accessories though -- there are other companies that do bases.

Personally, I found the local sheet metal shop (they do guttering, large fabrication, etc.) They stated thay could cut most shapes for $10 USD plus metal. But when I asked how much to cut 1000 40mm x 30mm rectangles they quoted me a price too good to pass up on! Unfortunately, their cutting wasnt 100% consistent -- they are +/1 0.5 mm on the base dimensions. But I stack the bases up, remove the largest ones, and use the rest are close enough.

I put magnetic tape on the bases of my figures; this is the older style plastic magnetic sheet, like business card magnets are made of, but thicker. It is adhesive on one side, I stick my base on it (sometimes augmented with superglue), and trim flush with a hobby knife.

For GW-style movement trays, I use the standard plastic movement trays, but cut a steel insert for it. Sheet steel (often sold as "tin") can be gotten in sheets for HVAC ducting or as roofing shingles (they are a convenient size). It cuts with a tin snips, which is not an expensive tool -- I have a couple.

I prep the sheet steel with a wire brush and solvent so it takes paint fine. I haven't found a glue I'm 100% happy with for sticking it into the movement tray; now I generally use hot glue because if it comes loose later, the glue peels off neatly without marring anything. It actually sits pretty nicely in the tray without glue.

I tried using sheet steel by itself as movement trays; it is thin and hard to grip (edges have to be dulled too) and it flexes a little and it alternately gets stuck or slides on textured paint surfaces and is generally a pain. Plus I can't flock the edges of the trays.

I also tried drawers with sheet steel liners as a storage and transport system; figures would shake loose when my car went over bumps. So I use foam-lined transport trays now.

Nick, what was the price from the machine shop?

Wargames Accessories charges:

19mm x 19mm 36 for $5.00 USD (14 cents/ea)
1"x2" (25mmx50mm cav stand) at 24 / $5.00 USD (20 cents/ea)

which doesn't seem too bad.

Effectivly the same as wargames accesories, but I didnt have to pay postage. (Postage is considerable as I am in Australia)

I got my bases from Wargames Accessories, and they were just fine. Quick delivery, and so far all the bags have a few extra bases in them, which is certainly the right direction in which to err!

OK, for some infantry, but not cavalry, I've gone the metal washer route. I like the rectangular metal bases from Wargames Accessores for the infantry but since horses are rectangular, putting two washers under one just looks odd to me. Follow my other thread for a great washer source, only 2 cents apiece!

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