"molds?" Topic

is there somewhere that I could purchase say a mold of a 6mm Sherman, Panther, T-34 ? kinda like the versions used by the Axis & Allies board game? I have been saving the spare puter taps from micro armour I purchased in the last ten years by putting it in a small box. The box is full and on a whim I weighed it and found I have 7.5 lbs. of pewter. I was thinking of melting down and making for myself some 1/300th scale tanks but could not figure out if there are molds for those on the market and figured I would ask the kind folks here for help. I gotta do something with this scrap pewter.

I'm pretty sure there are no molds for sale at this scale for any WWII / modern microarmor. If you are creative, you can make your own. If you just want boatloads of basic tanks, the CinC Axis and Allies bundle is a good deal. I've bought them before and had more Chi-Ha tanks than I could possibly ever use. Fortunately, I was able to sell most of them.

Even GHQ micorarmor tanks are fairly inexpensive, when compared to larger scales. I think they're $9 USD for 5, and the quality is great. If you really need dozens and dozens, and are inclined to do so, making a 1:285 or 1:300 model tank wouldn't be that hard. You can sculpt in sculpey clay or in greenstuff or even balsa wood. There are online tutorials for making simple molds using RTV silicone.

While it is possible, unless you're in need of lots and lots of vehicles, and have lots of time, it is probably not cost effective to do so. When you include the cost of moldmaking supplies, release agents, emergency room visits (just kidding), and such, your real cost will likely end up being a substantial fraction of the cost of professionally cast figures.

Unless you're a remarkable artist, your sculpt will not be up to the level of detail that GHQ, CINC, or even Irregular can muster.

Now, there is a certain coolness to casting your own figures, and I've done it and am richer for it in a personal wholeness sense. You'll walk taller than other men of the same height. Women will find themselves attracted to you in a way even they won't understand. It is the same effect you get when you make your own home-made pie crust. In a pocketbook sense, though, it is near lunacy unless it is something you cannot buy elsewhere for a reasonable price.

Irregular miniatures makes among the most inexpensive 6mm tanks here: irregularminiatures.co.uk/.
Their tanks are .5 GBP or about .80 USD each, plus shipping.

There is a company called xeno games that sells axis-and-and allies style plastic pieces. Hasbro may sell pieces as well as replacement components. Eagle games sells them, too at this link link

I once made a bunch from wood scraps. The trucks and half-tracks came out well, the tanks were a bit blocky.

Good luck with your project.

Jim

Perhaps sell the pewter to one of the microarmor companies? Or trade it for more miniatures?

Yep recycle the metal if at all possible, if you cant get it to a manufactuer easily might be a local scap metal merchant around who will pay you a little for it.
Casting tanks will take some work but you can easily make latex moulds to cast something you can make easily, like bunkers, shell holes etc maybe even game markers like smoke etc
L