"Miniature Holders for Painting" Topic

I have seen many people use poster tack to hold a miniature to a bottle for easy painting. Recently I have seen a few companies release a product made to hold a mini whether it was with the poster tack or being held by the product.

I wonder for those people who base their minis on metal bases like washers, has anyone tried to use magnets to hold the mini to a bottle or something like that?

All of this is just over engineering a solution to a non-existant problem. I base my individual 28mm figures first, then use the base to hold them while painting. Static grass and other decorations still come last of course.

Mk 1 fingers work fine for me.

Tongue depressors and white glue, 4 or 5 to a stick. Assembly line.

Champagne corks and white glue.

Most of my figures are on multiple bases, easier to paint them first.

Ivan, not everyone paints 28mm and not everyone bases single figure to a base so your solution wouldn't be workable for them.

I use various thicknesses of 150mm pcs of 2mm MDF end on. A single thickness for 2/3mm, double for 6-10mm and triple for 15-20mm. The other edge is single width to fit into a slot in a tipping frame. I can slide, tip & rotate the strip or hold it in a hand – max flexibility. Allows much faster painting for 10mm & down and even a bit better for larger figures.

RKE Steve – I have recently switched to the GameCraft mini holders. I have used poster tack and magnets on washer based figures. I will say that, hands down, the poster tack works much better. The whole point of the holder is to be able to turn and hold the figure sideways (or upside down) more easily while painting. Unless you want to go to a rare earth magnet, the figures move around too much for my tastes. Easier to use poster tack.

I tried holding a fig by its (circular) base to paint but my hand cramped up. I switched to alligator clips. Works on figs with a slotta base or molded on base. Sometimes you have to cut the base thinner so the clip can grab but it works really well!

I haven't tried with magnets yet. Right now I white glue my washer based minis to old paint bottles or home made stands (hand rail cut and glued to a 2x2 mdf square. I've used poster tack but the mini started working loose. The system you describe, I'd probably go with the the company that also makes the stand holder (can't recall the company but they have a 5 and a 7 hole stand). The single stands would tip for what I need, I usually paint in batches and move them around. If I didn't have my homemade stands I'd pick up some of these.

Glue them onto soda bottle plastic caps and Gatorade bottle caps.

I have some old 25X25mm stands that I glue them to with white glue – I recycle the stands (a lot)

Gildas, the OP asked "I wonder for those people who base their minis on metal bases like washers, has anyone tried to use magnets to hold the mini to a bottle or something like that?" I.e., he was asking about single-based miniatures, on washers. That is exactly what I do, and so I offered how I handle it.

Also, his point of reference was "Recently I have seen a few companies release a product made to hold a mini whether it was with the poster tack or being held by the product," which I took to be referring to items like this, which are likewise geared for painting individually based figures. link

So before criticizing me, go back and read the topic of the thread.

You are of course correct that for multi-based figures, basing and then painting is often not a good solution. I actually use similar solutions to those offered by other folks on this thread for things like 10mm and 15mm figures. But that's not what the OP asked about.

I use old fashion one piece wooden clothes pins and hot glue to attach the figures to them. You can move and turn them to any position as needed. They have a built in holder, the two legs, that allows you to use any cup or glass to hold your troops while you paint. Cheap and most people in another age had them.

ditto to wrgmr1 for groups. For individual figures, I use spring clothes pins. I trim the ends to be about half as wide as original.

Even with washer or coin (penny) based minis I use alligator clips. But then I am working with 15s.

Unhorsed cavalry just get held in the fingers and if necessary the upper and lower body painted separately.

If necessary I do touch up when they are based.

I base everything on single steel bases or washers. Took some of the large button magnets (Michaels,Hobby Lobby) and glued them to roofing nails. These hold the figures securely for painting. When not working on them, the nail is stuck in a chunk of styrofoam. Works fer me :)

Ivan, I did read the thread properly but clearly you limited it to single figures on a base, the OP did not specifically (though that could be implied).

I have based multiple figures on metal bases (including washers) for a number of customers so my comments were pertinent. They were not critical of your comments but pointing out the limitations of your method.

Tongue depressors for 15. 28s I just hold the base, but occasionally glue them to a depressor

Gildas, can you describe this "tipping frame" or provide a link?

Sry for the necro.