"Refreshing old miniatures?" Topic

Do you ever go back and update or restore your old minis?

I've had some of my oldest minis on my workbench this month. Some were from the 1970s, painted by a friend of mine, glossy, painted with the latest technique of the time: eyes painted white, then poked with a pin to create an eyeball!

I'm rebasing them, touching up some scrapes, and giving them a matte spray.

Another mini on my workbench is mostly likely one of the first minis I painted. He's a burly fellow armed with kitchen equipment, I have no idea where I got him from. For reasons obscured by time, I painted him up back then as a metallic golem!

I've rebased him, done a little repainting (he has human skintones now!), and he'll be back on the tabletop soon.

I opened an old parts bin, and in one of the drawers found some neglected bunkers in 6mm scale. There was lots of loose flock in the drawer, so obviously they've been shedding (though they still look good) – I'll spray them with a new sealcoat to see if the remaining flock won't last a while longer.

So – do you ever go back and update or refresh your old minis?

Yes. Quite often.

It's cheaper than buying replacements (if they are even being made at all after decades…)

Rarely. But I do reuse my figures for multiple rules, and that sometimes entails rebasing.

Very occasionally – and as above usually involves rebasing…

Yes … I enjoy refurbishing, rebasing and upgrading older parts of my collection that need bringing up to do.

Phil

I am picking up some previously owned ones that were never completed by a couple of fellows (at some good bargains) and using some of my old figs for different rules or to proxy into scenarios. So refreshing or repurposing in another I suppose.

Rare occasions. Very rarely for touchups. Most of the rare rework is minor mods on generic infantry.

Oh, yes. A regular part of post-game clean-up with certain armies is putting aside the worst units for sprucing up before they're put away.

Rarely, but it's happened.

A little, but not much.

Repairs – yes. Refreshing? I might rebase for a new rules set or to make the bases match figures I have subsequently painted. Repaint or upgrading? Rarely. In my case I find it easier to replace with a more modern figure (if available).

Yes.

And when they get lead rot, I toss them with no mercy.

Rick

Just finished refurbishing my 40 Gauls for my Carthaginian army, increasing to 60 and removing any that didn't quite fit in properly (Saxons, Germans, Picts, etc). Any with small shields ended up as part of the 45 light infantry. Others will end up as Ligurians. Next up will be the cavalry, rebasing 15 to match 24 new ones, then another 60 or so infantry for a full Gallic army.

Very rarely. I paint so slow & sporadic that once they are done, they are done.
Paul

ZuluPaul +1

A few favorite figures, as well as the odd figure I put in my pocket to compare with figures at the store will end up showing bare metal or disappearing basing. So, they ultimately get touched up. Once in a while, I've noticed somebody in need of a touch up while gaming, and set them aside for work.

Grelber

Interesting topic and interesting use of language:

…..see if the remaining flock won't last a while longer

Is this an Americanism? I'd have thought it should be "will last a while longer."

Anyway, back on topic. Not yet but I'm thinking I will.

DBDD

New world order, print whats broke. Touching up seems pointless just paint a new one, most of the time its probably quicker. Certainly with metal by the time it needs much paint its proably time for a new one.

Yes, but for me, it is mostly going back and re-doing their bases: formerly just hunter green paint, to three colors of sand, mixed with model RR ballast, for rocks. This drastically improves their appearance on the tabletop. Aside from that, typically only when I have to.

I bought a number of cheap, Halloween toy bats, mounted them on pins, on a base, allowing them to be angled, as if banking in flight. I used some Caesar 1/72 Goblins chucking Molotov Cocktails, cut off their bases, as riders. They were a blast, to play with, but I hated the toy bats -- too crude, too toy-like.

I bit the bullet, two years later, and I bought a number of Schleich Fruit Bat toys: no painting required, accurate, beautiful, and they work with the 1/72 Goblins, perfectly! Need to finish remounting the Riders… They're sooo much fun to see swarming an enemy Unit on the game table! Cheers!

Same same. I've got some figures for the 70's that needed updating.

As others have said solid green base was standard for the day. As long as i'm At it, my old block painting can benefit from the dip after touch up.

Before I got out of plastics, I needed a tube of super glue as much as dices to game.

Yes, I do … and I'm always pleased with the results. Especially with new smaller decals becoming more readily available now !

As well as repainting some vehicles completely or going back and adding more details.

Is this an Americanism? I'd have thought it should be "will last a while longer."

It's called the second conditional negative form in English. The OED and Cambridge discuss it in their grammar references.

I do repairs and touch up paint jobs now and then. I have some old miniatures from which I've actually stripped the paint and I'm going to repaint them sometime soon.