"Looking for a cheaper alternative" Topic

Looking for a basing alternative that doesn't cost $50 USD+ ordering bases. I was looking at Litko (thin circular mdf along with the magnetic circular bases)….

Any suggestion as what I can do that might be less pricey? Or, just bite the bullet and fork over $50 USD+?

Sometimes I wish our hobbies weren't so expensive!

Depends, of course, on what you are basing. Fender washers from the hardware store have been a staple for basing for many.

Personally, I've always liked the chunkiness of GW-style slotta bases, even if the manufacturers I shop among rarely call for them anymore. When I need a base for a figure that won't fit on a 1" round base (in my case, a prone 28mm figure) I cut a base out of wood. Used to buy Bass wood from the FLGS. During the COVID shutdown I realized that hardware store paint stir sticks are the right thickness, and often extremely cheap.

YMMV, of course. But my FLGS contact asked me what the bass wood was for, and shook his head when he realized the economy of it all compared to the bases he orders online.

Washers. Round, cheap, magnetic.

Last time I needed some I ordered 10 boxes of 100 each. Lady at ace thought I was nuts. Spent less than $50 USD including tax.

For 15mm I like 3/4" diameter with a 1/8" center hole (the fig covers it 99% of the time). For larger figs I go with 1" diameter, 1/8" center hole.

I use 1.5 and 2.0" bases for mounted, monsters, etc.

Circular bases?
Get fender washers at hardware store. All sizes. Want thicker bases? Regular washers.

Square or rectangular bases? Cut your own from bass wood.

Washers….who woulda thunk it! :)

How to you cover the holes? Tape?

Any recommendations as to what sort of magnetic sheets to place my mini's on? Any retailers where I can buy sheets of this?

Oh, this is for 15mm mini's. Probably going 3 man, 2 man and 1 man basing.

Thanks all

Make sure you get fender washers as they have a smaller hole in the center than regular washers. I get my from my local Ace hardware store.

Jim

Fender washers…check! Thanks! This is a huge savings.

Take a magnet with you to check to see if they are the right type of metal too, since not all washers are created equal, or magnetic, if you want them to be magnetized.

Industrial supply stores will have magnetic strips for sale. Check the thickness – I've used 1/32 in the past. Most art stores will only have 1/64. (thicker = stronger hold).

McMaster-Carr via Amazon was where I got my last order.

Washers either by themselves or with matching sized plastic bases glued to them. I do that depending on how tall the figure is.

"How to you cover the holes? Tape?"

If you use epoxy to attach the figure to the base you won't need to cover the hole; the epoxy will fill the hole and increase the security of the attachment by counteracting shear.

I prefer these thin steel disks from Etsy -- you get 100 for only 3 bucks!

link

But if you want to use plastic, you could get one of these hole punches and a stack of plasticard and make hundreds of bases:

link

Another fun and cheap idea is to use guitar picks, which gives you an arrow-shaped base and is super-cheap:

link

I use pennies to base most of my footmen. They are 1 cent a piece.

@ javelin98

I'm not sure these would stick to magnetic sheets though at least not from some of the comments I'm reading, but that you for the suggestion.

I think I'm just going to stick to fender washers that will adhere to magnetic sheets. This seems the easiest and most affordable route.

The key is to "get lucky".

About ten years ago I stopped in at a tool store and took advantage of a sale of telescopic magnetic pick-up tools for $.99 USD each. I bought ten of them, planning to use them for our clubs' WWI aerial combat games. The problem turned out that to use them the base would have to be quite heavy to balance a 1/72nd scale plane high up on the extended rod, so the wooden hex bases we have been using would be too light. So the tools went into storage…

That was until several weeks ago, when one of my students mentions that his usual job was running a laser-cutter for steel metal fabrication work. "So, do you have any steel that needs cutting?" he asks in the course of our conversation. Five days later I picked up ten 1/8 inch thick steel 3 inch hex bases.

Fender Washers for bases.

I use magnetic sheeting in the bottom of boxes for storage. You can also use the magnetic sheeting for square/unusually shaped bases.

For ships, I use magnetic sheeting for the base and tin shingles in the bottom of the storage box.

I use Litko for specialized bases and for movement trays as I do not seem to be able to make my own for some stupid reason or another.

I put electric tape on the smooth side of the punched washer.
Then when I glue the figures to the washer, there is no leak through of the epoxy.
It helps anchor the figure a bit too.

I'm not sure these would stick to magnetic sheets though at least not from some of the comments I'm reading, but that you for the suggestion.

I ordered some of these in a 15mm diameter for my 15mm minis, and they stuck to magnetic paper just fine. The key thing would be to ensure you buy steel disks and not aluminum.

Good luck out there!

Thanks javelin98

Don't try using paper punches unless you want just heavy paper stock circles, those things don't punch even cardboard.

A few years ago I went into Canada and bought Canadian pennies. They're actually cheaper than American pennies. .77 us. These are of course three-quarter inch circles.

Did you want 1 inch round bases?

Metal hole puncher, hit with a hammer, is great for plastic sheets, magnetic sheets, steel paper.

link

Amazon has dozens of different kinds of bases plastic, metal, even Chinese lucky coins .

I still get Litco Magnetic circles to put under the bases I make or buy. Get 7/8 inch circles as the 1 inch ones tend to overlap the bases by a fraction.

As above, I use fender washers.

If, after gluing down the figure, some of the hole shows, just cover with scotch tape. Even in 15mm 95% of the time the figure covers the hole.

The into boxes lined with sheet magnet. I get mine from magnetking.com

Look for something suitable on aliexpress.com

I primarily do 15mm fantasy miniatures and I use Fender washers, mostly 5/8", but some 3/4. 7/8 or what ever depending on the miniature, ( for my goblins, ( or close order infantry, I even use #10 flat washers ( which are about 1/2 inch)

From Warbases, you can order custom sabot movement trays for washers instead of the british mangnetic currency, at no extra cost, just email them) mount your miniatures on washers, then have bases made to fit your washers ( whatever size washer you want to use) you can also have them drill a hole in the base so you can glue a 1/8" magnet ( quite cheap on ebay) and then you have magnetic movement tray. I have some of these

but even cheaper, if you mount on washers, get some magnetic sheets and adhere them onto some masonite strips ( i get the masonite and cut it to your desired size, then apply the magnetic sheets, cut with a stanley knife, and paint. Not as nice looking as the movement trays from Warbases, but they work,

Using 15mm miniatures on 5/8" fender washers from Ace Hardware ( currently about $7 USD USD/100 from ACE hardware(they used to be cheaper) or using #10 washers for smaller minis or even 3/4 or 7/8" fender washers, ( Warbases can give you any size hole if its not on there standard list)

the cheapest way- magnetic sheet on 1/8" masonite, the nice way, Movement trays (with sabots in little magnets) from Warbases.

If you have a way to cut it, your masonite from Homedepot is about 5dollars? for a 2'x4' piece to make you movement trays from, then you will have to order some magnetic sheet (Dont get the thinnest)

I glue the mini to the washers using either wood glue or superglue, I put the washer on a piece of upside down masking tape first then glue away. If you want you mini base to blend into the washer, after it drys put a second layer of wood glue on top of the washer to blend the two together.

with either method,you can hold the movement tray upsidedown and the minis wont fall off (using 15mm minis anyway) ( unless you shake it) hehe.

I decided to show a picture of the Warbases and miniatures on magnetic sheets with washers. As you can see, 15 mm sticks real well to the magnetic sheets on the masonite, even upside down. the Warbases are nicer looking but both work great. Much cheaper than litko, even with mailing from GB.

I just paint my washer bases and movement trays all the same color. I don't have a gaming mat, and will likely have to make my own mat, as a mat to fit my pingpong table doesnt commercially exist, or if it does, it would be way more than I want to pay. When I make a mat, I will incorporate the color of my trays into the mat so they blend in, but no movement tray matches game boards of any type, other than solid colors. its just one of those things wargamers have never found a perfect solution too, so solid colors match good enough for now. Ya, I could put some flock on them, someday maybe, but only after I have my mat. Mat suggestions are welcome, Pingpong table size or bigger. its the beauty of 15mm large armies on large areas.

For my calvary, I buy some rectangular metal sheetmetal pieces, from a company called War Game Accessories.