"Fender Washers" Topic

I usually get my fender washers from some big hardware chains but where I am, they are all locked up due to some kind of zombie apocalypse. Funny that their garden sections are open since aparently flowers are essential but the store itself and hardware must not be important enough???

Lucky for me I live in a town that is pretty well tied in to auto manufacturers. Just back from a fastener store with some 500 3/16 fender washers. When I explained to the clerk they were for basing toy soldiers she actually thought it was a pretty good idea.

She was impressed that there is vynil magnetic sheeting we put in tackle boxes for figures to stick to the washers.

To my surprise she came up with, "They probably help with keeping the figures weighted for balance". Impressive thinking on her part.

Her comments demonstrate that she was listening carefully, that she gave the topic more than superficial thought about your needs, and what you were doing with the fender washers. Very impressive, actually. Good on her! Cheers!

I love them. Buy them by the box at Ace Hardware. I'm a little OCD so I fill in the hole with glue before painting.

All my 20mm WWII figures are on them. I use two sizes for grunts and larger sizes for weapon teams.

Washers are unequivocally the best bases: not too high, magnetic, heavy, cheap, lots of sizes. I'm astonished we use anything else.

Anyone know of a UK equivalent….?

DBDD

Same here. I buy in 100pc boxes, small ID 1" OD to fit the movement trays.

I also take a indelible marker and blackout the edge. Don't want to see silver through whatever runny paint/glue mix you are using for the sand or flock.

I use fender washers for basing everything, including individual trees and other items. I tape over the hole, then glue the figure and apply basing material. Never one problem. Fenders have smaller holes than regular washers.

They are excellent for basing individual figures but I prefer
rectangular basing for large number of figure games.

I get my fender washers at Marden's in Sanford, ME where they are sold by the pound.

If only they were transparent.

I use them for spaceships. Just spray 'em with flat black primer.

I never bother to fill in the hole.
Just prep the figure and plumbers weld to the washer.
Prime and paint as an entire unit.
Usually for moderns, the base cam colour is also a flat earth tone, so the base stays that colour until I white glue it and swish it around in the sand/flock jar. No silver.

For crew served weapons I normally use rectangular metal squares I got from Grandiosity. I can't think of the name now but will have to look it up since I am getting low after all these years of stacking up on them.

For those of you bothered by the hole in the washer, try buying "blank metal strike plates", 1" diameter. Slightly thinner than the washer, and no hole! I bought 250 off eBay awhile ago and love them.

Available on Amazon at

link

Blank medal strike plates – excellent.

Thanks for the heads up.

Same Ebay vendor sells them on Amazon as well. Just bought a pack of 250.

Thanks!

John

Great find.

I bought a ton of blank metal strike plates when Home Depot put them on sale to get rid of them one year. (They are the same size as U.S. quarters, and can deceive older coin-operated devices.)

I'm glad to know they are still available somewhere, my stockpile is running low!