| Mister Tibbles | 15 Jul 2025 12:28 p.m. PST |
It seems like there are more and more sets of plastic miniatures from companies such as Victrix, Mantic, Warlord Games, and so on. The parts need to be removed from the sprues and assembled. I've never assembled plastic figures. Regardless of figure size, do you enjoy this aspect of the hobby? 0 – Have never assembled plastic figures
1 – Do not enjoy it at all
2 – Slightly enjoy it
3 – Neutral / It is okay
4 – Mostly enjoy it
5 – Enjoy it very much |
 John the OFM  | 15 Jul 2025 12:37 p.m. PST |
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 20thmaine | 15 Jul 2025 12:43 p.m. PST |
1 – it's a necessary chore |
| Micman | 15 Jul 2025 12:48 p.m. PST |
I enjoy it more that painting. I give it a 3 due to the fiddly-ness of it. |
| Raynman | 15 Jul 2025 12:50 p.m. PST |
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| DisasterWargamer | 15 Jul 2025 1:00 p.m. PST |
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| Phillius | 15 Jul 2025 1:04 p.m. PST |
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| robert piepenbrink | 15 Jul 2025 1:19 p.m. PST |
Mostly 1, but it does depend. Sometimes, especially by "kitmingling" I'm able to create a person or a small unit that the manufacturers didn't intend and maybe hadn't heard of. That's always fun. Mostly, though, just fiddly and usually one part short of what I wanted. |
 Herkybird | 15 Jul 2025 1:24 p.m. PST |
4-5 for me, I love the act of creating and posing figures, though when painting them I often wish I had given a little more thought to ease of painting!!! |
 Dal Gavan | 15 Jul 2025 1:54 p.m. PST |
5. Mixing heads, arms and equipment means the range of poses possible in a unit is multiplied. Just a slight change of head position can give each figure some individuality, and in turn the units don't appear to be the product of a clone factory. Besides, I'm better at assembling than painting. |
| Gear Pilot | 15 Jul 2025 1:54 p.m. PST |
1 On the other hand, assembling metal multi part miniatures (like Infinity) is no picnic either. |
| Lou from BSM | 15 Jul 2025 2:12 p.m. PST |
3 – For me, I enjoy the flexibility in poses it offers. I enjoy swapping out heads, arms, weapons, etc. I dislike all of the cutting, filing of mold lines, etc. in much the same way that I dislike cutting the flash from metal minis. |
| Shagnasty | 15 Jul 2025 2:12 p.m. PST |
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 Parzival | 15 Jul 2025 2:19 p.m. PST |
I divide this into two categories: Figures which must be glued using plastic model glue: 2 Figures which simply snap together, no need for glue: 5 |
| smithsco | 15 Jul 2025 3:03 p.m. PST |
5. Most fun part besides hanging out with friends |
 McKinstry  | 15 Jul 2025 3:07 p.m. PST |
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 etotheipi  | 15 Jul 2025 3:10 p.m. PST |
Depends. Raging Heroes, abysmal swearing to assemble: 2. Great sense of accomplishment when done: 4.5. Most GW figs: Easy to do, look nice when done: 4 Job Lot Figs: Gotta figure it out, make my own bits, mess with it: 5+! Solid Plastics I have Disassembled: 4. Others … 3-4 usually. |
| PzGeneral | 15 Jul 2025 3:38 p.m. PST |
2 – only slightly enjoy it. Wargames Atlantic figures are OK to assemble. But I leave all the little bits off (ease of painting). Most everything else, hate it. Dave |
| bobspruster | 15 Jul 2025 4:18 p.m. PST |
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| jdpintex | 15 Jul 2025 4:34 p.m. PST |
3 to 4, depending on the mfg, era, etc. |
| Col Durnford | 15 Jul 2025 4:40 p.m. PST |
0 – only plastic models (tanks and the like). Pure metal for me. I do enjoy working with it. Have done tons of converting. Head swaps, weapon swaps and repositioning. I even have one figure that was kit bashed for three other figures. |
| FusilierDan | 15 Jul 2025 5:11 p.m. PST |
2-3.
I've assembled a few boxes of Perry ACW. They get a 3. I felt it was equal to cleaning flash and mold lines on metals. A few of the Battlefront plastic tanks had some fiddly parts that were frustrating to assemble but overall easier than some all metal tanks I've built. |
| TimePortal | 15 Jul 2025 5:13 p.m. PST |
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| Hitman | 15 Jul 2025 5:25 p.m. PST |
You should ask…
"Do you enjoy gluing your fingers together and watching the arm, head, etc. tiny little piece fall off because the glue doesn't hold yet you have to tear your fingers apart?" |
| rmaker | 15 Jul 2025 5:33 p.m. PST |
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| John the OFM | 15 Jul 2025 5:50 p.m. PST |
To quote Miss Jean Brodie, "If this is the kind of thing you enjoy, you will enjoy this kind of thing." Well, I do not. 😄
More power to ye who do. |
| Mister Tibbles | 15 Jul 2025 6:21 p.m. PST |
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| HMS Exeter | 15 Jul 2025 8:42 p.m. PST |
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 Wolfshanza | 15 Jul 2025 10:22 p.m. PST |
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| King Monkey | 15 Jul 2025 10:22 p.m. PST |
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 piper909 | 15 Jul 2025 10:43 p.m. PST |
1. I avoid this whenever possible. Too many pieces, too much struggle with glues of various types, too hard to modify or fix, too fragile, too hard to base, too hard to prime and paint compared to metal, too flimsy to stand up to handling. Yuck. Hitman and I share the same experiences. And another hilarious quote from the OFM! |
| Martin Rapier | 15 Jul 2025 10:59 p.m. PST |
Plastic figures? 1. What a completely unnecessary waste of time.I only do it if I absolutely must. Plastic tanks, guns, aircraft and other vehicles? 5! Because I was a modeller before I was a wargamer. |
| Toaster | 15 Jul 2025 11:11 p.m. PST |
5, I started as a plastic kit modeller by age 8 so plastic kits give me a huge nostalgia buzz. Robert |
| blacksmith | 16 Jul 2025 2:01 a.m. PST |
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| Joes Shop | 16 Jul 2025 4:44 a.m. PST |
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 Sgt Slag | 16 Jul 2025 6:12 a.m. PST |
4 If they work with liquid model glue, which melts the plastic creating a weld bond, yes, I do enjoy it. If they are another type of plastic which I have to use something like 2-part epoxy to join, I really don't enjoy that very much. I shun CA Glue because of its incredibly weak shear strength. I've had terrible luck with it on miniatures [yes, I know CA Glue is the go-to glue for most modelers, and I am happy that it works well for others, ;-)]. Cheers! |
 miniMo | 16 Jul 2025 6:40 a.m. PST |
3–5, depending on the quantity required! |
| John the OFM | 16 Jul 2025 7:08 a.m. PST |
@SgtSlag
Finally, someone else mentions CA's terrible shear strength!
And guess what? Using an "activator" or "accelerator" only makes it worse.
It has to do with the different structures of the chemical bonds.
I dealt extensively with adhesives in my industrial career.
And, yes. There are modelers out there who consider such talk blasphemy. My main problem, even using a proper adhesive is holding parts in place while the adhesive sets up. You need at least three arms. Gluing separate arms to a torso, and then adding a musket? What sick bastard came up with that specific torture? |
| Oberlindes Sol LIC | 16 Jul 2025 8:15 a.m. PST |
It depends, I guess. I haven't assembled plastic kits in a long time, probably over 20 years. There are some in my lead/plastic mountain, so maybe I should try some of those before giving a number. I have done a lot of scratch-building and kitbashing, and that, to paraphrase Ms. Brodie, is the sort of thing I enjoy. |
| IronDuke596 | 16 Jul 2025 8:50 a.m. PST |
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| glengarry6 | 16 Jul 2025 10:42 a.m. PST |
4-5
I particularly enjoy being able to convert and kitbash plastic figures. |
 Saber6 | 16 Jul 2025 11:17 a.m. PST |
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| huron725 | 16 Jul 2025 11:44 a.m. PST |
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| John the OFM | 16 Jul 2025 12:16 p.m. PST |
I might add that using the "traditional" huffing glue on plastic, how many times have you left fingerprints on a model? 🙄 |
| Sgt Slag | 17 Jul 2025 6:53 a.m. PST |
@SgtSlag
Finally, someone else mentions CA's terrible shear strength!
And guess what? Using an "activator" or "accelerator" only makes it worse.It has to do with the different structures of the chemical bonds. I dealt extensively with adhesives in my industrial career.
And, yes. There are modelers out there who consider such talk blasphemy. My main problem, even using a proper adhesive is holding parts in place while the adhesive sets up. You need at least three arms. Gluing separate arms to a torso, and then adding a musket? What sick bastard came up with that specific torture? I might add that using the "traditional" huffing glue on plastic, how many times have you left fingerprints on a model? Amen, Brother! I've been taken to the stake, had wood piled around my ankles, but I just walk away as they search for a match. LOL! I hate CA glue outside of bathroom surgeries, as my doctor likes to call it when patients do their own medical procedures at home. CA Glue is amazing for repairing lacerations of the skin! I like it for the right application -- but modeling, for me, is not that. I've worked with the model glue solvent for many years, and, yes, I've left my finger prints on plastic models, many times. I've worked with ABS Glue (plumber's pipe glue) for many years, as well. Love that stuff: ABS plastic dissolved and suspended in, I believe, acetone? I've made some terrain pieces with it, slathering it onto a crushed, aluminum foil armature: apply the ABS Glue, shape it, then let the solvent evaporate, and you get an ABS skin on the armature. You have to be very careful with the ABS Glue, though, as it dries, it becomes very susceptible to textures appearing in its surface if you touch it with anything. Untouched, however, it dries to a polished finish, which is quite nice. I've mostly used ABS Glue to repair Tupperware on motorcycles. Most of the fairings and trunks are made from ABS plastic. ABS Glue works marvelously to patch holes, and mend cracks. Cheers! |
| LAP1954 | 17 Jul 2025 7:13 a.m. PST |
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| Just a painter | 17 Jul 2025 10:36 a.m. PST |
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| John the OFM | 17 Jul 2025 2:08 p.m. PST |
ABS glue solvent contains MEK, methyl ethyl ketone, and toluene.
MEK is very similar to acetone, having an ethyl group in place of one of the acetone's two methyl groups.
Toluene is toluene.
Both highly flammable, and stuff you don't want to bathe in. Years ago, some fool here on TMP bragged that he and his fellow omodhauns used to wash their hands with toluene before lunch.
I hope he was kidding 🙄🤷 but you never know. "Carcinogen? Me? Bwah hah hah!" PPE and ventilation recommended. The problem with so many "plastic" model figures being produced is that they aren't all the familiar polystyrene. Things like Plastruct used in architectural modeling use ONE FORM of ABS. "Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene". And there are many formulations, that I won't go into here.
In the Wild West days, some manufacturers shopped for the cheapest polymer, with little regard for the ease of assembly. "They can figure it out. They're smart, right? RIGHT???" |
| ZULUPAUL | 17 Jul 2025 3:04 p.m. PST |
4-5 I enjoy the creativity it gives me. Also since I do 90% plastics I'm bound to need some assembly. |
| Dal Gavan | 17 Jul 2025 4:12 p.m. PST |
My main problem, even using a proper adhesive is holding parts in place while the adhesive sets up. You need at least three arms. A small dot of CA will hold the bit in place long enough for you to apply some liquid glue to the join, John. As for the right glue for the plastic, Tamiya does well for standard injection moulded styrenes, such as PSC's model vehicles. For Perry and Gripping Beast plastics, though, I prefer to use Humbrol liquid cement. As for carcinogens in the glue, they'll have to battle it out with all the others I, and everyone else, have been exposed to on a daily basis, either as part of my work or doing every day things, such as parking in an underground car park or putting fuel into my car or mower. Anyone over 50 has probably already had far more exposures to carcinogens, in childhood, than they should have had in their lifetimes, according to current medical theory. Besides, something has to kill me or the missus will have to do it- and that possibility is scarier than carcinogens. |
