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Hey guys, any tips for transporting a fair number of large models? I'm finding myself torn because if I want to bring a couple of armies, it ends up being super unwieldy with guys like soul grinders, wraithknights, flyers, etc.

Box + Packing peanuts would probably work really well on the cheap end.

Otherwise what I usually do is take old transport sheets with the plucked foam and make a unique form fitting holder for that particular model.

There is not going to be a good answer for multiple large things.

If possible, see if you can magnetize parts so they disassemble for transport. If you can get them to pack more efficiently, you need less boxes, etc.

Large flat bins with cut foam/peanuts/towels/bubblewrap might work.

A few foam companies make rolling tower boxes that can fit a lot of trays. One of those might be big enough.

I just ordered a custom piece of foam (6") to transport my Battle Engine in for Hordes... I've seen a number of players use these small (but tall) trays separately from a case just for a large model like that, and it seemed like a really good solution! Albiet a bit pricey... and unfortunately Battlefoam still lists turn-around times as 6-8 weeks even in February (which means their "holiday delays" last from late November until pretty far into the new year!).

But yeah, right now I'm using a box and some padding

KR multicase have some very good options for big models.

 notprop wrote:
KR multicase have some very good options for big models.

I use KR for X-Wing.

Do they have anything for titans? The Warhound is OK, the body and arms fit in a large tray, and the legs are on a large base. But the Reaver and WArlord, those are going to be a pain to transport. They don't bend, so a car-seat is out.

I transport my Soul Grinder and Bloodthirster in a shoe box with plastic shopping bags for padding. Nothing has broken on me yet!

I haven't bought trays for my Imperial Knight yet, but I have a total of 3 Battlefoam 1750XLs. I've brought 2 into the store at the same time, and there were no issues with space for other gamers and the like.

Plus, I can tell you that BF cases/trays work wonders.

 MajorWesJanson wrote:

 notprop wrote:
KR multicase have some very good options for big models.

I use KR for X-Wing.

Do they have anything for titans? The Warhound is OK, the body and arms fit in a large tray, and the legs are on a large base. But the Reaver and WArlord, those are going to be a pain to transport. They don't bend, so a car-seat is out.

Certainly they have some FW models covered, knights, warhound, Revernant and even the Tigershark models have trays. I've not seent any Reaver or Warlord trays but they might well be covered by their custom options, it would make sense. Certainly I remember they made a tray for the huge Manta model FW did and gave it away with a Manta at Salute a few years ago.

As ever with KR I'd give them a call. They're supe helpful and like a challenge!

If your model is fixed to its base securely, and all of its parts have strong joints, then often it is safest to firmly attach the base to a board that can then be firmly attached to the bottom of a transportation box.

This is how a lot of fine art is transported, so that nothing actually touches the piece while it transit.

This can be combined with packing peanuts to add more stability to a piece that has fragile bits, weak joints, or isn't firmly attached at the base.

The idea is to have the base carry most of the load, so that pressure against any packing material does not chafe the piece too muc.

MB

For my extra fragile dark eldar, I use battlefoam, they make custom cuts so I can safely transport my tantalus.

For my other armies, I use a mix of Army transport and KR cases mostly, mix in with several GW cases(new and old) for infantry. Also some plastic bins from Hobby Lobby with foam insert leftover from KR/Army Transport to cushion extra IG tanks.

I for one just think it is great that GW have embraced the push on the fashion industry for plus sized models!


Unfortunately I don't have a sensible suggestion. Perhaps recruit chapter serfs to carry your most venerated wargear for deployment on the battlefield?

When I transport my Stompa it goes like this.

1. Get a cardboard box that it will at least somewhat fit in, if it's taller than your box w/e
2. Fill box with leftover foam pieces
3. Transport

I have saved every piece of pluck foam, old gw foam case and custom battlefoam cutouts I have got over the years and keep them in a giant container. I use them for transporting large models, modeling battle damage, rearranging and securing models in old foam, as wet pallets the list goes on. It's just so useful don't ever toss it when you have extra!

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zeragrin wrote:
When I transport my Stompa it goes like this.

1. Get a cardboard box that it will at least somewhat fit in, if it's taller than your box w/e
2. Fill box with leftover foam pieces
3. Transport

I have saved every piece of pluck foam, old gw foam case and custom battlefoam cutouts I have got over the years and keep them in a giant container. I use them for transporting large models, modeling battle damage, rearranging and securing models in old foam, as wet pallets the list goes on. It's just so useful don't ever toss it when you have extra!

Before I got my KR, I did the same thing for all my non-infantry models. While I did own a cheep camera case with pluck foam, I had plucked it for WHFB cavalry. So when transporting tanks, bikes, etc for 40k, the pluck insert came out and everyone got nested in old scraps of foam.

Does GW even put little foam squares in blister packs these days? I’m sure people could find them elsewhere, but it might be a little less useful advice if they aren’t as readily available. Still good idea, and one that served me for years.

 Nevelon wrote:

zeragrin wrote:
When I transport my Stompa it goes like this.

1. Get a cardboard box that it will at least somewhat fit in, if it's taller than your box w/e
2. Fill box with leftover foam pieces
3. Transport

I have saved every piece of pluck foam, old gw foam case and custom battlefoam cutouts I have got over the years and keep them in a giant container. I use them for transporting large models, modeling battle damage, rearranging and securing models in old foam, as wet pallets the list goes on. It's just so useful don't ever toss it when you have extra!

Before I got my KR, I did the same thing for all my non-infantry models. While I did own a cheep camera case with pluck foam, I had plucked it for WHFB cavalry. So when transporting tanks, bikes, etc for 40k, the pluck insert came out and everyone got nested in old scraps of foam.

Does GW even put little foam squares in blister packs these days? I’m sure people could find them elsewhere, but it might be a little less useful advice if they aren’t as readily available. Still good idea, and one that served me for years.

Find somewhere that does upholstery and ask for offcuts. They'll generally give you as much as you can carry for virtually nothing. That was my trick back when I was a student.

I know it's not hard to get foam scraps, but they used to be a byproduct of just picking up minis. Literally zero effort. Just be a packrat and not toss them out.

I am a huge fan of the GW zigzag cases for my large models now, as well as medium-sized models which are very awkward to transport (like AoS Prosecutors). It's not so much that they are the best solution; it's more that they are the most flexible solution, in that I have so many damned models that there is no way I could ever have enough cut foam for every single model (or, that I'd ever find it when I needed it).

With the GW Crusade cases -- whatever models I need to take, no biggie. Note that I do not like this case for small models; I'm always paranoid the small models will scratch each other. But that just isn't an issue for anything dreadnought to Knight sized.

Video is worth watching. At about 2:50 you can see exactly how much space a Knight takes up in the box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXgYfQUHKKA

My situation may be different from yours though; at home, I keep a lot of my models in display cabinets. When I want to game with them, I need to put them into foam cases to take them to game, so it's not like I permanently store my large models in foam. However, even if that weren't so, as long as I owned more large models than I'm going to physically take to game, I'd still use a 1-2 Crusade cases for large models to go gaming with, because it allows me the flexibility of changing what I'm going to take with little effort.

Also: the models I don't keep in display cabinets, I use mattress topper foam (looks like egg carton stuff) in clear storage boxes, so that I can see what's in them without taking them all apart.

Help.

Seriously...

The Keeper of Secrets is a complete resin kit that stands 6.5 inches (165mm) tall to the tip of the left hand. This product includes one citadel 105mm oval base.

That is why I keep a lot of the foam inserts than come with KR cases. Same foam, not tray.
Or, brass rods and magnets, and pick-and-pluck.

For that KoS, I’d try magnetizing the base. No foam is ever going to work for that.

Or a minion to hand carry it for you.

Magnets on the bottom in a Tupperware box/case or whatever with a metal base so nothing has to touch the sides or foam.
I went with that with my slaanesh after bits kept breaking off..