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Post by: legoburner
Poll suggested by Philld77
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Post by: The Apothecary
I used to it with my first space marine army, then I didn't for my dark angels.
I think for my liking, for this Crimson Fist Army, Im going to drill the barrels.
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Post by: el_groovatore
I like to see drilled barrels. I think they look nicer, and are more fun to paint, too. However, I ain't one to judge people that don't do it. You see some folks get proper worked up about gun barrels not being drilled, and that sort of thing. It don't bother me if they're not done, but I do think drilled barrels look better, yes.
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Post by: mega_bassist
I like to see them drilled out, but I don't think it's necessary.
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Post by: The Epic Chaosdude!!!
I think its nice, but not nearly necessary. If the models look good then thats all it takes.
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Post by: Tortured-Robot
A drilled barrel is a must for me. If you cant drill, please try to black dot the end of the barrel- if its left plain it looks awful.
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Post by: Clumpski
i would like to drill my barrels, but i dont have the tools to do it (well i have a dremal but im not confident enough to do the barrels with it), but im not fussed after all i only paint to play
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Post by: sgtspiff
Drilled barrels look good but it doesn't matter if they're drilled when I buy the fig.
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Post by: Melkhiordarkblade
I don't really care about it that much.
Most of the guns in my army are small and would be to hard to drill. The rest are big guns that already come with a hole in the barrel.
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Post by: Toast36
Does It Really Matter? I don't think so. I plike my models to look good but at the end of the day I am painting to tabletop level really.
If painting to make the model look as realistic as possible to win a painting trophy them yes it nice to see that the extra work has gone in to it.
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Post by: Sonophos
Most of the time I really can't be bothered. If I particularly like the model I will.
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Post by: kitch102
I like to see it, would defo do it if in a competition, but haven't done it on any of mine yet. But hard to do with dark eldar though
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Post by: jmpnfool
as i play Deamons i dont have many to worry about, but i do like the look and feel of them being drilled out
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Post by: Rampage
Yes, I do this with my Orks. So many shootas...
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Post by: Danzag
The beauty of a Necron army is the lack of need to drill barrels.
It does look nice, but I won't freak out if it's not done.
Hell, I barely do it on any of my own units if it can be done.
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Post by: Deadshot
I would like to but don't have a drill.
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Post by: azrel9
Also, it is in the future, and now a days soldiers have muzzle covers that can be shot of, maybe someones units just keep there barrels capped to the last possible second.... LOL who wants to clean space sand out of a barrel? No one that's who..
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Post by: Tronzor
In my local FLGS I have heard about a local painter who missed out on the final round of judging at a GD level painting contest simply because he did not drill his barrels. Bolts, bullets, ordinance etc. does not come out of a solid metal pipe...
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Post by: Sharkvictim
Drilled barrels look way better, and no, none of mine are drilled out. Some people get extremely bent out of shape on this subject. I for one think it is infinitely more important to clean your mold lines than to drill your barrels.
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Post by: smellyoldgamer
They look far, far better and I usually drill mine out. I HATE seeing no treatment of the bore of the weapon. At least black dot it... even a magic marker will do the trick.
Some folks may be hesitant about getting it perfectly centered and round... my answer for that is just drybrushing the muzzle with a little black to represent soot from firing. That will disguise an unsteady hand.
The muzzle is usually an extraordinarily prominent portion of the model. It's usually pointing up, or forward so catches your eye both on table top and on display. It's better to ignore the eyes than ignore the muzzle IMO.
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Post by: Avatar 720
I think it's completely unimportant, and since I don't paint anyway (please don't preach to me about it) I don't have any drilled barrels.
I couldn't care less if my opponent's barrels are drilled either to be honest.
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Post by: Deadshot
While I don't drill due to lack of tools, I do the black dot, which I am sure smellyoldgamer will be happy about.
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Post by: Mad4Minis
mega_bassist wrote:I like to see them drilled out, but I don't think it's necessary.
I agree. It does look better, but out of the hundreds of minis Ive done Ive never bothered to drill a single one.
Maybe one day ill buy the proper tool, but Im not trying it with my power drill.
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Post by: Howard A Treesong
Unless you make a mess of it, guns always look better drilled out.
514
Post by: Orlanth
I drill out large heavy weapons of all races, notably Tau and guard, with some exceptions for types of energy weapon.
I drill out practically every gun for orks and marines. Centering thr drill hole I find suprisingly difficult, but I find a misdrilled hole is still better than no hole. I dont get to write off too many bolters and shootas.
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Post by: MarcoSkoll
Given that heroic scaling has fallen out of favour with me, my answer is "At 32mm, ideally no". I prefer realistically proportioned models, and that means that most calibres would be small enough as to be nearly invisible (requiring drills that are both expensive and fragile).
However, with the massively oversized weapons in 40k (which are about double scale size, based on the art, known dimensions and contemporary equivalents - the 28mm range provides most of the weapons for my truescale 54mm work), I suppose it does look better than not, but I think the people who get worked up over it need to chill out.
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Post by: Thousand Nuns
I drill out my heavy bolters as i think it improves the look but leave the standard bolter as i looks fine as it is and I can't be bothered to drill out several dozen bolters on my sisters and csm.
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Post by: Kavish
It's hard to get it centred, but I do it. I'm considering just doing the black dot. Especially for the bigger weapons. Otherwise it requires all different drill bits, and there's the risk of wrecking the model (think assault cannons). I think when it looks like solid steel it looks really bad.
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Post by: Deathcult0
I almost always drill large barrels heavy bolters, lascannons etc. But i dont always have time to drill out all my smaller gun barrels and i am not fussed at all if people havent bothered to drill the barrels, but yes it does look aestheticly better when they are drilled out.
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Post by: Hordini
I think drilled barrels always look better (as long as they're not drilled lopsided or sloppily), but I don't think it's always absolutely necessary. It's definitely a nice touch though, and makes a bigger difference on heavy weapons.
51489
Post by: necrovamp
I love drilled barrel, do not have a small enough drill to drill them though.
At the end of the day they are YOUR models, so YOU do what YOU want with them NOT what other people want you to do with them.
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Post by: goundry
I like drilled barrels but only were apropriate, a las wepon wouldnut have a hole it would have a lense
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Post by: pistolepete
They do look much better, and why GW doesn't model them that way is a mystery, but I don't have a drill small enough so I just paint mine.
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Post by: Kilkrazy
Expensive slide moulds would be needed to supply the models with "pre drilled" barrels.
GW offer a pin vice and drill bits for £10.00. As always you can find a cheaper equivalent by shopping around.
Laser weapons would indeed have a lens, but it would most likely be hidden inside a protective shroud with a hole in the end, looking much like a gun barrel. However it's a valid aesthetic choice to paint a lens instead.
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Post by: The Shadow
I don't think they're that necessary. Many people don't have the time to paint their models, yet alone buy a drill and drill the barrels. It's a very nice touch, sure, but it's such a small detail I won't mind at all if my opponent doesn't have them drilled.
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Post by: Adrian Fue Fue
I drill them for sure, Snap*
I don't understand why GW doesnt make them drilled already. Nurgle units have pores, Grey Knights have words on thier guns, Flamers and Meltas both have molded wholes and lines. Why not the most common weapon in the game? Why not cast the Bolt gun and Bolt pistal with realistic centered drill whole?
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Post by: BrotherVord
I personally think that barrels left undrilled are a better meter of a painter's skill, like chipping battle damage with a knife as opposed to painting it on realistically
4001
Post by: Compel
It's honestly never really occurred to me to do normal models.
I guess it's since I've traditionally played Guardsmen (Particularly mordians), it'd be nearly impossible to pull it off.
I do tend to like drilling for heavy weapons, particularly things like Assault Cannons, otherwise they really do look silly without it.
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Post by: Byte
Yes, especially on "pro painted" claims.
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Post by: BolingbrokeIV
Adrian Fue Fue wrote:I drill them for sure, Snap*
I don't understand why GW doesnt make them drilled already. Nurgle units have pores, Grey Knights have words on thier guns, Flamers and Meltas both have molded wholes and lines. Why not the most common weapon in the game? Why not cast the Bolt gun and Bolt pistal with realistic centered drill whole?
Because plastic moulds are heavy duty metal presses which are not flexible like a silicon mould and therefore can only impart an image on either side of the plastic. To create say a boltgun with a hole in the barrel the boltgun would need to come in two separate parts which go together, like a LR Las Canon for example.
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Post by: warpcrafter
It seems to me that it is a matter of what army you have. Two dozen Grey Knights? Sure, it's not so bad. A hundred and twenty Orks, no way! And some guns, like Dark Eldar splinter weapons fire tiny slivers, so unless you have a drill bit that's a tenth of a millimeter, it's just not possible.
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Post by: Skinnereal
The 'proper tool' I use to drill mine of the GW pin vice.
I used to use a Black&Decker hand drill, but it got messy very quickly.
A basic 1mm drill bit is fine for most, and a 1.5 for Heavy Bolters and such.
They're the same drill bits as I use to fit magnets, to I've had practice from that.
Would Lasguns have holes in the barrels? If it is a laser, wouldn't the end be capped with a crystal or something?
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Post by: kizzdougs
Drilling barrels is easy and looks so much better. Why wouldn't you drill?
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Post by: Rigger X
pistolepete wrote:They do look much better, and why GW doesn't model them that way is a mystery, but I don't have a drill small enough so I just paint mine.
It's so they can try and get you to buy a Citadel Hobby drill!
On topic, I prefer to drill my gun barrels but as stated before, they are your models, do what your heart desires.
63073
Post by: Ensign Elliott
I normally drill all my gun barrels, its a nice touch and finishes the model off nicely IMO.
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Post by: GalePrime
I voted I don't thinks it's important. Imo if you're painting to play just think are people REALLY going to be putting their face up to your models gun and going "Ooooooh you haven't drilled the gun barrels! A thousand curses upon your family!"
So yeah, NOT hugely important, however if it makes YOU (not other people) feel better then go for it!
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Post by: WaaaaghLord
I don't think it's important.
At the end of the day it's someone else's army. Don't get worked up about what they have or haven't done, and concentrate on your own models.
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Post by: SilverMK2
It just adds that little something to a model/army - although not important in of itself.
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Post by: Deathshead420
You might not be able to paint well but I'm pretty sure you can drill a barrel. Takes two seconds and adds some zazz to your min, why wouldn't you?
65797
Post by: FearTheHappyChair
It looks good, but i dont have the tools to do it myself.
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Post by: codemonkey
Looks good, but not the most important part of the model.
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Post by: cox.dan2
Like it when I see it, but I don't drill mine. I also have a large amount of Orks and that would take forever to do it to every slugga and shoota.
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Post by: YELLOWBLADES
Of course its cool, but i dosn't matter that much
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Post by: Exalbaru
how do you drill something that small?
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Post by: Dakarillion
Generally, on my own models I like having them drilled, gives just that little more realism.
If other people have them drilled then good, if not it's not the end of the world.
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Post by: infilTRAITOR
I like them and if someone is aspiring for a well presented army/miniature that is not solely tabletop I think it is an important thing for them to adopt.
That being said, most of the time I really cannot be bothered to do it.
63020
Post by: dragqueeninspace
I have started drilling mine and would never go back, I find it hard not to notice in on the huge GW guns now. Had it never been pointed out I could have left it but what has been seen cannot be unseen.
Feels weird using a bigger bit for a "28mm" orcs pistol than a 15mm tanks main gun.
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Post by: btr75
Black dot is good enough for game table quality.
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Post by: Grimaldus99
I started drilling the holes, it's a small thing but I like that tiny detail
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Post by: Elector
Only if it's well-done. I like it, but I'm not very good at it, so I generally don't.
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Post by: Papaskittels
I would play a guy with a poorly painted army, over a non painted, but drilled, any day
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Post by: HAZZER
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it helps to add a sence of relaism to the modle.
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Post by: Chi3f
I don't think it's necessary, but nothing is more disappointing than seeing a really nicely painted model with no barrels (and mold lines).
No barrels for the power table-top gamers and barrels drilled for the hobbyists.
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Post by: Scambone
I like drilled barrels, they look more realistic and that's always good.
I don't have a hobby drill though because kits are too expensive I paint little black circles on the end of the muzzle
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Post by: tundrafrog1124
My 40k army is traitor guard in a horde of foot models.
I'm sorry but I don't drill the barrels out of my 200+ infantry models alone. I also don't give a squig's butt if my opponent does either.
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Post by: Jimsolo
I don't think it's very important. A cursory glance through any GW product shows that even their professional teams can't always get the hole centered perfectly, so I would never hold it against a normal person who didn't feel comfortable taking the risk of ruining their guns.
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Post by: Exalbaru
I've started doing mine, its not dificult but I do recommend getting 1,2, and 3mm bits since right now I'm just using 1 and having to enlarge the holes very carefully with a scalpel
72007
Post by: Mad Boss Morgrot
Personal preference, yes. But it's not actually important, is it? Chill out people going ape about it.
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Post by: Uial-Ras
I only would do such a thing on something like a tank or if it were a bigggger weapon
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Post by: BladeSwinga
I don't trust myself to drill out the barrels, I've seen enough poorly done ones that I don't want to risk ruining the mini. As such, I don't mind if you don't have your barrels drilled out. They look better, yes, but I personally don't do it.
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Post by: Canine Gallows
I don't think it matters.
If you enjoy painting and posing and using green stuff on your models, totally go ahead and drill the gun barrel it'll add some depth.
However, I am currently working my way through a Flames of War army (British) and I see pictures of the tanks online with drilled gun barrels and I don't want to do that to my models so I don't.
After all, my tanks are going on to the field just to blow up other tanks and any other enemies so I'm painting and making my army to do that, I'm not concerned with the opponent gazing at my tanks and their amazing drilled barrels.
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Post by: dementedwombat
Yes, on heavy weapons or weapons with big barrels (bolters). Otherwise I don't think it matters.
I just remember seeing this one space marine with a heavy bolter. The model was painted pretty well, but the barrel of the bolter wasn't drilled and was just solid gray (I think there might even have been a mold line over it, but I might just be imagining things). That really annoyed me a lot more than it should have.
Am I going to be drilling barrels on my Tau? Probably not, because most of the weapons I can think of off the top of my head either look better undrilled (pulse rifles, put a blue/red/purple dot on the 2 little nubs sticking out the front and call them a focusing crystal), are already good enough (railguns, riptide ion gun, most battlesuit weapons), or have such weird shaped barrels that drilling them out would be a nightmare (pathfinder special weapons).
I suppose that just leaves Kroot weapons if I want to drill. We'll see if I have that kind of dedication once I get there.
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Post by: Rented Tritium
The metal pathfinder with a rail rifle needs to be drilled usually. It needs at least an indentation at the end or something.
I spin my knife around at the end of the tau plasma guns to give them a bit of a cone indentation at the tip.
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Post by: NickOnwezen
I drilled my dark angels, And i have a whole bunch of them. I want to do it for my eldar by i have a problem. what the FETH is the shape of the barrel on a shuriken catapult or scatter laser sypposed to be!?
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Post by: Trondheim
I could care less if the barrels are drilled or not. It really dont matter
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Post by: Color Sgt. Kell
I could care less. I hate it when people rage at noobs for not doing it. Not everyone can afford a proper little drill or dremel. I do like a black dot at least though Automatically Appended Next Post: BTW- I really think GW should do it standard on their models so people don't have to
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Post by: dementedwombat
Rented Tritium wrote:The metal pathfinder with a rail rifle needs to be drilled usually. It needs at least an indentation at the end or something.
I spin my knife around at the end of the tau plasma guns to give them a bit of a cone indentation at the tip.
Putting a little indent in the top of the barrel sounds alright by me, and I'll probably end up doing that when I finally get a chance to work on my models again, but I'm sure not going to try and walk a drill bit around to get a pathfinder rail rifle looking like a miniature tank railgun
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Post by: rowan341
I think it depends a lot on the model, some it is great others very easy to ruin a miniature.
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Post by: Knockagh
Look far better drilled, I don't do it as often as I should. Must do better!
Wish they came pre drilled, looks especially silly on multi barreled auto cannons.
60556
Post by: Whiskered
Personally I prefere to see them drilled. I do it as well howere o end up breaking barels very often.
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Post by: gossipmeng
Definitely prefer drilled out barrels. I've done it so far on my tau and greyknights.
75482
Post by: Da krimson barun
I'm going to have a drilling session soon.Those sluggas look pretty weird with a cylinder sticking out(It looks like its to block sand.Which is unorky(BLAM!)
79067
Post by: Thedragisal
I drill barrels because it looks nice, also because I am not a strong painter so I focus on physical details like this and magnetizing.
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Post by: Skipphag da Devoura
This one pops up every once in a while...
Yes, except for Orkz...
An old fluff story, goes a little something like this...
A small mob of Orkz were captured by an Inquisitor's unit. The Inquisitor had two boyz chained, their weapons on the deck of the rhino. The weapons were an odd amalgam of items. The choppas were obvious, as were the stikkabombs. However, there were two items that made no sense: they appeared to be some sort of firearm. A stout chunk of metal, roughly in the shape of a bolt pistol, with a block of wood bolted in the position of a grip, with a spring bolted in the position of a trigger. There were no openings anywhere on the "weapon". Nowhere for ammunition to be put into the weapon, and no place for the projectile to come out of it. This perplexed the Inquisitor, as the boyz had definitely been shooting at him; yet had no recognizable firearms. He questioned on of the boyz as to the purpose of the pistol shaped clubs. The boy responded, "It's me slugga." The Inquisitor, finding the naivete of the mentally challenged Ork amusing, asked if the boy could demonstrate how it could possibly be a weapon. The boy picked up one of the "pistols", and shot all nine of the Inquisitors retinue, with load reports and smoke pouring from the "pistol", before a strange click was heard. The Inquisitor's henchmen lay all around, some dead, others in the process of dying. The Ork held the weapon up to his mouth, kissed it, and said, "Sum tyms, it gets hot, an' den it runz owt of ammo." And then, he shot the inquisitor.
Ork weapons, like all ork tech, do not work within the physical laws of nature as dictated by human-kind. They are THE most psychically gifted race in the galaxy. If they THINK that it will work, it does. Red Wunz go FASTA!!!!!!
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Post by: sarpedons-right-hand
I like to see it done on 28mm and up. But my current penchant for 10mm means nope. Not possible. It's not vital to a mini, but it's a personal preference of mine.
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Post by: Stormonu
I think it looks better, but doesn't affect whether I'll play or not.
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Post by: lickingguitars
On rank and file troops i don't think it's necessary particularly with smaller models but on characters and other feature models I believe it's worth doing
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Post by: Hivefleet Oblivion
Only on orks. where if you get the hole off-centre (as I do 33% of the time) you can get away with it.
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Post by: Iron_Captain
I am too lazy to drill the barrels. I just paint a black do to represent them
I do think a drilled barrel looks nice though. It just seems like a lot of work for something so small.
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Post by: Freakazoitt
Drilled holes is good looking, but if don't It's not a crime
61310
Post by: Rainbow Dash
Oh yeah cause I'm gonna try that with Dark Eldar...
I could with the Orks but I play fantasy and my Orcs don't have guns, my Dwarves have a couple and I will for them, but mostly it's crossbows.
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Post by: Platuan4th
Honestly, I never notice.
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Post by: Furyou Miko
For me, it's something to do if I have hobby time but no motivation to actually do any painting.
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Post by: Kittenstomper
I don't find it very necessary, I just paint black circles on the end. However, it does slightly annoy me when people don't even do that and just leave the end of the barrel as it is.
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Post by: carlos13th
I prefer it on my models but don't always do it and don't care if others don't do it either
12313
Post by: Ouze
Iron_Captain wrote:I am too lazy to drill the barrels. I just paint a black do to represent them
I do think a drilled barrel looks nice though. It just seems like a lot of work for something so small.
With a pin vise, sure, it's a pain. But with a dremel tool and the right size bit, you can do 10 Marines or whatever in less than 2 minutes.
For myself, I think they're not done until the barrels are drilled.
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Post by: Reavsie
I prefer the look of drilled barrels, but have no problem with others if they aren't.
Besides, I can't drill a straight hole to save my life. About one in three I drill are okay, the rest are noticeably off. Obviously need more practice.
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Post by: evilsunzacademy
Mandatory for me, but each to their own.
89760
Post by: Knight_Alpha
At first, I just saw it as extra work and didn't want to do it, but now I love it. It makes the model look a lot better. Plus the holes allow you to add other effects easily if you want them.
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Post by: Flosshilde
I'm guilty of not drilling or painting the ends, I don't even know if I have a figure that has something like that, maybe my iron hands? I have a friend however that says it "NEEDS TO BE DONE OR THEY JUST LOOK STUPID" but when he does it it's all uneven... I'm like, "WTH is the point if you're just going to mess it up anyways!?" Might as well not friggin do it if you're going to be lazy about it...
I'll be more mindful of this drilling thing but I'll make sure I do a nice job and even give it a nice little crowning job... if I really hate myself I can try making a rifling hob and cut some rifling, probably only on the big figs... I do have a Gerantius that needs to be built!
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Post by: granander
Undrilled barrels drive me up the wall... but that's my problem
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Post by: KaptinBadrukk
Yep. It looks cool.
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Post by: thegreatchimp
Considering it takes about a minute to drill a barrel with a pin vice, there's not much of an excuse not to do it . Then again some folks don't care about mold lines either. I can't stand the sight of them, but to each their own I suppose...
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Post by: Sgt_Smudge
I think it's it all personal opinion.
Sure, you could leave it blank, but it may not look as good. Same with a literal Grey Knights army: grey as far as the eye can see...
By the way, I paint my models, but I don't drill or paint the barrels. I just can't be arsed to, and no-one really bothers me about it.
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Post by: chromedog
On a static display or larger format model, yes.
On a 28mm or smaller playing piece - not really relevant in my opinion. You are going to be looking at them from arm's reach most of the time and in the crap lighting of most gaming environs, most people won't notice anyway.
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Post by: Big Mac
I use to not care as I didn't want to mess it up, but after some practice I did drill all barrels larger than an lasgun/autogun/burst cannon; which include all plasma based, melta based, flamer based, heavy weapon based, even some exhaust pipes from older kits. It just looked better, and that's the goal.
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Post by: Lightish Red Space Marine
While it is a pretty cool touch I would prefer not to have hollow barrels on models because the barrels would become flimsier and more fragile and I'm pretty clumsy.
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Post by: darkcloak
I never understood this either. I guess it's one of those things people think should be standard, like cleaning off mould lines.
I'll tell ya what though, unless it's an HQ or maaaybe a Sarge, I'm just not gonna bother. Only the big mould lines are worth my time and gun barrells? Pah! Black dot on the tip, done.
Do Eldar players drill out their shuriken cannons? I've never seen one. Come to think of it I haven't really noticed this practice on anything but Marines.
Plus it really grinds my gears when someone comments on a piece just to say "gun barrel". That makes me want reach through the computer screen...
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Post by: Jimmy_Sip
I've always thought of it as part of assembling the models like removing mould lines. I quite enjoy doing it and I must admit to drilling out every single gun, even my lasguns!
A little tip if you're struggling to get the hole centered is to spin the pin vice backwards a little to make a small divot first. Then the bit won't slip.
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Post by: argonak
For 40k? Sure.
For Bolt Action? Hah hah hah.
Jimmy_Sip wrote:I've always thought of it as part of assembling the models like removing mould lines. I quite enjoy doing it and I must admit to drilling out every single gun, even my lasguns!
A little tip if you're struggling to get the hole centered is to spin the pin vice backwards a little to make a small divot first. Then the bit won't slip.
I also find that poking a tiny hole with a xacto knife works good for centering. But I've never drilled out lasguns, I always figured they had some kind of lens at the end of the barrel.
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Post by: Skinnereal
darkcloak wrote:Do Eldar players drill out their shuriken cannons? I've never seen one. Come to think of it I haven't really noticed this practice on anything but Marines.
Eldar weaponry isn't usually as vulgar or basic to fire projectiles.
Shuriken are a single molecule thick, so carving a slot for them on the barrel is quite difficult.
I see lasers as having a lens at the end of the barrel, so a bright dot on a firing gun does enough for my liking, and either shiny or dark when not in use.
I spent a lot of time drilling IG tanks and special weapons. They use bolters and GLs, which need doing.
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Post by: Jimmy_Sip
Yeah I think of lasguns as having some kind of lense too, just set back a little into the barrel. I guess it's a bit of a weird OCD thing. Nobody is going to notice it but I know it's been done. My painting is not quite as good as I'd like.
I think if it's a bolter or larger it looks wrong if it's not drilled out. I wouldn't mention it to anyone who didn't do it but I'd be secretly judging them in my noggin.
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Post by: StarDrop
I just drilled holes in my sniper drones. Source lightning may be interesting.
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Post by: Chrissy_J
I drill everything that's possible, or even probable.
For years I got by with a handful of mini drill bits and a pin vice, but just recently I bought one of those matchbox drill sets, an Archimedes drill and another pin vice so I'm all set.
I use shaped burrs for specific barrels like blunderbusses, as well.
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Post by: GraywarTS
Honestly its not needed, but a really nicley painted model with no barrel looks terrible in my opinion, at least paint a little black dot!
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Post by: morfydd
Drilled looks Good however it is time consuming so on the rank and file I have not done so..(the thought of drilling 600+ holes just does not appeal to me ..however I have found that making a slight indentation and black dot works well and is a good compromise for the rank and file..
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Post by: Huron black heart
I have always drilled my barrels, for me it's as compulsory as cleaning off mold lines and flash, I'm not overly bothered if someone else doesn't do it though.
For the record a pin drill is about £5, and a selection of small drill bits bought on line only cost a few quid and unless your heavy handed or drilling metal barrels a lot should last you years.
I'd also advise against using Dremmels or the like, far too powerful and very likely to snap your drill bits.
6209
Post by: odinsgrandson
This is an odd subject.
In real life, I run across a guy here or there who likes to drill barrels. They talk like they're the oddball obsessive guy for doing it.
Then, on Dakka, if you don't drill out your barrels, people talk it is akin to leaving a hunk of sprue on your finished mini.
I'm not surprised at the poll results here. They just don't reflect my experience outside of Dakka.
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Post by: Kap'n Krump
In nearly 5 years of playing, I don't think I've ever noticed wither or not my opponent had drilled his barrels.
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Post by: Talizvar
It is all about the representation of the model.
Some black dots can do the trick "well enough" for most.
I know I did not like drilling at first because I could not always hit the center.
It looks far worse then.
I agree it looks best with an actual hole.
This is like arguing on how many washes are the right amount.
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Post by: Lord Corellia
I think it looks a lot better and I do it with all of mine now, though I didn't always. Mucking up a barrel is always a fear and it's happened to me a few times. Bolters and bolt pistols aren't a big deal but rarer weapons like combi-meltas really hurt when you bugger the whole thing up with the drill.
102687
Post by: Chef_of_Cadia
I've drilled out some Heavy Bolters with just a drill bit (no handle, I still have cramps) so if you don't want to take a rediculous amount of time drilling every barrel in your army, I don't blame you at all. Just paint the tip black and voila.
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Post by: Don Savik
I've seen too many barrels break over time because of it. I dont want that to happen to my minis. If its aint broke, dont drill a hole in it.
To many people here are too uppity and annoying about it though. I've had numerous experiences where I'm at a game store, showing off my cool newly painted (to a good standard) model, and some guy walks up, looks at it and says "drill out the barrels" Like no comment on the paint job or conversion work buddy? This has happened like 5 times already.
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Post by: Peregrine
Always drilled, at least on weapons that should have gun barrels as opposed to lenses/invisibly tiny holes/etc. A model with un-drilled barrels looks like , and takes a trivial amount of effort to fix the problem.
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Post by: AllSeeingSkink
Peregrine wrote:Always drilled, at least on weapons that should have gun barrels as opposed to lenses/invisibly tiny holes/etc. A model with un-drilled barrels looks like , and takes a trivial amount of effort to fix the problem.
A model with an off centre drilled barrel looks even more IMO I'm OCD when it comes to things that should be circular and concentric being slightly off, I have a pretty good eye for such things, so I tend to not drill my barrels because I can't live up to my own standards Many gun barrels on miniatures aren't perfectly circular when they're cast, so even if you drill a perfect hole in them, it simply highlights that the gun itself wasn't circular to begin with. The times I have drilled barrels and been happy with the results, I wouldn't describe it as a trivial amount of effort. I voted "I dont think it is important", though I do think models with perfectly drilled barrels look better, I err on the side of it not being worth the effort. On a display model it's necessary to have hollow barrels, but that may very well be achieved by replacing the entire barrel. For model tanks, aircraft and ships there's a niche market of people making machined metal barrels to replace the plastic ones that come in kits as it makes sense if you have a display model that you're putting several hundred hours in to that the gun barrels are perfect and the best way to ensure that is have them machined out of metal.
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Post by: General Annoyance
I'd drill the barrels for all of my models if I had the correct tools. Sadly I don't have them as of yet
Personally I voted yes in the poll, but I've never really been so attentive to a model that I'm looking at that I check any weapon barrels to see if they've been drilled.
G.A
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Post by: Haravikk
I do it on all of my own models (including metals), but I'm not bothered if others don't.
The biggest problem is that the ends of gun barrels are often very awkward places for getting the drill dead centre; so while I personally don't like to see my own models without drilled gun barrels, seeing them with off-centre holes is just as bad (worse even, as they're nothing to do about if you don't have a spare).
Fortunately on plastic it's fairly easy to mark the centre as a guide, but metal's a lot harder and I still have a ton of older metal models.
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Post by: Dowager Countess M
Models looks much better when they have have drilled barrels, but a similar effect can be achieved by just painting a black dot on the barrel, and that takes less time and doesn't affect the model's durability in any way.
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Post by: vim_the_good
I like to see them drilled. Failing that a black dot is OK. I hate to see the end painted gun silver. All my bolter barrels are drilled.
TIP. You don't need a drill to drill out the end of a gun. I am talking boltgun size and up in plastic.
Just take a 1mm drill bit and twist with your fingers. Works great.
For metal. I wedge the 1mm drill bit in my scalpel handle for that extra torque.
Cheers, Vim
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Post by: amazingturtles
I honestly never even notice.
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Post by: Skinnereal
On the table, yes, barrel holes are usually overlooked.
But, if you showcase your model, the extra effort of drilling shows through.
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Post by: TheCustomLime
I personally can not stand the look of a barrel with a huge, flat end. But I also can not stand barrels that are even slightly off center. That's why I drill my bolters before I glue them on and buy some spares to boot.
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Post by: amazingturtles
Skinnereal wrote:On the table, yes, barrel holes are usually overlooked.
But, if you showcase your model, the extra effort of drilling shows through.
For me, I'm not lying when i say i don't notice it unless someone takes the time to point it out. it definitely does look nice with them drilled, i'll freely admit that. but it doesn't really bother me at all if they aren't
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Post by: Lance845
I drill mine on my nids/necrons. But I don't care about what anyone else does. It stands out more with my armys because the gun itself tends to be a big contrast to the color i pick for tongues/gooey bits. So the inside of the barrel pops. Same with crons. Energy glowy color is different from the bulk of the model. I can see why IoM mostly would be unnoticeable though.
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Post by: NH Gunsmith
I do it if the model doesn't have an indent on the muzzle for the barrel. But even when I do have to drill them out myself, I use a scribe and put a dent in the center of the barrel, than drill just enough to get past the angles on the drill bit.
But, having a pin vise makes it a heck of a lot easier haha. This is mine, it is fairly heavy, so I just hold the barrel vertical and let the weight of the pin vise apply pressure while I twist it.
1
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Post by: Haravikk
Definitely prefer drilled barrels, but I really need to get a better drill; it's fine for plastic and finecast, but I still have a ton of older metal models that I'm stripping and re-painting, and all of them need drilled (lots of them are Storm Bolters too).
That said, when it comes to other people's armies I'm not too snobbish; for me it's more important that an army is painted rather than having drilled out barrels, but even then it doesn't bother me if an army is unpainted if the player knows how to have fun (and doesn't mind reminding me what models are equipped with).
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Post by: Blackie
I think it's mandatory I can't stand weapons without the hole. Not only weapons but anything that should have a hole must be drilled IMHO
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Post by: Imperial_grunt
Do I like to see it? Yes, do I bother myself? Nope.
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Post by: Ankhalagon
Yes, I do that on allmost every model.
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Post by: Megaknob
Yes but I have never done it my self
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Post by: gatebuster202
I drilled my foot slogging wolves out. They looked better for it IMO. I will say, the Scarab Occult kit had combi-Bolters with properly drilled muzzles. (I bout lost my gak over that minor detail.) Hope the trend continues.
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Post by: ChargerIIC
I like the idea and love it when the plastic model already has an open barrel. I'm generally not interested in doing the drilling myself. It's just easier to paint black.
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Post by: Shiro-chan
I always drill the barrels from the side first (if possible) and then the front. As the leader of my FLGS says: "How are your soldiers supposed to shoot if their weapons are blocked?"
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Post by: Zingraff
I drill heavy bolters and similar large calibre weapons in my IG-army, but rarely all the way to the muzzle holes. Usually 1-2 mm only.
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Post by: daedalus
My GK are drilled out, and I think most of my heavy/special weapons are too. The standard IG aren't though, because i picture lasguns having a final lens at the end of the barrel, not really an open hole. I mean, it's a laser weapon. Only need to have the barrel to begin with is really to give the guy something to sight down and for focal length on any optics involved in the device, kinda like a camera or telescope.
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Post by: ChargerIIC
You can get them from third parties. I 'll have to dig out a pic of mine - in addition to the flare there is a clearly visible furry brown hamster being ejected from the barrel.
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Post by: Rybrook
I drill plastic barrels, I have misdrilled metal ones in the past and now leave them alone.
I have seen pictures of the metal Dreadnoughts with countersunk auto launchers and want to do it to mine
I’m sure it’s just a pilot hole with a 3mm countersink
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Post by: ChargerIIC
ChargerIIC wrote:
You can get them from third parties. I 'll have to dig out a pic of mine - in addition to the flare there is a clearly visible furry brown hamster being ejected from the barrel.
Found the pic:
Mother Khador uses only the finest armor piercing hamsters
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Post by: qurk
I drilled all of my marines' boltguns. A lot of work but worth it!!!
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Post by: Zognob Gorgoff
Get a sharp bradle, you should no longer find it easy to miss align drilling your barrels - if you do fill them with green stuff and paint the end and move on to the next one lesson learned to be more careful.
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Post by: Karak Norn Clansman
Absolutely, this is a must. Something many fantasy collectors ought to remember for their gunpowder weapons.
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Post by: Lion of Caliban
I like to see it. For practicality sake I don't do it often, 60 tiny lasguns isn't the easiest thing to drill out. But I appreciate the effort when I see it and if the model has it by default I like it.
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Post by: Just Tony
It doesn't affect my life in the slightest. So I'd ideally vote "I don't care" but "it doesn't matter" is more diplomatic.
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Post by: thegreatchimp
I do it religiously on my own figures. It wouldn't detract too much from my opinion of other people's models, whereas mould lines would. On the other hand its just lazy. I can at least understand unfiled mould lines -as ugly as they are, removing them correctly is time consuming. Whereas drilling a gun barrel is dead simple and takes about 30 seconds. For me its a case of "why the hell would you not do it?"
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Post by: Venerable Ironclad
Drilling out my gun barrels is a must for me. I think the problem is that a lot of people think you need an actual drill to do this, when all you really need to do is place an exacto blade on the center of the barrel and spin the blade around a few times.
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Post by: Vitali Advenil
I have a hobby hand drill and it's easy enough to do, but considering my primary army is orks I'd have somewhere around 200 barrels to drill since 99% of all ork models are equipped with at least a pistol. I just need to find some time to sit down, listen to a podcast, and drill.
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Post by: Skinnereal
Using the correct drill-bit is key. I messed up the plasma pistols on my Van Saar. I might have fixed them with the glue brush and carefully pushing it back into place, but we'll see. That was with a 0.5 mm bit.
Or, just use a sharp knife, as above.
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Post by: everwynd
drilled my grey knights, drilled my drak angels, drilled my chaos marines, Sisters of battle come pre-drilled, when they come in plastic, will definitely drill them all...
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Post by: Darling
Otherwise it looks like I'm painting miniature LARP'ers. Although it has to be done right, nice and centered not too big not too small.
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Post by: That1Dud3
I think it depends on the model, as some I think you can get away with without a gun barrel (certain plasma weapons come to mind) but most bolster/gun models look better with a barrel.
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Post by: Rayvon
I am not really arsed me, my painting looks gak anyway so having no barrels doesn't make them look any worse.
121430
Post by: ccs
Either way works for me.
If a mini is sculpted that way, awesome. If you go to that effort, good for you. Personally I'm not going to go to that effort & don't care wether you do or not.
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Post by: ClockworkZion
I've been back and forth on this in the past and while not drilling them is easier, I feel like drilled barrels just look a bit better. If not drilled, at least a dot of black to suggest an opening is a must for me.
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Post by: Lone Cat
If gun barrel drilling (or any other methods to make a barrel hole) possible. then yes. a model should have more 'dimensions' and 'realism touch' to it.
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Post by: K9ofChaos
I would have to say yes to this one. It's certainly a nice addition, but it isn't 100% required for me to enjoy a particular miniature soldier.
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Post by: Wyrmalla
Take a third option and play with models where the barrels are too small to drill.
This is only really an issue with larger scale models. As Warhammer and say Warmachine go for more cartoonish proportions for their figures it becomes more evident. As opposed to say having a single model out of your whole collection with a gun large enough to require drilling.
In the case of the scales I work with (28mm typically - true 28mm that is, not "Heroic") outside of tanks you don't really see a barrel anywhere near large enough that even could be drilled reasonable. For 28mm modern miniatures a 30mm autocannon still has a barrel the same width as a pin. In which case with tanks and the like you tend to find the barrels are made from metal or resin, which makes having a simulated drilled barrel simpler to manage.Otherwise they come in two parts or have a separate moulded muzzle brake, so drilling isn't necessary.
To be honest where the barrel isn't either drilled, or at least has a depression to represent the barrel, I'll wind up painting a black circle on the end instead. Though with 1/56-1/48th scale vehicles its the minority of kits that have barrels large enough to drill, or don't already accommodate for this (and where they don't, if its a real issue you can buy a high quality third party metal or resin barrel).
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Post by: Darian Aarush
I can imagine that drilled barrels look awesome, but I don't personally see them as a necessity.
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Post by: Tamwulf
Heh. This just randomly popped up on the Dakka front page for me, so I voted. Then I see it's a thread from 2012.
THREAD NECROMANCY! IT'S ALIVE!
I don't really care if the barrels are drilled out or not.
94437
Post by: Crispy78
I like to see it in the same way that I like to see 4-5 layers of highlighting, wet blending, NMM and OSL. Yes it looks good but I certainly can't be arsed to do it...
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Post by: Statistx
I'd like to see them on the unassembled miniature, with which I mean the design of the parts should be including an open barrel, instead of asking the assembler to drill one. I've seen some minis that already had it open, but definitely not all.
I don't care too much if others do it
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Post by: callidusx3
Drilled gun barrels depends on the type of gun. I would not drill a lasgun or shuriken catapult. But otherwise, yes, I like to drill the holes.
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Post by: MDSW
Venerable Ironclad wrote:Drilling out my gun barrels is a must for me. I think the problem is that a lot of people think you need an actual drill to do this, when all you really need to do is place an exacto blade on the center of the barrel and spin the blade around a few times.
This, 100% exactly.
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Post by: PieInTheSky
I think you can easily paint them to look like barrels so it's no big deal.
I don't actually play WH40K, but it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if my opponent rocked up without drilled gun barrels. But if he or she rocked up with them all just painted in metallic paint or something then I would think that was a bit sloppy. Still better than not having painted miniatures at all. I wouldn't be mad at them if they didn't but I would give my preference in playing time to opponents who had put effort into painting and preparing their models well.
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Post by: Da Boss
I've only tried to do it a couple of times and was unhappy with the end result (off centre holes) so I don't bother any more.
I don't care if anyone else does it, I much prefer a painted army to unpainted and I feel lucky if I am playing against a painted army of any kind.
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Post by: tneva82
thegreatchimp wrote:I do it religiously on my own figures. It wouldn't detract too much from my opinion of other people's models, whereas mould lines would. On the other hand its just lazy. I can at least understand unfiled mould lines -as ugly as they are, removing them correctly is time consuming. Whereas drilling a gun barrel is dead simple and takes about 30 seconds. For me its a case of "why the hell would you not do it?"
Damaged barrel when drill is 0.1mm off the center for one.
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Post by: kirotheavenger
It's easy enough to avoid going off centre with a bit of practice.
Start with a small hole and just go a little way in. If it's off centre use your knife to widen the whole and recentre it. Then drill.
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Post by: jdouglas
Eldar shuriken weapons (especially the plastic ones) are usually an exercise in frustration to drill, so I usually leave them be. The old Eavy Metal ones were large enough to do something but you need a real drill to make any headway.
When I first began the hobby, I dulled the tips of many hobby knife blades trying to use them as drills. The pin-vice drill is a good investment if you are OCD about boltgun holes.
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Post by: Esper
I drill all my barrels. The good thing about playing Orks is that you can screw up the drilling and still looks great.
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Post by: jdouglas
Oh, forgot to mention, would you go so far as to drill out the horizontal flash suppressors of the bolt guns? Personally I feel that it is somewhat risky, and begging for a barrel repair conversion. Just one slip of the pinning drill can ruin the tip of the barrel. In fact from experience, I've learned that barrel drilling is best done before painting or assembly as a routine prep step. It is easier to do it in groups. I usually drill all of my loose bolt guns in the bitz bin so that I wont have to worry about them latter, once the minis are assembled/ painted. If any get mucked up, I relegate them to Orks or repurposed conversion weapons.
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Post by: Clouds
I don't mind having a black dot instead, although i have always considered making actual holes, maybe in the future.
4003
Post by: Nurglitch
I'm terrible at painting, so drilling out the barrels is very cathartic for me.
131337
Post by: Hairesy
How do you expect your models to be able to shoot if you don't drill out their gun barrels?
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Post by: LunarSol
I used to, but I just find with the tendency of mold lines to raise the center point of the barrel, its just not worth the effort of trying to get them perfectly centered to look right. It's much easier to paint and looks about the same.
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Post by: Fugazi
LunarSol wrote:I used to, but I just find with the tendency of mold lines to raise the center point of the barrel, its just not worth the effort of trying to get them perfectly centered to look right. It's much easier to paint and looks about the same.
Take a flat file and run it across the end of the barrel a few times. It helps.
Some people recommend scraping an “X” on the barrel to center the bit. I’ve never gotten this method to work. (Maybe you need a panel line scribe or some similar Gundam tool?) I take the bit and work it back and forth a little to find the center before I apply pressure and drill.
To answer the poll question, I do it for bolters on up. I like it. But I don’t nag others.
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