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Okay, so I know this topic has been covered (several times) before, but I did a search for 'weight' and got nothing useful.
Basically, I'm looking for a very, very simple method to weight my plastic models down. I used nickels on my Ork boyz, but with Tyranids, the plastic models have slotta bases (meaning the nickel won't fit down there anymore).

A weighting system that is very cheap and easy to procure would be best for me, hopefully something I can pick up at my local hardware store/Home Depot.

Any suggestions? Preferebly, they would also be small enough that they would fit under the 40mm round bases without removing any of the 5 little 'support holes' found under the GW 40mm base.



So there you go. Mad props to anyone who can help me out.

Go to a gun supply store that sells reloading supplies. Get #8 birdshot for shotgun shells. Mix some 5 min epoxy and put in birdshot. Load into bases. This will fill in around the model support posts. If you do this before mounting models, then you won't need to support the model until the epoxy dries.

Alternatively, load an upside-down base with shot and use superglue (with or witout accelerant).

The birdshot should work good... but what I like to use are lead fishing weights. Those little balls you just squeeze onto your fishing line.. you take a plyers and squeeze em flat then glue em on the underside, and you can usually fit 3-4 under your small bases. They work really good

That is a good site, thanks.

The buckshot looks to be the way to go!

I glue washers under all my bases that need it. My Seraphim and Zoanthropes cannot fall over now unless you tilt them more than around 45º.

Along with that, I took a 3'x3' board and covered it in business card magnets to store/carry my washer-ized Tyranids. It's a very handy set up.

For 25mm bases I cement a 1p coin in. For 40mm bases I cut out the plastic nibs and cement a 2p coin in. Then I fill the base with Plastic Padding.

1p coins are ferrous and will stick to magnets, which can by handy for carrying them.

I dare say it's hard for US based modellers to get 1p coins.

Fisihing line weights are a great idea.

I use the smallest fishing weights, squeezed to fit flush under the slottabases. A regular 25mm round slottabase will take 5 of those, and usually they're enough to stabilize any miniatures. Usually.

I tried filling a few slottabases with Brad Nails (ie nails with almost no head) and lots of superglue. It works, but it was a pain.

I think I'll try the putty + fender washer in the future. I already use fender washers for non-slottabases.

I also use birdshot.

I glue washers to all my nids bases, before priming them black. The weight helps keep gaunts and stealers upright, and keeps everything on the magnetic strips in my plastic carrying cases.

So it turns out that stores carrying birdshot in los angeles are rather few and far between.

Does anyone know of a place online (a page link preferebly) to a place that sells the properly sized birdshot I can order from?

That would really save my bacon.

i sometimes use the metal tabs from blister minis,considering i opt to pin them to a built up base rather than to the slotta.
You could try that.

Did you try the gun store in Culver City on Washington east of Sepulveda?

Posted By frenrik on 01/08/2007 3:41 PM
Did you try the gun store in Culver City on Washington east of Sepulveda?

I sure did. They didn't have any. The guy named a couple places he thought would have it but they were quite a drive (and I've already forgotten where they were).

http://cabelas.com

Not sure if they ship to California, it being a communist country and all. It amazes me that a city the size of LA doesn't have any birdshot readily available. I guess some parts of the Bill of Rights are just more fashionable than others.

Smallest they have is #7.5, which is 2.41mm in diameter, as opposed to the 2.29mm of #8. The smallest I'm aware of is #9, which is 2mm. In this application, you'd probably be happy to have anything up to and including lead dust, but I think even a 2.41mm shot will fit into a base nicely.

I've also seen a lead putty that is used in fishing, but I tend to think it will be prohibitively expensive.

You might also try making a RTV mold of a slottabase, and pouring yourself some lead bricks that fit nicely inside a slottabse.

I think shot is the ticket, though, it's simplest. Epoxy or superglue will work, although epoxy might be safer, since cyanoacrylate glues tend to go a bit crazy if you accelerate too much in one place (irritating fumes, lots of heat).  You might even work a magnet into the application... Ohh, the possibilities!

Well, I better go, there's a noise coming from my gun safe, I think they're trying to break out again and go kill people.

 

Thanks Phryxis.

After some rather frustrating searching I did find this:

www.rrarms.com/catalog.php

It's some minnesota gun place and I placed an order for the 25 lb (!) bag of size 8 shot.

The shipping costs a whopping $18, but I suppose this should last me for pretty much my entire life.

 

I'll post how this turns out when I recieve the order, but thanks again for everyone's help!

 

The suppose good news is if you ever need to make some anti personel mines, all you need now is some plastic explosives, a reflecting plate and a box.

Or you could sell some of it off to other Dakkaites...

Posted By Iorek on 01/20/2007 2:37 PM
Or you could sell some of it off to other Dakkaites...

That's not a terrible idea, I'd do it, but I'm sure the shipping will still cost a bit even if I'm only sending a fraction of the total. I'd be willing to do it if someone really wants to buy some from me, though (PM me if you're interested).

But thanks for reminding me about this, I forgot to post an update.

I recieved my shipment a few days after my last post. It was quite heavy and I think it will last me my lifetime.

Here's the 25lb. bag:




Here's a little bit I put into a tuperware container:





And here's a closeup of the shot:




It fits nicely under every base I've tried it on, and it certainly does the trick weighing down the minis.


I would totally recommend anyone else order from the link I posted above if they want a similar bag of shot.

Yak, that's a lot of bb's. A LOT. Holy carp, 25 POUNDS?!? How much did that cost you in shipping? Ouch.

About 5-6 years ago, Bugswarm had the same problem, he told me to buy the smallest lead shot to put in the bases. I guess unless the center of gravity was to far (the model laying on its back) the gaunt couldnt be knocked over.

So I found a supplier for steel shot (heh, cant forget the magnetic option nowadays) from:
www.precisionreloading.com/steel_shot.htm
Which also gives the modeller (and shipping) friendly 5 pound size.
But anything up to 40 pounds costs $10 shipping flat.
I use #7 shot.

Now I have a cheaper alternative to "paper steel"ing my bases and having control over how much I weight my models.

It also works exceedingly well on warmachine bases I have come to recently realize since rebasing all my models with the superior round edged bases.

It wont help you now, Yak (sorry ,didnt see this thread until today) but perhaps some others may find it useful.

plan that costs little to no $

gointo your back yard and find (vary) small stones

when you dont havea back yard go to a craft store and find (vary) small stones

I just finished doing up my Tyranids with a REALLY easy solution to this problem: Alex Plus (the stuff you use to seal the tops of moldings when you're painting walls)

It sticks to the inside of the base well enough, it dries to the point that it won't be pulled out, and it doesn't shrink!

Just use a calking gun to put some in the base, smooth with a popsicle stick and let dry.

Easy and super cheap (3$ a tube)

I also use washers. They fit perfectly.

The Trooper: Washers add height to the base (which is something I don't care for).


King88mob: How heavy is this 'Alex Plus' stuff when it dries (not that I'm going to use it, I've got my birdshot now, but I'm interested)? Cause I wouldn't imagine putty would be terribly heavy, but I could be wrong!

I superglue a nickle (USA 5 cents) into the bottom of the base. Honestly, it really isn't worth my time to do anything else. I come across plenty of nickles in the course of a week anyway, what with my mocha, soda, junk food, etc.

I used Nickels for my Orks, but they don't fit under slotta bases (that the Tyranid plastics use).

Posted By yakface on 01/30/2007 12:12 AM

I used Nickels for my Orks, but they don't fit under slotta bases (that the Tyranid plastics use).

You do know that you are allowed to cut off the plastic stub and glue your 'nids to a regular base, right? 

 

You do know that you are allowed to cut off the plastic stub and glue your 'nids to a regular base, right? 

 

Try that on a hormagaunt and see what happens .

I have used a variety of methods depending on circumstances, mostly how much space is available.

Leman Russ flail tank conversion: A hunk of roofing lead hot glued to the inside of the hull.

Dapol locomotive kit converted to narrow gauge as terrain: boiler filled with sand with a squirt of PVA to keep it put.

Miniature Bases. Lead shot poured in and glued in place.

Polystyrene Hills. A nice base made from 6mm MDF or plywood. It keeps them strong and it keeps them put.

Bases are the only one where space is at a premium so I want the densest material I have to use. I use the finest lead shot I have which is sold as ballast under the name of liquid lead. A piece of lead roofing sheet cut to fit might be better, it would probably be a lot quicker and easier to use as well. I do not know about the USA but this is easy enough to get hold off in the UK from builders merchants for sealing where chimneys and things meet the roof. I would have to try the two methods against each other.
Fortunately with the new plastic Devastator squads coming out this looks as if it will be less of a problem than in the past but I still like the added weight it gives the figures.