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So now that GW in their infinite wisdom has started using bases with a split thingie in it, you can't glue nickels/washers/etc to them anymore. Trying to get a metal model that is top heavy to stay upright in one of these bases is literally not possible. Anyone have any brilliant ideas on how to get around this and still get your stuff weighted down?

Um, cut the metal weighing it down into smaller pieces? (to fit in the sides)

Small washer and a hacksaw.
Sodder will also work well if you have the time to melt it into the base.

Well, you used to be able to buy washers, or use nickels that fit nicely into the bases, except that they've split all the bases now so that you can't put anything down there.

um.....clip out the offending split piece, and then proceed with normal base weighing plans

greenskin lynn wrote:um.....clip out the offending split piece, and then proceed with normal base weighing plans

Hmmmm, not bad. It should be easy to cut the plastic. But what about the metal bit on the model? (risky innit?)

metal tab on the model....oh, i was thinking of a different base setup....but with those metal tabs, i've removed those with nail clips....model metal isn't exactly the toughest of substances

The metal peice on the bottom is usually very weak, and not attached to the model that well. Wirecutters and a little bit of filing make it come out perfectly flat.

Or, just buy a bunch of the normal bases off ebay or something, they're always handy to have around, because those slotted bases are just horrible IMO.

It isn't a new thing that they are using split bases for the metal models...

Anyways I've seen plenty of people cut their washer or coins in half before gluing them in. Shouldn't be a big hassle.

I use washers.

No srsly, even in the split bases. I just use really small ones and stack them two deep in the base. Works well for plastic models, dunno bout metals.

You can always cut a penny or nickel in half...

Or you can epoxy a 1" fender washer underneath.

or both.

I use Milliput putty in my work, and when I have little bits left over, I tend to stuff it into bases for weight.
But if I really need to weight something properly, I keep all those little bits of metal sprue cut off from multi-part metal figs and glue them into the bases.

I cut off pieces of a lead strip, which is soft enough to be cut with a pair of scissors. I think it's used for roofing or something, but I can get it for free of my dad's work. Then I just superglue 2 pieces to the bottom and voila, upright staying model.

A UK 2p coin is exactly the same diameter as a round base. I glue them to the bottom. It makes the model a few mm taller, but the coins are pretty heavy.

Hrm...pieces of a lead strip. I'll look into that.

Also, I *am* talking about split bases, but not using medal models in them. IE, every base that GW ships now is a split base, even if there's not a model that needs to fit in the slot - instead, the plastic is just not cleared out.

Washers and non-slottabases.

Tabs are cut off and the models are pinned into the base.

I bought a whole raft of stuff from a GW shop in the past week. Standard non-slotted round bases.

Also, like ian says, 2p glued to the bottom, or make a space in the slit for the coin to sit in.


Other plan, blue-tac some bits of waste metal on either side of the slit.

Stainless steel shot and greenstuff/dry wall filler compound.

Slotted bases aren't for everything, thakfully, just some models that would have some difficulty staying on the base or be assumed to have said difficulty. Such as gaunts for some reason and of course the models in the starter set. I don't know why though. Metal models are nearly always slot anyway. Some of them can't be, like the Dreadnought, but have small tabs that plug into the base instead.

If you're unable to cut whatever it is you weigh the base with then try trimming the slot a little bit and the tab a little bit as well. Then attach the coin or whatever to the base there should be enough room for it. This will work for the plastic but be a bit more difficult for the metal. For the metal ones i would make whatever it is you are using to weigh them down do around the slot so as not to give the metal model a chance to jump off its base.

Tungsten weights are pretty dense. There's also a tungsten putty, but it never hardens so it is less suitable for weighting model bases.