Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm getting into Ork conversions (I'll post pics of my dreadnought -> deff dread soon), but I'm feeling the need for some 40k-scale plastic chain and oil drums in large, cheap(ish) quantities.
Any suggestions?

For oil drums: any length of plastic rods with the ends capped off with a piece of card slightly larger in diameter than the rod itself.

For chains: I use dollar store jewelry chain. It's like a buck for about a foot's worth.

Plastic chain, I don't know. I do know that if you have a Michael's craft store (or something similar) you can pick up 3-5 feet of jewelry chain for like $5.

bushido wrote:Plastic chain, I don't know. I do know that if you have a Michael's craft store (or something similar) you can pick up 3-5 feet of jewelry chain for like $5.

That's great, I guess I never thought of using metal chain. It doesn't have to be plastic. How would you get that to hold its shape, though? Super glue?

And

MechaEmperor7000 wrote:For oil drums: any length of plastic rods with the ends capped off with a piece of card slightly larger in diameter than the rod itself.

I'd really just rather buy some HO scale oil drums...

If you Have a local "regular" hobby shop(such as Hobbytown USA or a "mom and pop" type shop) you can often some 1/35th or 1/48th kits that include people and oil drums(there are some old kits that were just Oil Drums, and Tank Traps).

And yes Super glue for holding the Chain in place/rigid, but unless you want an "Action Swing" pose for your Chain it is better to just glue/hook it up and let gravity cause it to hang/swing.

Small metal chain chain be dynamically posed by locking each link in place with a little dab of superglue. If you just want a little bit, check craft stores or cannibalize dollar store jewelry. You can usually find great deals from jeweler's supply stores on places like Ebay or Etsy (where I got mine), but it wouldn't really be worth it unless you order other items or find a great deal, to justify shipping costs.

For the oil drums, I have a bunch cast by... I want to say it was Pegasus Hobbies, but I can't be sure, that are quite snazzy. Perfect for orks, too, as some of them have dents added for good measure. If you can't find a good deal at the right scale, just make you own. A bit of PVC/copper plumbing pipe in the proper diameter would make a great base, but you can even use rolled up paper, in a pinch. Just cap each end with cardboard/plasticard and add a few thin strips around the barrel to represent reinforcing beads (add a wider one extending just beyond the top and bottom of the drum, to mimic the rolled edge - the flat ends of drums are never flush with the edge). A pair of small disks slapped on top to represent the cap and vent and you're good to go.

http://www.accurate-armour.com/ShowProduct.cfm?manufacturer=0&category=4&subcategory=33&product=345

These oil canisters are smaller than the big 50 gallon drums.

Tamiya (a brand found at most hobby shops that sell scale models) make kits of oil/fuel drums, sandbags and brick walls that you can use. They come in 1/35 and 1/48, so you have size options.

As for chain, I got some convincing metal chain from the make your own jewlery department at Michaels.

lessthan1337 wrote:
How would you get that to hold its shape, though? Super glue?

If you get the really super thin zap a' gap it runs very quickly along any chain via gravity without leaving unsightly globs that ruin the detail of the chain.

That is the easiest and most visually clean way to do it that i have used.

Aren't GW's fuel drums (and tank traps, I think, can't remember what else came on the sprue) still available?

I grabbed the GW oil drum/tank trap kit a month or two ago. It has great conversion fodder, and I always like to keep one or two around.

-Jim

Top tip for Barrels, lots of them, cheap!

Pick up some 15mm Copper Straights from any DIY store, normally you can get a bag of 50 for under 10 GBP. I've used lots of these on terrain, a round bit of cardboard for the top.

I've also bought a pack of Tamiya Fuel drums with have Jerry Cans as well.

I have been looking everywhere for those copper pipe connections in the US and have not been able to find them. I think they are UK/Europe only