Need some advice on a GW product

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**DA's Forever**

The Product in question: http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470006a&prodId=prod990078a

Now it looks extremely useful to me as I have very limited room for my various hobby activities. But shelling out forty bucks for an plastic tray seems abit excessive. Can anyone suggest a similar product that's cheaper? Or is this what I have to go with? Thanks for any and all help.

**lord_blackfang**

Cardboard box. Cut in half diagonally. Done.

**AesSedai**

lord_blackfang wrote:

Cardboard box. Cut in half diagonally. Done.

+1

**Kanluwen**

Alternatively if you don't want to go that cheap, you can get a TV tray from places like Ikea.

**AvatarForm**

http://www.gelaendestuecke.de/onlineshop/index.php?cat=c73_color--spray--holder---.html&page=2

**sourclams**

TV trays, cardboard, a piece of wood... anything flat, rigid, and large enough to fit minis/paint.

**Grot 6**

Make your own.

use a piece of plywood, some partical board, and some of those small picture frame nails or those 1 1/2 onmes and there you go.

40 buck for that is a ripoff. You can get the same materials, and make your own to the exact standards for about 5-10 bucks.

**Laughing Man**

http://www.slipgripmat.com/default.asp

Doesn't hold anything, but a great painting surface. I've peeled superglue off the things, ffs.

**Field Marshal Wiley**

Unused pizza box cut with the lid cut off and a mason jar haha or just find any second hand table from good will no station to paint at should be 40 bones silly

**JoeyHeadwounds**

As others have posted, there are ways to have a lap hobby station for much cheaper than buying the official GW licensed product.

That being said, the GW one looks quite nice and it may well be worth the money if you're like me, too lazy to make one as nice or better, or you don't have the time to make one.

Making your own would likely be better in the long run as you could build it to the size you want and give it any features you may want it to have. Good luck with it.

**Mr Mystery**

As I have a fairly small flat, I went for the GW one (that and the convenience of my local GW being 5 minutes walk away).

The lap styling works really nicely, and although I haven't painted it (painting being a dirty word to me) it's a good size for building models, if a little small should you be batch building. But can't have everything, and I find it's ease of storage offsets any size limitations nicely. But remember, I do have a very small flat.

**H.B.M.C.**

Must... resist... obvious... comment... ahh!!!!!!!

**Maxstreel**

I use a cafeteria serving tray I bought in a garage sale for 25 cents. It keeps the tiny pieces of minis I'm assembling from wandering off, is cheap enough to beat up yet strong enough to clean paint off of. It doesn't store paints but I tend to store my paints elsewhere my kids can't reach them. That and I only pull out a few paints at a time while I paint as I'm terribly slow.

I must agree with and give kudos to H.B.M.C. about resisting the obvious comment!

**Krellnus**

What obvious comment?

**Armandloft**

All of these are fine suggestions, just don't forget your Citadel Water Pot.

**AvatarForm**

Armandloft wrote:All of these are fine suggestions, just don't forget your Citadel Water Pot.

Every White Knight should have 2!

**Doctor Khorne**

I know I have a few!

**doctorludo**

I've got one of these. It's good for what it does and, whilst pricey, is good quality. If you can afford it, go for it. If you would have to go without minis for a month or two, then you'd probably be better making one yourself.

The most useful thing is, as said above, that it will hold tools/brushes/paints as you work, so it does keep you organised. In addition, you can put it down whilst halfway through a project and pick up where you left off. Useful for keeping wives/girlfriends/parents happy.

**Skinnereal**

I've got one of these:
http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product.asp?dept_id=33&pf_id=LS7552D

It's a potting tray from a gardening centre, and is bigger than the GW one, for a lot less money.
The pots at the back are handy for putting brushes or tools in.

**kronk**

If you simply must paint with your paint on your lap, perhaps a bean bag lap tray will do?

**Jon Garrett**

I use a cheap case of slightly larger to the GW army case which came with a solid block of foam you can pop sections out of to make the area you want. Simply cut that block in half to form two layers and the top one can hold a couple of dozen paints while the bottom has room for miniatures in progress. I simply used some plasticard to give part of it a solid surface.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/flight-case-with-foam-36796 - That case, but I got it when it was on special offer - as it often is.

**MagickalMemories**

I think it's important to know WHY you are looking at this particular product.
Do you simply want a dedicated painting surface, or are you literally looking for something to go in your lap?

If you're looking for something to go in your lap, I'd be more inclined towards kronk's suggestion. It's a more universal fit (fat legs, skinny legs, ONE leg, etc). You could even use easy to find materials (rulers, balsa wood, superglu/hot glue/gorilla glue) to divide it into sections, like on the GW version if you felt the need.

If you've got space available to use on a temporary basis, I'd look more towards a small case that can carry paints, supplies and -possibly- WIP's, then be stored away when not in use.

Eric

**Killamop**

I wouldn't get it, little brother has it. it's sketchy as skak.

**The Great Wolf**

I have previously bought this product, and found it to be extremely useful!
The paint holders are very useful as are the brush slots.
The only downside is the price lol other than that I do recommend it matey

**Ultramarinescout**

Great Painting Surface but it is very pricey.