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I can't seem to find anything about removing minis from their bases. What is the best way to do this? They are all plastic figures, put together with regular super/hobby glue on standard issue bases. I put them on and then later got some better stuff to do basing with, and would like to upgrade them.

Thanks in advance.

Normally I am able to pry them off with enough force but if you are worried about breaking something you might try some Simple Green. It will dissolve super glue bonds but also strips paint so you might stand the mini's in a pool of the stuff that's boot high and just repaint the feet.

I have done this many times in the past as I am never happy with one thing or the other and change things around.

I normally can just twist/pull or tease the model until it gets loose. That is if it is super glue and not plastic glue.

At times it will get stuck really bad and I just get my hobby knife out and try and slide it under the feet until I can eventually pull it off (be careful with this one as I have cut myself more often than not doing this).

One other thing I have heard is putting the figure in the freezer for a bit and it will make it easier to pull off.

These are all for super glue so if you use plastic glue it is basically cutting off the figure from the base.

You could also use a hobby cutting tool (the scissor like thing not the knife) to cut the base apart around the feet and then use a hobby knife to remove the part that is stuck on the feet.

By removing/cutting the base right up to the feet you create a nice flat surface you can put on a hard surface so you don't have the risk of cutting yourself when the knife goes through (also makes cutting a bit easier).

It depends how much you want to keep the plastic bases. I'm currently amassing marines for a Hawklords army and am replacing all bases with resin ones. I did try to save the palstic bases but after a few broken ones I just attack them with the sprue clippers cutting nearly all of the base away from the figure then trimming off whats left on the soles of the figure.

Fingernail polish remover should do the trick.

Slipstream wrote:It depends how much you want to keep the plastic bases. I'm currently amassing marines for a Hawklords army and am replacing all bases with resin ones. I did try to save the palstic bases but after a few broken ones I just attack them with the sprue clippers cutting nearly all of the base away from the figure then trimming off whats left on the soles of the figure.

I'd like to keep them as best I can. I'm short for cash at the moment, and would rather not have to replace the if I don't have to.

Breotan wrote:Fingernail polish remover should do the trick.

I thought anything with acetone was bad for plastic figures? Would it be safe to use in small doses? Or will I just end up with melted feet and bases?

The freezer trick has worked for me in the past. Leave them in the freezer for a day (I bag 'em before hand), then pull them out and they'll snap off the glue much easier.

That doesn't work so well if they're pegged, slotted or pinned, obviously.

If you have used super glue then chuck em in the freeezer for a night. Then you should be able to work them off.

If you have used plastic glue then your best bet is to get your hobby knife and carefully slice between the feet and the base. I must stress carefully here. More then once i've sliced my thumb open doing this....

Acetone will melt your plastic models if left exposed for a while but if you use some on the end of a cottonbud and just dab at it and then wash it off fairly quickly you should see no ill side effects.