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I like the weight, but they can be a pain to model. The paint doesn't always stick and sometimes you have to pin them

Assembly I’ll give you. But once they are put together and primed, they are not that much different from plastic/resin.

I detest them. The paint always seems to have a hard time sticking on, especially on the edges. They also chip really easily.
Why can't GW remake the Vostroyans in glorious plastic?

i pin everything anyway...
it's just better for the lifespan of the model...
plus, i like to paint in parts, and then assemble at the end...

a good primer makes a world of difference when painting metal, but not rubbing the edges of the model is important, too...
be sure to let the primer set for at least a day...

i like metal, but plastic is my favorite material to work with...
resin is good, as long as it is well cast...
what i hate is any bendy material...
Finecast sucks...
restic sucks...
metal, especially CB's exquisite casting, is a pleasure to work with...

cheers
jah

I've never had a problem painting metal. A good even primer coat usually helps with that. I also tend to seal my metal models to help prevent chipping.

I have had issues with some of the lower quality resins taking a good primer. Even when I wash them (some have oil residue left over), and leave them to dry, they still end up a little thin in some places.

Now as far as assembly goes, oh boy. The worst I've had to assemble is a tie between the old metal land speeders and the early metal thunderfire cannons. But these still weren't as bad as some of GW's early "Finecast" models.

Painting is ok, though I do fine I need to use a bit more layers to get a solid paint job. Keeping metal models together is annoying.

I hate metal models with a passion. I flatly refuse to buy any others. I would rather hand draw a stick figure on paper and use that as the "model" than deal with another hunk of metal.

First off - you must pin every little thing. Because the first time they fall off the table or get bumped just right - parts will fall off ruining that paint job. I've tried various super glues, two part epoxy, even jb weld. Nohing works long term.

I don't care if some people think the detail is better on metals. That hasn't been my experience because it's rare the parts ever fit right. Who cares if the edge on the sword is perfect if the arm socket had to be drilled out, pinned and filled with putty.

Life's too short to deal with that crap.

I am the opposite actually. I find metal to be amazing to paint, just seems like it's much easier to layer and highlight. Just seal when you're done and no paint chipping.

I loathe assembly of the more complicated metals though a metal helcannon went together without fuss (My gods are kind to me ) and pinning is frustrating. Oh and if you get a metal spear/standard/staff, you're not straightening that up. Ever. Manufacturer casts Impotence on Metal Staffs.

That all being said, I love the heft a metal miniature has especially when it's a special/rare unit in an army or a commander unit. It feels more powerful and can get gak done. Plus you don't need to worry about it melting in the heat. Painting a metal model is alright if you spray undercoat everywhere, then finish with a sealant to prevent chipping.

Plastic is more convenient, but i don't mind metal, i care about the mini not the material, i don't do restic or finecrap.
And when there was only metal, paints were also different, old revel enamel paint only chipped if you dropped the miniature.

Yeah, since my interests switched to resin and plastic lines, I really have no fun working with metal.

I've never had a problem with metal. Once the primer is down it paints up just fine. I prime my plastic as well, so neither one has been a problem. If you are having trouble with paint sticking on the metal model, then you probably need to prime it. Same to someone earlier who said something about putting it on thick if you prime your figures first you can go with appropriately thinned down paints and not risk obscuring details with a gloppy paint job.

 jreilly89 wrote:
I like the weight, but they can be a pain to model. The paint doesn't always stick and sometimes you have to pin them

I belive some companies use mould release on their metal models? I know for GW metals I had to rise them off with some warm water because they would have a think white powder on them. But no other company I've bought metals from were like that. That's why I'm not 100% sure.

Also the Vallejo Grey and Black Surface primer well designed for air brushes work amazing as a paint on primer. (The white not so much, but the grey is light enough it works just as well in place of a white base coat.) I've had no problems with useing it on metals, plastics or resins.

I rarely got to painting metal minis, the assembly is just murder. Super glue and pinning is a hassle to begin with, but then some of the models will be overly involved with too many parts, or there will be big heavy parts you have to balance juuust right. And then sometimes there will be a special kind of madness like the old metal Tyranid Gargoyles. And you can forget about actually converting them.


My (unpainted) Chaos Raptors still hold up after all these years, but I got so many Tyranids that I never got past attaching a single arm....

I enjoy working with metal minitures, far more than I enjoy plastics from GW(few other company also) now.

I'm a veteran on metal Dreadnoughts and Land Speeders (yes young 'uns, Land Speeders, in solid metal, on one of those flight stands) so it was part of my learning curve and it doesn't bother me.

These days, manufacturers only cast in metal where it's practical, larger stuff tends to get made in resin, plastic or hybrid kits, so I'm all for it, especially with long, snappy bits like spears etc.

I find a little patience, some super glue accelerator and the proper tools for the job make working with metal models a pleasure. Truth be told I prefer the metal Convergence of Cyriss models over the Restic ones.

It's probably a function of my age, but I prefer metal over any form of plastic. I find that paint sticks just fine over the primers I use, I have all the tools I need to cut and/or drill, and they are heavy enough that they don't fall over in a light breeze.

I'm not much of a fan, myself. Heck, I recently got an old metal Nightbringer (which was a deal, admittedly, for like 15 bucks) and the thing is so top heavy. Not to mention, painting it doesn't "feel" the same as a plastic or resin model. I'm not certain how to put it in words, but I'd much rather work in any other material (even finecast, which I've had no problems with at all, and I've probably got 20 or so models made out of the material). The only thing worse that I've encountered are the PP plastics. Those are just awful

 Iron_Captain wrote:
I detest them. The paint always seems to have a hard time sticking on, especially on the edges. They also chip really easily.
Why can't GW remake the Vostroyans in glorious plastic?

Prime and protect.

A good primer should have no issues sticking to a metal model, and paint should have no issue sticking to a primer. It's the whole point of primers.

When done, seal with a couple of coats of a good spirit based varnish, then something like dullcote if it wasn't a matte varnish.

Metal models shouldn't be chipping after these steps unless you use them as a football.

I started painting metal Citadel minis in '90 and primered them with a jar of Gesso (heavily watered down) my mom gave me. I never sealed any of them, they sat out in the sun for most of their early life, made it through 6 moves and still look brand new. I whole-heartedly agree with those on this thread who say that a good primer is the key. As for assembly, you're on your own (yes they have to be pinned, no they aren't as convenient for conversions...)

A good primer is the key.

Lol.

No. No problem with metal.

I built an old metal slann mage priest and attempted the old metal Hellcannon. The SMP needed a custom base because the tiny flight stand it came with wasn't even trying to appear up to the task of holding the great lumps of pewter in the air. The Hellcannon I put deep in a box somewhere after I seriously considered throwing it through a window.

15mm FoW and the like are a little better as most pure metals are about 4-5 parts for guns and artillery, and most infantry are 1-piece, but clean up is still its own level of tedious hell, and the resin + metal models can be really difficult if crucial aspects are poorly cast.

Plastic is universally more complex to assemble than metal/metal + resin at this level outside 1-piece figs, but they're substantially easier.

I've been over metal for ages - I just wish the industry would catch up ...

At least with GW's metal models I only had problems assembling them and keeping them assembled. Painting wasn't too much harder, if at all, than painting plastic. Chipped more often though. Haven't messed with any resin so can't give any two cents on that.

 Azreal13 wrote:
I'm a veteran on metal Dreadnoughts and Land Speeders (yes young 'uns, Land Speeders, in solid metal, on one of those flight stands) so it was part of my learning curve and it doesn't bother me.

These days, manufacturers only cast in metal where it's practical, larger stuff tends to get made in resin, plastic or hybrid kits, so I'm all for it, especially with long, snappy bits like spears etc.

You mean new metal or old metal land speeders?

For me, plastic is reserved for model kits.

Gaming figures are, and always will be, metal.

Playing pieces for boardgames can be plastics - but they don't ever need painting, so they can be tossed into the box like the toys they are.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Jehan-reznor wrote:


You mean new metal or old metal land speeders?

Spoiler:

In my case, both. I've got those, too.

Not really. I try to complete my Cryx army. Most of the models are metal. That's too bad. But I tried to adapt to this.

Ive no issue with metals and you only need to pin large dreadnought sized models.
Resin on the other hand.....