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What do people think about this piece of kit? Price isn't an issue - what about the quality of it and it's practicality?

Thanks!

I don't see the purpose of buying a piece of overpriced plastic when you can go to a hardware store and get a ceramic tile and put some newspaper under it.

If you're looking to just blow your money on something, you can donate to my charity, "Feed a poor college kid." Just send me a PM!

That was less than useful. I need something that is easily portable and something that I don't need to pack up once I'm done. Again, price isn't an issue.

I have one only because I won it in a painting competition.

I don't normally use it, but recently it has proved useful for getting my current project easily moved off of my table where my 2 year old can reach it.

So really it's a glorified tray with holes for brushes in it. I don't use GW pots so those slots are wasted space.

I suppose it's more useful if you don't have a dedicated hobby space or surface.

 ExNoctemNacimur wrote:
That was less than useful. I need something that is easily portable and something that I don't need to pack up once I'm done. Again, price isn't an issue.

Wow you must be really 'special'. I have some corn flakes that look like Jesus to sell you. And 10 million dollars that I need your help to get out of Nigeria.

But seriously...

If you have more money than sense, then I highly recommend the sh**ty plastic tray that won't fit half your paints on it, and it costs £20. I'm not sure how it 'doesn't need packing away' either. It's not like you can just cram it in your backpack, without everything spilling, breaking, and falling off. Just get a tray and a mug to stand your brushes in. And by 'mug' I mean a drinking mug, not yourself for thinking about buying a Citadel paint station.

How "portable" do you want it? Portable to put on a shelf or portable to put in your car and drive around? They're ok, I don't own one, but the local GW stores have them and they seem fine to me.

For what purpose do you need it? It is simply a space to put your paints, water jug and models as you paint them. For most people it's no better than just putting down a piece of... well... anything really..

You could use it to paint on your lap, but I wouldn't want to do that myself, you'd end up with horrible posture and it seems like a bad idea to have wet paints and a water bottle resting in your lap.

You could use it to keep your desk clear (once you are done painting, take it off your desk and put it on the shelf) but a solid board of MDF or similar will do the job just as well, the only purpose would be aesthetic.

If you actually want it to organise and store your stuff (opposed to being satisfied with them randomly floating around on a piece of MDF or ceramic tile), well, if money is no object I'd get someone to make you a little cabinet with a lid that can be closed and a neater way to store the paints.

For what purpose do you feel you need one? It does what it does, provides you a working area. The one I used seemed solid enough if your question is simply about build quality.

Hobby zone makes a nice paint rack

http://www.hobbyzone.pl/pl/23-duzy-stojak-na-farby-modelarskie.html

and if you do some finagling you may be able to get a desk set up as nicely as this

Sorry bud, it wasn't really clear that you needed something portable. The GW station has the curves on the underside for resting it on your legs, if you don't have a table to rest it on.

Otherwise, Hobby Zone has some 'modular' stations that can be set on a table.

If you want to get really fancy, Battle Foam makes a display board with round slots in it that can accommodate paints and larger slots to hold cups.

As far as practicallity goes, the GW one is plastic which may be nice if you need to be more mobile, the Hobby Zone ones don't look like they want to be moved too much, and the Battle Foam tray looks like mobility may be a small issue when there's a lot on the tray. Here's a review of the Hobby Zone station, as well.

Thanks guys for the info!

 Smacks wrote:

 ExNoctemNacimur wrote:
That was less than useful. I need something that is easily portable and something that I don't need to pack up once I'm done. Again, price isn't an issue.

Wow you must be really 'special'. I have some corn flakes that look like Jesus to sell you. And 10 million dollars that I need your help to get out of Nigeria.

But seriously...

If you have more money than sense, then I highly recommend the sh**ty plastic tray that won't fit half your paints on it, and it costs £20. I'm not sure how it 'doesn't need packing away' either. It's not like you can just cram it in your backpack, without everything spilling, breaking, and falling off. Just get a tray and a mug to stand your brushes in. And by 'mug' I mean a drinking mug, not yourself for thinking about buying a Citadel paint station.

Please don't insult me. Aerethan summed it up - I don't have a dedicated hobby space and I want to be able to move what I'm doing around easily.

 ExNoctemNacimur wrote:

Please don't insult me. Aerethan summed it up - I don't have a dedicated hobby space and I want to be able to move what I'm doing around easily.

I apologise.

However I still don't see how your problem isn't easily solved with a dinner tray. Or as AllSeeingSkink suggested. If money is really no object, have someone make you something which is more practical and probably much better value.

The older GW ones (MDF) were/are better than the new plastic ones, but are no longer available.



There are better ones, closer to the original GW ones out there
http://chestofcolors.com/hobbyzone-paint-station-review/
http://www.hobbyzone.pl/pl/18-profesjonalny-stolik-do-malowania-figurek-i-modeli.html

http://www.warlordgames.com/12731/new-paint-racks/
http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article/work-station-paint-stands/10668

I have two, but I got them both for free when I was a staffer.

I use one for painting: I have only the models I'm currently painting and the paints I need at the time on it.

I use one for modelling: It has all my tools and glues, and the bits I need for various projects in tubs in the little gaps.

You'll get out of it what you put into it. I find them hugely useful for organising my brain and not getting distracted by other shiney things.

As for quality - they're built OK. The little feet might come off, and they're slightly flexible so I don't like cutting on them - but they clean up well after spillages and I like the grooves on the underneath for your legs.

I'm sure it's great when you're... at the airport... or something?

 angel of ecstasy wrote:


I'm sure it's great when you're... at the airport... or something?

That looks incredibly awkward, lol. I usually have my miniatures a few inches from my face so I can see what I'm doing. I suppose if you're massively long sighted and can't actually see things when they're close.

The concept of a little paint station you can pack up and move is all well and good but it took me a whole 2 days before it was covered in so much crap that I now can't. The only purpose it really serves not is to hold what paints I am using on my current model since it doesn't hold nearly enough of them.

I have one, and to be honest I would say, although overpriced, it is a fairly good product (I got the deal with 2 water pots, 2 palettes and a cutting mat)

For me, although I have a dedicated man-cave storage is at a premium, so I like my paint-tray as it allows me to have a small 'portion' of my stuff to hand, while having all the rest of the stuff packed away neatly. Also, when I want to paint but must appease the fiancee by spending time with her, it means I can pick up my current project and take it downstairs/the bedroom with a minimum of fuss. It just seems to keep things organised. Plus I quite like the paint rack (I paint with GW paints) because I can limit myself to the number of paints available, and that provides a bit of focus (i.e, phase 1, basecoat paints and washes, phase 2, highlight colours) and makes it easier for me to remember my steps.

I have the old wooden one, 'cause my parents gave it to me. Mainly so I wouldn't paint-purge the table I painted on.