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 PsychoticStorm wrote:
I prefer metal, resin holds detail better, but is more troublesome to deal with.

But in the end high quality properly cast miniatures of either medium are good.

Would agree with this.

I will also repeat what Auston T has said about the weight of metal sometimes being an advantage. I love the tactile element of scooting little 15mm metal tanks around the table, even though the detail differential between that and plastic isn't so noticeable at that scale. Similarly, crunching a great 28mm Caskuda in Infinity - it adds 'weight' to what you are doing.

I do think Finecast has created something of a negative atmosphere surrounding resin, but that's down to the grade of resin and casting method used - I've had some wonderful resin models (and actually even some FC when it has been done well) - I guess the point is that you seem to get much more of a potential for differentiation then you ever have with metal, or with plastic for that matter.

Backfire wrote:
Metal is good in small miniatures like infantry, characters etc, as long as they don't feature too many smooth surfaces where metal often doesn't cast well. However large multi-part metal models are an absolute horror. Difficult to assemble, horrible to paint, hard to base, tip over on the gaming table because they're so top heavy. And don't tell me "file off the sharp flash lol you dumbass". When you have a model like BFG battleship, it has so many corners, edges and spikes that it doesn't matter.

Metal does have one thing going for it - resale value of metal miniatures tends to be better, because they're more durable and paint is easier to strip off.

Plastic is the bestest, but sometimes plastic characters tend to lack, well, character. I think it's because they're often sculpted on computer, which sometimes lends itself to sterile expression. Stuff like this gets really esoteric, but that has been my observation.

Have you ever handled anything done from CB, or other manufacturers? or do you speak purely from GW experience?

Plastic > Resin > Metal

The weight of metal is nice, but making a helljack bounding over a pile of rubble is much easier in plastic.

 gunslingerpro wrote:

The weight of metal is nice, but making a helljack bounding over a pile of rubble is much easier in plastic.

Yup, the modelling options opened up by the lightness of plastic and resin make for much more interesting conversions.
SM Scouts rappelling out of a Landspeeder Storm, with the model being supported by the ropes for example.
I've seen it done in plastic, but you couldn't do it nearly as well in metal.
The fact that joints in plastic are welded rather than glued means that smaller, finer parts can be joined.
I can add weights to the base, so more elaborate models have a low CoG letting them be used on the tabletop, couldn't do that with metal.
Plastic is a better substance for conversion work, there is no doubt.

I prefer metal. Metal lasts longer and if you use the correct kind of adhesive and pinning then many of the complaints against metal are not valid.

A lot of beginner hobbyist do not use the right glue or own the tools needed to work with metal. For them resin is probably better it is a "noob friendly" material compared to metal.

JWhex wrote:
I prefer metal. Metal lasts longer and if you use the correct kind of adhesive and pinning then many of the complaints against metal are not valid.

A lot of beginner hobbyist do not use the right glue or own the tools needed to work with metal. For them resin is probably better it is a "noob friendly" material compared to metal.

My preferred glues for metals are either 5 minute 'poxy or a greenstuff/super glue sandwich.

Zap a Gap is a decent glue for metals, but Crazy Glue and other low end CA glues do not work well.

The Auld Grump

JWhex wrote:
I prefer metal. Metal lasts longer and if you use the correct kind of adhesive and pinning then many of the complaints against metal are not valid.

They're completely valid. Not everyone knows how to pin. Not everyone thinks you should have to pin just to put your models together, and if you do have to pin things, then there's a problem with metal.

Well here are my two cents, they are probably worth only half of that.

I love metal mini's always have always will. To me there is something fulfilling about working on metal, from pinning it to cleaning, and using GS to fill in if a part doesn't quite fit (I don't know maybe I feel that if I put that much effort into it, its truly something I did).

I don't mind plastics, and resin can be good on large models like a WM Colossal.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

JWhex wrote:
I prefer metal. Metal lasts longer and if you use the correct kind of adhesive and pinning then many of the complaints against metal are not valid.

They're completely valid. Not everyone knows how to pin. Not everyone thinks you should have to pin just to put your models together, and if you do have to pin things, then there's a problem with metal.

A well done metal figure does not need anything of that short, I think a few bad metal manufacturers like GW (and PP from the above comments) have created myths about how bad metal can be.

Its the same as creating your opinion about resin from finecast or fro plastic from that GW kit that happened to be half filled and passed QC.

Metal is medium that has its virtues as do the other two, assembly wise a metal model from a decent or good company is no more difficult to work than the other two.

 darefsky wrote:
Well here are my two cents, they are probably worth only half of that.

I love metal mini's always have always will. To me there is something fulfilling about working on metal, from pinning it to cleaning, and using GS to fill in if a part doesn't quite fit (I don't know maybe I feel that if I put that much effort into it, its truly something I did).

I don't mind plastics, and resin can be good on large models like a WM Colossal.

There is a sense of accomplishment when you have struggled against a stubborn metal miniature, then looking at the result and going 'That one's mine, took work, but damn, I'm good!'

The Auld Grump - I had to fill in a thumbprint on an old Citadel Lava Dragon, once upon a time....

I like metal for single piece human size figures, but anything bigger or multi part I'd prefer resin or plastic.

I will admit I used to loathe metal with a burning passion. I had to build a metal Hive Tyrant and it was one of the hardest models to assemble I have ever encountered. Even pinning didn't completely fix the problem-I had to resort to epoxy in some places, and a mix of Liquid Green Stuff and superglue in others.

That said, I think metal works better than resin with small, low parts count models. I would rather have a Chaplain in metal than Finecast, but with medium to large models, like Zoanthropes, I infinitely prefer Finecast.

Personally, my experiences with Finecast have been overwhelmingly positive, and there is little doubt that they have improved massively. I do think they need to improve their QC though, and it would be good if they made models available in metal as well.

I have to say thanks again to all the posterrs on here for taking the time to give me your thoughts on the matter!. I have been in contact with a few casting companies of late, i am fairly sure i have found one i want to go with. However funny enough from the information they have sent me, what may yet fully decide for my first miniatures is going to be heavly influenced by their design and costs of casting.

If i am going to sell tons, than getting my line done in molds for metal casting seems to be the best and most cost effective option, if i am going to be selling a smaller amount , say a few 100's of them only, then resin may be the better option.

So i will have to get my site up and running and i am sure when i get my first miniatures finaly resculpted ( i can say i am talking with the sculptor who has done the raging heros kickstarter sculpts ), i will defaintly be posting the images to you all here in a week to two from now !.

take care everyone thank you again for all the feed back and suggestions, i am taking all of them into account!.

with best regards to the wargaming community at large - Shawn.

I much prefer resin, I like the feel of it, it is easy to work with, and the detail on resin seems to always be higher then on metal (well the potential is there anyway). Big resin fan.

 Rippy wrote:
I much prefer resin, I like the feel of it, it is easy to work with, and the detail on resin seems to always be higher then on metal (well the potential is there anyway). Big resin fan.

The 'more detail on resin' thing simply isn't true, with the general consensus in the industry being that there isn't much between them. Take a look at the likes of the metal ranges of Kabuki, Corvus Belli's, Avatars of War's miniatures. The likes of Studio McVey use both resin and metal for their lines, and I think tend to go on length of production run (and sales volumes) for use of one material over another.

I think a lot of this perception has stemmed from marketing spiel surrounding GWand the release of Finecast - they couldn't just say 'resin is much cheaper for us to make, that's why we are switching from metal', they had to involve a sales pitch about the supposed improvement in quality which was, in fact, a lie - one that is compounded by the lack of quality control, and has ultimately resulted in GW essentially lowering the bar when it comes to customer expectation of miniature quality.

Resin, depending on sculpt, resin quality and moulder expertise, can capture better detail than metal, this was true before GW and their finecast campaign, finecast does not capture better detail than metal and its issues are well documented.

But the detail metal can capture especially when done by companies that have quality, expertise and are not so stuck with economy savings can be fantastic.

I much prefer resin, however I'm fine with metal as long as the minis are 1-piece [to avoid the need for pinning].

Resin is my preference, though I'm still of the school of thought that a model's worth is measured by its weight. ^^

Unless the base model interests me a lot I've got a need to chop it up and convert it somehow. I don't remember the days having to clip and file rather fondly...

I prefer a mix of things:

Plastic for mass models or large multi piece kits.

Metal for single characters with fiddly thin pieces, or single piece models.

Resin for all things that don't fall under the first two. Conversion parts, multi piece specialized or character models. Anything you only need a few of like rare options are fine as well.

Resin is easier to work with, but far more brittle than metal, so thing parts break and are a pain to fix, where with metal it just bends and can be bent back into shape 99% of the time.

Side note, whatever Finecast is made out of is not the resin I'm talking about. Real resin models won't slouch under their own weight over time and natural heat conditions. Finecast is some kind of Vinyl resin hybrid that is terrible, even more so than regular resin when it comes to fiddly bits.

My preferences are thus:

Plastic if no fine details are required.
Metal if the model is a special character, or something I'm unlikely to try to convert.
Resin if the model requires fine detail AND is something I am likely to try and do after-market modification to.

These are my material preferences in order, not taking price into account, just the material:

- Polystyrene (hard plastic sprues)
- Metal
- Resin
- PVC (resin plastic, warmachine, mantic, reaper bones.. various mixes here, some better than others)
- Finecast

Cannot beat a good sprue, not with anything, and there are lots of companies such as Wyrd and Dreamforge who are really pushing the bar and producing excellent minis in polystyrene. Detail loss on the sides is not even an issue with proper sprue design and/or slide-core tooling. GW's latest kits are pretty good technically speaking, especially the character models.

Metal is excellent for infantry, although sadly too expensive these days.

Resin has great detail, but is more for display pieces I find, not regular gaming, unless there's nothing easily breakable on the mini. Plus, pricier than metal.

PVC (Mantic and warmachine resin plastic) is a bitch to clean up, and doesn't hold detail as well as metal or resin.

The less said about the bottom two, the better, hideous materials.

In practical terms, if you have hard plastic, you have my attention. Resin plastic and you might have my attention.

Metal/ resin, you don't have my attention at all unless it's a character model or skirmish game, more due to the expense than the material (which I rate highly).

Thanks for all of the recent feed back guys, i feel i should post another reply too all the lastest posts on this thread. Overall i feel the same feelings towards the material options. As i have said in my last post at this point its really going to be up to when i get the masters finished and sent to my caster what we both decide will be the best option for the miniatures. I do truly want to make these miniatures come out into the market with a great price that will defaintly allow them to be used in any game system on the market place ( i do plan on creating my own and it is in the works, but miniatures are my main focus at the moment, as great miniatures sell great miniatures!).

I have seen a few posts about Plastic, and i feel i should really have posted my thoughts on plastic at the start of this thread. Plastic for any real starting company ( and even a few that have been around for a good time) is very very expensive to start into, and since i am a one man operation at the moment that is clearly out of what my set investment amount is currently. However that is not the only reason i have not looked into plastic. Yes their is the newer spin cast plastic's out their , but overall plastic mold style miniatures i always find lack detail compaired to similar or even from the same company miniatures done in metal or resin.

So i also feel that plastic for the most part does take away from the miniatures detail, and i truly want to release miniatures that will be a joy for hobbyiest to paint and enjoy all the detail on my miniatures. perhaps in the future if i am doing very well and have an increasing high demand i may then consider for some of my product to be done in plastic casting or mold injection, but at the current point it is just not a real option for me to even consider ( i know their is the new restic style material, but their are no casters in North America and i would rather like to avoid the UK VAT tax as it will raise the cost of my miniatures to a level that i feel is not fair to my customers when i have found a great company to comission my casting needs with right here in north america.) at this point in time.

So as i am getting my web site and facebook account set up i hope to soon be posting a thread of my small starting but to be growing and easly expandable miniature line !.

So with best regards to all of the wargaming community on the Dakka forums - Shawn.

Hard plastic> Resin> Wood> Marble> Clay> Restic/Finescat> Papercraft> Play-dough> Metal

Metal all the way!!

A metal mini feels like a precious thing while a plastic mini feels like a toy to me. I really bummed when I came back to the hobby to discover that everything had gone plastic I just enjoy the weight of a metal model (and the fact its less assembly)