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Hey experienced showcase mini people.

After looking around a bit I was wondering how people source their display bases? I assume some woodwork their own, others look like trimmed down wooden frames (from the art on the wall kind) and some are kinda mcguyvered.

I'm wondering about the circular display bases that could even have a glass dome popped ontop as well as the squared off cuts of frame people use to base things? All the tutes I seem to dig up never really mention this fact and just kinda go on about the mini ontop of it.

Here are a few that just come to mind

http://www.secretweaponminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=79_1&zenid=ec541c381583c1ef6dad4610a04aaa77

http://www.modeldisplayproducts.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=157_36

If you have HobbyLobby or some other craft stores you could also get a block of balsa wood and create your own

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/12-x-2-x-1-balsa-block-642942/

For making the bases check out Schnauzerface on YouTube. At the 11 min mark he shows how he made the base.

The word to look for is plinth. Is you drop that into Google along with the adjective like miniature...you will have dozens of choices.

You can also make your own without too much effort. Many are little more than an appropriately sized wood dowel cut to length.

A glass dome is handy too if they will not be kept in a case. Dust is horrible for paint jobs, not to mention things like cooking residues and the like. Most of mine are kept in larger cases, but the ones which are not are generally in a small display (dome or otherwise). A lot of those come with there own bases, and with a bit of looking, you can find them just the right size for miniatures.

I've also heard them referred to as "sockets." Fancy ones can get pretty pricey, as they use quality (or even exotic) hardwoods. Most people tend to use cheaper options, like the pine plaques you find in craft stores. You can get them in all shapes and sizes, but the quality of the wood used tends to make finding a decent one a bit trickier. I rifle through the bins whenever I'm shopping at Michaels and grab a good one, if I find any - they're cheap enough that it's worth getting it while I can, in case of future projects.

Finding glass domes to top them might be tricky. If you want them individually covered, I'd say just buy an actual display case - they have finished bases, anyway. Reasonably small ones aren't hard to find or terribly expensive. Baseball cases are common and fit anything up to Dreadnought size, if they don't have really tall banners on top.

You can also build your own rectangular base and pop a frame around it, if want a particularly fancy edge that you couldn't get out of the routed edge of a plaque. This works particularly well for bigger dioramas and display boards. As long as you stick to standard proportions, you can get anything up to 24"x36" right off the shelf.

Thanks guys. I'll start having a dig around for bases, plinths and glass. I might even dremel my own groove into something I find and fit a glass dome i get separately.

Obviously a few approaches but definitely looking at the more finished and decorative approaches such as treated and trimmed wood etc.