Thursday, April 2, 2009

GW - Makin' Life Easier




As I was assembling my Sternguard squad the other day, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentedness while building the models. This is not usually the norm when working with metal miniatures that need assembly. But one of the things that GW has been doing of late is incorporating notches or pegs during the sculpt to help the hobbyist obtain the right fit for the model. I was impressed with how well the models fit together, which minimized the amount of time I have to hold the model together with my fingers. It also (at least for me) reduces the number of times I actually have to pin an infantry model.

By the way, I ordered these pinning kits from Privateer Press that come in different sizes and also come with the appropriate sized drill bit. I used them on a couple of models and they work pretty well and unless you pin every single component one set should last you a good while.

5 comments:

  1. I also bought a few sizes of those Privateer pins sets. They are awesome for pinning! The smaller ones are small enough to pin a banner or a hand, while the larger sizes are great for pinning big models like Sammuel on his jetbike.

    The notches really do help a lot, though I've found that I still need to pin! When assembling my vanguard, the arms were heavy enough that they kept slipping off whenever I let go (and I hate holding my models together for more than a few seconds…I mean…I got a lot of models to assemble, you know?).

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  2. The pinning set looks great, an included drill bit is even better. Now only to find a shop that stocks these items in Holland or mainland Europe.

    Regarding those notches, I'm a bit in doubt. I tink they are not very practical for when you want to convert your model. Filing needs to be done before you do an arm swap, which is one of the easiest conversions in the book.
    And if I would come across models that have these notches I would probably end up pinning them anyway. The Kroot shapers also has a simplified joint like the one shown above. I filed away the bump and used the socket as a starter for my pinvise.

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  3. Definately fancier than a paper clip piece. I wonder how this compares to just buying brass rods from the Ace Hardware down the street. I recently picked up some small aluminum tubes for a project that I did not end up using. They are probably not strong enough for pinning.

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  4. To convert, I just clip off the notches with the clippers and so far, it's only been minimal sanding. As for the ACE hardward brass rods, it's not much different other than the fact that the expansion sets already come with a matching size drill bit.

    I also (sometimes) use accelerant with the super glue to get the pieces to bond instantly. Then after it's dry, I go back and reinforce with more superglue. Haven't lost a limb yet.

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  5. they look really usefull! Might check them out next time I need something of that sort

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