pinning figure

[godfather]

I have trouble keeping my pinned figure stable. I use metal paper clips of different thickness straigtened out then superglued into wood blockk. I usually paint large scale figures but fin dteh tip or wobble. Shoule the hole I drill be the same size as the pin? Smaller or larger?

 

[KeithP]

I used to have the same problem :lol:

If you are already supergluing them in, you may want to make the pin distance between the block and the feet shorter - so they don't wobble as much. You may want to drill deeper too!

The trick that finally did it for me was to add some sticky putty around the the feet or soles of the feet. Its a modeling putty that does not dry. You can get it at art stores. I cannot recall what it is called. But, you use it to stick objects to flat surfaces. I use it for dry fitting arms and poses too! It is easily removed and re-used too!

Hopefully, some one else can remind me what it's called! The stuff I hve is green.

Keith

 

[Kisifer]

Keith you don't mean blue tak right?

Talino, you pin your figure in a temporary base or you mean on your final base? For my final base i also use paper clips, but i drill quite deep into the figure and the base. Then i add some superglue at the bottom of the feet for extra strength.
I never put my figure on a temporary base. I always pin it on my final base and work on it.

 

[Guy]

I use a dremel drill press and drill the feet the same size as the brass rod and mount my figure on a work base. The oil from your hands can cause problems to the finish on your finished figure base.

 

[KeithP]

Blu tak! That's it! :lol:

Keith

 

[Mack]

The product that Keith is talking about is named blue tack from bostik, I think. It's always used to block securely the wooden base of the figure for transporting them in various shows and it is enough strong to block small figures in the painting wooden base but for larger I think it could be a little dangerous.
I make always the same hole of the figure on the wooden base used for holding the figure during the paintig session.The pins, that are quite always from paper clip (consider that I paint quite excusively 54mm figures), are totally inside the hole I have drilled in one of the discarded wooden bases that I have. In fact I use a specific wooden base for the specific scale of the figure, higher for the 90mm and lower for the 54mm.

Marco

 

[Kisifer]

Guy i always double wrap my base with that paper tape. I never had problems with oils or anything at all. You just need to wrap it carefully and heavily

 

[KeithP]

Marco-

Thanks for reminding me that it's blue tak.

I don't use blue tak by itself. I do the pinning but will add the blue tak around the feet/shoes of the pinned figure. This seems to help stop the wobbling especially on larger scale metal figures.

Keith

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Faber-Castel has a green equivalent to Blue-Tac that I find is better.
I also stuff it in to the holes as well as a little bit under the feets.

Cheers

 

[Randy Myers]

If you pin both feet, and drill two holes in the temporary base, you won't need to use glue or putty to hold it steady. Leave some of the pin showing below the foot in case you have to grasp it with pliersto remove the figure.

 

[Mack]

Another good advice is the "Quid" from the italian manufacturer Elisena.It is a multi use arm that can be fixed on the working bench or on its solid base.
I think that looking at it avoids me to describe the infinite possibilities that this tool have.
I have one of it and I don't finish to discover its possibilities of helping my work.

Marco