Ultra cheap Bases and Plinths

[gothicgeek]

Hi everyone

In the spirit of sharing I thought I would post a quick SBS of some cheap bases I've been working at ....

When sorting my figures to take to a show last week I realised I had 8! yes EIGHT! pieces waiting to be based.

Money is very tight ATM so I called into my local woodworkers and got some 2x2x3 blocks cut ( I don't have any way of getting nice square cuts ) as the wood is planed and finished it works out as 1 3/4 x 1 3/4 x 3

I scrounged some marquetry wood from my mate Ray ( But it is very cheap on ebay, £5 for 10 assorted sheets ) and some advice .... Cheers Ray

The only other thing I needed was a clamp, so a trip to my local cheapo shop got a good one for £1.99 ... sorted!



This is a fairly complex base as I wanted to use this wood with the two colours! mostly one colour will be the norm and so easier...

A. A piece of pine and 4 sides cut to rough size

B. First side on ( PVA glue applied generously ) and clamped for about an hour

C. Trim it and then sand it flush.

D. 4 sides on and the top piece ready

E. Glued and awaiting a clamp

F. Clamped!

G. Awaiting trimming

H. Trimmed

I. All sanded and ready for varnishing!

This is a bit time consuming but very cheap, and thats always a good thing for a Yorkshire soul

Hope someone else finds it usefull

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I actually do similar construction for larger bases and make them of MDF stripes that are precut.

I then put on two coats of varnish sanding between both before applying the third and final.

Next time I will actually put on one or two coats of varnish before cutting them at the edges as the wood sometimes splinters a bit.

One problem when doing normal plints are that I find them a little bit light and it makes me afraid of them tipping over. Perhaps some lead at a hole in the bottom is good idea, especially for metafigures?

I also add a quarterstaff frame at the bottom which I paint in satin black. Simply because I thing it looks good.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[housecarl]

Having seen these at the weekend, I can say that they look great. We all know, how to say this without causing offence? Careful Yorkshire people are. So financialy well worth the effort.
Carl.

 

[megroot]

Mark,
Do you leave it this way, or are you varnish the site's.

marc

 

[Einion]

Nice mini article Mark! Although many commercial bases are done this way using veneer to dress up the surface a cheaper wood is not something I'd really thought about trying at home but it looks like it works well.

What do you use in terms of finish?

I've made a good few bases myself over the years, currently have a batch of eight in various hardwoods on the desk awaiting the right mood to start the finishing process.

...

Another penny-pinching option to consider, over here we get a lot of spindles in mahogany and I think it's the same in England. These are generally made over-long in the factory so you can find offcuts actually thrown away by the makers or installers; if you ask nicely they might give you a whole bag for nothing.

They're generally quite square and often smoothed off pretty well, although there does tend to be chipping from the rough way they're sawed which has to be dealt with

Einion

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Sorry for going OT, but could you explain "spindles" a bit further for me? I tried google translator but got weird options.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[housecarl]

Sorry for going OT, but could you explain "spindles" a bit further for me? I tried google translator but got weird options.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

Janne. Spindles are the uprights on staircases. The square part varies from 38-45mm.
Carl.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Thanks for the clarification, Carl.

There are also legs for beds, chairs and cabinets could be used as well.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[geralds]

What would you say the final cost per base is? Also if you use Carpeneters wood glue you get a 30 min. set time! If you are using smooth veneers try furniture wax as a finish this has a 15 min. set time. Regards Gerald.

 

[housecarl]

Gerald. If you got your off cuts free, with the veneer and glue. Your talking pence.
Carl.

 

[Einion]

Sorry for going OT, but could you explain "spindles" a bit further for me? I tried google translator but got weird options.

Sorry Janne, should have said baluster.

What would you say the final cost per base is?

In my case some of them are maybe a couple of cents, for the finish, since the wood was free.

I have a few others in a tropical hardwood that was bought as a length and cut down by a friend, those are maybe 50c each but that's just a guess.

Obviously labour should be factored in, but how to cost for the time?

Einion

 

[gothicgeek]

Janne ... thanks for the input

Carl ... cheers and

Marc .... see followup post

Einion ... thanks see followup post

Gerald .. without metal tube I guess unit cost is about 50p!


Glad this has got people talking

As Einion suggests if you can get your hands on off-cuts from spindles/bannister risers they would make nice shapes and I used light pulls and ply disks a couple of years ago ....

The finish is done with "quick dry" Varnish. first 2 coats from the tin and rub down with a med glass paper between coats, then about 4 coats of the same but thinned 1:1 with water, again rub down between coats with a 500 or 1000 grit paper ( onna stick )

I have another 5 in the pipeline

thanks for all the comments and I hope it is usefull to some

 

[gothicgeek]

Well since I started this thread I have sorted out bases for all my outstanding pieces!!!

these are all home made and cheap

 

[Jamie Stokes]

Mark,

look great!


simple idea too.

Often half of the figure is the display base as well; a good base helps display the figure, a poorly chosen one can detract from it.

Well done!

cheers

Jamie

 

[Danis]

i know too old thread but such a great idea! just wanted to thank you !
i just bought all my materials!

 

[valiant]

If you laminate some 18mm thick MDF to the required size base, then veneer that, it works out even cheaper!
Hope this helps!

Steve