What do you use?

[Hawkeye the Hawk]

Hi
What do you use to hold a figure when painting (yes I know you use your hand!),any tools out there I can buy to give me a help as I have a disability in one of my hands. Cheers

 

[mick3272]

Hi H.
I use this, I think its the D B's. Holds figures steady, move fig to any position to help with painting leaving both hands free.

https://www.expotools.com/acatalog/...older-with-Adjustaable-Bench-Stand-79536.html


Mick

 

[Hawkeye the Hawk]

Nice one Mick, that looks ideal..thanks for your help sir!
Neil

 

[Predasteve]

Hi,

You can also use this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Figure-Painting-Vice-/290891402421

 

[Hawkeye the Hawk]

Cheers Steve...I will check that out as well....I have been using a big lump of blue tack on an old paint pot....Kinda getting naffed off with that so at last I am going to treat myself!
Neil

 

[Eludia]

I sometimes use these handles sold by Bespoke Bases, they are very good but the round screw head can be difficult to get a good grip on so I've since replaced them with wing nuts:



I have some homemade clamps too which I use most of the time. They are made from a block of wood (cut in half with a 6.5mm hole drilled through), a 6mm screw (a bolt will work just as well), a 6mm washer and a wing nut. I topped mine off with a layer of Duro putty to level it off:

 

[Mozzy]

For small 1/35 plastic figures I simply use a small length of sprue superglued to the base of a boot. I keep a block of wood with pre-drilled holes to stand them on/in.

With larger plastic I glue the boots to an old milk carton lid.

I've only done one 75mnn resin figure and for that one I used a block of wood with blu tac.

Mozzy

 

[anstontyke]

i can recommend the figure vice that steve has put the link to. i bought one at a show at southwell and found it to be very well designed and easy to use.
hope this is of some use
tony

 

[Bailey]

I use a vice similar to what Mick posted. The hands free version is good for some situations, I've got one too. But you can find ones that come with a handle instead. Search amazon for universal jewelers vise and you should be able to find this for around $12-15.


I place pins in the figure's feet (which will eventually go into the base) and then clamp the vise onto those. Works well for 54mm - 90mm figures on foot. Mounted pieces are a bit tougher, but it may work for some 54mm mounted figures.

 

[Hawkeye the Hawk]

Thanks all!
Neil

 

[Oda]

All great ideas that work perfectly.A very similar vice that offers quite a few possibilities (e.g holding the figure in one hand or placing it on a table leaving both hands free,changing angles etc) is sold by an Italian company that specializes in wooden ship models named Amati (they do have a very good range of 75-90-120mm figures too).The only problem being that you'll have to go through one of their retailers because to my knowledge at least,they don't sell directly.

Oda.

 

[Eludia]

I've got a wish list for some of the Amati tools, the hand vice is on there and their Planet workbench also looks interesting. I don't know where you live but this UK company sells Amati gear:

http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/amati_7396.html

 

[Oda]

Thanks Billy.I've got mine years ago.Anyway as a Greek it's much easier to buy from the Italian retailers of Amati.What is a real shame is that most people don't know or remember the remarkable range of 75-90-120mm figures of that company.They do have excellent quality resin in their 90-120mm range and some great subjects too.

Oda.

 

[Nap]

As I only paint busts ( no legs for me folks! ) I now normally mount onto the actual base , cover that in cling film and then white paper tape and use it as my holder .

Saying that I have a various selection of types seen above as well as a lot of Blu tac!

Happy holding

Nap

 

[megroot]

Homemade holder by me
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/making-a-holder.37077/

Marc

 

[Paul Kernan]

A mate of mine, made a vise for me similar to the one 'Bailey' posted but for smaller pinned parts, I use an X-acto knife handle.

 

[Dan Morton]

Forceps - simple way to hold a figure and you can hold it closer to your eyes or down on your work table. Cheap. Small ones mostly.
Old eyes require such expedient solutions, doncha know.

All the best,
Dan

 

[theBaron]

I use a vice similar to what Mick posted. The hands free version is good for some situations, I've got one too. But you can find ones that come with a handle instead. Search amazon for universal jewelers vise and you should be able to find this for around $12-15.
View attachment 261165

I place pins in the figure's feet (which will eventually go into the base) and then clamp the vise onto those. Works well for 54mm - 90mm figures on foot. Mounted pieces are a bit tougher, but it may work for some 54mm mounted figures.

Micromark carries a holder of the same design:

http://www.micromark.com/universal-clamp,6743.html

but their price is a bit much. I thought of this yesterday, in response to Hawkeye's post, but since he was looking for something completely hands-free, I didn't bring it up. Can you remove the table from the handle and attach it to something, like a larger base, or to a clamp and then clamp it to the bench? That would make it truly hands-free.

Prost!
Brad