1:285th Resin Miniatures?

[D-R]

Hello all,

 

Used to be quite the modeller when I was a kid, started with kits, then scratchbuilt. Mostly 1:285th armor and 1:1200th WWII warships. Still have the entire German navy somewhere...Anyway, wanted to know if there are any manufacturers that do micro armor in plastic or resin, for two reasons (three actually). First is, I don't like the way paint adheres to lead (even with primer), second, the barrels tend to break easily, and third, lead is toxic. I know that the Warhammer 40K line is plastic, so are there any parallels for us microarmor afficinados? Thanks.

 

D-R

[Mk 1]

Anyway, wanted to know if there are any manufacturers that do micro armor in plastic or resin ... ?

 

There are several manufacturers of resin 1/285th and 1/300th structures, terrain features and such. But I know of none that do actual tanks in resin.

 

I have cast a few of my own in resin. I found it generally does not work very well. I found resin to be too viscous when liquid to fill in all of the fine details on that scale of model. Granted I had an amature home set-up, but I have even noticed some similar air-bubble artifacts in professionally casted resins. Not as many, and not as large, but still there.

 

As to plastics, there are several plastic kits available for 1/250th, 1/288th, and 1/350th aircraft and ships. I have built several, and find they mix just fine with my microarmor. But I've never seen tanks. There is a fairly extensive line of 1/600th plastic tanks, halftracks and trucks available. Not as extensive as the microarmor lines, but still respectable. But I've never seen infantry in that scale.

 

First is, I don't like the way paint adheres to lead (even with primer)...

I don't understand that. I have tanks I painted 30 years ago that are still painted after decades of wargaming. Adherance has been so good that I've found its a real b!tch to strip 'em when I want to repaint 'em to my much better current standards.

 

second, the barrels tend to break easily

True enough.

 

I've preplaced a fair number of barrels over the years. Used a variety of materials. Pins are too hard to work with. Straws break too easily themselves. Stretched plastic seems to work reasonably well, but it also is breakable. In the end I've settled on monofilament nylon fishing line. It is available in several weights for different caliber guns. Once it is in place it looks perfectly reasonable, but it bends before it breaks.

 

The harder issue I find is not broken barrels, but bent barrels. Seems once they are bent, it is VERY hard to get them back to being actually straight. I have a particular pair of tweezers that I've found does a good job -- otherwise it was gentle pressing in the jaws of non-toothed needle-nose pliars.

 

and third, lead is toxic. 

Yes, it is. But microarmor, particularly from the big US makers GHQ and C-in-C, is pewter, not lead. (Yes, I know pewter contains a fair lead content, but it is alloyed with tin). As far as I understand it the pewter micros are not particularly hazardous to handle. Certainly a lower risk than shooting with lead bullets, for example.

 

-Mark 1

[D-R]

MK1,

 

Thank you very much for your very detailed response! It has been, oh, 12 years at least since I did micro-armor miniatures. I actually moved to doing balsa and plastic scratchbuilt (I will try to find them all and do pictures, digital cameras are wonderful). The 1/600th scale stuff sounds interesting, who makes them, and where could a guy find them? This is kind of exciting, I never thought I would have the time to get back into this again!

 

D-R

 

 

 

There are several manufacturers of resin 1/285th and 1/300th structures, terrain features and such.  But I know of none that do actual tanks in resin.

 

I have cast a few of my own in resin.  I found it generally does not work very well.  I found resin to be too viscous when liquid to fill in all of the fine details on that scale of model.  Granted I had an amature home set-up, but I have even noticed some similar air-bubble artifacts in professionally casted resins.  Not as many, and not as large, but still there.

 

As to plastics, there are several plastic kits available for 1/250th, 1/288th, and 1/350th aircraft and ships. I have built several, and find they mix just fine with my microarmor. But I've never seen tanks.  There is a fairly extensive line of 1/600th plastic tanks, halftracks and trucks available.  Not as extensive as the microarmor lines, but still respectable.  But I've never seen infantry in that scale.

I don't understand that.  I have tanks I painted 30 years ago that are still painted after decades of wargaming.  Adherance has been so good that I've found its a real b!tch to strip 'em when I want to repaint 'em to my much better current standards.

True enough.

 

I've preplaced a fair number of barrels over the years.  Used a variety of materials.  Pins are too hard to work with.  Straws break too easily themselves.  Stretched plastic seems to work reasonably well, but it also is breakable.  In the end I've settled on monofilament nylon fishing line.  It is available in several weights for different caliber guns.  Once it is in place it looks perfectly reasonable, but it bends before it breaks.

 

The harder issue I find is not broken barrels, but bent barrels.  Seems once they are bent, it is VERY hard to get them back to being actually straight.  I have a particular pair of tweezers that I've found does a good job -- otherwise it was gentle pressing in the jaws of non-toothed needle-nose pliars.

Yes, it is.  But microarmor, particularly from the big US makers GHQ and C-in-C, is pewter, not lead.  (Yes, I know pewter contains a fair lead content, but it is alloyed with tin).  As far as I understand it the pewter micros are not particularly hazardous to handle.  Certainly a lower risk than shooting with lead bullets, for example.

 

-Mark 1

175691[/snapback]

[Mk 1]

Thank you very much for your very detailed response!  It has been, oh, 12 years at least since I did micro-armor miniatures. 

I too have somewhat recently become more active with my micro-armor. Never really gave it up completely, but was very much a back-burner hobby until about 6-8 months ago.

 

I actually moved to doing balsa and plastic scratchbuilt (I will try to find them all and do pictures, digital cameras are wonderful). 

I did a fair bit of scratch-building for my micro-armor back in the late '70s, where there was not nearly such a variety of kit available. Back then, it gave me a real advantage in that I was the only guy around who had P-39s, La-5s, and Il-2s to support my WW2 Soviets, and Mig-21s to support my modern Soviets. Also made Gazelle helo's for my modern French. But alas, anyone can buy any of that over the web now...

 

As to the wonders of digital cameras ... here are some micro-armor shots from the last two months...

 

My US Tank Destroyers in Tunisia. From a recent wargame at my home.

 

 

A Bradley Scout Vehicle in an olive grove, and a BMP getting pasted by an Abrams, both in Kuwait. From a recent wargame at C.G. Erickson's place.

 

The 1/600th scale stuff sounds interesting, who makes them, and where could a guy find them? 

 

Start here: http://www.warweb.com/miniatures/coastalforces.html

 

This hobby shop sells the "coastal forces" 1/600 line made by Skytrex of the UK. But if you scroll 2/3rds down the page you will find that the "coastal forces" include not just MBTs and coastal steamers, but coastal facilities, buildings, and a whole host of tanks, halftracks and trucks. Churchills, Shermans, M3 HTs, Opel Blitzs, Pz IVs, Tigers, etc. etc.

 

Hope that helps.

 

-Mark 1

[Brad Sallows]

There was a company selling resin micro-armour back in the '80s. I think it was Scotia Models. Scotia seems to still be in business, but the web page doesn't specify what material is used.

[Mk 1]

There was a company selling resin micro-armour back in the '80s.  I think it was Scotia Models.  Scotia seems to still be in business, but the web page doesn't specify what material is used.

 

Scotia model vehicles, planes and infantry are soft metal. Whether it is lead or pewter I can't say.

 

I have bought a fair variety of Scotia stuff. I don't recommend their infantry. They have a good selection, but the quality of the figures is just not enough for my money.

 

Their vehicles are hit-and-miss. Again, though, they have lots of selection available that can't be found elsewhere. If only Scotia has it, I'll buy it. But I've paid to replace some fully painted units when they became available from other sources.

 

Their aircraft are pretty good.

 

The only cases I've seen of resin micros is when "derelict" or "damaged/abandoned" vehicles are part of a set of buildings. For example I have some airfield buildings, and among them is a large base with two or three structures and an empty jeep all in a single casting.

 

But I don't know any manufacturers who cast a whole line of micro vehicles in resin.

 

-Mark 1

[Rickshaw]

The advantage of metal over resin is that if there is an error in the casting the metal can be reused, whereas the resin can't. I experimented about 15 years ago with making resin vehicles in 1/300 and concluded it was too hard to get a good casting without airbubbles, unless I was willing to invest in some centrifugal or pressure casting technology. Most of the commercially made, small scale centrifugal casting machines were set up for metal, and after some investigation I found it wasn't possible to adapt them very easily to resin.

 

I used to turn out a good range of buildings and other scenery materials and a few landing craft/patrol boats. Gave it up though, when I started to have kids and had to grow up. Might get back into it once I retire. By then, should be lots of really cheap CNC machines around which will make it much easier to make masters.

Edited May 27, 2005 by Baron Samedi

[nowfel]

Yes, Scotia initially made resin vehicles but they moved to metal fairly rapidly.

 

There was a company selling resin micro-armour back in the '80s.  I think it was Scotia Models.  Scotia seems to still be in business, but the web page doesn't specify what material is used.

[Brad Sallows]

Thanks nowfel. Good to know my mind wasn't slipping (too much) (yet).

[Rickshaw]

For those that may be interested, I just came across this Japanese website, which features a large range of 1/700 scale aicraft, ships and interestingly, AFVs and vehicles:

 

http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~pitroad/eng_index.html

Edited May 31, 2005 by Baron Samedi

[PCallahan]

I'd like to echo those that have noted how difficult resin can be to work with on micro scale miniatures. I've been working with the Alumilite line of silicone and resin products for about four months now, and have had mixed success. The problem isn't details -- they will come out as good as you mold -- but rather air bubbles. While I have made some progress in ameliorating the problem, a good half of my casts are still generally useless.

 

For more on the subject, see the custom casting section of my web page -- www.microarmormayhem.com.

 

Pat Callahan

[Allan W]

Yes, it is.  But microarmor, particularly from the big US makers GHQ and C-in-C, is pewter, not lead.  (Yes, I know pewter contains a fair lead content, but it is alloyed with tin).  As far as I understand it the pewter micros are not particularly hazardous to handle.  Certainly a lower risk than shooting with lead bullets, for example.

175691[/snapback]

 

If I recall correctly, there is no lead in microarmour made in the US. Pewter, as used by those manufacturers is a mixture of antimony, bismuth and tin.