Just received a lovely little box! :)

[Hertsblue]

Tomorrow the first job will be to use the bench grinder and a quick removal of any spikes, etc. off the bases of the figures.  Then after removing any flash or mold lines (which there seems to be remarkably little of) it will be a case of sticking them onto the ubiquitous lollipop sticks.  Then priming them all.  At that stage we will decide which to start on first.   :-

I'm impressed. I don't even have a bench - let alone a grinder.

[Leman]

Many years ago Rita was Len's grinder.

[Techno]

I'm impressed. I don't even have a bench - let alone a grinder.

Another machine that I wouldn't be allowed near !.....I'll stick with the Dremmel. 
Cheers - Phil

[cbr3d.com]

When you are cleaning up 1,000's of figures at a time a small bench grinder is invaluable as an aid, saves a heck of a lot of time just flattening the bases.   

Mind you, the drawback to getting any equipment is that 'The Boss' suddenly realises they can also be used for other things, some horrendous at that, like DIY !   

[Dragoon]

The Army Packs are:

Greeks
Achaemenid Persians

ECW Parliament
ECW Royalist

Marlburian French
Marlburian N. German States

SYW Prussian
SYW French

Napoleonic 1809 French
Napoleonic 1809 Austriansh

ACW New Confederate
ACW New Union

I'm impressed, what rules are you using ? And how do you find time to paint them?

[Dragoon]

Another machine that I wouldn't be allowed near !.....I'll stick with the Dremmel. 
Cheers - Phil

I've just bought a dremmel. What do you use for removing flash from the bases? I have vision of clogging up the small grind stones with lead.
A cutting attachment ,perhaps?

BTW does anyone use a air brush? It thinning the paint down and by how much.

[Last Hussar]

The Army Packs are:

Greeks
Achaemenid Persians

ECW Parliament
ECW Royalist

Marlburian French
Marlburian N. German States

SYW Prussian
SYW French

Napoleonic 1809 French
Napoleonic 1809 Austrians

ACW New Confederate
ACW New Union

Just ordered another bunch yesterday as well.   

I'm not sure you are going to get a balanced game with that lot.

[Techno]

I've just bought a dremmel. What do you use for removing flash from the bases? I have vision of clogging up the small grind stones with lead.
A cutting attachment ,perhaps?

I tend just to use an old scalpel  blade (attached to a handle !! ) to 'nick/scrape off' the feed from the bottom of the base.....Simply cutting down towards the cutting mat, LH.....I find the 'fat' end on a 10A blade the most effective.

When a bigger 'lump' has to be taken off......Yes, I will use a burr attached to the Dremmel.

Depending on the type and size of the burr, they can clog up rather quickly.....But it's not too difficult to 'pick/flick' the white metal out of the gaps in the burr, by using the 'pointy end' of the same 10A blade.
You can stop them clogging to a certain extent, by using the Dremmel in short bursts, so the white metal doesn't have the chance to soften through the friction. (That's when the burrs are most likely to clog)

Tungsten Carbide burrs tend not to clog up quite so quickly, but in my experience, this is because the heads of burrs made from this material tend to be quite a bit bigger !
But they 'eat' through the white metal at a rate of knots.....Much more effective than standard burrs.
They also are more prone to send oodles of white metal shards flying around, so be a little careful that these don't fly into your eyes.
Safety goggles perhaps ? (I've got glasses and an Optivisor covering my eyes, so I've got away with this ....SO FAR !! )

Hope that helps !

Cheers - Phil

[Subedai]

I used to work for an engineering company back in late '90's and I 'borrowed' a 8 1/2 inch bastard file. Gets lumps of the bottom of bases like nobody's business, and, if you are not careful it trims fingernails and the end of fingers as well. I would recommend one of these to the general wargaming public as they are quick and much safer than scalpel or craft knife blades.

[Steeleye]

Lumps on bases?

Stanley knife, cut down onto the cutting mat. Also make sure you have a good sharp blade fitted...blunt blades=cut fingers!

Flash?

Rat tail file.

Always remember to keep your fingers BEHIND the cutting edge never cut towards yourself and make sure the 'work' is held firmly.

This is all basic stuff that I thought everyone knew.

[Fenton]

For flash on  6 and 10mm I use a very fine file that is clogged up a lot so it doesnt burr the metal too much

[Hertsblue]

I use the set of tiny files I got from Minibits a little while ago. They don't have teeth like most files but a surface like very fine emery paper. Ten of them in lots of useful shapes. Having just checked, it seems they don't stock them any more. Pity.

[getagrip]

I seem to get through files like stink; they too clog up.  Anyone know a solution to that?

I've thought about heating them to melt the pewter off but:

a)  Have the feeling this will wreck the file;
b)  Probably burn my house down!

[Techno]

A fine 'haired', brass bristled, suede shoe brush ought to get the worst out, Gareth.
Cheers - Phil (NO !....I do NOT wear suede shoes...And neither does the better half.....Goodness knows why one of these items under the sink !)

[getagrip]

A fine 'haired', brass bristled, suede shoe brush ought to get the worst out, Gareth.

Nice tip, thanks Phil  

Another designer "on tap"; although this one is a finer vintage and is probably bottled.