So, as i sit here, filing the bases flat on a bunch of minis (some ww2 and acw additions i bought a while ago), i was remembering how much i hate this stage of the process (nothing to do with the minis, there is very little flash, it's just i job i hate)
so just a silly question? What do you guys do while prepping figures to ease the pain?
I listen to music or a book, but still it doesn't take away that feeling!
I only prep and paint one pack at a time so this doesn't cause
too much aggro.
If I needed to prep many, many figures, I might listen to a
history or wargaming podcast (so that I can remember why
this seemed like such a good idea at the time !).
Phil
Opera has a real value while doing figures up, if you're a music lover.
Music for me too, though it's more likely Selina Gomez, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Rihanna or Taylor Swift than some operatic dirge.
Lots of swearing, but then my current project is some 20 English ships for the anglo-dutch wars, RIGGING ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O
Quote from: ianrs54 on 06 June 2018, 02:05:56 PM
Lots of swearing, but then my current project is some 20 English ships for the anglo-dutch wars, RIGGING ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O
That's a bigger pain then mine!
I just put my head down and go for it, with a high regard for the blade and a wary positioning of my fingers! but I do fairly low numbers at a time, perhaps 32 figures, so it is soon over!
Audiobook or radio mostly.
That, and self induced trance state.
I find the movement from the "to be done" to the "done" pile very theraputic.
Music for me too but good stuff, not this contemporary noisy tripe. Prussian and Austrian marches fit nicely.
Quote from: fsn on 06 June 2018, 03:33:18 PM
I find the movement from the "to be done" to the "done" pile very theraputic.
Seconded
Quote from: petercooman on 06 June 2018, 12:52:13 PM
So, as i sit here, filing the bases flat on a bunch of minis (some ww2 and acw additions i bought a while ago), i was remembering how much i hate this stage of the process (nothing to do with the minis, there is very little flash, it's just i job i hate)
so just a silly question? What do you guys do while prepping figures to ease the pain?
I listen to music or a book, but still it doesn't take away that feeling!
You are supposed to prep the figures! ? :o :o :o :'( :'( :'(
Quote from: mollinary on 06 June 2018, 06:17:51 PM
You are supposed to prep the figures! ? :o :o :o :'( :'( :'(
They don't stand flat if you don't file the bases down!
Quote from: Norm on 06 June 2018, 03:08:32 PM
I just put my head down and go for it, with a high regard for the blade and a wary positioning of my fingers! but I do fairly low numbers at a time, perhaps 32 figures, so it is soon over!
Maybe that's the problem. I do them all at once!
I am dreading the day i start cleaning and assemby on all those 28mm guys i bought from warlord games. 14 plastic sets to go! and a smattering of artillery packs and some blokes from the perry brothers as well
Podcasts and Music!
Mollinary :-bd
I don't always prep but when I do:
As others have said I also work in small battalion batches (which for me in 10mm is only 24 figures!). I don't worry at all about the mold seams (usually not noticeable in Pendraken anyway) but get the base bottoms flat and trim flash off sharp pointy bits. Listen to lots of different Scottish and Irish folk and switch of occasionally to Meatloaf and Pink Floyd, a few other 60's and 70's rock now and then.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 06 June 2018, 02:05:56 PM
Lots of swearing, but then my current project is some 20 English ships for the anglo-dutch wars, RIGGING ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O =O
We don't often agree (in the same way that butchers in Tel Aviv don't often sell bacon), but this time you have my sympathy!
Quote from: petercooman on 06 June 2018, 07:09:19 PM
They don't stand flat if you don't file the bases down!
Dremel.
I'm now a two Dremel person (I inherited the 2nd) - one for drilling, one for scraping bottoms.
Does life get any sweeter?
Quote from: fsn on 07 June 2018, 06:40:35 AM
Dremel.
I'm now a two Dremel person (I inherited the 2nd) - one for drilling, one for scraping bottoms.
Does life get any sweeter?
You could have a third with a cutting wheel.
With an 8 inch bastard file leveling bases flat takes no time at all. Plus for quiet solace and contemplation on the cosmic all I listen to such musical luminaries as Blind Guardian, Rammstein, Gloryhammer, Sabaton -very historical their music- AC/DC et al.
Not long found out that Mott the Hoople are at Ramblin Man at the end of June. RESULT!!!!! Play me cards right I might even get to interview who's left of them. :)
Quote from: Subedai on 07 June 2018, 02:48:18 PM
With an 8 inch bastard file leveling bases flat takes no time at all. Plus for quiet solace and contemplation on the cosmic all I listen to such musical luminaries as Blind Guardian, Rammstein, Gloryhammer, Sabaton -very historical their music- AC/DC et al.
Not long found out that Mott the Hoople are at Ramblin Man at the end of June. RESULT!!!!! Play me cards right I might even get to interview who's left of them. :)
Don't forget manowar. Battle hymn was practically made for us wargamers!
Quote from: petercooman on 07 June 2018, 04:09:26 PM
Don't forget manowar. Battle hymn was practically made for us wargamers!
Hmmm, interesting. Haven't heard of them before but so far, not too bad. Definitely racked up the old volume on the drums.
May i suggest by Manowar:
power of my sword
demon's whip
ride the dragon
dark avenger
bridge of death
the power
the gods made heavy metal
!blood of my enemies!
Also, if you like drums, then "drums of doom" might please as well.
Quote from: petercooman on 07 June 2018, 08:27:39 PM
May i suggest by Manowar:
power of my sword
demon's whip
ride the dragon
dark avenger
bridge of death
the power
the gods made heavy metal
!blood of my enemies!
Also, if you like drums, then "drums of doom" might please as well.
Just got them up on Spotify, will give them a good listen.
Yep, I always wanted to be a drummer when I was a younger but real life got in the way. However, amongst his many talents, my youngest lad is a drummer and played Jerry Allison in the Buddy Holly Story in the West End a few years ago. He also played Mick Avory from the Kinks in Sunny Afternoon, another West End production. He's a talented git.
The drumming is quite good on the tracks from a group called Soar (pronounced Shore) Patrol, a Scottish heavy rock band that uses pipes and drums to great effect.
I believe you (or maybe Westie or Ithoriel) first mention Soar Patrol to me - excellent walking music - drives you right along.
Also:
I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark.
I bought a small grinding wheel from Screwfix some months ago. Well worth the £20 quid it cost. It speeds up the process and takes all (most) of the grief out of it. You can also do your nails at the same time.
Quote from: d_Guy on 07 June 2018, 11:34:35 PM
I believe you (or maybe Westie or Ithoriel) first mention Soar Patrol to me - excellent walking music - drives you right along.
Also:
I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark.
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark!
I have a constant fear that something' always near!!
Excellent choice ;)
Isn't the title of that song Fear of the Duck? ;)
Do not underestimate the power of the Duck Side. ;D
Quote from: John Cook on 08 June 2018, 01:26:25 AM
I bought a small grinding wheel from Screwfix some months ago. Well worth the £20 quid it cost. It speeds up the process and takes all (most) of the grief out of it. You can also do your nails at the same time.
Nice! ;D ;D ;D
Could be used for launching ducks into orbit!
Fear of the duck, fear of the duck
I have constant fear the quacking's always near
Fear of the duck, fear of the duck
I have a phobia the webb'd feet will soon appear
Duckmen please!
Quote from: d_Guy on 07 June 2018, 11:34:35 PM
I believe you (or maybe Westie or Ithoriel) first mention Soar Patrol to me - excellent walking music - drives you right along.
Also:
I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark.
Whoops! Completely forgot Maiden.
I take them to work on nights and do them when we have a quiet spell.
Being paid to do them helps with the drudgery enormously :)
Sorry was that Duck men or Maiden you take to work?
I sit quietly in the corner cleaning and prepping, but inside i seethe.
To be honest I don't really mind the cleaning and prepping. The quality of Pendraken casting means for the vast majority of figures it is just tidying up the underside of the base which is easy and doesn't have to be too precise.
A quick check for the very occasional flash or mold line and you are onto the next figure :!!
Perhaps it is because I'm looking forward to painting :-\
With 6 artillery packs from perry done, and all pendraken bases filed down, future is much brighter ;D
Quote from: paulr on 09 June 2018, 06:39:37 PM
Perhaps it is because I'm looking forward to painting :-
I don't look forward to painting them actually. Inbetween family and working out, painting is struggling to get in my schedule!
I'm with Paul on this. Prepping Pendraken figures is generally very straight forward, the main task is filing the bases flat. Then the occasional clean up of a small bit of flash or feed lines. Compared to some manufacturers this is very minimal effort.
GW Warmaster ones take a lot of work, they have loads of feed worms going into the strips, which need cleaning off, also the strips often seem to be very pointy and sharp, which makes filing the bottoms flat quite painful. But these are very detailed figures, with crisp casting, so the amount of clean-up doesn't always mean poor quality figures.
My tuppence/ramble.
I've just finished cleaning and prepping another batch, about 60 figures. Added to the batches that I did earlier, there's enough to keep me painting for quite some time. This is not helped by the fact that my painting has come to a standstill in the last year (or more).
So why add yet more figures? Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, I think that when I sit down to paint, but can't get myself to actually paint, doing some of this work instead (or painting terrain) gives me the feeling that I have actually done something. Secondly, the warm weather we've had here had led to a surplus of popsicle sticks. Always seems a shame to let these lie empty. But thirdly, and most importantly, I bought a set of magnifying glasses. Something like an optivisor I guess, but smaller and without the headband. Even with the smallest magnification (1.5x) those 10mm figures look like 15mm! Which means I can actually see what I'm painting again! So in the last few weeks I've painted more than in the past year. So I now have a good hope that I can actually make some progress and reduce the pile of stuff that is ready for painting.
Cheers,
Alex
Quote from: OldenBUA on 10 June 2018, 11:13:06 AM
So in the last few weeks I've painted more than in the past year. So I now have a good hope that I can actually make some progress and reduce the pile of stuff that is ready for painting.
Cheers,
Alex
Good show! Hope you can keep the mojo flowing!
After a long streak of irregular painting sessions, the last year and a half has felt really good for me (with my personal painting challenges). it feels great to get stuff game-ready!
Quote from: OldenBUA on 10 June 2018, 11:13:06 AM
My tuppence/ramble.
...
So in the last few weeks I've painted more than in the past year. So I now have a good hope that I can actually make some progress and reduce the pile of stuff that is ready for painting.
Cheers,
Alex
Great news, crack on :-bd =D> :-bd
I usually listen to movie soundtracks as I enjoy them if they are from movies I like, or true old cowboy music not this current country junk! But the music does not seem to prevent my cutting my thumb or filing my fingers!!!!! :(
Terry
Quote from: Terry37 on 10 June 2018, 07:34:19 PM
does not seem to prevent my cutting my thumb or filing my fingers!!!!! :(
Terry
I'm not the only one, then ! ;)
Cheers - Phil