Metal Miniatures

ResurrectedBones · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:50 pm **Posts:** 66

Hey! So I just bought my first metal miniatures, the Dunedain of the North to be precise, and I found that some of their bows, and one of their spears was bent out of shape. Now, having taken a material science course and from past experience of bending spoons, I know that too much of bending metal can cause it to break. I've bent them back into shape, but what I was wondering is: is this normal, and if so, how have you fine folk kept them from bending in the future, after you've painted them? Thanks!

ElfLover · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2013 5:22 am

This is entirely normal and once bent back into shape I've found it normally doesn't bend again

Imladris96 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2013 7:55 am

I'm usually more surprised when they're straight, but yes, it is normal and won't return to it's previous state once fixed.

Denizen · **Joined:** Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:15 pm **Posts:** 156

My little brother dropped my Guard of the Galadhrim Court (with their huge metal pikes) a few times. And everytime I just bend it back. So it's quite a strong material

Coenus Scaldingus · **Joined:** Sat Aug 17, 2013 9:14 am **Posts:** 1121

Sometimes, you bend a piece just slightly, and it breaks. Usually, you can bend it a lot and.. well, it is back in shape again. Nothing to worry about.

mertaal · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2013 12:02 pm

If you're worried (or the model is particularly old and thus more likely to be brittle) it's a reasonable idea to warm it up on a radiator or in a bit of hot water before trying it. Heat softens the metal and makes it more pliable.

Don't overdo it though- you'll burn your fingers!

Galanur · **Joined:** Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:28 am **Posts:** 1389

aww mertaal dont spoil the fun part, let him learn the hard way :p

mertaal · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2013 4:01 pm

You're a bad bad person.

DwarfWarrior · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2013 4:46 pm

Just to clarify, you can bend metal. But dont bend finecast!

ResurrectedBones · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:50 pm **Posts:** 66

Galanur wrote:

aww mertaal dont spoil the fun part, let him learn the hard way :p

Haha give me a break man! I used to have Star Sars miniatures and you could reshape them by heating them in hot water, so I've burnt my fingers plenty of times trying to do that!

So another question on metal miniatures: is there any difference in painting them than painting plastic/finecast ones? I can put the primer right on the metal without doing anything special right?

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:00 am

DwarfWarrior wrote:

Just to clarify, you can bend metal. But dont bend finecast!

Provided you immerse the area of your finecast model you are trying to reshape in hot (I use boiling) water you can bend it wherever you like and it won't snap.

mertaal · **Posted:** Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:11 am

ResurrectedBones wrote:

Galanur wrote:

So another question on metal miniatures: is there any difference in painting them than painting plastic/finecast ones? I can put the primer right on the metal without doing anything special right?

Sometimes (when new) they ship with mold release agent on the surface, so it's a good idea to wash them with dish soap and give them a good scrub with plain water and a nail brush.

Otherwise you're likely to have problems with paint flaking as the primer won't have properly adhered to the metal.

Don't forget to dry them before priming!

I prefer painting metal to finecast. I like painting regular resin well enough, but fine cast has an odd texture.

ResurrectedBones · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:50 pm **Posts:** 66

Awesome, thanks everyone!

Metal Miniatures

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