Plastic over metal?

[Sand Rat]

@Nomis - I dont think anyone here is saying chunk it cause of the weight - hell, I got my start in styrene plastic kits then moved to lead so weight aint a problem with me when it comes to minis - except in cases where its a heavy lead mini on a plastic horse which is rearing or a heavy winged dragon balanced upon its thin tail - then weight can be an issue but otherwise if you like it who cares what we think?

 

[Nomis]

Originally posted by steelcult
if you like it who cares what we think?

Exactly!

It just surprises me that so many otherwise rational - Oh! hang on - I\'ve just realised I\'m on the wrong web site - what was I thinking of - rational..............


I wonder - if we didn\'t all know minis so well - if we could tell what they made from if they had a decent paint job? - for eg I didn\'t realise that Fenryll figures were resin until I bought one.

There are a few good Fenryll minis here on CMON - 14726 and 17902 for eg (sorry can\'t provide a direct link) - can you tell what they are made from? - assuming they are resin does that now devalue them (I don\'t mean that in terms of cash value BTW)

Only problem I can see with my one is there is a huge amount of flash to deal with.

 

[finn17]

Resin...

I don\'t have quite such a downer on resin and have bought loads of stuff from Forge World which I am perfectly happy with.

I even have some Fenryl minis lining up to be painted!

Flash has been a problem on every resin mini I have bought however. My Baneblade, as it was delivered, consisted of 60% flash, 40% tank.

I still have a problem with resin however, and that is the near impossibility of stripping it.

Economically I would compare metal V plastic/resin with CD-R V CD-RW. You can wipe the metal slate clean with a quick visit to the gunk tank, but that is not such a simple option with resin or plastic. This is another reason why they are not so collectable IMO.

 

[kittykat23uk]

Finn,

Apparently something called Castrol super clean can strip paint off resin without damaging it. There is a discussion over on Mini painter about this.

As for the whole plastic versus metal debate, put it this way, would you prefer to drink a decent port/wine/whiskey whatever, from a nice crystal glass or pewter goblet or a plastic cup?

Regards

Kat

 

[finn17]

That sounds interesting...

Originally posted by kittykat23uk
Finn,

Apparently something called Castrol super clean can strip paint off resin without damaging it. There is a discussion over on Mini painter about this.

I will have to look into this, because so far I have been extremely reluctant to start many of my resin minis, purely because they appear to lack a \'get out clause\' should things go pear-shaped.

 

[Nelson]

Originally posted by kittykat23uk
As for the whole plastic versus metal debate, put it this way, would you prefer to drink a decent port/wine/whiskey whatever, from a nice crystal glass or pewter goblet or a plastic cup?

Regards

Kat

Well, If I wanted to convert that pewter or glass goblet into a miniature goblet of blood and death/stagnant pool/spaceship, then I would prefer a plastic cup, for my conversion would involve a lot less frustration. I agree, though that metal is nice in many cases. I think plastics really do feel like toys in some sense (or more so than metals) and that you don\'t feel like yer getting your moneys worth with plastics, unless it\'s a regiment. I would never pay 40 bucks for a plastic archaon (course, I won\'t buy it now anyways)

 

[abstracity]

Well I followed your advice and...

Looked at some of the top lists to see how far down the plastic mini\'s were.


>>Finn said \"Look down the top lists on this site and see how far you have to go down before you come across a plastic miniature...\"

Answer: Not very far... Lili\'s elf musician is right close to the top....

I strongly suspect that a big reason there aren\'t more plastics near the top is that the top painters don\'t like doing units very much so there is little incentive to buy plastics...I don\'t rate myself a top painter but that is a big reason I don\'t do many plastics...

I\'d seriously consider you for \"unbearably smug churl\" if you tried to tell me that you can tell (without prior knowledge) a plastic mini from metal in a photo!!

 

[finn17]

Listen..

I didn\'t say plastic was bad, I just said I personally was not interested in anyway, shape or form.

Feel free to fill your house with plastic minis, that\'s your perogative. I will feel happy for you.

I took issue with you because you called me an artistic snob.

O.K. I am an artistic snob in your frame of reference. Plastic does not meet my criteria and it is definitely not \'up to snuff\'.

That shouldn\'t interfere or spoil your appreciation of the media in anyway.

As for recognising plastic v metal via a computer monitor as a medium, no I couldn\'t. So I am possibly not an \"unbearably smug churl\" . However, that test doesn\'t past muster when you have physical access to the mini, I think I can tell the difference then.

I really don\'t see why you see my (personal) rejection of plastic as a collectable material as a personal affront.

Surely that just leaves more of the stuff for you?

Fill your boots!


ps. I would still be interested in how you would convince your significant other that plastic jewellery was as good as metal jewellery. Also, one mini in the top fifty does not a summer make. If you have an axe to grind, report the percentage.

 

[wyrmling_x]

My turn!

Since the beginning of my Warhammer/GW collecting days, when I began my lizzie army 6 years ago, I was \"raised\" with these basic principles; plastic is for troop-types (ie. generic models), and metal is used for characters and specialized figures. I swear if they come out with a plastic Carnosaur or Slann Mage I\'ll go on a rampage! :flame::]

Conversion-wise, yes plastic is much easier, but then they ARE of lesser detail, because that\'s the way they were sculpted. Like many others, I prefer the metal for the cool(est) stuff.

If nothing else, I just wish prices would go down (it\'s almost like they\'re copying gasoline/oil companies or something ).

 

[abstracity]

Hee-hee!

Finn I\'m just being mischievous!! I\'ve no axe to grind I just like being contrary sometimes!!

In truth I fully understand your position...plastic is a bit of a \"let down\", as it were, once you pick it up!

All that said, the casting medium isn\'t what I care about in a mini...it could be made of dried dung and as long as the painting was superb (and it didn\'t smell!!) I\'d still love to have it!

Of course it\'s anyone\'s business what they like (and that is only for the good!)...it\'d be a poorer world if it weren\'t so.

I\'ll get to business painting up some of my plastic dudes and we\'ll see if I can\'t push a few a bit closer to the top, eh? :idea:

hehe smileys are fun...

Peace!!

 

[finn17]

Peace indeed bro...

I enjoy nothing better than a bit of an argument and am occasionally a bit too over eager to snap back.

At least it disproves Tobiwan\'s theory that I am a bot designed by Chern Ann to haunt the forums...

I too, have no axe to grind as my fav minis include the original plastic space marines and almost all larger scale models, which you simply just can\'t cast out of lead.. Horses for courses.

Model on....lol