Wooden Display Base Questions

[FlemFilms]

I'm a total novice at woodworking. But I'm learning. I asked a question about types of wood to use a while back, and that set me in motion toward woodworking classes. Which have been great fun, and I'm learning a ton. But I've got a long way to go, and those classes only indirectly apply to making display bases for model kits. And I have yet to find any resources that merge the two different hobbies. If you know of any- please share.

But I'm here to ask a couple specific questions:
1. Do you permanently attach your finished models to your finished display bases?

2. How do you attach (permanently or detachable) your finished model kit to your finished wood display bases? Wood glue, epoxy, other? I'm mainly concerned with resin kits. Maybe the occasional vinyl. And do you use pins?

3. Do you work on the display base and the model kit at the same time? Or do you wait until the model is finished? I ask this because I'm nearly finished with the painting of a bust and am reluctant to drill and/or cut into the base of the model.

Any guidance is appreciated!

[bucketfoot-al]

I'll chime in.

I like to make all of my displays "modular", for ease of future transport (especially huge bashes). But with smaller pieces too, I will drill holes in the feet and insert metal pins (made out of lengths of metal hobby rods cut down to appropriate size), which I then fit into holes I make on the base. Usually I make these pretty deep on both ends to give the piece stability during display. I never glue a piece to a base because then I can't remove it when I move. Been doing that for 20 years on all manner and sizes of kits and swear by it.

Trust me - when you move one day and can easily disassemble a build, then individually wrap the most delicate pieces in bubble wrap for safe transport, you'll thank me.

[tay666]

Pins will work, but for larger kits I go with something a little more durable.
I drill a countersunk hole (or two) on the underside of the base. Then run screws through the base into the feet, or underside of the kit.
This way, if I need to disassemble later, I just need to take the screws out.
Now if I am going to need a large pin, or heavy wire for structural support then I will permanently attach it. Like if I have something leaning way out on one leg, I will bury a heavy pin deep into the leg and run it as deep as possible into the base. Sometimes cutting a channel in the underside of the base and bending that support piece to fit in that channel as well.

I usually work on the base at the same time I work on the model. My thinking there is there should be some kind of cohesiveness between the two, so while I have the colors out for one, I might as well use some of them on the other.
I have also found through many years of experience, that if I am going to be cutting or drilling, it's better to get that done early in the process. Nothing sucks more than trying to clean small bits of resin shavings and dust off a beautifully painted piece.

Also, for smaller / lighter pieces hot glue works for attaching figures to a base. I do that a lot with 1/13 styrene kits. You can actually completely remove hot glue without damage if you need to.

[FlemFilms]

Thanks for the reply guys, but I'm referring to hand -made Wooden Display Bases, not the base supplied with the model.

For example, I'm building an American Werewolf in London Bust by MVT. The Figure and the base are both painted and pinned together. I am going to attach the model (and its base) to a Walnut Display base.

Here is a bad example:



These minis were painted and then attached to the display base/plinth. Obviously what I'm working on (I think most of us) is much larger in size, 1:4 scale, and so have much different requirements.

[bucketfoot-al]

Thanks for the reply guys, but I'm referring to hand -made Wooden Display Bases, not the base supplied with the model.

For example, I'm building an American Werewolf in London Bust by MVT. The Figure and the base are both painted and pinned together. I am going to attach the model (and its base) to a Walnut Display base.

Here is a bad example:



These minis were painted and then attached to the display base/plinth. Obviously what I'm working on (I think most of us) is much larger in size, 1:4 scale, and so have much different requirements.

Most of my bases are also customized wooden bases or plaques that I have made myself for the various pieces. The method I described upthread is how I pin builds to these bases so that I can disassemble them for transit. Maybe not an issue with minis, but for larger pieces its useful.

Also kinda depends on what type of build you're dealing with. I don't do busts at all, so my builds tend to be more elaborate (dinosaurs, fantasy critters that are large). If most of what you do is busts, then attaching them to the base may be the way to go.

[tay666]

The advice given in this thread still applies even in your personal use case.
You just have to scale up

For that 1/4 scale bust, just make a really big pin. Probably out of something like allthread.
You can see in this WIP page for one of my builds how I used bolts in wooden base to hold a resin bust in place
https://www.tylisaari.com/models/misc/m ... /smaug.htm

If you want to get really fancy, you can epoxy the allthread into the bottom of the kit base, and embed an insert into the wooden base and then screw the kit to the wooden base. You would have to do a little testing to get the correct depth so it would tighten up facing the correct direction.

If it were me, I'd still just drill a couple holes through the wooden base. Countersink the bottom of he holes and run a couple screws up into the resin.

[glen10k]

I paint large scale busts and use threaded rod to fix them to my wooden bases, I think the rod I use is about 6mm but you can buy all different sizes at a hardware store. I drill a hole in the bottom of the bust then a hole in the wooden base, cut a section of rod that fits and epoxy ( I use araldite in the UK) them all together once the figure is completed. I would do all the drilling on the figure before I start any painting. I have no need to remove my figures from the base hence the permanent fix. All the busts in my display are done ths way, the Hellraiser busts are all fixed to the cubes this way as well. The Samara from the well was fixed using four holes spread around the underside of the well and wooden base with threaded rod epoxied, its fixed solid
You have to decide whether you want them fixed permanently or you want them removable. I pin all my figure joints be it arms, heads, torso etc because of the strength it gives the join, the fix to a base is no different and if you handle the figure to look at it or its being judged at a competition where it could be picked up and looked at then you want to make sure it's secured to the base.
If you want the figure removable you could drill all the way through your base, countersink the bottom and use a nut to hold it to the base.

[FlemFilms]

The advice given in this thread still applies even in your personal use case.
You just have to scale up

For that 1/4 scale bust, just make a really big pin. Probably out of something like allthread.
You can see in this WIP page for one of my builds how I used bolts in wooden base to hold a resin bust in place
https://www.tylisaari.com/models/misc/m ... /smaug.htm

If you want to get really fancy, you can epoxy the allthread into the bottom of the kit base, and embed an insert into the wooden base and then screw the kit to the wooden base. You would have to do a little testing to get the correct depth so it would tighten up facing the correct direction.

If it were me, I'd still just drill a couple holes through the wooden base. Countersink the bottom of he holes and run a couple screws up into the resin.

Okay, thank you.
What kind of screws do you recommend? Drywall screws? Or something more durable like Spax?

[FlemFilms]

I paint large scale busts and use threaded rod to fix them to my wooden bases, I think the rod I use is about 6mm but you can buy all different sizes at a hardware store. I drill a hole in the bottom of the bust then a hole in the wooden base, cut a section of rod that fits and epoxy ( I use araldite in the UK) them all together once the figure is completed. I would do all the drilling on the figure before I start any painting. I have no need to remove my figures from the base hence the permanent fix. All the busts in my display are done ths way, the Hellraiser busts are all fixed to the cubes this way as well. The Samara from the well was fixed using four holes spread around the underside of the well and wooden base with threaded rod epoxied, its fixed solid
You have to decide whether you want them fixed permanently or you want them removable. I pin all my figure joints be it arms, heads, torso etc because of the strength it gives the join, the fix to a base is no different and if you handle the figure to look at it or its being judged at a competition where it could be picked up and looked at then you want to make sure it's secured to the base.
If you want the figure removable you could drill all the way through your base, countersink the bottom and use a nut to hold it to the base.

Awesome. Thanks for the visual examples. This helps a lot.
All your bases in this example are either square or round (contoured). I was thinking of doing a rectangle with rounded corners. I tried out a test piece that did not go well. I used a corner radius jig and a hand held trim router. Too messy. Any advice?
I have not tried the radius jig with a table router yet.
How did you cut your round bases?

[glen10k]

This is the type of threaded rod I use, comes in different thicknesses, cut to length with a hacksaw
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=threaded+r ... acj2wgvg_e
I can't help on the bases, I get mine made for me here in the UK.

[tay666]

Not sure what you mean by a radius jig.
If I were going to rout a piece of wood for a base and put a radius on the edges, I would use a bit with a guide bearing and let the piece guide the router.
If you have a router table, then even better. Drop in a starting pin, and just rotate you base against that, and the guide bearing on the bit.

[FlemFilms]

Not sure what you mean by a radius jig.
If I were going to rout a piece of wood for a base and put a radius on the edges, I would use a bit with a guide bearing and let the piece guide the router.
If you have a router table, then even better. Drop in a starting pin, and just rotate you base against that, and the guide bearing on the bit.

This is a corner radius jig




I've only done a one test, and it's not as easy to use as you would think.

[Rocketeer]

...But I'm here to ask a couple specific questions:
1. Do you permanently attach your finished models to your finished display bases?

Usually, yes. But if I feel a model is going to be a problem to transport attached to a base, I may leave it loose--but usually located with a couple stout brass rod pins. In a couple cases, I put the battery inside the model and gluing it to the base would have made it impossible to change the battery, so I left the model loose.

2. How do you attach (permanently or detachable) your finished model kit to your finished wood display bases? Wood glue, epoxy, other? I'm mainly concerned with resin kits. Maybe the occasional vinyl. And do you use pins?

Almost always pinned. It's not only more secure, but if you're building a diorama, it ensures that the figure is in the exact same place for every test fitting. For final mounting I usually use five-minute epoxy.

3. Do you work on the display base and the model kit at the same time? Or do you wait until the model is finished? I ask this because I'm nearly finished with the painting of a bust and am reluctant to drill and/or cut into the base of the model.

I usually consider the display base pretty early in the construction of a model. What the viewer sees is one thing, model-plus-base, so it's only logical to consider them together for maximum artistic impact. Also helps to plan wiring and battery location and how you're going to mount the model early on.