8 UNDERESTIMATED Miniature Painting Hobby Tools From Cheap to FREE!

[@stepickstock]

The clear plastic tops from Pringles tubes are good for small paint palettes. If they get too clagged up with paint, flex them, get the tip of a hobby knife under the paint and peel it off. All clean again.

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 brilliant! Although Pringles last 2 seconds in my house and someone has quickly thrown away the packaging to hide that fact! It’s like they were never there…..

[@madMARTYNmarsh1981]

Good lord, your videos are brilliant. I thought the existing hobby channels on KZbin covered everything we needed, but you are covering subjects I had never even considered, and it is all incredibly useful. Thank you.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh! Thank you for the compliment!!

[@abcdodd]

I am very impressed with how elegantly simple and honest your approach is. Thank you.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I think I experience all the same issues we all do in this hobby. I guess I just reached a point where I thought, “nah, there MUST be a better way”. And well, telling like it is has always been my way. 👍🏼🤣

[@abcdodd]

@@thestateofplay2023 Shhhh! Watching ALL your other videos. Need popcorn. Oh wait ...what fancy airbrush holder is that in your videos? I haven't gotten around to any mention of it yet. OK, back at it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Harder and Steenbeck airbrush holder. Came free when I bought an airbrush kit in a deal. Now, stop asking questions and keep watching…

[@uriance88]

If you know someone in the healthcare field, they might be able to get you a set of locking forceps - grab a peice of foam, lock the forceps and you're off to the races. The 3m foam works great for holding down models to paint handles (especially pill bottles weighted with some sand in them)

[@thestateofplay2023]

Love it! Thanks. I knew I’d get a load of great tips in the comments! Thanks!

[@erinweatherly6539]

The sponge pen. The Negan bat and the rattle can spinner have me over the moon with excitement!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Glad I could help!! You should see what I can do with two slices of bread, some peanut butter and and small butter knife! 🤣🤣

[@B4MBI72]

My newest favorite bit of kit is one of those silicone kids popit fidget toys that were all the rage a couple years ago. You know the things that are a bunch of semi circles on a silicone mat that you pop in our out. Amazing for inks, contrast paints and metalics, pretty much anything you dont want to put on a wet pallete, especially if you have tehm in dropper bottles rather than silly pots. Pop them once the paint dries out and it just peels off and its clean and good as new.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I can’t find one that’s white. Anywhere.

[@notkonradcurze1347]

this is the best hobby channel, period.

[@thestateofplay2023]

And YOU, are the best at nice comments, period. 😜

[@samhoban2509]

Plastic putty is my go to! Man I wish I’d seen this vid a long time ago. I’m still using he same tube from when I was young!

[@thestateofplay2023]

It’s great stuff. I’m the same. Still using the first one I bought. It lasts forever.

[@philgee486]

Your excitement for a gap filling solution that works brilliantly I totally understand. Three years ago I watched a great bloke who was new to YT and had a vid with the title promise: "Fix anything with milliput! Great trick!" He was dead right, best gap filler ever and makes vallejo plastic putty seem like old colgate Great bloke, I've stayed with him, I'll give you a clue: "Hello guys, Marco here..." Mate, don't gloss over this, it's one of the best things the maestro ever taught me and you deserve millibutter in your life

[@thestateofplay2023]

I love Marco and have watched everything he ever put out - twice! But I’m a little bit older than him and used milliput back in the 80s. My grandad used to use it on Tanks and gave me some. I found it too crumbly, doesn’t always harden fully and still requires a few tools to squish into gaps. It was originally for flexible car body repairs in the early 70s. It’s the one and only thing I’ve ever disagreed with Marco on. Putty and wet brush. Done. Rather than squeezing, kneading, cutting, pushing, squishing, moulding and potentially sanding. Marco’s early videos used sand and grit on bases. But today, he’s got tubs of AK and Vallejo texture pastes. I’d hazard a guess even Marco would concede plastic putty gets the job done infinitely quicker thesedays . 😜👍🏼🤣

[@philgee486]

@thestateofplay2023 All that you say is 100% true and I'm older than dirt, so old there used to be only green stuff and milliput. Green stuff is vinyl and annoying and milliput is crumbly and crap. I use magic Sculp for sculpting, wouldn't touch milliput. But, watch the vid, this just isn't milliput as you've ever known it, trust me, you'll be very glad you did

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh I will watch it again. Definitely. I did watch when he first released it but now you’ve got me curious about what I may have missed! And dirt may be old. But remember, with that comes wisdom! 👍🏼

[@philgee486]

@thestateofplay2023 Apparent wisdom is just having seen the mistakes before, usually several times. ;0) BTW, you have a really good channel with a lot of good ideas and the terrain vids arev properly reproducible for good quality results. YTwise your delivery to camera is very watchable, you have a touch with light humour. No idea why I hadn't come across you sooner, but will definitely run the back catalogue, which is my best endorsement

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks Phil! Being honest the back catalogue has some good stuff but as I was learning as I go, it took me a while to get my stride. Now if I could get my kids to learn from failures and gain wisdom…,

[@sstankfish]

I have been interested in the miniature painting hobby for years now, but have been juggling it with 5-6 other hobbies. Finally conceding to the fact that I don't have the time for my wife, kids, and that many hobbies. Painting will be my main focus, so hopefully I can keep myself focused long enough to see some improvement! I set a goal for myself at the start of the year to paint 300 minis... I've painted 10... Still plenty of time, though, especially with the amount of board games' minis I intend to paint! I just received my bottles of Liquitex ink so I can start mixing my own range of colors, so thank you greatly for THAT video, I've been wanting a good way to have a few main colors to make my own range for a long time, but my lack of knowledge as well as fear of wasting tine, money, and resources testing has prevented it. I love painting with inks, but my previous colors were very limiting. I feel like nothing will stop me now, so again, thank you, sir!

[@thestateofplay2023]

You Sir, are very welcome!! Enjoy painting. Only 290 to go!

[@malcolmrose3361]

If you have a beauty supplies shop near where you live (Sally is a chain in the UK) they have all kinds of stuff that's useful for wargamers - spatulas by the hundred, magnifier desk lights and optivisors, cheap make up brushes for dry brushing, cute little sponge things for applying eye shadow - well worth a wander round the aisles.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Shhh, you’ll spoil the follow up video to this one. 🤣🤣🤣

[@03dashk64]

Great video! The sponge in a pen is actually really useful!! I am making one now hah. Only thing I disagree on is being worried about paint getting on a cutting mat? I’ve always been of the opinion the cutting mat is a work surface for my art. I don’t care if it gets messy at all hah. I’m cutting on it! It’s not a decoration! It being paint covered and splotchy just means I am crafting :)

[@thestateofplay2023]

Haha! Make your cutting mat your own. Although, the clue is in the name “cutting” mat. 🤣🤣 I only became obsessive when my cutting mat had so much glue on it it wasn’t flat enough to cut on anymore.

[@03dashk64]

@@thestateofplay2023 oof yeah that’s fair. I don’t think my mat has any glue on it. Though it definitely has some fogging from putting drying minis on it hah

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’ve got little coloured circles on it from painting the rims, right? Haha, I did too.

[@03dashk64]

@@thestateofplay2023 oh absolutely. All over the place. Plus that spot where I spilled Black Templar contrast all over it…which is a requirement

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@03dashk64 🤣🤣🤣

[@Bunyip_Studios]

I switched from corks to Demijon rubber bungs. You don't need to glue the pins in, just cut them at an angle and push them with pliers. Also, use 1mm florist wire, NOT paper clips, the end of your clippers won't end up on the other side of the room. Rubber bungs don't crumble like corks do either

[@thestateofplay2023]

Great tips!! I’m stealing both! 🤣

[@FarawayPictures]

What a great video. Thank you. I do polymer clay sculpture for a hobby too and we use large tiles for that. Painting on them is great, you can completely cover them and even weeks later they'll wash off. And if you're lucky, your local tile store will just give them to you.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Well, I’m very glad it wasn’t all downhill for you! Thanks! 🤣👍🏼

[@MarkAnthonyHenderson]

Pure brilliance. Thanks for opening my mind to these fantastic ideas.

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’re very welcome!

[@GrayPrimer]

Great video, and the first one of your's that I've watched. The spray stick solution was especially cool!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hey thanks! And welcome. I hope some of the others are useful to you too. If you watched them, of course. 👍🏼

[@mrs5850]

Have very quickly become my favourite hobby channel. Informative, funny and wholesome 😊 subscribed and can’t wait to see you getting to thousands so subscribers

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you Mr. S. Means a lot when someone takes the time to comment like this.

[@el_super_laser]

Duuuuuuuude amazing tips. Ty. Loved the thumbnail image❤❤❤

[@thestateofplay2023]

I’m glad someone got the joke!! 😜

[@MisterTingles]

if you still want one and can find em cheap, replacement furniture legs can make for excellent painting handles

[@thestateofplay2023]

That’s sounds great! I even had a recommendation from my Dad to use large chocolate Toblerone boxes.

[@MisterTingles]

@@thestateofplay2023 i suppose a chair leg for spraying could do it, but honestly I hadn't even gotten to that part of the video yet 😅, I more meant something like couch legs as an alternative to the redgrass/citadel/cork varieties. these were stellar tips, great job!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh sorry man. I can’t stand people who give away spoilers and I just did it to you. 😳 It’s guess you’re right. Chair legs with the paperclips permanently stuck in would be great.

[@alessiodecarolis]

Ok, your advice about either the silicone mat and chipping pen were really useful, I didn't knew the existence of the former, great ideas!👍

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you Alessio!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you Alessio!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@13Robzilla]

Awesome video and some great ideas there. On the subject of gap filling although plastic putty is ok; I find sprue goo better, easier and already on hand. (As opposed to a separate purchase.) The main trick here is after wiping away the excess simply use some regular plastic cement to smooth it out. Thanks for posting.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks Rob. You know I could never get along with sprue goo. I found it incredibly messy and impossible to do anything precise with. I really wanted to like it because it was easy to make but always felt like a I was spreading peanut butter on dry bread. The bread always falls apart! 🤣🤣

[@13Robzilla]

@@thestateofplay2023 I use a little too much then wipe away the excess with a shaped qtip (conical as opposed to the regular ones.) The tighter binding on these helps prevent the little hairs/fibers which always seem to stick to the model. I got a huge pack of them from a hardware store by where they sold varnish a long time ago.

[@antongunther3977]

The easiest hobby tip I can give for cheap tools: Look for tools from other hobbies. Makeup brushes are great dry brushes. Makeup sponges are great for removing excess oil washes. Makeup cleaning pads are great for getting your dry brushes ever so slightly damp. Pastels are great for making your own pigment powder. You can either shave them down with a hobby knife, bash them in a plastic bag, or even get a dedicated coffee grinder and get really really fine powder. You have total control with the exact color you get. Ever wanted an alien green or purple pigment powder for a base? Paint bottle holders- if you are like me you have WAY too many bottles of paint (I have close to 200 bottles, send help). A cheap storage alternative is actually also from the world of makeup. Nail polish stands, you can get one that holds 96 bottles for $12. You can also find fancy rotating ones for much cheaper than the hobby equivalent ones.

[@thestateofplay2023]

These are awesome! But shhhh, you may be spoiling the follow up video. 🤣🤣

[@HacksawsHobbyBunker]

Some great ideas, I used the watercolour pencils on some terrain earlier today based on one of your earlier vids. Most excellent. Despite the fact that I feel attacked over my cutting mat, great vid 🙂 Cheers!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Cutting mats around the world were screaming out in agony. Put your ear to yours - you’ll hear it. 🤣 Glad you liked it! Try dipping the tips of the pencils in water. The effect changes. It’s pretty cool!!

[@jubb1984]

Oh crap, that water color pencil tip was great, thanks! Earned a sub here ^^ The other tips are top notch to.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you!

[@hogs0war]

Great video and information passed on. It may have already been said here but a standard 'lead' pencil works great for highlighting edges to give the impression of painted metal wearing down to what's underneath and making your own 'sprue goo' from half finished jars of plastic cement are DIY solutions if budget/product availability is a concern.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, lead pencils in a variety of H and B grades are fantastic. I however, can’t stand sprue goo. 😜🤣 it’s kind of just a plastic slop that you have very little fine control over.

[@hogs0war]

@@thestateofplay2023 fair play

[@cave43]

Ah good old Emodels what a lovely bunch of people.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yup, great store!

[@TheTermigrot]

LUCILLE!!!!! I base coated two troops of Orcs "Orc on a Stick." That is SUPER easy and zero chance of overspray. A simple wooden yard(meter) stick will do. gives you two sides with only some masking tape to hold the plastic (only) miniatures.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Two sides? Pah! The future is 3…🤣🤣

[@PeachyPixel28]

ok... you smashed it. actual good tips, nice job.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Cheers! Always good to know I’m not shouting into the wind! 😜

[@krzysiekbazyl6702]

for gap filling on plastic minis I can recommend the sprue goo enough, its Tamiya extra thin cement with bits of sprues melted inside

[@thestateofplay2023]

Sadly I can’t agree on this. I find it to be nasty, smelly sludge and a waste of good glue. Sticky toffee is easier to work with and tastes better too. 🤣👍🏼

[@krzysiekbazyl6702]

@@thestateofplay2023 Fair xD i still use it as a glue too and used like this it does the gap filling for you, the excess that spills out can then be removed with clear tamiya thin cement or sanded out

[@thestateofplay2023]

You see, you lost me on the “sanding”. That’s an extra step. And I’m super lazy. 🤣 You should try the putty, I’d be interested in your thoughts.

[@samhoban2509]

Fast becoming my favourite channel. You make it look effortless

[@thestateofplay2023]

The miracles of cutting out of the failures during editing! 🤣🤣 Seriously, things only look effortless after you failed other ways a hundred times…

[@NobalGaming]

I do love watching your videos buddy. A chill atmosphere and so calm with good info! ☺️

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ah, I couldn’t get nicer comments if I paid for them! 😜

[@TheDuke07]

Great ideas I can't wait to make my own priming stick. Already made the sponge from a pen literally as soon as I saw this. And yeah I need to use my silicon mat more. I actually got a real tiny one I like to use for hot gluing but I need to use it more for any glue or solvent work

[@thestateofplay2023]

*cough….She’s called “Lucille”. She gets very offended when you say ‘priming stick’. 🤣🤣 Seriously though I’ve tried so many ways over the years and this cardboard + tube solution just worked the best.

[@xzeke666x]

ive cleaned my cutting mat several times from paint and it has always been as good as new after. thoe i will say i am going to get a "spray booth" for my airbrush so i can get better lighting and so

[@thestateofplay2023]

Liam, I salute you for cleaning your mat!! Quite a few airbrush booths come with LED lighting inside. They cost a bit more but well worth it for the light.

[@xzeke666x]

@@thestateofplay2023 well its easy to clean and makes for a nicer environment to do my hobby, but yeah i wanna expand my environment and get that booth. I know its costs a little more but in the end its worth it due to what im getting imo. Thoe i have to say i did like your tips in the video 👍

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@FrankDeMaria-te2ee]

great ideas, really cool

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you!

[@zramirez5471]

5:31 dude whats the secret to smoothing??? I picked this up off Amazon a while back and im struggling to get the finished joint smooth...

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hmm, I just use a damp flat brush. Not the same brush we paint with, with the point. The flat type with really, really soft bristles. Might even be worth a trip to the make-up aisle for a small eye make-up brush. Always seems to just smooth it right out. If you do use the pointed type brush I’d smooth it with the side (like edge highlights). Just experiment with how damp you have the brush.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh and if your still having trouble. Let the putty dry a little bit first.

[@Gudbjarten]

I can hardly believe I never thought of slicing double sided tape...it seems so obvious 😅 Thanks for another great video 🎉

[@thestateofplay2023]

I didn’t at first either. Just realised how much tape I was wasting.! 😀

[@nikolaosstavrou5327]

Actually the Vallejo's putty its fine marble dust and mefium.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks! But seriously they could make it out of pixie dust and toenails and I’d still use it. 🤣🤣

[@nikolaosstavrou5327]

@@thestateofplay2023 αχαχαχα! we all now that pixie dust its hard to find!

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@MeasAgun]

Which means it's just Gesso, then! 😉

[@teessidetyrants1989]

Another great video. Keep them coming.

[@thestateofplay2023]

You know I was wondering where you were. 🤣 Tell me you just had a great holiday and just got back….

[@teessidetyrants1989]

@@thestateofplay2023 Have actually just got back from a lovely few days in the Lake District with Mrs Tyrant and the Tyrantlings.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I knew it! 👍🏼

[@ChimaeraTom]

i have a motorised turntable in my amazon basket as i watched this, you've just saved me 37 quid!

[@thestateofplay2023]

I bought 4 of those. 3 broke. I’m now just waiting for the 4th to break. 🤣

[@RaveKev]

Thank you for the great video. The watercolor pens are just aquarell pens?

[@thestateofplay2023]

As longs as they are watercolour pencils, they’re pretty much all the same.

[@RaveKev]

​@@thestateofplay2023thx. I just found your channel today and it's awesome!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Welcome to the team!

[@cargo_vroom9729]

"you end up rushing the base" he says, apparently showing an example of a mediocre base. But it is beautiful.

[@thestateofplay2023]

We all do it! 👍🏼

[@ryansandwich1086]

Great tips!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks Bryan! 👍🏼

[@RevRaptor898]

Definitely gona use some of these :)

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah, they totally save time and money and that’s what we like in this expensive hobby! I originally had 16 but split the video as it was too long - so, some more to come in future.

[@LEGIOXIII13]

Lol i use the spray lid for my painting handle.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I tried that but because it’s quite wide I got hand cramp. 🤣

[@Gumlass1]

Nice work

[@SootyWebster]

Great vid. Slicing double sided tape changed my life.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes! It certainly changed my wallet! I used to go through that stuff like sweets 🤣

[@Rastamahatma]

This was very much the moment my head exploded. His sump videos changed my entire plan.

[@rikkoningen3992]

Your fancy new endcard killed my computer. Screens just plain stopped working. Also, how dare you call out my cutting mat abuse!? Best part is I already own an everything resistent dirt repellent mat for soldering on that everything wipes off cleanly anyway. Really should use that for painting. Then again a month into my current mat it's still completely clean so maybe I'm fine but saying that seems like tempting fate, or the cat, whichever gets me first. For my purposes the pencils are probably the idea I'll use most, I just never considered them.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks Rik! Sorry about the endcard, it was probably that computer destroying code I added to it to see who was still awake at the end! 🤣 Now go clean your mat!! 👍🏼😜

[@romeo.3472]

Knocked this one out the park mate. 👍

[@thestateofplay2023]

I see what you did there with the baseball bat reference! Excellent! A man with my sense of humour! 🤣🤣

[@Thoadin]

opened microwave with glass plate works great too ! xD

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@PeterHarvey-ut5rx]

If Vallejo Green Stuff altered your life, wiat till you try Mr Hobby 'Mr Dissolved Putty'! Greatest ever for those annoying small gaps.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ooh!! I want some. I’m googling it now. I LOVE new hobby stuff - thanks!!

[@hannesledegen5680]

"just a warm satisfied feeling because you've filled a hole really quickly and nobody will ever know" 😂 that's what she said

[@thestateofplay2023]

…right before she has you arrested.

[@Ulrican414]

This was a great video, but who cares if there's paint on a cutting mat, or anywhere else on my painting desk? It's my painting area it would be odd if there was no paint. Having paint on the mat does not ruin it, it's just paint, it doesn't adversely affect the mat in any way shape or from. It's like not having old dry paint on your dry palette.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I guess I must be odd. My paint is on the models. 🤣🤣 Technically though, paint on your mat stops it being perfectly flat, so when you cut, your straight lines aren’t perfectly straight. 😀👍🏼 P.s. I don’t have old paint on my dry palette either. I’m super odd! 🤣

[@mooregaminglounge5170]

Genius

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ah! If only I’d heard that more often growing up. Mostly it was, “Oi! Can you concentrate on what we’re doing here, please!l”.

[@amitacharya8167]

Wait a minute ... You said that you don't glue your minis to their bases ... But the minis being primed on Lucille are clearly based ... And you rotate the handle so the next minis are upside down and subject to the magic of gravity ... No blu-tack is that strong ... What dark wizardry is this?

[@thestateofplay2023]

It’s absolutely blu tack. Tiny little balls of it. The stuff is surprisingly stronger than you think! 👍🏼

[@HouseOfChaosUK]

Hmm sponge pen. I've always used sponge with tweezers but that perfect. You know a product is good when it looks so obvious and you say to yourself 'I wish i thought of that'. Slap your logo on there and watch the millions roll in

[@thestateofplay2023]

I used to do the tweezers thing too. But found it less accurate and unless you have those “reverse” tweezers, I just kept dropping the sponge when my aged fingers got cramped. Looking at what GSW charge it’s less millions and more “price of a happy meal”! 🤣

[@HouseOfChaosUK]

@@thestateofplay2023 lol. Bonus. Who doesn't love a happy meal

[@thestateofplay2023]

Me too. Not enough food though. Go double large or go home

[@malcolmrose3361]

Why buy corks? Just put used corks aside after drinking wine!

[@thestateofplay2023]

I do that too. Mostly use wine corks for pinning heads as they’re smaller. As much as I like a good ‘ol drink, I haven’t moved up to drinking out of gallon bottles with gallon corks yet. But I guess there’s time….🤣😜

[@malcolmrose3361]

@@thestateofplay2023 When you're desperate to find the last Zone Mortalis box in the UK so you can finish your latest project? And fail! 😀

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh yes! That would definitely qualify!!

[@Aisaaax]

Ok so 1 piece of feedback. From your thumbnail I can't tell at all that this is about warhammer, but rather woodworking. So if I am not already your subscriber or know your channel - I am scrolling past. You are misding a potential audience. That's it, all I wanted to say.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks. But in my defence, it’s not about Warhammer. It’s about hobby tools. These tools can be used in anything from Doll’s House modelling to painting WW2 tanks. I had hoped the big “8 hobby tools” and the video title might have given it away. 😜🤣 I love Warhammer but I also paint Mantic, boards games, dioramas and occasionally the walls in my house 🤣 so I went for a catch all approach. Hope that helps. 👍🏼

[@Aisaaax]

@@thestateofplay2023 ok, let me rephrase. You can't tell if it's about miniature hobby. And no "defence" needed here, I'm just trying to help.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Totally understand. But sadly on KZbin it seems you have to “play their game” or your videos disappear into non-viewed, algorithm ignored obscurity. And at that point, no ad revenue = no more videos. And you’re sitting in the dark at home with the electric bills piling up. 🤣

[@thestateofplay2023]

But keep the feedback coming. I’ve only been doing this for 2 months so still feeling my way.

[@frankodonnell5247]

Such a common sense video, but then we all know common sense is not a common as you might think :) well done.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Amen Frank! It used to be. Then we put the internet in everyone’s pocket. 🤣

[@PuttingOnTheFoil]

*Looks at cutting mat in shame.

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣🤣🫣

[@queerchameleon]

Great video.