Cheap Kitbashing

Kitbashing is a great way to not only have fun - Take all the grey bits of plastic you are never going to use and turn them into something you want to use = free minis. I kitbashed a General for my Age of Sigmar Stormcast army using bits I was never going to use out of the Dominion box. I also worked on customising a Stormcast Paladin into a Gladiator, using soda cans and green stuff.
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[@ODonnchadhaBrian]

A masterful production, as ever. "Like when your fingers have been separated for too long." 😂

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Brian!

[@ODonnchadhaBrian]

@@52Miniatures you are welcome.

[@CronosVids]

You’re kind of the Bob Ross of my hobby channel subscriptions. Your videos always inspire and relax at the same time.

[@stretch3281]

Indeed, perfect friday wind down a week at work😌

[@Owitsch]

Happy little squirrels... ahm... romans :)

[@52Miniatures]

😊 thank you

[@CronosVids]

@@52Miniatures You are very welcome!

[@allhailthelegs]

'A priest is an underqualified wizard with a slightly more fanatical outlook on life' - real shit right there haha. Beautiful

[@52Miniatures]

Hah! Thanks!

[@IVIaskerade]

That aluminium can scale armour is going to revolutionise my titanicus miniatures.

[@52Miniatures]

Awesome!

[@leovaeg]

absolutely genius tip

[@Earthhorn]

What a wonderful narration ... i feel drifting off to sleep - not cause it is boring, but because it is so comfortable.

[@Monomegamorpharea]

A perfect comparison of priests and wizards!

[@52Miniatures]

💜 right!?

[@MX5Fanatic]

I always enjoy your subtle humor you slip in your videos. I sometimes have to do a double take. Great subject - great video.

[@52Miniatures]

I appreciate that!

[@stephenrider6107]

The purple/vertigre cloak is perfection!

[@52Miniatures]

Ah, thank you!

[@ScytheNoire]

7:10 "I can't remember when I bought it, so it kinda counts as free, right?" Of course, that's how it works. I keep finding free stuff in boxes in my closets all the time. :)

[@MrNavidad]

I love your story telling, both visually and verbally. And you explain your process so well, I look forward to when I have bits to use to kitbash

[@jaspern8269]

Just the inspiring content that I needed to feel a little more secure about my own hobby failures and success.

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Jasper, I appreciate hearing this.

[@markfrommontana]

And then Alex knocks it out of the park with the purple cloak. And yes I’m commenting in real time. 👍😉

[@ThijsSchrijnemakers]

Comment for the algorithm gods. The general looks great, really like the teal + cloak

[@Nortic111]

I just realised that you have over 52 thousand subs. Fitting, very fitting!

[@murphyngton]

Dang it, the Beer capes is a great idea! Well, sadly I need to buy some beverage now.

[@Bluecho4]

It's also worth noting that Historical miniatures provide a wealth of cheap plastic bits. Often, historical kits will come with a selection of weapon arm options, many of which will never be used once you've assembled the models. Keep those bits, as they may be useful later. Some companies (Perry Miniatures, Warlord Games) will even sell the individual sprues from their kits. So if you just need a few parts, you can order the sprues and not add prodigiously to your pile of shame. This can also be used to acquire cheap bodies, since the main issue one has is usually a surplus of limbs and heads. Then again, limbs and heads themselves can be useful. Chaos miniatures especially lend themselves well to just gluing a bunch of arms and heads together into a freakish mass. Maybe with the connection covered in tattered green stuff cloaks or tiny seashells purchased at a hobby store. When you dispense with the idea that they must look like regular people, you open yourself up to infinite possibilities. Limited only by the bits on hand, your skills, and your imagination.

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks for the tips B!

[@ryangately7717]

Another great video, Alex! It's great to see you "humanize" the hobby by showing experiments and failures (and their eventual successes).

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Ryan!

[@teoiny1]

Some great ideas, both in kit-bashing & painting. TAK!

[@52Miniatures]

My pleasure Eoin

[@dwightneal4624]

"...like when your fingers have been separated too long..." 🤣😂🤣

[@stretch3281]

Re beverage based tips.... the pewter foil from the tops of wine bottles makes excellent modelling material for straps ect, and can be punched out (Against a soft substrate) to create rivet heads. ( thanks Night shift for that one )

[@52Miniatures]

Great idea! Thanks for passing it on.

[@amandadrentwett3172]

I always love watching your videos but today I was in a fit of laughers from 2:01-2:23 🤣🤣🤣 Best description of a priest I ever heard.

[@52Miniatures]

Hah! Thanks Amanda :)

[@onkelgroen]

No need to make excuses for using bits from the box. That's the very essence of kitbashing! Also, cool paladins.

[@ganzgrosseskino]

I have also found that especially while running a very large and long painting project it helps having different sized side projects. Sometimes just straying from the big one to quickly paint a particular single mini is a boost to morale: I finished something, so this big pile of stuff one day will also be painted to completion!

[@NewSquallor]

Hope you're enjoying your time off. Thanks.

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you immensely C!

[@alessiodecarolis]

Kitbashing is essential in our hobby, now with all these plastic sets' boxes is also more easy convert figures. Frostgrave/Stargrave give us a LOT of bits, the figures you've modified are really cool , the scale armour made of aluminium is interesting, perhaps a fully scale armour could be doable.

[@philgee486]

What a great vid, full of inspiration and full of great ideas that folks can actually use. The simple acknowledgment that we all do sometimes/often get bored and turned off whilst working away at the hobby we love recognises an issue I struggle with. Talking through how you deal with stuff not going as you'd hoped, then leading to disappointment and eventual frustration, and then to - "I just don't want to be doing this right now" - is what causes a lot of my stuff to languish. I certainly don't have any shortage of active projects! ...but watching this, I don't think I swap between them frequently enough to stave off the downturn and I'm definitely going to try it. Thanks Alex

[@52Miniatures]

Even being a bit pissed off can help Phil. Inspiration is not always a result of bliss or “zen”. Sometimes just not “giving a sh*+t”, because one is a little fed up with a certain project can lead to interesting results. Like - “I don’t really care how this cloak ends up now” - oh look, it’s pretty.

[@vedrengrabelox3231]

That cape is great.

[@malorens]

Kitbash! 🔥

[@52Miniatures]

Kitbash!

[@gaeldelomenie8003]

Like: check. Supportive comment: check. Thanks for another great hobby video!

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you, I do appreciate it.

[@JanterCyrano]

That color selection, is so vibrant, and still looks so natural, is amazing, as always

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Janter! I appreciate it

[@Argrouk]

Just had to say that the cloak looks amazing!

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Allen!

[@Marcusstratus]

That color scheme is actually really good!

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Markus 👍

[@VGModelling]

When mixing epoxy putties, you have to wait a while to get them stiffer and then press to the mold ;)

[@52Miniatures]

A great tip, I never thought of that. Thank you.

[@Matt-md5yt]

Sweet a new Kitbash video from my friend. Thanks for this one

[@52Miniatures]

My pleasure Matt!

[@danj1072]

Thank you for the vid!

[@52Miniatures]

My pleasure!

[@benjaminjack867]

Always excited for a new video from Alex

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍 Thanks again for sharing your journey, loving the way you tell the story

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you as always Mark!

[@yfz450rider39]

Great colour choices!! Very pleasing to the eye.

[@echtervogel]

I love that head! Will probably turn it into a Lord Arcanum on not quite a Tauralon

[@52Miniatures]

not quite Tauralons are great creatures :)

[@idiotluggage]

Thank you for sharing this. I never thought to use an aluminum can for making a cloak or other bits.

[@52Miniatures]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yusha32]

Hey! I love those texture plates, so here's some tips! 1. Just use plain greenstuff 2. If water doesn't keep it from sticking, use a little vegetable oil or vaseline and wash it off later 3. Greenstuff is still pretty flexible when cured, as long as there was a decent amount of yellow in the mix. You can throw some extra greenstuff on the plate, pull it off after 20 minutes or so, then later when a model needs that texture sheet just cut it up and superglue it on. Whenever I make too much greenstuff, I throw it on a fur plate. That way I have plenty of pelts sitting around for whatever mini needs it (in my case, flayed ones inspired by peltasts) Hope it helps!

[@52Miniatures]

Great tips thanks! I did eventually go for “pure” green stuff and sculptors Vaseline. But never thought of leaving it to cure for a while before working with it.

[@magnusmillerwilson]

Great tips, Luke!

[@DCUATL]

Does the same hold true for their texture rollers?

[@yusha32]

@@DCUATL Definitely, though it also depends on use case there. I use texture rollers for bases, so I usually go for air dry clay instead and just wash the roller off and scrub it with an old toothbrush to make sure it stays clear of debris

[@alessiodecarolis]

Right, cheap cooking oils are ideal for GS, expecially when making molds such as for holsters and ammo pouches.

[@xtigerbotjoe]

This video was a delight! Going to look into more head swap options for my Tau and Orks now!

[@52Miniatures]

Lovely! Thanks Joe!

[@WeltenbauerClub]

That turned out really nice

[@thesadcrab6685]

Commenting for the algorithm, love your videos

[@katana2665]

If you ever want to try that green stuff stamping again. roll the green stuff into a sheet on a piece of wax paper and then brush some talcum powder on it to prevent sticking with the stamping tool. You might want to give some minutes to partially cure before stamping to for more resistance. Also, the metal used in toothpaste tubes is a great soft and bendable material for straps and things. We used to do this with seatbelts in model cars and straps on rifles. I'm sure it would work for cloaks too.

[@52Miniatures]

Lots of good tips, thank you 🙏

[@bennnnnyy26]

Wow! Again you amaze me! 👏 lovely paint work

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Ben!

[@MagicHjalti]

kitbashing Stormcast Eternals into Chaos warriors/Space marines makes me happy. im not a fan of Stormcast eternal lore and or ideer of them, but the armor they have really cool. and they looks good in a Chaos army, and my Space marines looks more Holy

[@52Miniatures]

Sounds like that would look great.

[@christianwilds9154]

That cloak is killer, amazing work, I'm inspired.

[@52Miniatures]

great to hear, thank you.

[@benstephenson8988]

I love those colors, nice work.

[@adventuresincrafting2022]

You have convinced me. I need to buy some actual miniatures and try kit bashing them. Never tried before (as I don't play wargames) so it will be a fun challenge. Thank you!

[@52Miniatures]

Go for it!

[@christophercassidy-schroed9169]

Great job Alex! Looks mint.

[@AvocationNation]

Beautiful, I love it!

[@mazzy713]

Absolutely loved the way you painted the cloaks, the colour shift is very effective, I'll defs be using the aluminium can idea!

[@ericlang7408]

Very interesting, thanks a lot!

[@ltdybdahl]

Great stuff. Inspiring

[@harryhamilton298]

thanks for the tips

[@aegishjalmur123]

Loved the video !

[@bassistcz]

Great video!

[@mikaelfabian8590]

Hitting enemies with a relic…repeatedly🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@erho2967]

Really nice piece

[@aaronreynolds8587]

Such a smart and insightful video. Just adore.

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Aaron

[@Liopot68]

Great video! And amazing paint job. I would love so see a video on a failed project: what you tried, how you failed, and how you deal with it. Best!

[@goforitpainting]

Ver cool build!

[@UnvarnishedTarnished]

For greenstuff and miliput, don't use as soon as it's mixed up, it's too soft then. Wait 15-30 min and then use.

[@boredniko2406]

won't the green stuff dry out too much? i hear different things on how long it's workable.

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks for the tip Zach!

[@UnvarnishedTarnished]

@@boredniko2406 Well based on my experience no - but depending on what kind of epoxy putty you have, times are going to vary before it goes off. I have one that is an off brand grey putty that you could leave for like 45 and then it's workable while others are gonna be like 15-30. Really depends but gotta experiment with what you have!

[@r1ck5m1th]

Incredible work. She looks amazing 😳👌❤️

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you so much!!

[@InVerum]

The general turned out fantastic!! Absolutely love the mystical paint job.

[@makeshiftminis9090]

You brought up some interesting ideas, I would have never thought to use cans in a build.

[@kid14346]

"I can't remember when I bought this so that counts as free... right?" How dare you call me out like this... I swear the amount of times I will be going through my hobby room and say something like, "Wait when did I buy this Mini/Game/Rulebook/Figure?" is too relatable.

[@52Miniatures]

Ha ha! Sorry 😬😂

[@wietsesartsythings969]

Looks great Alex, I love the conversions you did. Also the possibilities of Stormcast seem so much greater than I expected. great work!

[@jamesavery9236]

As usual, excellent work and advice.

[@52Miniatures]

Great typ heat James, Thank you

[@Sichuanbeef]

Looks amazing

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you G 🙏

[@MW-xi9oy]

I wonder how/if the creativity of kitbashing contributed to/influenced your creative, and wonderful IMO, paintjob? Inspiring.

[@52Miniatures]

Most certainly! Sometimes being a bit pissed off helps too. “I don’t care how this ends up” - oh look, pretty cloak :)

[@MindIn28mm]

As always top quality video

[@52Miniatures]

Much appreciated

[@magnusmillerwilson]

I appreciate how simple, real, and accessible this is! Great video as always, Alex. Cheers!

[@52Miniatures]

I appreciate that, thanks Magnus

[@WasiKaBooM]

Loving this mini, Alex. Cheers :)

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you MR BOOM!

[@sock756]

This is the exact video I needed, thanks for being an inspiration. And I love the cadence and tone of your lecturing voice, it seems like something you've put a lot of thought into and it fits so perfectly with the patience of the hobby

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Seymour I appreciate it.

[@Whuntah]

Great work. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks for watching!

[@billcurran7210]

That cape looks amazing! Its always a pleasure to see that you've got a new video out.

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you Bill!

[@stevenkirton6373]

Great video, as always 👍

[@52Miniatures]

Great to hear, thank you Steven

[@jamiem9490]

I like those soda can scales... As always a pleasure, an education and a welcome respite

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Jamie!

[@HobbyDad_dy]

I really love the paint scheme on this one. The cape and helmet look especially amazing. You knocked it out of the park with this one!

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks a ton!

[@monsterforge884]

Always a pleasure to see a new video from you, Alex! I'm relatively new to the miniature hobby, but so far kitbashing is my favorite aspect of it all. Great general!!!

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Monsterforge!

[@YanniCooper]

Hand cream (such as Nivea) is also great as sculpting lube.

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks for the tip Yanni!

[@leesweeney8879]

Thanks Alex!

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Lee!

[@Noot_Official]

Just the video I needed man, keep it up!

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks, will do!

[@vivid.worker]

your style is so good omg

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks V! I'm glad to hear it.

[@tBauncer]

Been kitbashing the hell out of my Gitz, best feeling when you are ready to prime them👍👍

[@52Miniatures]

Yeah, great feeling getting the prime on!

[@snap2cb777]

Been waiting for this since you spoke about it on stream

[@52Miniatures]

Lovely, thanks Snap!

[@thatotherguy7596]

Ever since I discovered your channel I've been trying to figure out how you managed to get such great results. I think I finally get it. It's your eye for color. You have a way of choosing a pallet that yields miraculous results. Keep up the good work. Thank you Alex, it's always a great pleasure. 💕

[@52Miniatures]

Thanks Tog, you are probably right, I do quite a lot of work with colors as a photographer. That probably wears off.

[@thatotherguy7596]

@@52Miniatures Unfortunately, an eye like yours is something that can't be easily taught. 🙂🎨💕

[@coalitionofrob436]

I regret assembling all my Dominion set now ….. especially since they’re all just sitting in the box assembled and primed!

[@bioguy8734]

the production quality on this video is very impressive, great job.

[@52Miniatures]

Thank you 👍

[@Starstrykerx]

Wow, I am working on the exact same minis right now (slightly kitbashed too) and needed this wonderful inspiration as I had sort of hit a wall. Thanks Alex!

[@52Miniatures]

Great to hear Sean, thank you!

[@steve1363]

Beer can cloaks!? I've been trying and failing with green stuff. Can't wait to give this a try!

[@52Miniatures]

Good luck!

[@isisnmagic1812]

Great video loads of tips if I ever get brave enough to kitbash, also this video has shown me a few of the random Eternals I've bought from Ebay like my lord impertanant and his gryphound are from your dominion box, thanks for that as well. Keep up the great work.

[@Pandapeep]

Lovely kitbash, and a solid paint job, but I don't understand what you did with the cloak. That cross hatching didn't really add texture, it just made the cloak look like a weird colorful blanket.

[@assembly_language3948]

My personal rule for kitbashing is this: A kitbash should never look like a kitbash. Anyone looking at the model should not be able to tell it was ever a kitbash. It should look like the original company had produced it. I think the main key to this is to keep it simple, keep it seamless, and not to get carried away.

[@bullpupluver]

Ive been looking for a new crafting channel, think i found one, thank you

[@52Miniatures]

Welcome to the channel Bull

[@jonbauml225]

Did you try Vaseline on your tools,fingers, and texture pad? I guess I should have waited until the end of the video before commenting

[@LukeDyer]

Another video that I watched a second time as soon as I had finished the first viewing. Kitbashing is something that I’m really trying to get into as it’s a way to make my hobby dollar go a lot further - I’ve found Stormcast bits go great on space marines. Next step it to buy a beverage and try the scale armour idea. Thanks again

[@52Miniatures]

Good idea Luke, yeah I mean Stormcast are fantasy Space Marines.. good idea bashing the two together!

[@ulriklarsen2239]

its so nice to see the progress in this - and as a complete new guy in the hobby it gives a great feeling of hope, and my desire to throw with the plastic in front of me is lower ;D

[@52Miniatures]

Lovely to hear Ulrik, thank you.