Hobby Basics: Metal Wargaming Miniature Preparation

A guide to preparing metal wargaming miniatures for painting. Using a 28mm Napoleonic French mounted colonel from Warlord Games I show the steps I take to remove a model from a sprue, cut away any tags, file off mould lines, and place pins to secure components to one another.
Suggested tools:
Diamond needle file
Model clippers
Tweezers
Pin vice
Wire (a paperclip in this instance)
Superglue

[@comteroi9219]

Really needed this video! I have tons of plastic, ut very few metal minis, all of which are still in the box because I simply had no understanding of how to go about putting them together. Thank you, sir!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Really happy to hear the video is helpful for people!

[@jerseyowl]

Good tips and well explained as usual.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks very much!

[@gkspain1]

Very useful video cheers mate, all the best, Garry

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks Garry

[@user-mc4sq3fk5d]

Very helpful!!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

You're welcome.

[@gloryandshinepk8974]

Awesome upload always connect you

[@basicminiaturepainting]

Very nice tips

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks mate

[@SobotRex]

Do you always pin the heads on or was it just a demonstration of the technique for this video? Seems like super glue would be sufficient since you probably wouldn't be touching or applying any pressure to the head.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

More of a demonstration of the technique in this case. 28mm heads don't always need pinning. If it's a headswap conversion it can be useful though if the respective neck joints don't quite fit.

[@steveharrold4311]

Please don't think I'm being rude.... Don't you wash the figures at any point in the preparation stages ?

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

I don't personally, and I am yet to have an issue with primer failing to stick. I know some people give everything a wash. I only do it with resin minis.

[@steveharrold4311]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio Many thanks.... I love your work and have learnt a lot from your videos... Cheers

[@theenigmaticgamer]

I am revising how I clean up my models..after over 50 years!! 🤣 Can I ask please which make of pin vice drill are you using and what size bit? I have a couple of cheap ones, but they are falling apart and my cordless Dremel is a bit vicious! Time for a replacement. Can you recommend a decent modelling knife for cleaning up? My scalpels seem to give up with the blades breaking very easily on metals?

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

I think cobalt drill bits are good, I usually plump for 1mm, though depending on what I am trying to put in a hand, 0.8mm or 1.2mm are sometimes better. I use Swann-Morton scalpel blades (no.11), but don't try to cut metal with them. Clippers or a jeweller's saw are more effective. Some mould lines do come off with a scrape from a blade, but files are better overall I find. Hope that's useful and sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Thanks for watching!

[@theenigmaticgamer]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio Please don’t apologise. I very much appreciate you taking the trouble to reply. Thanks for the helpful advice. I had been using supposedly good quality drill bits from China, but without exception they would break in the hole which lead to real problems extracting the broken bit. I’ll check out the cobalt bits. Thanks again. Keith

[@user-mc4sq3fk5d]

Do you wash your metal miniatures?

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

I don't wash metal miniatures, but I know that some people do.