Pinning, necessary or convenient?
- Thread starter edomingox
- Start date
Flashman14
Member
heh . . . it\'s never convenient . . .
Except when you drop it and the pinned parts don\'t break.
Sturdiness is the main benefit and I can\'t think of any others but it isn\'t always necessary on the smaller bits. It\'s darn right essential for dragon wings and other big pieces.
And it\'s more of a tool in your modeling toolbox then your painting one. So unless you move on to big conversions soon or something you could postpone learning it for the moment. It\'s not really a beginner\'s skill. People always casually say \"just pin it\" but it takes some getting used to especially if you don\'t have the right tools.
It also depends, to a small degree, on the use of the minature. If it\'s a small gaming piece (like arms on some of the bigger Chainmail minis) I\'d be more inclined to pin. But if it\'s a small display piece then I wouldn\'t bother so much if I had some confidence in the structural integrity.
Except when you drop it and the pinned parts don\'t break.
Sturdiness is the main benefit and I can\'t think of any others but it isn\'t always necessary on the smaller bits. It\'s darn right essential for dragon wings and other big pieces.
And it\'s more of a tool in your modeling toolbox then your painting one. So unless you move on to big conversions soon or something you could postpone learning it for the moment. It\'s not really a beginner\'s skill. People always casually say \"just pin it\" but it takes some getting used to especially if you don\'t have the right tools.
It also depends, to a small degree, on the use of the minature. If it\'s a small gaming piece (like arms on some of the bigger Chainmail minis) I\'d be more inclined to pin. But if it\'s a small display piece then I wouldn\'t bother so much if I had some confidence in the structural integrity.
Chrispy
Active member
Actually, ever since I got my rotary hand tool with smaller bit sizes, it\'s a lot easier and it does help in gluiing minis. Some conversions I would\'t do without them, such as placing a heavy part onto a much smaller part (such as a metal weapon on a plastic arm). I use a thin wire and make sure It will work before gluing everything... Some minis like Confrontation are not too shatter proof. When I got my Mira, her arms were in three peices. I had to drill and glue very carefully to get it all together again.
S
Sturmhalo
Guest
Pinning is very useful indeed. I tend to remove quite a lot of the base tags from my models if I want to mount them on a nice bit of base work. Pinning them back onto the base really adds a lot of strength to the join. Nothing worse than your favourite mini dropping off its base.
It\'s not just big heavy things that are best pinned either. I\'ve pinned a number of small items that run the risk of being lopped off the model should they take a minor hit. For example, I recently got an old GW Judge Dredd mini with the gun barrel missing. I made a new one and pinned it as this part of the model would be easily knocked off without it!
It\'s not just big heavy things that are best pinned either. I\'ve pinned a number of small items that run the risk of being lopped off the model should they take a minor hit. For example, I recently got an old GW Judge Dredd mini with the gun barrel missing. I made a new one and pinned it as this part of the model would be easily knocked off without it!
freakinacage
Well-known member
pinning really does make a huge difference to the strength of the model. i also like to wait until the last minute before glueing it as this allows you to make sure the model \'works\'. i also find that i need to make slight alterations to the pose to the model just to make it look right
I transport my 40k minis a lot, about once a week or more to a store 45 miles away for gaming. I think in the process, my Warboss lost his left arm 3 times. (Yes, I\'m getting to the point)
I finally got fed up and bought a pin vice for that arm. A couple weeks later he took a nasty fall onto a tile floor. His left arm stayed in place, but his right broke off.
Yeah, I\'d suggest pinning especially for gaming pieces.
It does take time though with just a pin vice....
I finally got fed up and bought a pin vice for that arm. A couple weeks later he took a nasty fall onto a tile floor. His left arm stayed in place, but his right broke off.
Yeah, I\'d suggest pinning especially for gaming pieces.
It does take time though with just a pin vice....
Pinning
I use paper-clips that I cut up with wire cutters for pinning minis. They are cheap and come in a variety of sizes.
My question is for anyone who uses a rotary tool (Dremel) for pinning; Does the drill bit ever get stuck in the metal while you\'re drilling it? This happens to me regularly, and once I lost hold of a piece and it shot across the room. Fortunetly no major damage. I\'ve tried swiveling the bit around while I drill, and that has helped some. Any suggestions?
I use paper-clips that I cut up with wire cutters for pinning minis. They are cheap and come in a variety of sizes.
My question is for anyone who uses a rotary tool (Dremel) for pinning; Does the drill bit ever get stuck in the metal while you\'re drilling it? This happens to me regularly, and once I lost hold of a piece and it shot across the room. Fortunetly no major damage. I\'ve tried swiveling the bit around while I drill, and that has helped some. Any suggestions?
Oh Yes the trick is to keep easing the drill out of the hole to remove the Swarf.(technical name for the bits of rubbish)
Also remember to check the channels on the drill bit as they can get clogged up and impair the efficiency of the drill. This happens both with pin vice & dremel.
As to pinning, oh yes its becoming a neccessity. My emperors champion definetly needed the sword arm pinning as does most of the newer multi part sculpts from GW. (Especialy the Deamon Prince.)
I\'ve used paper clips and brass wire as well as a supply of Office/Dressmakers steel pins for really heavy items.
You need to cut the heads off those though and be very careful as they require a lot of effort to cut. I generally do it with a pair of engineering pliers which have a cutting inset and hold them over a suitable receptacle ie the waste paper bin.
This allows me to catch the bits I want and make sure that anything spinning off is easily spotted or contained. (You dont want to stand on a 2inch piece of steel.)
Flashman14
Member
MAKE SURE YOU WEAR SOME KIND OF EYE PROTECTION!!
I found myself flushing a pewter shaving out of my eye the first month I got my dremel-like hobby drill.
Scared the s*** out of me . . . !!
I found myself flushing a pewter shaving out of my eye the first month I got my dremel-like hobby drill.
Scared the s*** out of me . . . !!
Totally agree with you Flashman.
A while ago I was using a Dremel with a wire brush attachment to clean up some of my Late Grandfathers woodworking tools, and three days later found a sliver of wire which had embeded in my forehead.
Lucky it was there, and not in one of my eyes.
A while ago I was using a Dremel with a wire brush attachment to clean up some of my Late Grandfathers woodworking tools, and three days later found a sliver of wire which had embeded in my forehead.
Lucky it was there, and not in one of my eyes.
Pinning
I pinned the blades of my converted techmarine-on-attackbike-with-converted-lightning-claw (yes, it\'s a power character, but the only one in my army) with craft wire and a pin vice. whereas before the blades borke off regularly, now they\'re sturdy as a Mo-fo.
I\'ve never tried using a dremel tool, but I want to. I just have to scarpe up the cash to buy one. and a camera is the first thing on my list.:idea: (then I could post some pics!!)
Smokey
I pinned the blades of my converted techmarine-on-attackbike-with-converted-lightning-claw (yes, it\'s a power character, but the only one in my army) with craft wire and a pin vice. whereas before the blades borke off regularly, now they\'re sturdy as a Mo-fo.
I\'ve never tried using a dremel tool, but I want to. I just have to scarpe up the cash to buy one. and a camera is the first thing on my list.:idea: (then I could post some pics!!)
Smokey
I\'m new here, but this is something I do know about!
Drill bits in the Dremel really don\'t work real well unless they are the good quality ones. The cheap bits that come with Pin Vises and in the cheap index\'s are a little rough, which comined with the speed of the Dremel will either cause the bit to stick or they can even get hot enough to melt the metal( and they will melt plastic!). You can get good ones at any machine supply shop, and they are realativly cheap.
You should work the bit in and out like previously stated to keep the chips cleaned out of the hole.
I personally prefer to use a burr that is just a little larger than the pin I\'m going to use ( helps with alignment later ) and run it at the lowest speed. Once you have the hole started, just work it in and out like you would with the drill until you have the depth you want.
And always use a vise if possible, or at the very least use pliers to hold the part. I use Hemo\'s that I bough for holding mini\'s while painting, and since they lock they work great for holding things while drilling and filling.
What your fingers, and wear some glasses/ googles when ever working with a Dremel! Those small bits can break easlly!
Hope this helps
