What's A Good Idea To Do Group Bases?

[Snuggles]

What do you guys recommend for doing a base for a unit so you don't have to push them indiviudally. I've seen someone do magnets and sheet metal; that seemed to be pretty effective. So what do you guys recommend?

[Da Git]

I use magnetic bases and flexible metal sheets on plastic movement trays or metal movement trays (soon at least). I also transport my armies in boxes where the troops can stand on the trays.

I also magnetize my trays so that they stick to the metal in my boxes. Lots of metal sheets lots of magnets, but it works very well. Safe armies, easy deployment.

[Noisy Assassin]

I do exactly what Da Git said. Works like a charm.

[ShaneC]

I've got some magnets on the way for the bases themselves and need to figure out how I'm doing the trays.

I've heard about the magnetic paper, magnetic paint, all kinds of crazy things. I'm still in the early stages of building my army, but magnetic basing is something I want to do early and often.

Are you guys using just like metal sheet metal (ie. stuff you can pick up at a hardware store), fancy stuff, custom stuff?

[Da Git]

I have ordered some metal trays, but for my plastic trays (or just on top of plasticard squares) I use self adhesive flexible metal sheets (works like stickers). These sheets are very easy to cut with scissors, so you can use them on all your old movement trays.

One example of where to get them is: http://www.magnetic-paper.com/shop.asp?ID=9
Just scroll down to the middle of the page where you find "Magnet Receptive Flex O Metal Packs".
The second from the bottom of that section is what I use. "A4 Self Adhesive Flex O Metal sheet".

I am sure there are other stores you can get stuff like this as well.

[Krolog da FaceMangler]

+1 Da Gits magnetic adhesive. You can pick them up at most large hardware store for cheap. Rare Earth magnets work wonders with it as a base.

[Noisy Assassin]

I use thin sheet metal for my trays, then glue it on top of plasticard (parking signs are a good thickness, and are also cheap and readily available at hardware stores). Then build up the edges with thin square dowels. What I really like about this method is that I can get the thin plasticard (which is cheap) and still have the whole tray be rigid enough to support a unit when picked up by the edge.

[Wechselbalg]

I´m using "what´s left"

[ShaneC]

My ZD1 magnets came in (6mmx1.5mm discs from K&J Magnetics) - I love the holding power they have against each other or against the fridge, but they don't seem to stick to the magnetic sheet I've got on the tray as well as I would like.

I need to test them out against some different materials and see what happens.

[cb_rex]

Sheet steel and small rare earth magnets are by far the best option, although it is more difficult making the trays out of steel than card or plastic. The adhesive magnetic sheets are pretty rubbish, especially for metal models, it's ok for plastic models I suppose.

I use a flat bed wet tile saw without the water, to cut trays out of either 0.9mm or 1.2mm mild steel sheet. I then power sand the edges and glue 3mm triangular plastic welding rods along the edges to make the sides of the tray. I prime the tray with cheap grey car primer, then texture the sides with PVA and sand, then spray again with chaos black, then paint the edges, then a give the whole tray a few coats of varnish, (purity seal then dullcote), especially the underneath of the tray. It's quite a drawn out process but if you work on a few trays at once it works out not too bad per tray.

This post has been edited by cb_rex on Jun 26 2012, 01:03 PM