Where to get bases? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Where to get bases?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
xplodiak
Jan 01, 2013 9:09:07 So I'm new to D&D, but I've got a crap-ton of other minis from other games that are usable. Problem is, most of the games I play outside of D&D are 1.5 inch bases. (Mage Knight, I'm looking at you!)

I "shaved" a few Axis/Allies infantrymen off of their bases, seeing as the local shop had them for 25 cents apiece, but they only had four and I'm hoping to get something that looks neater and cleaner. Preferably circular, if possible.

Does anyone have any info? I looked into warhammer, but I can't really find any way to just get bases without paying oodles for a whole set. Considering how expensive that game is, I'm opposed to shelling out $80 for two dozen bases.
#2
tengumatt
Jan 01, 2013 13:10:40 This is what I do for converting, I buy 1inch, 2 inch and 3 inch Wooden circles from my local hobby store. Paint 'em black then stick a tiny amount of super glue to the Mini's feet to the base.
#3
xplodiak
Jan 01, 2013 13:45:05
This is what I do for converting, I buy 1inch, 2 inch and 3 inch Wooden circles from my local hobby store. Paint 'em black then stick a tiny amount of super glue to the Mini's feet to the base.

Ouch, Wood. I'm more of a plastic guy, but I'll keep this one in my back pocket if I'm ever jonesing for a base.
#4
KColette
Jan 01, 2013 13:53:06 Maybe pick up a cheap plastic checkers set? Half the pieces are black, the other half can be painted. It won't be pretty, but it'll be plastic and relatively cheap.
#5
Mad_Jack
Jan 01, 2013 14:05:22

If anybody's charging more than a dollar per base, they're out of their freakin mind...

(There's a reason Games Workshop is often called The Evil Empire)

Almost all of the major miniatures companies sell a variety of bases in all kinds of sizes. A lot of the secondary-market plastic mini retailers like Auggie's or CoolMiniOrNot also sell bases.

Reaper Miniatures has 12 30mm round bases for $4.99...

You can probably find them even cheaper.

#6
Onikani
Jan 01, 2013 21:53:54 Honeslty i prefer clear plastic over black.

And it's cheap... ~$7 for 50
www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc...
#7
merb101
Jan 02, 2013 7:03:51 Two things I've done:

Buy 1 inch metal washers that have the tiny hole in the center. Spray paint them black, glue the figure to them. This works wonderfully with Mage Knight pieces, especially if I need a quick conversion for an upcoming game.

Go to a thrift store and buy an old copy of Othello. The plastic disks are slightly tall but otherwise the perfect size. You can use car primer to spray paint them (it bonds with the plastic) and then regular crafts paint to make them black or whatever color you are needing.

In both cases, the figures can pop off when they are stored and jostled around, but it also means if you find a more permanant base for a figure, you can easily remove and rebase it. I've not tried pinning figures with the Othello pieces, so I'm not sure how difficult it would be.

Hope that helps.

Also, for small figures Tiddly Winks will work. I also use those for PC marks and curses.
#8
thespaceinvader
Jan 02, 2013 7:20:38 Corks sliced up.
Coins (pennies work nicely, and in the UK at least are magnetic which is useful).
Washers.
Various indy companies make bases of varying qualities for varying prices. Secret Weapon Miniatures and Dragon Forte are two of the better ones.

But yeah, clear plastic is among the coolest materials.
#9
Mr.Durriken
Jan 02, 2013 10:16:34
Lego? 2x2 pieces work pretty well on a 1 inch grid. If you have the stuff around. Personally I like the idea of pennies or washers to give them weight at the base. But anyway, check with a store that handles miniature games/ war games. They should have all kinds of plastic bases. The store I go does a ton of business in Warhammer and the like and they have lots of bases.

TjD
#10
Mad_Jack
Jan 02, 2013 19:19:53
Honeslty i prefer clear plastic over black.

And it's cheap... ~$7 for 50
www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc...

Well, for me personally, I'm seriously into the painting/converting side of the hobby, so I prefer molded bases over simple disks - I often use bases with a lip on them because I tend to sculpt my own details on them.

#11
WhisperMagellan
Jan 02, 2013 19:35:04 Craft and hobby shops frequently have rounded/beveled wooden disks for cheap.
TAP Plastics has clear plastic 1" disks for about $.40.
I've cheated, bought said disks, and mold making/casting materials. Every 3 days, I make another 1-5 epoxy disks. Worked great for all my horror-clix minis. I would cut off the old bases, glue them to 1" disks, & touch up the paint before clear-coating them.
#12
Hengeyokai
Jan 04, 2013 3:29:04 You can probably bulk-buy regular bases on ebay in packs of a hundered or so if you use the right search terms.
#13
rednblack
Jan 04, 2013 10:26:05 I've been perusing google images for PCs and monsters. I scale the images down, flip them and print. I cut out the images, so there's a front and back and then insert a tab through a slice in a 1"x1" paper print out of a dungeon tile and glue that to a 1"x1" cardboard square. I've been really pleased with the way that they look, and I've been able to find images that more exactly represent the PCs (finding a dragonbord with a maul for instance).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 xplodiak Jan 01, 2013 9:09:07	So I'm new to D&D, but I've got a crap-ton of other minis from other games that are usable. Problem is, most of the games I play outside of D&D are 1.5 inch bases. (Mage Knight, I'm looking at you!) I "shaved" a few Axis/Allies infantrymen off of their bases, seeing as the local shop had them for 25 cents apiece, but they only had four and I'm hoping to get something that looks neater and cleaner. Preferably circular, if possible. Does anyone have any info? I looked into warhammer, but I can't really find any way to just get bases without paying oodles for a whole set. Considering how expensive that game is, I'm opposed to shelling out $80 for two dozen bases.
#2 tengumatt Jan 01, 2013 13:10:40	This is what I do for converting, I buy 1inch, 2 inch and 3 inch Wooden circles from my local hobby store. Paint 'em black then stick a tiny amount of super glue to the Mini's feet to the base.
#3 xplodiak Jan 01, 2013 13:45:05	This is what I do for converting, I buy 1inch, 2 inch and 3 inch Wooden circles from my local hobby store. Paint 'em black then stick a tiny amount of super glue to the Mini's feet to the base. Ouch, Wood. I'm more of a plastic guy, but I'll keep this one in my back pocket if I'm ever jonesing for a base.
#4 KColette Jan 01, 2013 13:53:06	Maybe pick up a cheap plastic checkers set? Half the pieces are black, the other half can be painted. It won't be pretty, but it'll be plastic and relatively cheap.
#5 Mad_Jack Jan 01, 2013 14:05:22	*If anybody's charging more than a dollar per base, they're out of their freakin mind...* (There's a reason Games Workshop is often called The Evil Empire) Almost all of the major miniatures companies sell a variety of bases in all kinds of sizes. A lot of the secondary-market plastic mini retailers like Auggie's or CoolMiniOrNot also sell bases. Reaper Miniatures has 12 30mm round bases for $4.99... You can probably find them even cheaper.
#6 Onikani Jan 01, 2013 21:53:54	Honeslty i prefer clear plastic over black. And it's cheap... ~$7 for 50 www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc...
#7 merb101 Jan 02, 2013 7:03:51	Two things I've done: Buy 1 inch metal washers that have the tiny hole in the center. Spray paint them black, glue the figure to them. This works wonderfully with Mage Knight pieces, especially if I need a quick conversion for an upcoming game. Go to a thrift store and buy an old copy of Othello. The plastic disks are slightly tall but otherwise the perfect size. You can use car primer to spray paint them (it bonds with the plastic) and then regular crafts paint to make them black or whatever color you are needing. In both cases, the figures can pop off when they are stored and jostled around, but it also means if you find a more permanant base for a figure, you can easily remove and rebase it. I've not tried pinning figures with the Othello pieces, so I'm not sure how difficult it would be. Hope that helps. Also, for small figures Tiddly Winks will work. I also use those for PC marks and curses.
#8 thespaceinvader Jan 02, 2013 7:20:38	Corks sliced up. Coins (pennies work nicely, and in the UK at least are magnetic which is useful). Washers. Various indy companies make bases of varying qualities for varying prices. Secret Weapon Miniatures and Dragon Forte are two of the better ones. But yeah, clear plastic is among the coolest materials.
#9 Mr.Durriken Jan 02, 2013 10:16:34	Lego? 2x2 pieces work pretty well on a 1 inch grid. If you have the stuff around. Personally I like the idea of pennies or washers to give them weight at the base. But anyway, check with a store that handles miniature games/ war games. They should have all kinds of plastic bases. The store I go does a ton of business in Warhammer and the like and they have lots of bases. TjD
#10 Mad_Jack Jan 02, 2013 19:19:53	Honeslty i prefer clear plastic over black. And it's cheap... ~$7 for 50 www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/merchant.mvc... Well, for me personally, I'm seriously into the painting/converting side of the hobby, so I prefer molded bases over simple disks - I often use bases with a lip on them because I tend to sculpt my own details on them.
#11 WhisperMagellan Jan 02, 2013 19:35:04	Craft and hobby shops frequently have rounded/beveled wooden disks for cheap. TAP Plastics has clear plastic 1" disks for about $.40. I've cheated, bought said disks, and mold making/casting materials. Every 3 days, I make another 1-5 epoxy disks. Worked great for all my horror-clix minis. I would cut off the old bases, glue them to 1" disks, & touch up the paint before clear-coating them.
#12 Hengeyokai Jan 04, 2013 3:29:04	You can probably bulk-buy regular bases on ebay in packs of a hundered or so if you use the right search terms.
#13 rednblack Jan 04, 2013 10:26:05	I've been perusing google images for PCs and monsters. I scale the images down, flip them and print. I cut out the images, so there's a front and back and then insert a tab through a slice in a 1"x1" paper print out of a dungeon tile and glue that to a 1"x1" cardboard square. I've been really pleased with the way that they look, and I've been able to find images that more exactly represent the PCs (finding a dragonbord with a maul for instance).