metal figures

The 2 part epoxies have been doing a great job for me on metal figures. They are very strong and seem to have relatively good sheer strength. If you pin the joint or accessory you should have no problem and a permanent bond with little or no weakness. I started gluing the arm on, and then when its set up, I drill a small hole through the surface of the arm and into the torso. A piece of wire slightly shorter than the depth of the hole is inserted with some more epoxy or CA and this is then allowed to cure. Once set, I just fill the hole and I have a join that you'd pretty much have to blast to get apart. At worst, I'll have some paint to touch up if it is bumped or falls over. The only time I won't do this is if there is chain mail involved and then the pinning is done from the underside where it will be invisible. Its just a litle trickier to get perfect alignment.

Same with accessories like gas mask canisters, swords, sheaths, shields, daggers, bread bags etc. The pin is just there for reinforcement.

There are several types of  2 parts epoxies that seem to work equally. I just look for the one that has sanding and carving characteristics.

renarts wrote:

because CA has good pull strenght bu no sheer strength. A simple application of downward or cross pressure on a part will break it away from the main piece.

That's the truth. All you need to do is twist a CA'd joint, unless of course you want the joint to separate. Then all the de-bonder in the world won't help you.

I like Pegasso's 54mm better than Andrea's in general because Pegasso's faces in that scale are typically more refined, while Andrea's tend to be more chiseled. Andrea figures are still top notch and their casting process is supurb, but it's just a personal thing for me.

 If I had to chose between a resin kit with a horrible fit issue due to mold squishing, or a metal kit with a horrible fit due to mold squishing, I'd go with the former. Resin is a lot easier to fill and shape in those conditions IMO, though sometimes there's no helping a kit. I picked up Pili Pili's Tomoe Gozen bust and the head was elongated due to mold squishing. It worked okay, her neck was too long and her head was narrow. Not freakishly long and narrow, but too much for a Japanese woman. It was a shame too because it's a beautifully sculpted kit. There was nothing I could do in that case, and it wouldn't have been any better in metal than in resin.

 Sometimes I find that resin details are too crisp, but I guess that's a problem you want to have. Also resin kits are typically cast in RTV silicone molds, and the molds have a definite mortality to them. When they start to degrade the mold begins to swell, as microscopic bits of resin fill and cure in the pores of the mold surface and build up, and finer details, and even larger details, get constricted. The heat involved in the curing process for resins also takes it's toll on a mold cavity. It gets waxy and brittle. The silicone used for white metal is heat cured and seems to live a little longer, though I'm sure it has it's own characteristics when the mold starts to turn south. I've really only worked with RTV.

Silicone curing process is another factor in how the figures are sculpted though. Renats mentioned arms and details being cast in place on metal figures.This is due, in part, to the fact that you have to cure the molds for metal figures in an oven and the master pattern needs to be able to withstand the heat. So, details typically made from styrene and other modeling materials which might be made separately and glued onto the master (or cast as separate parts) are sculpted in place from of the same material as the body instead. You could make them from coper or brass sheet, but they aren't always as easy to work with as just sculpting the details.With RTV, heat only accellerates the cure, but isn't neccessary, so you can use all sorts of materials which might melt or warp under heat, which makes for very crisp detail work.

i understand about CA 's weakness what about products like liquid metal or those glues designed for metal?

Resin is less expensive that the metal figures are. I like the detail better on resin, it seems sharper and crisper. There seems to be better animation in the faces of resin figures. They are light and go together well. Though I still pin appendages and accessories they often don't need it. The downside is that they are brittle dependent on the type of resin used. If a gun or sword is bent it is difficult to straighten. Air bubbles can make for huge imperfections and if there are occulsions in the resin it can make for a messy fix. Clean up of resin figures and sanding are hazardous. Resin particulate is bad to breath.

The white metal advantage is that they have some mass and weight. Something I like. The number of metal figure manufacturers is greater thus there is a better selection of poses and figures in metal. The subject matter offered is greater. The upper level companies like Andrea and Pegaso offer some highly detailed figures that rival resin. But you pay for that. Sometimes double. Clean up is easy and because of the manufacturing costs, the figures tend to be molded more together than resin that breaks its figures up into smaller parts. With a metal figure, it may have 1 or both arms molded to it, where as with resin these will usually be separate. In assembly it is necessary to pin accessories or add ons (arms, heads) because CA has good pull strenght bu no sheer strength. A simple application of downward or cross pressure on a part will break it away from the main piece. With the greater weight of metal figures this is pretty common. Metal accessories can be straightened or bent easier. If you are big into medieval stuff like I am, you only have to buff the armor parts..

Both should be cleaned and primed before paniting.

VERY important to clean metal figs plus do not handle them with bare hands. I use epoxy and also CA-for small parts.

Resin figures, even by the same sculptor, will tend to have finer details. I have the Alan Ball sculpted two figure "Pursuit" from Michael Roberts in resin and his own company's Woodland Indian. (All three will be included in a single vignette.) The resin is crisper with finer detail in the roaches the Indians' wear,for example.

Metal can be harder to clean up if there are mold marks, as well, and rend to be more costly for a similar subject. Surgery is much easier in resin.

Spears and poles for standards, flags, guidons, etc, will be prone to bending in metal. The same in resin will be prone to warpage and will break easily. So that comes out a wash.

That said both can be asembled and painted much the same. Wash and prime to reveal any imperfections. Use CA or epoxy for adhessives. Once primed, any paint works: oils, acrylics, enamels.

Often, choice of subject will be the determining factor between the two media.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask here or by e-mail.