Storing and transporting models?

[afilter]

what do you use to store and transport your ships?

Up to now I have used plano boxes for my WoTC models as they are plastic and very durable.

Found out my PS and GHQ are not as durable when I opening up a box today to discover several smoke stacks broken on some of my PS ships. Fortunately all the pieces were present and I was able to successfully repair everything.

Now considering purchasing some more foam trays for my Army transporter that I use for Wings of War.




Saw someone else using these for ACW ships at NAVCON.

So What do you use?

[shigure]

I used the Plano boxes also, but put down some double backed tape in the trays to keep the models in place.

The foam trays look interesting. Do you have to make the cutouts to fit the models or do they come pre-cut?

[afilter]

Oct 17, 2010 8:51:37 GMT -5 shigure said:

I used the Plano boxes also, but put down some double backed tape in the trays to keep the models in place.

The foam trays look interesting. Do you have to make the cutouts to fit the models or do they come pre-cut?

They come pre-cut in small squares so you just pluck out the shapes you need.

[shigure]

I see the pre-cut lines on the foam now. I am sure it will work well for the PS. However, I wonder if the small details in the GHQ model will get caught in the foam. If you try it let us know how it works out.

[afilter]

Will do....If I go that route I will put them in upright and make the spaces the size of the bases so the sips themselves should not contact the sides.

[shigure]

Did you paint the planes in the pic above or do they come pre-painted? Great job whoever did it. What scale - 1/144?

[afilter]

Oct 17, 2010 19:32:10 GMT -5 shigure said:

Did you paint the planes in the pic above or do they come pre-painted? Great job whoever did it. What scale - 1/144?

Those are all pre-painted WWI Wings of War 1/144.

I have done a numver of WWII Wings of War 1/200.

[warchariot]

The WWI planes how have a series 4 planes available. The War Store and many others carry them. If you search E-Bay, Wings of War, you will find these and the WWII series they have out.

[shigure]

I have seen the models at conventions, but never knew whether they came painted or not. Looks like the WWI planes carry a couple of the Red Baron's aircraft. A Fokker Triplane and an Albatros. I assume that the German paint jobs represent other Ace's aircraft?

[warchariot]

Yes, exactly. Each plane represents an ace. There are 12 planes in a series and three of each type, four different planes total in each set.

[regiamarina]

Afilter the foam will catch on the detail of the lead GHQ and CinC miniatures but is ok with Panzerschiffe. I bent the heck out of a GHQ Exeter guns the first time I played the River Plate scenario and provided the figures. Graf Spee being a Panzerschiffe model was ok but the others needed some repositioning and touching up.

Having looked at your finished ships it looks like you have put them onto a piece of blue cardboard so I would suggest getting some thin magnetic stripping from a hobby store and gluing it to the underside of the base and then getting a metal toolbox/carrycase from a hardware store to transport your ships. The magnetic stripping will hold the miniatures to the toolbox and they won't slide or get damaged in transport and their is no foam to catch on turrets or other detail. It's something I and my friends use to transport a lot of our 15mm miniature figures with. Alternatively I have a friend who waits for Christmas and then collects all the metal christmas biscuit tins from family and friends for free. This might be a good alternative if you don't have that many ships to transport at a time.

Hope this helps.

Martin

[shigure]

The magnetic strip idea sounds good. I have some old metal tool boxes that I might try that in.

[afilter]

That might work....the majority of my ships are actually mounted on thin metal strips. A sew of the longer ones are on styrene, but I can easily put small metal tabs on the bottom.

I have seen sheets of magnetic material (use to have some for my 15mm ACW armies) with one side that has adhesive so any box can be given a magnetic base.

I will check into that.

[warchariot]

Magnetic strip is the best way I have found.

[TheDreadnought]

I have boxes with sheet magnet glued to the bottom, and I glue sheet magnet to the bottom of the ship bases. Between the two you get quite a strong bond. A 1/2400 scale solid metal Yamato can be tilted almost to a 90 degree angle before it slips. Anything smaller than a BB can be turned upside down.

[Bluebear]

Those "sheet magnets" come in various strengths . . . I've heard that the ones that "sign makers" use to stick to the sides of autos are much stronger . . . it is worth checking your local sign maker to see if you can purchase some from them . . . or even get some scraps (for the models).


-- Jeff

[warchariot]

Good idea!

[afilter]

Here is what I went with for now.



The bases are metal and there are sheet magnets cut to size in the storage spaces. I like these trays because they stack nice are light and I already have the bags. As long as my based fleets do not grow to large this should work for awhile.

[fluorophil]

Nice!

[warchariot]

Looks like the only problem might be stacking them