Miniatures
The materials used for the miniatures are generally three: resin, plastics and metallic
alloy.
The first one is generally used for bigger scale miniatures (120mm) and it doesn't come
almost used never for the miniatures in the 25mm scale that it is that interests there
more.
As far as it concerns the plastics the advantages are the small cost and the small weight
but it has the disadvantage to be more difficult to paint (the color slips from the
plastic) and the plastics miniatures have less details of those in metal.
The metallic alloy offers good details against a higher cost and a greater weight of the
miniature.
Before start to paint watch carefully the miniature to see if there are the traces of
the mould (junction lines) or other imperfections to correct.
These defects can be removed with the blade of the modeling knife, with the sandpaper or
with the files, according to the position and the dimension.
You have to check the whole miniature, these defects, as the details, will be pointed out
by the color and will not possible to remove them later.
To this the varied parts of the miniature must be washed to eliminate the smallest
traces of fat that could create problems to the glue or the colors. This operation is essential for plastic miniatures.
Subsequently, if required, the all parts of the miniature must be assembled. This
operation requires a lot of care and a very strong glue; I use, according to the cases,
super glue or two component epoxy.
In case of difficult assemblages it is possible to help the glue with a support formed by
a metallic piece that connect the two parts (usually a pin cut to the correct length).
If necessary it is possible to use some putty to fill the holes caused from a defective
parts.
