Am I missing the greatness of resin?

[syrinx0]

If the figures are for display only I would skip a varnish. My Warlord Dredd resin (?)  figures are going to be gamed with so I gave them a thin primer coat with my airbrush and once painted a coat of a matt varnish.  Never noted Warlord mentioning they don't need a primer or varnish but I might have missed it if it was in the historical sections.  Not sure the Dredd figures are the same resin either.   

[Norm]

Excuse my stupidity but how does a figure being made of resin not need varnish over the paint? Does the paint react in some way with the resin to be much tougher than paint on metal or plastic?

I think all wargaming figures need a coat of varnish, but if I do metals, I gloss varnish for the real hard protection (or poly dip) and then use a matt varnish to bring that gloss effect down. On plastics I just use matt varnish. My comment is referring only to dropping the gloss varnish step on metals (and the essential primer). As for plastics, an additional downside is the multi part nature of the figures needs the  use of a solvent based plastic cement - so I see the overall potential of resin as being a product that is friendlier to those gamers who are adverse to solvents.

[Spinal Tap]

I think all wargaming figures need a coat of varnish, but if I do metals, I gloss varnish for the real hard protection (or poly dip) and then use a matt varnish to bring that gloss effect down. On plastics I just use matt varnish. My comment is referring only to dropping the gloss varnish step on metals (and the essential primer). As for plastics, an additional downside is the multi part nature of the figures needs the  use of a solvent based plastic cement - so I see the overall potential of resin as being a product that is friendlier to those gamers who are adverse to solvents.

Ah, make sense now, thank you although I am disappointed it's not some weird chemical reaction that bestows superhero strength to paint  .

As an aside, to avoiding using solvents I use Vallejo water based polyurethane gloss varnish on metals before dulling with Windsor and Newton water based acrylic matt varnish.

I brush on both and the finish is on the satin side of matt, definitely still matt but not as matt as say a coat of spray on Testors Dullcote.

[Hammers]

I don't hold with resin but paint metals like any upstanding citizen should with plastics as a alternative for fun conversions! Very rarely I paint a resin model as an act of charity but I wash my hands thoroughly afterwards.

I am much more lenient when it comes to vehicle models, which lend themselves much better to this inferior material.

[Plynkes]

I got no problem with resin. I couldn't stand the resin of years ago, the sort that was generally made into vehicles and terrain pieces. It was heavy, overly brittle, and often was spattered with ugly bubbles that needed filling, or covered with huge amounts of flash that needed removing.

But in recent times I have done a few miniatures made from a different kind of resin. These I have found to be preferable to plastc, which I kind of hate. Much easier to clean up (that's my main gripe with hard plastic war games figures - I find clean up such a pain, not as bad as soft plastic toy soldiers, but getting there). These had almost nothing in the way of flash, and minimal mould lines that were easy to remove. Less work to prep than most metal figures.

So yeah, resin of that kind I am fine with. Really like it, in fact.

[leonmallett]

Excuse my stupidity but how does a figure being made of resin not need varnish over the paint? Does the paint react in some way with the resin to be much tougher than paint on metal or plastic?

The idea is the a less weighty material is less likely to chip when it falls as it doesn't have much mass behind it, plus potentially a little more flexibility and 'give'.

[jetengine]

When Black Scorpion went from metal to resin....I bought a small handful of minis....then stopped.....which is a shame because I loved their minis.  I end up watching ebay for older models sold in metal.

I also don’t even bother considering resin miniatures from other manufacturers.

Problem is simple to me as a gamer......any fine detailing and weapons on them are just too damned brittle!  Minis for me are meant to be handled, not stuck in a glass case and looked at.

Thats because Black Scorpion chose a terrible type of resin. Absolute shit, not helped by their models having thin gun barrels regular snapping was a thing with them.

Until I see their working with a different resin their not getting my money

[Hammers]

My biggest beef with resin is that the models are more often than not sold with parts warped. It takesmuch care to straighten them.

[Mammoth miniatures]

One of the issues I have with resin isn't a big issue YET - But resin is not a material known for its long term stability. it tends to discolour, is can bream down rapidly and excess sunlight/moisture etc will cause it to become weak, brittle and prone to shattering into dust. I have a feeling over the next few years we'll start to see people complaining that kits they bought from smaller manufactures who utilize cheaper resins have started to fall apart.

[black hat miniatures]

Is it an ongoing technology that has the scope to get better? I note that Warlord Games are now producing resin and they must be confident in it and want it to stand out from other resins because they proudly call it 'Warlord Resin'. Likewise, Plastic Soldier Company are producing a resin ran range called 'Ultracast' (though the shots I have seen of ultracast in web reviews carries too much flash for my preferences).

Both manufacturers are adept at producing nice hard plastic figures, so can it be assumed that they trust the new materials so much that they feel happy to bring it into their lines. I have to say that I have not handled either so cannot judge. I like the idea of lightness and not needing a primer or a gloss varnish protection, so that's two solvent based painting processes taken out of my production line.

In fact both PSC "Ultracast" and Warlord are using Siocast plastic moulding machines and the associated siocast plastic.  Not sure why they have decided to relabel the product as their own resin.

I have seen reports that it is harder to clean up then other materials.

Personally, I prefer metal miniatures over resin or plastic for the weight, the lack of fiddly assembly and the feel of them...

[Malebolgia]

Resin.. I dont like! Its soft. It holds detail poorly. It bends. It melts. Its greasy to the touch. And it does not take to paint like metal or even plastic!
I rather pain soft toy plastic from board games with miniatures than resin. Atleast the soft plastic you can wash with soap and water.

I don't know what models you bought, but for all of my resins this isn't true. I think resin holds the best details*, it can be rebent with some boiling water, doesn't weigh a lot (and thus doesn't chip as much as metal), takes paint fantastic and most of the times have more dynamic sculpts than with metal (probably because of how they mould?). Only downside I see is that sometimes you get air bubbles.
By now I own a lot of resin models, also for gaming and I love them. I'm always careful enough with my miniatures that any fragility isn't an issue.
In general I think I prefer resin plastic. I hate cleaning plastic models and the detail is no way near as good.

*I think metals can get the same level of detail as resins can, but they often have a poor surface with slight pitting or texture. For example, cloaks can be rough on metal models, where resins are very smooth then. Resins offer the best surfaces I think.

[syrinx0]

In fact both PSC "Ultracast" and Warlord are using Siocast plastic moulding machines and the associated siocast plastic.  Not sure why they have decided to relabel the product as their own resin.

I have seen reports that it is harder to clean up then other materials.

The Dredd figures did not seem to like being sanded.  A sharp blade though made quick work of the few flash nubs. No real issues cleaning, priming and painting otherwise.   

[Hammers]

I was cleaning a resin cast of a GW LOTR character the other day, Mauhur, and that material is worryingly soft. A slip of the scalpel and you could eazily split a head or cut of a leg.

[OSHIROmodels]

A slip of the scalpel and you could eazily split a head or cut of a leg.

Yours or the figures?

[Hammers]

Yours or the figures?

Hah!

Relevant question as you know me.