Movement tray

[Captain Blood]

Today I have mostly been making movement trays. Well, a prototype anyway...

The approach is based on a cunning idea by Silent Invader, which I have nicked 

First I asked Jimbibbly to laser-cut me some perspex rings, 1mm deep and with an internal diameter of 26mm (just to allow for tiny irregularities in the washers I use for basing).



Next I took a sheet of 0.75mm Evergreen sheet styrene (plasticard to you and me), cut it to a rough oblong, then used my Dremel to indent and chamfer the edges slightly.

Then superglued on 10 of the perspex rings, in a semi-irregular arrangement - not too close, not too open.

Then infilled between the rings with my usual basing texture (PVA, paint, sharp sand, a few bits of grit). Then painted and titivated. Here's the result:







I can't tell you how long I've been looking for movement trays, just so, which will blend almost invisibly into the tabletop, and with the right kind of formation density for large scale skirmish games.



As you can see, the profile is extremely low. There is no 'step' - which is the thing I can't abide about most commercially available movement trays. But I've just tried it out on the table, and there's no problem getting hold of it and moving it.



I've got enough rings to make 5 more. Should keep me busy for a day or two 
These will be in slightly different shapes, now I've got the hand of it 

[Malamute]

They look fantastic. so you can pick them up ok then

[Sangennaru]

wow! i like them, those are really similar with the silent invaders ones!

i wanna see moreee!

[Westfalia Chris]

Marvellous work. Bloodian in the best tradition of your past exploits. Those rings look like a particularly good choice, and I think they are mainly responsible (along with the chamfering) for the low profile and the great effect.

[Helen]

Lovely work Richard. The miniatures looking cracking on the movement tray.

Helen

[Ray Rivers]

Came out a treat!   

Very nice effect that highlights and blends really well with your minis!

[Captain Blood]

They look fantastic. so you can pick them up ok then

Nimble fingers, my friend 

Thanks all for the kind comments. I can't take that much credit really, since it was Silent Invader's whizzo idea, and Jimbibbly's pre-fabrication of the perspex rings that made it possible. But it really is a dead simple and very quick way of making these exactly how you want them.

[Delaney]

Thats terrible... I am going to have to go off and make some of them now.

Thats the most awesome movement tray I have ever seen.  Now if I can only make a low profile remote control one, your topped!

[Silent Invader]

The approach is based on a cunning idea by Silent Invader, which I have nicked 

And most welcome you are Captain,  , especially as you have produced what I think is the best movement tray I have ever seen.  Fantastic. Both cool and beautiful..... 

[widgren]

awsome! i use the GW war of the ring trays but they are quite boring compared to this.

[Gluteus Maximus]

I can't take that much credit really, since it was Silent Invader's whizzo idea, and Jimbibbly's pre-fabrication of the perspex rings that made it possible. But it really is a dead simple and very quick way of making these exactly how you want them.

Ah, but it was your talent that got the things made to such a high standard! Beautifully done.

I'd love to have something like this for my Mahdists. If I can find a way to persuade my useless fingers to make accurate square holes, I might give it a try. I'm tempted to use that "angle-iron" shaped plastic rod that you get from railway modelling shops as frames and then backfill as you describe

[Captain Blood]

Worth a try, GM old fruit