Who sells moulds for metal bases?

[eilif]

I'd love to add some heft to plastic and vinyl miniatures, but I don't want to pay for metal bases. So, I was considering dipping my toe into the waters of metal casting with some bases.

Does anybody sell moulds for basic 20mm and 25mm square and 25mm and 30mm round bases?  I base my stuff mostly on slottas, so 3mm thick would be desireable.

[zizi666]

What about washers for the round bases? (the kind used in car industrie with a small hole)

[Sangennaru]

I'd love to add some heft to plastic and vinyl miniatures, but I don't want to pay for metal bases. So, I was considering dipping my toe into the waters of metal casting with some bases.

Does anybody sell moulds for basic 20mm and 25mm square and 25mm and 30mm round bases?  I base my stuff mostly on slottas, so 3mm thick would be desireable.

I don't understand exactly the reason why you prefer metal bases to resin bases. You can have much more moddable pieces with resin, with high details!

[eilif]

I've used washers in the past, but I prefer the thickness of the classic slotta. Also, I'm using alot of square bases recently.

As for metal bases vs resin, I like the weight.  I use specialty resin bases occasionally, but really I do most of my own basing, so detail doesn't matter to me.  I could just buy metal bases, but I'm cheap so if I'm going to use lead bases, I'll cast them myself.

Basically I'd just like to cast my own basic bases that will add weight to my plastic figs and stability to my metal figs and can be personalized with whatever balast, flock, sand, etc I choose.

[Sangennaru]

Hum. the fact is that  the casting metal isn't that cheap, and making a metal silicon mould would be quite expensive as well. Why just don't you cast resin bases adding some lead weights inside?

[gnomehome]

I've used washers in the past, but I prefer the thickness of the classic slotta. Also, I'm using alot of square bases recently.

As for metal bases vs resin, I like the weight.  I use specialty resin bases occasionally, but really I do most of my own basing, so detail doesn't matter to me.  I could just buy metal bases, but I'm cheap so if I'm going to use lead bases, I'll cast them myself.

Basically I'd just like to cast my own basic bases that will add weight to my plastic figs and stability to my metal figs and can be personalized with whatever balast, flock, sand, etc I choose.

Have you considered making your own mould for casting metal bases ? Since the bases most likely will be one-sided a single piece mold would suffice.  I have done so with decent results.

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

You can get pretty cheap pourable heat proof silicone for metal casting. Simply cast your fav bases. However, what about using moulding sand or plaster? Ok, the moulds are only usable once, but how many bases are you after?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molding_sand

[Sangennaru]

Ok, the moulds are only usable once, but how many bases are you after?

I'd say more than a few, if he is using plastic miniatures he might have a few dozen at least, i guess.

[Mitch K]

I'd say more than a few, if he is using plastic miniatures he might have a few dozen at least, i guess.

I would be beyond surprise if you could get more than one shot out of a sand mould.

I've made reasonably functional single-sided moulds for white metal from the two-pack silicon moulding compounds you can buy in craft shops.

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

Yeah, but equally, laying out 50 bases on a bit of plasicard, then pressing that into the casting sand would give you a great mould for 50 bases all in one pour, rather than doing it in rubber, where price will effect the size of the mould, so therefore how many you can do at once. Horses for courses of course, Id say both ways are worth considering at this stage.

[Mitch K]

Yeah, but equally, laying out 50 bases on a bit of plasicard, then pressing that into the casting sand would give you a great mould for 50 bases all in one pour,

I thought of that too!

[snitcythedog]

I've made reasonably functional single-sided moulds for white metal from the two-pack silicon moulding compounds you can buy in craft shops.

Since he is in the states, Micromark has high temp silicone, ingots, and casting ladles.  I have made two part molds with them and they work great. 
http://www.micromark.com/default.aspx?ns_md=cpc&ns_sc=AdWords&ns_cn=WK_Brand&gclid=CMb1y4HJnLgCFSU6QgodUHIAEg
just look up casting materials. 
Snitchy sends.

[dijit]

Perhaps a simpler solution would be to get hold of lead shot (like for use in shotgun cartridges or perhaps used in fishing) and then put some PVA in the hollow under the slotta base and fill it up with lead shot?
Duncan

[eilif]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I talked it over with my friend who has experience casting various materials regarding making our own molds and his analysis was that the setup required would not be worth it for the number of bases I would need.

For now I'll just continue to use plastic slottas.  I may get some shotgun shot however, that's a fairly easy way to weight the bases.

Still, the Prince August Videos make it seem very do-able....

[Sangennaru]

Perhaps a simpler solution would be to get hold of lead shot (like for use in shotgun cartridges or perhaps used in fishing) and then put some PVA in the hollow under the slotta base and fill it up with lead shot?
Duncan

i was thinking at the same solution: might work pretty well!