Stupid ball socket flying stands...

You know what I'm talking about. Hellions, Reaver Jetbikes, Raiders Ravagers & Venoms, the Talos & Cronos. Basically anything we've got that isn't land bound.

Instead of the nice little tab A - slot B pegs the other armies have, we got stuck with ball joints that don't keep the model attached, never mind level, at all.

What solutions or work arounds have you clever folks come up with to avoid having your models fall off their bases in the middle of that all-important game?
Short of actually glueing them in (which would make transportation a nightmare) I can't think of anything.

I slice off the ball, glue a 3mmdia x 3mm long cylinder magnet in its place, then drill and embed a 2mm cylinder magnet into the top of the socket. The stand actually jumps off the table into the underside of a Reaver, it clings on when you pick him up by the tail, and it pops off if stressed in the foam.

Haven't gotten round to the bigger ones yet, I'm anticpating building 2- or 3- stalked bases for the large ones.

Definitely one of the best bits of magnetising I've done!

I need to buy me some magnets.

+1 for magnets. I use larger 3mm magnets on vehicles as they fit into the ball socket, so only minor drilling is necessary. For Venoms, bikes, etc, I use 2mm on the stand and 3mm in the vehicle.

I simply coat the socket in a gloss varnish - makes the join snug but remains removable

I use the magnets, as well. And on those occasions where the ball is not cut off exactly level...if I like the way the model sits on it, I just say that it was to give a more dynamic pose.

I just glue mine mostly (other than hellions)

I use the old raiders. -evil laugh- GO LIKING OLD STUFF!!! Same with Ravagers, I do custom talos and cronos guys. I converted my hellions and don't use Reavers, GO NO PROBLEM GUY!

Gave my talos legs to get round this, haven't thought about raiders and bikes yet though. They're all old models, so I shouldn't have that problem, but I don't have any of the old flying bases to go with them. I'll be thinking about magnets!

I just glue them. ..

django_unchained wrote:

I just glue them. ..

Word. Problem solved.

Well, I did this:


threaded aluminium tube attached to the model with a threaded rod... looks quite elegant in my opinion, is removable and you model will never, ever tip over again.

Dogmar wrote:

Well, I did this:
-Image-
threaded aluminium tube attached to the model with a threaded rod... looks quite elegant in my opinion, is removable and you model will never, ever tip over again.

Love the way this looks and works, what size tube and where do you get also how do you mount it.

I have a tutorial for this up on Eldar Resplendent (Link in my Signature), but I might also post it here if this is desired.

Dogmar wrote:

I have a tutorial for this up on Eldar Resplendent (Link in my Signature), but I might also post it here if this is desired.

Saw it, thanks for that.

The best thing about it is that all components needed can be cheaply aquired in your regular hardware store. Depending on how much you buy, you shouldn't need to spend more than 10-15$.

I just glue them too...

Benefits of paying horseload of money on a Battlefoam bag, they are designed to store models on their flying bases.

Besides, most of my Hellions posing are depended on a model position. I cant just leave them like unglued.

Lord_Alino wrote:

I use the old raiders. -evil laugh- GO LIKING OLD STUFF!!! Same with Ravagers, I do custom talos and cronos guys. I converted my hellions and don't use Reavers, GO NO PROBLEM GUY!

THIS GUY... This guy.

I glue Hellions and Reavers (like Azdrubael said, the angle and the model position are interdependent).

But Raiders etc I like to tilt dramatically at opportune times, take off the stem when immobilised etc, so its Blu-Tac for me.