Roughneck Minis
25mm - 28mm - 30mm Miniature Figures

Here are some of the things I use... I use Clean-Clay to make a quick, one-shot mold.  It's not water-based so it won't react with any chemicals, and it's not really oil-based and won't leave any residue on your hands.  I buy it in a four-stick pack, it can be used over and over again.  Use some fresh stuff for the best detail... but I even keep my dirty clay to use it as filler, support or to plug a leak.

I use a product called Ease Release 2300 to keep the cast from sticking to the mold.

SilCast II is my favorite Urethane Plastic.  It's a 50/50 by weight mix that is very forgiving.

A digital gram scale is indispensable.  I place my scale inside a very thing cellophane bag (used for vegetables at the grocery store).  It's very delicate and won't add weight to the surface of the scale, or unbalance something set on top.  This make spills much easier to clean up... throw the bag away or try to clean the scale when you spill or drip. Be sure to get one with a "tare" weight reset button.  This will allow you to measure separate weights... how heavy an item is, how heavy your mixing cup is.  Tare weight is the weight of an empty container.  Place your cup on the scale and it weighs 2 grams.  Reset the tare weight and it now weighs zero grams.  Now you know what the contents weighs!  Pour in you part "B" resin, let's say, to 17 grams.  If you don't want to do the math and try to pour to 34 grams, you can reset the tare weight back to zero, and make a second pour to 17 grams.

Here's my favorite rock.  His name is Bob.  Say hello Bob.  Bob is a really cool rock.  Every side and edge is different.  He has points, flat spots, corners, a curved side, good angles and great texture!

Here is my main "dirty" workspace.  I try to do all of my casting, filing and sanding down in the basement in this area.  Across the way is my spray booth.  A box with the back cut out keeps the spray fairly contained, and a cheap two-dollar furnace filter allows the pressure of the spray to pass through, but traps the paint particles.  I cut a slit in the back so I can slide a new one straight down and it doesn't need to be taped in place and it sits away from the wall.  Here's where I spray my primer coat and the protective clear coats at the end.  I can spray a whole squad at once.  A second filter is seen on top, where I might make some delicate sprits.  The whole rig is right below a window so I can get some air, and one day want to make a pull-air vent system.

In another corner, I have my "discovery" area.  This is where the big ideas come from.   I have boxes of plastic parts and bits I've collected over the years.  They're arranged by size and "potential".  When I get an idea, I lay a bunch of parts out on the table to work out continuity.  I try to find a similar theme, shape or specific detail when making a collection.  That goes for buildings, forests, craters or any other terrain.  What will bring it all together, to define it's function or certain civilization or culture. I found some canvas shoe trees that I hung fron the rafters, and then some dollar store storage bins that where the perfect size.  Here's where I store my really small parts and pieces that are really cool looking to make sure I don't loose when I have to use somewhere. Next to that, I have my reference books.  Screen captures and printouts from the web for inspiration.  Whether it's another cool idea I saw somewhere, pictures I've taken in the field of actual locations, or as on the right, a topographical map from a state park to help design one of my playfields.

My painting area is upstairs.  Good light is essential.

Here's where I take most of my pics.  A three light rig with a curved "seamless" backdrop.

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"Roughneck Joe" and "S.S.T.3.D-Original" © Copyright David Ramsay 1997~2006.
"Kraftsprunganzug (Powerful Jumping-Suit)", "101st PACkeRs (101st Powered Armor Combat Ready Division)",
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