Painting handle?

[Ben]

Between the free Citadel paint and take and the 50% off coupon for the Battletech box set at last weeks GenCon, I think I might muster up the courage to start trying to paint some minis. At the pain and take tables, they were using the Citadel mini handle, and I really found that convenient. I could grip it comfortably and it was weighted well enough to be able to set it down on the flat bottom without risking a tip over. However, it was clearly designed for circular based Warhammer minis and not hex based minis.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a handle that will work well with Battletech minis? I don’t have access to a 3D printer, so I can’t just print one. I know I can use an old pill bottle with blue tack or hot melt glue, but I don’t mind spending a few bucks (within reason) on something slightly more ergonomic.

[FenderSaxbey]

I'm not sure about the new, skinny Citadel paint handle, but I use the previous incarnation for painting my BT minis. Works fine on hexes as the top part is a clamp in the end.

[BaachicLitNerd]

I honestly really like the budget option of an old pill bottle with the mini stickytacked to the top. Fill the bottle with water to counterweight it and it does a damn good job for something that you already probably have lying around the house.

[Sapphirus]

I honestly really like the budget option of an old pill bottle with the mini stickytacked to the top

I did the same thing when doing the primer and paint job of my minis! 

[Empyrus]

I honestly really like the budget option of an old pill bottle with the mini stickytacked to the top.

Made a couple of these, made painting way easier. Less strain on hand, less accidentally smudging paint.
Figure having at least two is good because you can leave one mini to dry and use the other in the meantime.

[DarkSpade]

I've been using the Citadel one for hex mins for awhile now and it works fine.  Even the heavier metal minis stay clamped in with no issue. Just point the corners of the hex into each clamp.

I recommend getting the one with the grabber arms on the side.  I've never found the grabbers them selves to be all that useful, but if you remove them, the little balls they attach to can help your grip when holding at an odd angle or to give your painting hand something to stabilize against when painting tiny details.

[worktroll]

Am I wierd that I get them on a hex base, and tend not to need any additional support?

It may help that the hex edge is the last thing to get painted.

[RazorclawXLS]

Painting handles are fine when you are painting a smaller number of minis, and focusing a significant amount of time on a single mini.

If you are painting a larger number of mechs, all of them with one color at a time, like on an assembly line, then painting handles are a hassle. You have to take out one to put another each time.

Better to use pill bottles or get bottle stoppers made of cork, one for each mech, and blue tack your minis on top.

[Fallen_Raven]

I've had a hex-based Firemoth sitting in the handle for a little over a month without an issue. (Been needing to pick up a better red, but I haven't gotten around to it.) In that time it has held up perfectly, even surviving the attention of the cat.

[Bedwyr]

I have both the Mk1 and Mk2 Citadel handle. I recommend it over double sided tape, even the good 3M kind. But, minis on standard hexes *can* pop out. So what I do is add poster tack to the top and make sure I don't jostle or flip the mini while it's on the handle. It might not be effective, so maybe adhesive tape below as well as the clip?

[Ben]

Bedwyr,

I used the Mk 1 handle at GenCon. What’s your experience between the two handle shapes? It seems Mk 1s are hard to find.

I really appreciate everyone’s responses (and am certainly open to more)! I hadn’t thought about the difference between painting multiple minis at once versus a single mini. Though, as a rank beginner, I’ll probably spend more time on a single mini (with worse results) than an experienced painter’s “get a lance table ready quickly” multi-mini job.

Gotta start somewhere, I guess! My understanding is that Simple Green is the answer…

[Luciora]

I use pill bottles with blue tape, rolled up on itself to be double sided. 

[Bedwyr]

They are much harder to find, yes. I was originally trying to source a Mk1 from ebay and the guy sent me a Mk2. I didn't ding him for it, but not going to try again. Since then I've warmed up to the Mk2. The slender handle is, in fact, easier and lighter to grasp. So I can see it reducing cramps on a marathon painting session. The clamp design might be ever so slightly easier to pop, but I'm not exactly sure on that, really.

[DarkSpade]

Am I wierd that I get them on a hex base, and tend not to need any additional support?

It may help that the hex edge is the last thing to get painted.

I find that a finger inevitably ends up resting where it shouldn't.

[pheonixstorm]

I like the Hobby Holder From Game Envy. It doesn't grab the mini base like the GW holder (uses blue tack). There was another that I saw a few years ago that had more of a pistol grip but I don't recall the name of it.

Those are the only ones I know of, might be others out there. I did use a pill bottle for awhile, even tried using a GW paint pot, overall though I am happy with the Hobby Holder. You could always ask around whatever local stores you have and if they have non GW paint holders ask if they can bring it with them next time so you can check it out.

[DarkSpade]

Now a stability bar is something I'd love to see added to GW's.

[Bedwyr]

Now a stability bar is something I'd love to see added to GW's.

I would bet money someone somewhere has already designed and uploaded the STLs for something like that.

[Ben]

I would bet money someone somewhere has already designed and uploaded the STLs for something like that.

My understanding is that the top clamping part of the Citadel handle just screws into the actual handle part. Like you said, I’m sure someone has designed something that can fit between the two parts to add a finger rest.

[Pat Payne]

I use old Tamiya paint bottles and affix the mini to the bottle's top with Silly Putty.

[Kibutsu]

I got a bag of a dozen wooden spools from Amazon for about 10 bucks. I fix the minis to them with blue tack for plastics and hot glue for metals.

[guerrillaaction]

maybe use greenstuff to make a shim to hold it in better??

[worktroll]

On a parallel note, I pull apart wooden clothspegs, and use them as painting handles when painting vehicles. That way I can get under around the front & sides easily, and the rear with a little effort. Blutak holding them until they're ready for basing and sealing.

[Hellraiser]

On a parallel note, I pull apart wooden clothspegs, and use them as painting handles when painting vehicles. That way I can get under around the front & sides easily, and the rear with a little effort. Blutak holding them until they're ready for basing and sealing.

That is a great idea!
Now, if only I knew where to get a 1970's clothespin?
I suppose popsicle sticks would be good for this too.

I'm going to start using the pill bottle idea the next time I get around to painting.

What I really want however is one of those little arm clamp thingies for holding arms in place after I have applied glue.

[worktroll]

I'm sure you could a) use a plastic clothespeg part, or b) find wooden clothespegs at a five-and-dime.

I think popsicle sticks might be too light for good control with a lump of metal on the end - gluing three together would be good, though.