Might I ask about tools? I did a search first but couldn't find any info. If posting in the wrong place - sorry.

I am wondering where people get the block vices (I don't know what its called though) they use to hold miniatures or mannequins while sculpting. Are they home made or does someone sell them? I have seen people use pin vices also, but I am more interested in the block. Sometimes they are made from wood and have screws to tighten down; sometimes they are made from looks like aluminum.

If this is relevant to the question, the scale I am trying is pretty small (1/48). Material is unknown because I suck in both epoxy putty and polymer clay. Maybe such a block vice is not necessary. Don't know.

Additionally, any ideas of where a tool like in the picture can be obtained? More than likely it is home made.



Thanks in advance.

What I am attempting is here - GI's under sniper attack on back of tank. Heads will be replaced from different source. Any suggestions are welcome. I have a lot to learn.





Phil

I get all my tools from Micro-Mark Tools.
http://www.micromark.com/

Hi Phil, most of my tools are home made - either carved/shaped from old paint brush handles, or shaped from brass rod, heated, beaten, then filed to shape. Failing that, Alec Tiranti or Squires in the UK supply most stuff you'd need for sculpting, including the clamp you're looking for.
Steve

Looks like a great start on your project. Like the positioning on the back of the sherman only suggestion is while under sniper fire men try to hunker down tighter... your litterally try to get under the skin of that vehicle, and any thoughts of not wanting to violate soemone else's "personal space" disappears. you suddenly become everyones best friend.

Sorry no help on the tools - I tend to make my own holders/figures block from wood dowels and clips/clamps I buy from Home Depot. Check out dickblick.com and look under sculpting... lots of stuff that might help.

My favorite sculpting tool is a small Jeweler's Burnisher I purchased years ago at a rock/jeweler craft store. I have made a few more from a flatten nail, which I then shape, file, sand and polish, then insert into a wooden handle.


this tool does about 80% of all my sculpting work. In additons I use a set of dental probes ( retired from my dentist) and rubber tipsed clay/color shappers I purchased from Dickblick.com. In addtion I use whatever I think might work - wire loop, pin, old broken saw blade, fingertips... improvise when needed is my motto. They have all worked for me .

Neill

Here is something that i made for holding your figures.
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/making-a-holder.37077/
More Planeteers did some modefication's.

Marc

Guy - thank you. They have one of the vices I have seen.
Steve - thank you. Those stores I was not aware of - pretty good suggestions.
Marc - thank you. Not sure how I missed this, but exactly what I was talking about.
John - thank you for the input. I love your scene and thanks for the input on the tools also. Regarding the scene I am working on, I also thought about your suggestion and am still thinking about it. Not sure what to do. I could change the position of the more upright figures to be more in a "take cover" position. Not sure. My narrative was they spotted the guy and were going to return fire. I was trying to provide multiple levels when seen from the front. Like below. Anyway - good feedback.



Phil

As for tools,
well they already have them covered.

As for a holder, I use 2 blocks of wood the same size, with a hole drilled through, and a bolt with a butterfly nt to hold together, cheap & works for me!

As for the figures, they are fairly static, and makes the scene a bit flat.

1 example., the kneeling figure, back to the turret . (3rd head from the left)

Strike the pose yourself, and see how long you can hold it for - if 30 secs to a minute, it's balanced, and fairly static.

If you alter the pose just a tad, so you almost lose your balance (or do) then the figure in the same pose will be much more dynamic.

Even if they spotted the guy ( or his location) then I'd still be hunkered down - Heads with shouting mouths would add to the dynamic feel of the scene also.

I'll see if I can find the reference image from my Shep Paine book, he gives a good example...


On the whole though, it's good to see you taking time and energy to get the poses & group right!

Cheers

hello! how about this free e-book
http://www.ringert.com/sculpting/SCULPTING_TOOLS_2010_06_09_ebook.pdf

Mikhael - thank you very much for that e-book. It looks great.

Jamie - thank you also for all your input. Don't worry about finding that Shep Paine book. I have it and know excatly what page you are talking about. I appreciate the offer though.

I am going to have to see what can be done about the poses being static. In reality I started this project after seeing Bill Horan's Enfilade Fire last fall at the Chicago Show (can't you see the resemblance- just kidding), and I like how his figures were more upright so to speak. But different situation.

I think I have some ideas, but they are going to be way beyond my skill as a beginner. Shouting heads in 1/48 scale are not out there, but I have them coming from a different source and was planning on incorporating them.

Phil

Good stuff Phil!

At the end of the day, remember,you'll be looking at them for the longest once your'e done, and the next ones will better then the previous ones.....

Always good to study some one elses work, and develop your own style from there.
doing this in 1/48 (didn't read your first post correctly!) makes it all the more impressive, being a smaller scale then usual!


Still, a good start, looking forward to more of your works!

Cheers

Phillip, search isn't the same as it was with the previous forum software so you can't look for threads in all the ways you could previously but it should still give you all relevant results to a search term. Anyway, this recentish thread has a collection of links to most of the big threads on sculpting tools from the forum:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/calling-all-you-sculptors.45603/

You can make your own holders in various ways, in addition to the above thread linked to by Marc see this one:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/model-support-for-painting.44941/

I presume from your spelling of aluminium that you're in the US, if you're set on the manufactured type I recently came across the cheapest versions of these I've ever seen, which I think is the one I mention in the above thread, along with some other options.

Einion

Hi Einion - quite excellent is this post of yours. I don't know if you folks realize how valuable what you may take as common knowledge is to someone who is just starting. Yes from the US and very grateful for the help. My searches were on "vices" because I didn't know what to call them. Should have just went with "tools".

I think I will go with the Al atomic number 13 one (ha - universal language).

And will read through those post, but was very intersted in Ander's post on tools and him demonstrating the shapes he gets with each.

Ah - so many questions, but I will save you all from most of them. Sculpting is really hard I am finding.

Thanks so much Einion et al.

Phil