Hello
Just a curious question for all of you, never seen this asked or if it has i missed it. How do most of you store or transport your microarmor and micronauts? I know a lot of us use our labor of love for gaming, and some times this can ba a overwhellming task transporting several pieces.
It would be nice to see pictures if anyone has any. I would especially be interested in how micronauts are transported. My method is( picture Later). I have a small 3 drawer bought at any local super center. I then place magnet tape on the bottom of each drawer, all my micro nauts have magnet strips on the bottom of the bases. Easy way to transport with out sliding around or fall over. Not 100% bullet proof but about 95%. Any way ideas and pictures would be nice.
fullmetaljacket
Storage of units Microarmor & Micronauts!
Moderators: dnichols, GHQ, Mk 1
-
fullmetaljacket
- E5
- Posts: 407
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:18 am
- Location: Warsaw, Indiana
-
Hauptmann6
- E5
- Posts: 110
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:06 am
- Location: Portage, MI
- Contact:
-
RedLeif
- E5
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 3:11 am
- Location: Boise, ID
- Contact:
The author of the WW2 rules, John Fernandes, introduced me to the use of jewelers storage trays. Actually l think his really nice wife was responsible for this idea as she was the jeweler in the family.
They're a little over 14" long by 8" wide (external) and come in different height's, 1" is most common. I fit 7 1" stands across and I haven't counted but I think about 12 or 13 stands deep. I can easily fit three infantry battalions (In platoon scale, that's around 50 1" stands, for those that prefer squad scale I'd guess its 3 companies worth of infantry?) into one tray plus room for some supporting units like mortars or arty or a recon force in along side. For my loose models, geez I guess I've got 1 tray with nearly 100 un-mounted t-34's and SU's in it.
They make lots of storage and transport solutions for this size tray. I have a grey soft vinyl case that holds 12 or so of these trays which I use to haul my armies and smaller terrain pieces to and from the game sites. But they sell metal, lockable boxes that do the same thing and cost more. Due to this size being so widely used there are even wooden shelving systems one could buy to hold a bunch of these little trays, but I just stack them in my closet and on my book shelves. Another nice option are foam inserts (designed to hold rings, but I use them to keep the models from moving as much). I'm in the process of converting to metal/magnet bases and will line some trays with mag tape and see how that works.
If you want to see what these look like type in 'Jewelry utility tray' into your favorite search engine. The 1" high stack-able trays can be acquired for around $2 ea. and my vinyl transport case cost about $15.
Regards,
RedLeif
They're a little over 14" long by 8" wide (external) and come in different height's, 1" is most common. I fit 7 1" stands across and I haven't counted but I think about 12 or 13 stands deep. I can easily fit three infantry battalions (In platoon scale, that's around 50 1" stands, for those that prefer squad scale I'd guess its 3 companies worth of infantry?) into one tray plus room for some supporting units like mortars or arty or a recon force in along side. For my loose models, geez I guess I've got 1 tray with nearly 100 un-mounted t-34's and SU's in it.
They make lots of storage and transport solutions for this size tray. I have a grey soft vinyl case that holds 12 or so of these trays which I use to haul my armies and smaller terrain pieces to and from the game sites. But they sell metal, lockable boxes that do the same thing and cost more. Due to this size being so widely used there are even wooden shelving systems one could buy to hold a bunch of these little trays, but I just stack them in my closet and on my book shelves. Another nice option are foam inserts (designed to hold rings, but I use them to keep the models from moving as much). I'm in the process of converting to metal/magnet bases and will line some trays with mag tape and see how that works.
If you want to see what these look like type in 'Jewelry utility tray' into your favorite search engine. The 1" high stack-able trays can be acquired for around $2 ea. and my vinyl transport case cost about $15.
Regards,
RedLeif
-
ferret701
- E5
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 8:14 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia
- Contact:
I use three methods, depending on the circumstances. For the majority of my vehicles, I use I-94's Panzer Keepers. They're cheap, hold 20 large vehicles or 40 small ones. I've got a Word template (on my web page) for printing out coversheets for them that fit on top of the foam, showing nationality and content.
However, they are low (1"?) so for vehicles that have delicate upper structures, particularly those with machine guns, I use GHQ bunker boxes. Since I compulsively buy Combat Commands, a have a lot of them.
Both of these stack nicely in 12-pack beer boxes, and they can both be placed in the same container, as they have the same footprint.
For models that I've based, obviously including all infantry, I use clear acrylic boxes from The Container Store. They're not cheap (the big ones can run around $10 each), but they are very nice and come in a wide variety of styles. I take a piece of magnetic register cover, from Home Depot ($5 for 3 big sheets), cut it to size, hit the back of it with spray glue, then set it in. As I mount my vehicles and infantry on steel bases from Wargames Accessories, they stick nicely.
One tip on this, though -- sometimes the magnetic sheeting is "slick" -- that is, far too smooth. In that case, I first spray it with a light layer of Testor's DullCote, which keeps the models from sliding around.
Here are some picture of the boxes with various units:
National Guard Mech Brigade (still needs Inf and ACAV)
US WWII Inf Regt (still needs ATK guns and 81mm mortars)
However, they are low (1"?) so for vehicles that have delicate upper structures, particularly those with machine guns, I use GHQ bunker boxes. Since I compulsively buy Combat Commands, a have a lot of them.
Both of these stack nicely in 12-pack beer boxes, and they can both be placed in the same container, as they have the same footprint.
For models that I've based, obviously including all infantry, I use clear acrylic boxes from The Container Store. They're not cheap (the big ones can run around $10 each), but they are very nice and come in a wide variety of styles. I take a piece of magnetic register cover, from Home Depot ($5 for 3 big sheets), cut it to size, hit the back of it with spray glue, then set it in. As I mount my vehicles and infantry on steel bases from Wargames Accessories, they stick nicely.
One tip on this, though -- sometimes the magnetic sheeting is "slick" -- that is, far too smooth. In that case, I first spray it with a light layer of Testor's DullCote, which keeps the models from sliding around.
Here are some picture of the boxes with various units:
National Guard Mech Brigade (still needs Inf and ACAV)
US WWII Inf Regt (still needs ATK guns and 81mm mortars)
-
fullmetaljacket
- E5
- Posts: 407
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:18 am
- Location: Warsaw, Indiana
Redlief thanks for the ideas I ordered some of the jewelery boxes with liners i think it will work out great for my micronauts also along with my micro armor.
Ferret701 I like your suggestions to, i was confused do you spray the magnet sheet on the bottom or the bottom of the bases with the dullcote?
fullmetaljacket
Ferret701 I like your suggestions to, i was confused do you spray the magnet sheet on the bottom or the bottom of the bases with the dullcote?
fullmetaljacket
-
RedLeif
- E5
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 3:11 am
- Location: Boise, ID
- Contact:
-
piersyf
- E5
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:59 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
Here's my storage set up...
The bottom box is a Kincrome toolbox I bought for myself as a christmas present about 2 years ago. Nice solid wooden box with velvet lined drawers (for a tool box!). It is 2' wide, 18" tall and 1' deep. The insides look like this...
To give an idea, the drawer currently has a full US tank battalion and a full US armoured artillery battalion at 1:1 (minus service companies). When the service companies are done I'll make internal dividers to help control them.
The box eventually filled up (can you have too much microarmour?) so I made the set of drawers that sit on top. Here's the inside of that one...
In this image, from far end to near end, I have a panzer regiment HQ company, a panther battalion HQ company, a company of PzIV's, a company of panthers, a company of JpzIV's, a service company for a panzer battalion, a stugIII company and an armoured recon company. A full brigade group at 1:1 at full establishment will take 3 to 3 and a half drawers. These drawers need a liner and internal dividers too to prevent things sliding too much. Both still works in progress, but I don't consider my forces to be 'combat effective' yet!
The bottom box is a Kincrome toolbox I bought for myself as a christmas present about 2 years ago. Nice solid wooden box with velvet lined drawers (for a tool box!). It is 2' wide, 18" tall and 1' deep. The insides look like this...
To give an idea, the drawer currently has a full US tank battalion and a full US armoured artillery battalion at 1:1 (minus service companies). When the service companies are done I'll make internal dividers to help control them.
The box eventually filled up (can you have too much microarmour?) so I made the set of drawers that sit on top. Here's the inside of that one...
In this image, from far end to near end, I have a panzer regiment HQ company, a panther battalion HQ company, a company of PzIV's, a company of panthers, a company of JpzIV's, a service company for a panzer battalion, a stugIII company and an armoured recon company. A full brigade group at 1:1 at full establishment will take 3 to 3 and a half drawers. These drawers need a liner and internal dividers too to prevent things sliding too much. Both still works in progress, but I don't consider my forces to be 'combat effective' yet!
-
RedLeif
- E5
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 3:11 am
- Location: Boise, ID
- Contact:
-
RobertTown
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:12 am
- Location: Woodland, Washington
-
fullmetaljacket
- E5
- Posts: 407
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:18 am
- Location: Warsaw, Indiana
Piersyf nice wood box love the old look and room it has for microarmor, only question i have is how portable is it? Looks to be heavy of course if you only use your micro once or twice a month its not so bad moving it im sure.
Robertown nice idea with tackle boxes never thought of that idea. Lot more cost effective than some of the other thoughts i have had.
fullmetaljacket
Robertown nice idea with tackle boxes never thought of that idea. Lot more cost effective than some of the other thoughts i have had.
fullmetaljacket
-
piersyf
- E5
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:59 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
Thanks for the comments guys! The woodwork is what I describe as 'rustic' in that nothing is properly square, no two drawers are the same size (the sides are not parallel so the drawers are each custom fitted to the space), but it works and looks good enough as a unit (3' rule applied to furniture 
)
As to portability, no, not at all. Individual drawers maybe once the internal dividers are in place, but otherwise no. And yes, it is a very heavy combination (but makes it hard to knock over).
)As to portability, no, not at all. Individual drawers maybe once the internal dividers are in place, but otherwise no. And yes, it is a very heavy combination (but makes it hard to knock over).