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Reaper FAQ - What is cleaning a miniature?

Cleaning a miniature is removing excess metal, plastic, or resin before assembly. There is no real right way or wrong way to accomplish cleaning a miniature. However, what works best is based on what the miniatures purpose will be once completed. For example a mini used as a generic filler minion during a game session will likely not require the detail or care as competitive painting model. 

Metal, Plastic, and Resin miniatures follow a similar cleaning process and below are some picture examples.

FAQ Mold LineFAQ - Excess MetalFAQ Flash

Mold Lines

To remove a mold line we suggest taking a small file and push forward firmly along the surface of the miniature. Check the miniature after each stroke until you get the desired result. You should be sure to use ample pressure but not too much as to remove the details of the miniature. This process will take some getting used to when you get started but is a quick step in dealing with the most common miniature preparation problem.

For this miniature we used a round file.

2 easy repeatable steps to get a better looking miniature!


The left over fine scratches go away during the painting process.

Excess Metal

 Excess metal or plastic is very common with miniatures that have multiple pieces. The best solution here is simple to clip off the extra material. We suggest using a pair of hobby metal clippers as they are easy to use and safe to handle. Use a slow application of force to ensure safety, often pieces of the material can separate quickly and project away from the clipper. Once you have completed the clipping successfully follow the mold line steps to get that final desired look.

Aligning the flat side of the clippers to the meeting point of excess and miniature will result in the best finished product.

Once the excess has been removed follow the mold line cleaning process for some better results.

 

Flash

 When you have a miniature with flash, utilizing both the Excess and Mold Line removal guidance will result in a clean miniature. Do your best to clip off the flash as close to the miniature as you can to minimize the time needed filling and the possibility of ruining details.