The giant in it's current damaged state and wearing it's old paint job.
The repair work in question is fixing the broken ankle, the stripping is partly to check the condition; there's no obvious lead rot, but we want to be sure, and partly to give the new owner a blank canvas to work on. There's nothing wrong with the original paint job, but I completely understand the new owner wanting to put their stamp on it.
If you don't know the Citadel Giant, it's a truly stunning mini. There are some great pictures on Stuff of Legends.
Standing nearly 200mm tall, and coming with a selection of heads and optional hands and weapons and weighs in around 1700g (not including the extra components).
The optional pieces
Unfortunately, some of the accessories are missing; the captives (snacks?) and the sword that the giant uses as a knife. I have seen a set of captives plus a spare head on eBay, but at close to £200, I'm not tempted.
Stripping the paint should be fairly straightforward. The procedure is the same as I used for the Rogue Trader Orks back in 2021, the only issue is the sheer size. A larger tub and a full bottle of Dettol should do the trick.
The repair needs a bit more thought, but I've already got some ideas, please comment if you've got any suggestions.
And please note, the giant is not for sale!
I can understand the need for a bigger container, especially as I normally use a jam jar!
ReplyDeleteWith the various components separated he just about fits in a large takeaway tub.
DeleteRemember this model well, never had one, but helped fix a few in my time. As for the repair, I would pin it, to add extra strength to the broken joint, then fill any gaps with modelling putty.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to be a famous model, calling it a mini doesn't do it justice.
DeleteYou say you fixed a few, I wonder if there were weak points? I've heard that the early lead alloys could be inconsistent. It must have been unstable, especially on just the base provided, and prone to falling over.
Thanks for the suggestion. Pinning does seem to be the best option.
A lot depended on the heat when pouring back in those days, so you could end up with a mostly good casting with weak points where the metal was too hot, or cold.
DeleteThanks, that's a fascinating insight.
DeleteI'm looking forward to seeing what everything looks like once stripped.
I never saw one of those giants in person, reading about the height and weight makes it seem truly massive. Pretty cool that there's so much customisability, in that way the model must have been way ahead of its time.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I saw at least one at BOYL last year, but this is the first time I've been able to handle one and appreciate it fully.
DeleteThe alternative heads and hands are amazing. There's a huge amount of metal that won't normally get used. The neck is quite a long tab, and I wonder if folks back then might have just used bluetac to allow for head swaos? Please comment if anyone has any experience of this.
Nowadays, I suppose, magnets would do the trick.
I always love seeing these classic models, especially the ones i've never seen before.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying this bit of old lead nostalgia. I'm certainly having fun finding out about it myself.
DeleteThe difficult bit is knowing when to stop.
Like Dave suggested, small drill bit in a pin vise, holes in both the leg and the foot. Given the size of the model, I'd probably do two pins. Some people swear by brass rods as their pin of choice, but using a single paperclip cut down to the appropriate length has worked for me, as it's pretty tough wire and also the cheaper option. Dry fit your pins first, as you always end up cutting them too long the first time. Then fill the gap with a two-part epoxy putty - green stuff will work, but I use Miiliput because it's cheaper and I'm not allergic to it as some are.
ReplyDeleteThanks, yes pins it will be.
DeleteI already have various diameters of brass rod, so I'll probably stick with them. I wonder if milling some sort of texture on the side would help? Or perhaps use a brass screw?
Interesting you suggest using putty as both filler and adhesive. I'd never thought of that, but it sounds very sensible.