How to drill pikemen.

[steve_holmes_11]

I think I asked this once before, but time has passed and these are almost front of the queue again.

I need to drill pike-holes for the EL15 Irish Pikemen

Rather than open handed, these have their arms wrapped about the pike.
A stable hold on the pike, but more complicated for drilling.

I've mostly painted the figures (likely contrary to some of last time's advice).

What I want to know is the best way to secure an individual figure like this while drilling a fine hole.
I have a woodworker's vice in the garage, which would easily crush a 10mm figure.
Otherwise I'm short of inspiration for getting a goood grip that won't ruin the figure.

Please advise.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

First off don't use a power drill. Use a pin chuck and finest bit you can find - if the hole isnt wide enough run a slightly larger bit through.

Means you can hold the figure in your fingers but you will break a lot of bits. Have fun.

[Heedless Horseman]

As M'lord Kermit says. A 'Pin Vice' is best. It is fiddly, but holding fig in fingers, (Until you drop it! Work on a tray?), allows control of 'angle' as you can see the drill going in and no horror of having gouged a hole with a power tool that is 'wrong'. Figs are soft enough for manual drilling. 'Pricking' a 'starter' hole is a good idea to stop bit slipping around.
You can use bench vice, but not needed... fingers best. If fig clamped by base, too easy to exert too much pressure and bend legs.
Best done before painting,but you are going to need to touch up paint anyway A supply of suitable drill bits is to be recommended.
Pin Vice:
Pendraken Tools TOOL-TL4

[steve_holmes_11]

Thank you folks for such quick responses during holiday season.

I have a pin vise - maybe need to look into extra bits.
Hand held sounds good.

Best wishes

[FierceKitty]

...pin vise...

A man after my own heart!

[Heedless Horseman]

A man after my own heart!

LOL. We all have our vices. But 'twas spell'ed thus in Junior School 'Woodwork' and shall remain so!

[DecemDave]

I'm curious if the fans of the manual method (as the actress said to the wargamer) have used some of the newer hobby tools.  I can see how anything like a dremel or  DIY tool could be disastrous but I have a "Wowstick" (as the wargamer said to the actress) pen drill which is just like a thick pen and is USB/battery powered so not that much torque although it is still bulkier than a pin vice.  I haven't used it on EL15 but from the pic I think the biggest problem would be holding the figure still to get the correct angle for both hands. Long nose pliers?
And it would only be worth buying a gadget to try if you have lots to do.

[Gwydion]

Hand vice to hold the figure by the base and pin vice or pen drill to drill the hole (Your fingers will thank you for it when you inevitably slip with one of your efforts. )

[Big Insect]

I could resist posting this ...


How not to 'drill pikemen': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS5D9csaySU

 

[Heedless Horseman]

I would think that 'drilling' Pikemen would be an awesome task! 

I remember watching an Edinburgh Tattoo, with US (Cadets?) whirling bayoneted rifles around. Very impressive...but can only imagine the training Chaos! 

[steve_holmes_11]

I would think that 'drilling' Pikemen would be an awesome task! 

I remember watching an Edinburgh Tattoo, with US (Cadets?) whirling bayoneted rifles around. Very impressive...but can only imagine the training Chaos! 

Those are the ones who made it through the first term.

[Ithoriel]

Those are the ones who made it through the first term.

Or possibly those who made it through the last.


You start with a division and end up with a drill team

[pierre the shy]

Or possibly those who made it through the last.


You start with a division and end up with a drill team

Reminded me of this scene. No bayonets but M1 Garands.....

[steve_holmes_11]

Once again, thanks to all.

I drilled out the solid hands last week, then performed some re-painting to repair where original paint had been damaged.
Next time I'll drill first and paint after.

Today I fixed the pikes (0.7mm wire form Pendraken's League of Augsburg catalogue).
It made a firm fit with the drilled holes, one that I reinforced with a tiny dot of superglue from the tip of a cocktail stick.

Cutting the wire to length was a new trick.
I made one cut, re-measured, and trimmed it down to the required length.
Then held that alongside the remaining wire to give a length for further cuts.
Cutting was done with the cutter on a  wire-stripper tool - very precise, but with a risk of the loose end flying off into the yonder.

I managed to minimise loss by cutting gently and aiming downward with a white paper base and good lighting.

I wonder whether fixing the whole wire to the figure, then making the cut would be more precise.
It sounds like an awfully slow process, switching between wire, superglue and clippers for every figure.

I'm very happy how my efforts turned out.


A resolution for 2022 is to learn how to photograph minis well.
If successful, I'll send pictures.

[DHautpol]

I find that drilling with a pin-vice works perfectly well, you retain much greater control.

I get my bits from a jewellers' suppliers in Hatton Garden in London, Walsh HS & Sons Ltd, 44 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8ER.

They come in a large range of sizes, but I find that the ones I've used most when drilling out hands on 10mm figures are the 0.6mm diameter bits, which work very well with the plastic broom bristles I use for pikes.