Using resin bases doesn't have to be mysterious or some difficult process reserved for those few willing to risk it. Nowadays, I use resin bases for almost all of the models I do. Either my Client has requested them or I add them in there as a nice touch to the model.
So lets get right to it and look at the process I go through when I get a resin base I plan on using for a model.
As far as tools, I use a regular X-Acto blade for the majority of my prep work, but sometimes I'll toss in a file for some finer cleaning.
Step One: Clean the upper edge
The picture above shows what I mean. On some bases, there is a bit of material that hangs over the edge. If you like the look, you can leave it on there, if not, trim it away for a nice clean upper edge.
Usually it's just a stray piece here or there that hangs over and looks messy. By cleaning it up, you can get a more "finished" look.
Step Two: Cleaning the outer edge face
Here's where most of the work is for me. I take my X-Acto blade and work all the way around the edge of the base cleaning up the beveled face. You need to hold the blade at the correct angle or you start rounding off the bottom edge if you're not careful.
Step Three: Clean the bottom
Just like the previous step, I now go along the bottom of the base and clean up the underside. Most resin bases seem to have a bit more material around the edges and a recessed middle area on the bottom. It's not much, but it can make the base rest in an awkward position if not taken care of.
I tend to focus along the edge where the bottom meets the beveled facing. This makes sure the edge is nice and clean and the base will rest flat on the ground when done.
Step Four: Clean the top
Here's where I go through and clean up any areas on top that might have imperfections. Things like extra material I want trimmed away or air bubbles that need to be cut out.
If I know how I want to position my model, I'll set him on it and see if I need to cut anything away so the model will "stand" on the base properly.
After that, I give the base a good washing like I do with all resin I work with. The only thing left to do after this is to fill in any imperfections (larger air bubbles) with a bit of greenstuff as needed.
It's not much and takes only a few minutes per base, but adds so much more to the "finished" look of the base. I've found it looks much cleaner in the end after doing these few things.
Make sure to check out these posts as they might help:
Using resin bases and a selection of resin base providers
What I did to improve my basing
