Preview: RGG 360 ° miniature holder in EN and DE

Original German version here

Quick English translation below:

 

Preview: RGG 360 ° miniature holder

Kickstarter campaign launch on the 10th of January. Today we will take a look at a prototype:

At a glance:

Product: RGG 360 °

Manufacturer: Red Grass Games
Material: Plastic
Price: Not yet final, roughly 10 Euro according to the manufacturer
The review material was provided by Red Grass Games.

A video of the manufacturer introduces the product:

 

Unwrapped:

The RGG 360 ° is a miniature holder with a 360° rotatable head, on which a sticky putty is located (developed by Red Grass Games in its own words, as a replacement should also work any kind of putty) on which the models are attached. Our test model comes from a 3D printer, the final product will be similar to the Citadel Painting Handle made of injection molded plastic.

After unpacking, the RGG 360 ° looks like this:

 

Comparison:

For our review we compare the RGG 360 ° with two other popular figure holders: The Citadel Painting Handle and the Rathcore V3. All three holders use different fastening techniques and are also available in different price regions. This is how the three figure holders look like:

Left to right:

Citadel Painting Handle:

  • 6,50 Euro
  • Clamp fixing for bases up to 40mm (larger version also available)

RGG 360 °:

  • Around 10 euros
  • Adhesive attachment for any base sizes, more than 40mm rather not recommended (contact surface 25mm)

Rathcore Miniature Grip V3:

  • 28.95 Euro (70mm strap), recommended is at least 1 cork adapter set for 10.95 euros
  • Changeable cork clamps for bases or for miniatures on pens.

 

RGG 360 °:

The RGG 360 ° is very comfortable in the hand because it is slightly ergonomic in shape and its size is ideal for my average sized hands. Even people with smaller doer bigger hands should have no problems with it.

The holder support the model very well, but it is likely to quickly reach its limits  with heavy metal models, especially if they are on 30mm bases (or larger).

The rotatable tip of the RGG 360° works extremely well and runs with some resistance, so it can not just twist. Overall, the RGG makes in the first practical test a very good impression, and to paint with him is extremely comfortable.

Continue with the model of Citadel!

 

Citadel Painting Handle:

Most of our readers will be familiar with the painting handle of Games Workshop from their own experience. After all, it is not only in my local shop that it is one of the best-selling items in the GW range. On the painting handle, the models are clamped by a jig that can accommodate base sizes from 25mm to 40mm. These mechanics allow models to change very quickly, making the whole system uncomplicated and practical.

Especially because of the very low price, the painting handle is quite a no-brainer, but it also has weaknesses. On the one hand, like the RGG 360 °, it is unsuitable for models on larger bases, and on the other hand, it is comparatively clumsy, which becomes a problem especially when you want to paint details on the underside of a model – here the painting handle is often in the way, which is why I personally do not use it as often as I would like to.

Let’s come to the premium model of our comparison:

 

Rathcore Miniature Grip V3:

The Rathcore V3 costs just under 40 euros with a set of alternative corks, making it significantly more expensive than the other test candidates. It is therefore not made of simple plastic, but of very high quality wood. In addition, he has other features:

  • Stand made of wood
  • Metal bar to stabilize the handle (available in different sizes)
  • Changeable cork adapter to take the miniatures

The Rathcore is without a doubt the most luxurious of the three products and this is evident in several places. The V3 is excellent in the hand (he has almost flattering qualities) and the handle rotatable around the handle stabilizes the handle significantly. To anchor the miniatures on the corks is a bit more complicated than with the solutions from Citadel and Red Grass Games, but they keep the models very stable. The Swivel Brace is slightly more hakeliger than the rotatable tip of the RGG 360 °, but this is only significant if you need to turn the model constantly.

 

UPDATE: Eckbases

Since we were asked several times for Eckbases, here comes a quick update image :

The RGG features a 20mm corner base from Mantic, while the Citadel Painting Handle holds a 25mm corner base from Confrontation. Both work without any problems, on the RGG you can loosely lay down even larger bases (I have put the Erdelementar from Reaper Bones on a test basis, that gives easily, even if it was a bit uncomfortable because of the weight and probably for a long time to a stress test for the adhesive clay would be.

The Citadel Painting Handle holds corner bases up to a maximum of 25mm edge lines, in general you have to clamp a bit more carefully with corner bases and pay attention to a central position as possible, but otherwise it works without problems. Unfortunately, we could not test which cornerbases fit in the bigger version because of a lack of a test copy.

 

Scale and direct comparison:

This is how the handles once again look side by side:

We have also shot a size comparison image here:

 

Conclusion:

It is always a bit difficult to evaluate the character holder, as much depends on the personal taste of the painter. Also, the popular argument “With a can / a cork / a color pot and ‘mounting material XY” you can do it yourself “is of course not completely out of hand, even if you ultimately the comfort of such solutions with none of the presented here Compare products completely. The Citadel Painting Handle and the Rathcore Miniature Grip V3 have their clearly defined areas of application and target groups, which result mainly from the price difference. The Citadel model is ideal for faster, more regularly changing model projects, the Rathcore is more of a high-end product for longer painting projects with high standards of comfort and stability.

Where is the RGG 360 ° now sorted between these two products? It is not priced much more expensive than the GW product, but has two major advantages: it fits better in the hand and the rotatable tip is really a great help, which ensures a lot of comfort. For me personally he is the better choice.

However, there are also some question marks regarding the RGG 360 °: It remains to be seen how long the sticky putty on the tip will remain effective, and how easy it will be to find a replacement in case  ( substitute are always available but sticks slightly worse) , In addition, the holder’s stand is a bit less stable than the Citadel Painting Handle due to its rather slim shape, and the model can not compare to the Rathcore’s luxury stand anyway.

Overall, the RGG 360 ° is a successful addition to the  range of model holders and given the small price difference to the Citadel painting handle, it may depend on the end of the taste of each painter, which model he gives preference. For me personally, the RGG 360 ° is clearly ahead because of the more comfortable handling, but this is a subjective feeling.

The Kickstarter for the RGG 360 ° is scheduled to start on January 10th.

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