How do you display minifigs?

wrangler6915

Special guys like the Goblin King get their own cases...in this case, a baseball display case from Micheals that cost $2.50 on clearance

wrangler6915

All the CMF's go into the standard Mini boxes...I try to get two in each slot (so 32 per box) and group them by theme...doctor/surgeon...good cowboy/bandito...robots etc.

dustinmroberts

BrickDancer said:

@dustinmroberts The clear plastic triangles at each corner are the part that's glued down on to the matting. Pretty much invisible at a distance.

That's exactly what I needed to see! Thanks!

andhe

wrangler6915 said:

All the CMF's go into the standard Mini boxes...I try to get two in each slot (so 32 per box) and group them by theme...doctor/surgeon...good cowboy/bandito...robots etc.

Cavegirl/Sailor?...

wrangler6915

Well, you know, they're both at a halloween party...and the wink he is gicing her is to try to pick her up!

FrictionPin

This is a great thread! There are some really creative and wonderful displays posted here.

Has anyone tackled displaying the 2012 NYCC TMNT figures on the circle cardboard backer yet? I'd love to see what others have come up with. Personally I'm at a loss on how to display this in a shadowbox without using some kind of adhesive on the card to make it stay where I want it.

The cardboard is a 4"x4" circle. Trying to fit this into an 8"x8" shadowbox, smallest I could find at my local craft store.

Sample image...

gsy971

i feel that lego minifig displays should be...well made out of lego. as most of us seen out there almost anything can be made out of lego so why not a display? thats what lego is all about, the creativity and imagination of the builder. i am sure we can also get ideas online

samiam391

Yes, it is.. and I agree that it would be great if LEGO minifigure display cases were indeed made out of LEGO.

However, in some cases, it just doesn't work. I know some people display minifigures for merely, well display.. however I personally also do it for protection from the "elements". I see displaying figures as a means of showing them and also preserving them.

Unfortunately, a stack of LEGO bricks, as amazing as they are, just don't cut the cake.

BrickDancer

^^ @pricey's wife had a beautiful one made of the UK flag for the GB figs further up the thread.

Brick-built cases would be great for smaller displays. The main constraint will be the size of the frame. To make one big enough to hold 100 figs, the cost would be hefty. Especially if it requires large trans-clear panels to enclose. Then comes the engineering part to prevent sagging while retaining clean asthetics.

What I've been keen on lately are those mini-vignettes folks do for each fig. Incorporating that into a full display would be stunning.

HarryPotterLover

I don't use the MF boxes LEGO sells because I dont wanna pay an arm and leg for enough.

Tevans333

BrickDancer said:

^^ @pricey's wife had a beautiful one made of the UK flag for the GB figs further up the thread.

Brick-built cases would be great for smaller displays. The main constraint will be the size of the frame. To make one big enough to hold 100 figs, the cost would be hefty. Especially if it requires large trans-clear panels to enclose. Then comes the engineering part to prevent sagging while retaining clean asthetics.

What I've been keen on lately are those mini-vignettes folks do for each fig. Incorporating that into a full display would be stunning.

Yes, the cost is the real constraint. I use brick built frames for my smaller collections such as Batman I were there are only 26 figs total. That frame alone cost closeto $75 US to make.

I did design a frame that is holds 100 figures and is all bricks, but doesn't have any clear panels in front. To bricklink it would cost roughly $300.

Beav

Finally got round to finishing my frames. Came out very well, thanks to @woony2 for the tips.

madforLEGO

I built a case using a shadowbox ( and borrowed from a design of one on eBay) that uses a shadowbox and holds about 40 figures, but it is kinda cramped so the figs cannot always hold their accessories so I had to rig up various ways to display the accessories next to the fig they are for. Now it does work OK, but you have to be careful if the figures are holding anything to not bend the items.
The nice thing is with shadow boxes they look nice and are cheap, and it takes about 25-30 total to build one I think (not sure since BL prices vary from store to store)

BrickDancer

^My issue with that shadow box depth is for the CMF's with tails. Like the mermaids, lizard guy, etc. But haven't seen any offerings that are deeper.

Arts and crafts stores like Michaels, Joanne's, and such have been good avenues for cheap cases. The Container Store also for a variety of display boxes in other dimensions for big objects like footballs and helmets. Any other good sources to check out for low cost cases?

cardgenius

Heres my first shadowbox frame. Looks much better than the glass display stands from Ikea that Ive been using. I like these so much Im gonna make frames for the Batman and Harry Potter figures too.

Not sure how its gonna look but Im gonna mess around with different Star Wars prints to put in as the background of the case. But, if it makes it look too busy or clustered Ill just go with how it is now.

Beav

^^ nice collection mate.

Diggydoes

I do like those solutions with the different frames! Since i keep it like @samiam391 and would like to display on the one hand and protect on the other i wonder if anyone knows a solution for UV-protection? Since direct light may hurt the colours of the figures wouldn't it make sense to add some sort of a "anti-UV foil"or some? I've heard from a collector in Japan that they sell display boxes (for action figures)which are made out of material which absorbs/filter UV-light!

CCC

You can get picture frame glass that has UV filtering. It is often used for framing watercolours and other paintings.

The problem is that it is not just UV light that damages lego, visible light will too. The safest way would be to frame them behind thick black glass or other material so no visible light gets through. Or store them in a box.

cardgenius

@Beav Thanks. Yours is not bad either. That Nesquick rabbit is lookin good.

When I was at Michaels getting my shadow box I asked the framing guy about UV protection and he said they sell a film that you can put on the glass that will help protect it. That's all the info I got though.

morezone

I am currently using an Ikea Ribba frame but it isn't deep enough. There are a few CMF which won't fit properly such as Lizard Suit Guy and Ocean King because of their tails. Accessories are also a problem for some. Plus, it has to be brought down to add more minifigures as access is through the back.

I have decided to bite the bullet and have purchase a qty of the Large Lego Display cases. They are expensive but I have found them for £13.50 instead of the £20 RRP.

morezone

I've taken down the Ribba frame and replaced with the Lego cases. I've got 14 up and if I really have to, I can do another 6 underneath and 2 on top which will then cover the full height of the wall.
I deliberately left a gap in between rather than stack them so that I have access to the door switch.

ChanMcL

@morezone, where did you get them from?

Also, is there a set number for the frame thing?

Might have to give it a try next time when I'm short of frames!

morezone

@ChanMcL, I got them from netpricedirect.co.uk for £13.45 each. Spend £50+ (4 off) and it's free delivery. That's the cheapest I could find them. I've been wanting to buy them for ages but they've always been around £18-£20 in the past, but then Smyths Toys had them for £15 but I left it a bit too late and they disappeared from their web site.

The frame thing? Are you referring to the Ribba frame from Ikea? If you are, I can't remember which one it was but it holds exactly 22 CMF bases wide. If you're referring to the Lego Display case, then it doesn't have a set number.

I'm going to hold 1 series of CMF per case with only one fig per compartment but for any other minifig, I'm going to squeeze 2 per compartment where I can just like @wrangler6915 above.

jasor

^^I have the Lego Case like above as well. Got some on clearance at a TRU that was a "stopoff" during a road trip. I can attest to the fact that they protect the minifigures quite well, as I've dropped one before. Although it looked like the CMF's had been through a whirlwind or something....they were perfectly held intact.

Beav

@BrickDancer Hey, love your specially made frames for the SDCC figures, I'm thinking of doing something the same. What size are the frame you used, and did you just get the mount specially cut to fit it?

BrickDancer

Thanks @Beav! It was all done by a pro shop, so was custom cut on the matting to fit each book. Then they cut the wood to fit around and sealed it in back. The frames' measurements from outside edges are 21"x11" with the black border being 3/4".

Beav

@BrickDancer Thanks mate, I'll have to have a hunt for someone to do something similar, just looks fantastic.

alzamba

@ChanMcL - if you only need a couple - just saw these on Amazon @£12.99 +£1.86 delivery

LegoMinifig

I built one myself. I used Poplar 1x.25x20 inches long as the pieces that my minifigs sit on. I got a piece of pelxiglass to put on as the front. Holds my CMF and I still have room to get to 16 collections. Right now I have all 9 CMFs and all of my Super heros. Cost me about $20 for the wood.

jasonord69a

This is how my wife displays hers. Notice the Easter imposter, I've been looking for that chocolate for over an hour!

Drmnez

Just got the Han Solo promo mf. I think all I am missing is the vader from the new DVD which I ordered already.

Opinion: do y'all think these little cases are ok for display or should I group them all together in one big display case

Legobutterfly

At the moment my figures are all over the tv unit but my husband is making me some boxy photo frame type displays, 1 for each series and I will then purchase the relevant series number cut out of vinyl from ebay in as close a colour as possible and stick this across the top of the frame. Am very excited to get this project finished.

Beav

@Drmnez Nice! I really like those little individual ones you've got there.

Jonn420

I made these from some corrigated plastic signs from work,im running out of room so ill need something soon.
And since i desided to keep Mr Gold i made him a case/blister card display.

paul_merton

One of my other hobbies is collecting model tanks, which has left me with dozens of spare perspex display cases. I was just about to chuck a load of them away, but when I glanced across at my spare stash of LEGO baseplates, I had an idea...



Totally dust-proof, too! Perhaps I'll be brave enough to chop up some green and tan baseplates next.

AJRoper

I've used the Ribba frames from Ikea for series 1-9 and Team GB but I am finding Medusa problematic. Has anyone else had issues or found a way around her rather ample behind?

BrickDancer

^Turn her sideways and she'll take up the same amount of depth as a regular fig, while her width stays within a 3x4 minifig plate.

vwong19

AJRoper said:

I've used the Ribba frames from Ikea for series 1-9 and Team GB but I am finding Medusa problematic. Has anyone else had issues or found a way around her rather ample behind?

I use the frames as well for other themes. I would like to see how you arrange yours.

sweetness34

Here are some of mine

Frames all from Michael's.

sweetness34

Two more

LegoMom1

@paul_merton said: One of my other hobbies is collecting model tanks, which has left me with dozens of spare perspex display cases. I was just about to chuck a load of them away, but when I glanced across at my spare stash of LEGO baseplates, I had an idea...


Uh oh- looks like I'm going to have to start collecting model tanks too. The case is just the perfect size for a small display. Very nice indeed. Plus, recycling is an added bonus!

samiam391

@sweetness34- Nice cases and a fabulous selection of figures on display! :o)

paul_merton

@LegoMom1 yeah, pretty much every 1:72 scale model tank comes in cases like that. Dragon Armor makes the best tanks, followed by Hobby Master.

The one with Frodo inside fits a 15x11 baseplate nicely, although cutting them up is a bit tricky. I also have a lot of cases that fit 18x8 studs. They're all just the right height for minifigs and they can stack. Perfect!

From a single 32x32 baseplate, I can make four 15x11 cases and one 18x8 case without too much waste.

sweetness34

samiam391 said:

@sweetness34- Nice cases and a fabulous selection of figures on display! :o)

Thanks samiam391.

I have bought a bunch of the display cases at Michaels lately. I just need to get series 3-6 CMF to get caught up.

FoxyA19

I brought this from my local hobby craft, fits 3 figures in each compartment and looks awesome, also you can fit a few more on top.

Lego_Lord_Mayorca

Well, after my fling with Collectible Minifigures finished in early 2012, I realized I couldn't keep them all in the plastic hobby box (I was using that for stormtroopers and clone troopers). Late last year, I found several of the Lego-produced minifigure display cases in black, so I bought all that the Lego Store had (which was only two). I found another one at Toys R Us with a minifigure included, and in spite of the slight price difference, I bought it as well. All collectible minifigures sit in them, now, and I must say the cases are quite nice. I have yet to hang them on a wall, though.

jasor

Is this the Ribba frame everyone uses?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00078051/

vwong19

I use the larger Ribba shadow box with the x-large base plate double-sticked to the frame.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60078034/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8792630993/

woony2

@jasor Yes they are the ones. Make sure you do get the 1 3/4" deep ones. I believe there are only 2 sizes that are this deep. All the other Ribba frames are slimmer and won't work.

Brickdepot

I use small sorting boxes, each can store 10 Minifigs and cost just about 1€.
They keep clean for dust, safe for damage and you can stack them in any direction you want. The only negative point is that some Minifgs are to heigh and dont fit in complete :(
Here is a picture of my complete CMF Series 1-10 + TGB and my other Minifigs.