Custom Tournament Display Board

Here’s the super secret project I’ve been working on:

As an optional part of the upcoming tournament, you can enter the painting competition.  One of the things that gives you extra points in the competition is a custom display board for your army.

Here’s a shot of the display board in use, before it was painted:

The Assault Marines in the front will be replaced with the new ones that I am working on now.  I’ll give you a pic when the Assault Marines are finished.  As a bonus, the surface is removable, so I can make another surface and re-use the board for a different list!

Here’s what I used to make it:

• 22×17″ wall-mountable corkboard
• 28″ rolled cork
• Steel carpet tacks (black)
• Games Workshop black primer
• 2 1/3 pots Goblin Green (now Warboss Green) Citadel paint
• Citadel PVA glue (for water-resistance, you can use Elmer’s glue if you don’t care)
• Games Workshop flock
• Testors Dullcote Varnish
• Painter’s tape
• X-acto knife
• Water based ink pen (that can wash off of a sealed miniature easily, I used a V5 ballpoint in red)

Here’s how I did it:

1. Measure the interior board part of the corkboard and cut a piece of the rolled cork to fit.
2. Spray the rolled cork with water on both sides and weigh it down with heavy books protected by plastic bags.  After a day, flip the cork over and do this again until the cork is flat.
3. Place all of the minis that you want to display on the cork, arranged the way you want them, and trace them with a water based ink pen (that can wash off if you accidentally get it on your minis).
4. Use an X-acto knife to CAREFULLY cut out the spaces where your minis will go.  Take breaks often, and do it on a table.  I did it on the floor and it tired out my arm from the weird angle that I was working at.
5. Coat the edge of the corkboard with painter’s tape.  Note: mine was a cheap corkboard and some of the finish came off.  If you want to do this, I suggest a corkboard with a METAL frame.
6. Use some scraps from the cork to hold some carpet tacks (I used 8, you can use however many you want)
7. Spray the corkboard and cork piece and tacks with primer.
8. Spray the corkboard with Dullcote varnish when it is dry.
9. Paint the corkboard and tacks.  (I used Goblin/Warboss green, you should use whatever matches your base.)
10. Mix 50/50 PVA glue and water, apply it to the board and tacks and apply the flock. (use whatever basing method matches your army, obviously)  Drybrush the flock if you need to, after it dries for several hours.
11. Varnish the cork and tacks.
12. Put the cork on the board and secure it with tacks.  Your display board is now complete!

Next: Assault Marines and a TOURNAMENT!  Stay tuned!