Finding Figures...

Hi KD,

 

Not sure if the Homies are allowed in your town (many have laws specifically banning them! ).

 

But, some paint could help these guys come close to what you need. 

 

 

He looks better far away in a fire tower:

 

 

Then, there are the barber shop guys. Don't know if I'd trust them near my neck with a straight razor though:

 

Jim

Thanks, Jim.  But my layout has too many of the Arttista-type figures to turn back, now.  In other words, I'm not Homie-genized. 

 

I have the Lionel operating "Harry's Barbershop".  It's too big.  It's going on the auction block.  An associate (LHS) looked up Lionel parts to see whether the barber+customer figures were available;nope.

 

Ergo, we'll continue the harassment until the relief comes!

 

Today a customer suggested I keep an eye out for some of the plastic GI's...if they're size-appropriate.  He seemed to recall there was a 'binoculared' guy in the mix at one time.  Hmmmmm.....

 

To be continued...hopefully.

 

KD

 

 

The Homies understand.

 

Good luck with the hunt.

 

Jim

I have a Lionel Barber Shop with animated figures. Maybe you could find a broken one cheap.

On Ebay, I have seen a 1/48 figure with binoculars in a 'German Infantry' set under the Tamiya brand.  With proper painting, it might work.

A possibility I recommend, and that one generally is forced to take eventually is to make your own by "editing" figures: cutting and pasting arms and legs to re-position them (not always from the original figure) and re-painting to get just the pose you want.  The fact is that eventually you will not be able ti find just what you want, and sometimes it is just unacceptable to make do with what you have.

 

I started  this years ago and must have several dozen figures done this way.  It is not hard once you get the hang of it.  I generally buy figures by the dozen when on sale so I have lots to work with when I need them.  

 

The Tamiya military figures are great for this because they 1:48 and are molded of a plastic that is particularly easy to cement with plastic cement (compared to some of the Lionel and such that seem to defy most glues). A barber's smock would be easy to do - tissue paper cut and foled right would do nicely, I'd think.

 

Here are some examples:  Columbo was difficult to get to just the right pose with his hand on his forehead and his other as you see it here, as he looks down a bit while saying "There is just one thing that puzzles me, sir. . . "  But I was able to do with by carefully selecting arms (from other figures - had to find one with just the right shape) and gluing. The raincoat is tissue paper glued on and then painted. 

 

Both cops below had to have their arms 'edited' so they were holding the gun out and holding the shotgun, respectively.  Then repainted of course once the glue dried.

The two figures in the foreground are both heavily modified.  The trooper has a custom made hat and I had to move his right arm and paint him (he was not, originally, a cop) and give him his belt and gun, etc..  The lady in the trooper's face is the most modified figure I have made.  Her arm came from some other figure and a bristle from a brush is the finger she is pointing in the deputy's face up as she gives him a piece of her mind.  I made the curlers out of thick plastic broom bristle and the bathrobe is tissue and paint. 

KD

Good luck with the Binocular figure, that could also be used in a rail fanning scene. I'd buy it Arttista did one

 

Jim

Like the Homie approach and have a few spotted around the TMB club Layout

KD, there's a set of three Arttista figures on Ebay now, one of which is a standing man with a camera. with a little modification, I'm sure you would end up with him holding binoculars instead. I would think you could just buy the figure separately instead of having to buy all three on eBay.

jerrman

I remember seeing a figure with binocs somewhere, maybe Scenic Express or Preisner.

On old army guys I remeber there was a seated binocular soldier/helmet, standing helmet, standing US, Japanese, and German officers, and a US standing soldier just holding the binoculars down, and a pistol, or walkie-talkie up. (might have been a 60s "spy" figure too) 

With Arttista figures, because they are pewter, arms can be bent with needle-nose plyers as long as you go slow, and protect against paint scratching. For example, I changed the guy pushing a lawn mower into a guy holding a box of pizza. Another was a policeman from driving, to eating a donut.

Yeah, I 'figured' that's what I'd end up doing....if I wanted to have these projects out of the bucket and onto the layout.

 

Ergo, I started looking for a suitable victim.  Heh, heh, heh!  This is the dude I chose....

 

 ...from a bag of Plasticville folks.  Sorry, pal.

 

And after some non-Hollywood 'plastic' surgery (OUCH!), filing, CA, filling, paint...and some bent brass stock to create scissors (?) and a comb...we have Buster, the barber...

 

 

...who's giving a trim to the youngster, Billy.   BTW, Billy's of Railking lineage...a guy on the small side, but fits the barber chair (Keil Line, enhanced with more base), draped with an apron of painted tissue.

 

The outside view of Busters is...

 

....and it would seem the boys inside are not distracted by the passer-by.....and I'm not talking about poochie!!

 

Hey, except for the plastic mayhem, it wasn't too bad.

 

Now to consider a victim for the forest ranger!!!......Heh, heh, heh!

 

Thanks for the encouragement, Lee.

 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

 

KD

I stumbled across a very "fun" large scale modeler that inhabits the 4LargeScale forums.(& one of the few modelers I enjoy as much as Lee! ) His name is Chris Walas, and he makes many of his own....well everything, from scratch. Figures formed with wire, foil, and putty; "Sculpty". Though a larger scale, I think it could be used for O too. I think some here really might benefit from checking out his site pages wich do get additions every now and again(hover on his menu to navigate!). Including the Whimsical Trains. I know the name from the movie special effects industry, and wonder if its the same guy just having fun.

Great find! I'm going to have to try that. I can't decide whether it will be easier or harder in o-gauge.

Thanks!