Inspired by Clive

Take one Schleich tractor driver with sticky out arms...



...and cut them off. The Schleich plastic is softer than LGB or Preiser, so this is fairly easy to do. I decided just simply to lower the right arm - a little bit of cutting and trimming was all that was needed. Then I got all adventurous and decided to replace his left arm with a spare part from some Preiser figures that I assembled earlier in the year. You'll notice that the surgery is nothing like as drastic as that done by Clive! Glue used was Evostick impact. I didn't think this had worked too well, but 24 hours later it seemed pretty solid.



However, I now had some quite large gaps to fill. My ancient tube of low tech toluene based Humbrol filler came to the rescue. Gaps filled and a dab of paint later...



I repainted the greensleeves (there's a tune in there somewhere...) and lightened his rather ruddy complexion. Not a particularly sophisticated makeover, but an easy enough one to do using basic hand tools (well, a knife) and a paintbrush. Paint is Humbrol enamel - can't get on with acrylics, detest the stuff! I'm always on the look out for additional seated figures as I try not to have too many duplicates. I quite like the Schleich figures, but the pose just wasn't "useful". Not sure whether he'll end up in a coach or on the station...

Sorry about the picture sizes... I cannot seem to link to anything bigger than a thumbnail on Picasa. Hopefully you get the idea, anyway!

Like it a lot, Bruce great stuff! I think I recognise that Preiser arm - I have the finished, painted figure in a box somewhere, and he is now sweating!

You see, I wasn't lying when I said it was easy, and you get a unique figure as a reward for not much effort!

Schleich figures, eh?.... duly noted, and thanks for sharing!

I'm not sure what scale Schleich figures are; as ever, you have to be a bit careful how you mix'n'match from different manufacturers. But there are three or four quite useful ones and given your prowess with the green stuff in particular some of the figures could take on a new lives. One big attraction is that they're much cheaper than most of the competition! I found the softer plastic tricky to glue, but patience helps...

Fair point about mix-n-match. From what I could see of the Schleich site, their figures seem to be panning out around the 1:20 scale.

As far as gluing is concerned, since I seem to be securing limbs, heads etc by drilling and pinning then filling the gap with Milliput, the receptiveness of the material to glue is not an issue.

Might be of interest to you though, Patrick, in your quest for a 1:19 driver?

http://www.schleich-s.de/cms_schleich/shop/index.php?partner=standard&lang=2&startnode=1&mod=det&wo=news&do=news&id=224&okat=94

Check out the blacksmith figure at 9cm tall, or the gamekeeper at 9.5cm. In 1:19 speak that would be 5ft 7ins and 5ft 11ins respectively - fairly in the ballpark, is it not?

Good point Clive, I will be in UK for a few days ( my baby will be 18 ) so I might get a chance to find some.

Here is a bit of a story...........

.... today I was looking at Nativity figures here in El Corte Ingles, picked up a sitting figure priced at €2.40 , looked about right size. On closer inspection it turned out to have a bare bottom and was sitting on a log ( polite phrase) now what has that got to do with a nativity scene ? I won't do a pic unless you beg me, look good in French street toilet tho' , who had one ?

I was gonna buy it for my mate Gary's line in UK, but my wife was most upset about it's suitability - she thought I meant for Carl, said I can't possibly buy it for ANYONE anyway, we had a few words and stomped of in opposite directions. I bought the figure out of bloodymindedness and went for a smoke.

A while later my darling wife reappeared with - 4 bottles Belgian trappist beer, 6 bottles of a nice Spanish beer AND a bottle of Spanish malt.

THAT's what I call a WONDERFUL WIFE.

Bare bottom figures are welcome here.

We take all sorts. No immigration problems. (sounds a bit like the UK...... )