Greg Liska’s Scrap Pile Conversions, we are back with some more great conversions from our very good friend Greg Liska. Greg had done this email for Bob, but wanted to share with your our loyal readers.
Greg Liska’s Scrap Pile Conversions
I wanted to show you what I pulled out for myself out of the scrap pile I bought from you Bob. Some other pieces have been used to fix other figures, but these guys are direct ‘saves’. I decided to not add the sloush back onto the ram rod from the wagon train set. This allows me to use him for other things. I’m thinking he’s attaching the rod to change the angle on the trail of a cannon, for example. Anyhow, this takes me very little time to do these repairs. I did these and about 8 others in a period of 8 hours, most of which was waiting for glue or paint to dry. In between, my son and I ‘battled’ away.
On this figure Crescent 60mm knight Greg put a large sword on the figure.
The next three photos of Greg Liska’s Scrap Pile Conversions show the changes that Greg did with two Timmee and One Rel Figures. As Greg mentioned he took the sloush off of the Timmee pioneer kneeling so he could use it for various scenarios. The middle figure is the Timmee pioneer walking with bucket. The figure has a new bucket and has painted it gray. The third figure is a mounted Rel cowboy where he took off the bottom of the figure replaced it Lido legs and added a sword and pistol.
Confederate Cowboys
Greg Liska’s Scrap Pile Conversions we also have some conversions of cowboys that he changed into cowboys. Greg had this to say about these figures .
These guys had been in my conversion pile for years. I don’t know what moved me to make them into cavalrymen, but the deed is done.
Update
Greg Liska wrote in to clarify and correct some information in the article.
A couple of things. The ‘sloush’ (not slosh) and rod were missing and I did add a pistol and cartridge box to that figure. The fact that Paul didn’t notice it means it looks natural. The figure with the bucket was pretty cracked up. That’s not the original bucket, it was in the scrap pile and I made it fit. The handle is wire drill in through his hand and into the bucket. His left leg is repaired and he needed to be heat treated to stand. He also got a pistol and cartridge box. The Rel rider had his legs broken off and his entire bottom is from a Lido figure I’d cut up for another project. I added a pistol and sword to him.
I guess I should point out the MPC pirate has TWO legs and NO parrot. I like him better that way.
There was loads done to the Marx Cowboys. The former lasso figures were just ‘there’ and I used them up. The former miners look pretty convincing to me.
A couple of things. The ‘sloush’ (not slosh) and rod were missing and I did add a pistol and cartridge box to that figure. The fact that Paul didn’t notice it means it looks natural. The figure with the bucket was pretty cracked up. That’s not the original bucket, it was in the scrap pile and I made it fit. The handle is wire drill in through his hand and into the bucket. His left leg is repaired and he needed to be heat treated to stand. He also got a pistol and cartridge box. The Rel rider had his legs broken off and his entire bottom is from a Lido figure I’d cut up for another project. I added a pistol and sword to him.
I guess I should point out the MPC pirate has TWO legs and NO parrot. I like him better that way.
There was loads done to the Marx Cowboys. The former lasso figures were just ‘there’ and I used them up. The former miners look pretty convincing to me.
Additionally: The Rel mounted figure has his original hat. The top half of him was OK. There almost was NO bottom half of him. He’s 45% Lido now.
Nice job.
I like more the pirate(best) and Ideal ARW figure conversion.
Keep the great job at Greg’s factory!!!
Thank you, buddy. The 54mm Marx cowboys were a tough sell. I’m not too sure I’m convinced with the lasso figures. I won’t get rid of them because I need them. This will make my 54mm cav count about 2 to 1 with the Federals outnumbering the Rebs. If my ‘distinctive commander’ (perhaps General Salad) is anything like John S. Mosby, it’ll just mean the Feds will need less reinforcements.
Aren’t two of them the lasso guy? He’s not in military garb, but he looks okay to me. I would say he’s serviceable. Good job.
Thanks, Ed. 3 of the 4 mounted are the lasso guy. I moved one of the firgures’ arms back to take the sword. All 3 of them needed their chaps cut off. Blending that wasn’t too tough, just time consuming. All got military headgear. All got swords, pistols and cartridge boxes added. My only issue is the shirt. Looks too much like rodeo wear, but I guess they were being made in that style in the Western part of the US then. I think a diagonal strap across the body would help. Just thinking.
Nice !, Ideal should have made their pirates with bases !
Mark – That is exactly the next step I’m taking with those guys. I have spare bases by the millions and I need to fix these guys so they will stop falling over if I glance too hard at them.
I will think the did pirates w out base x been as ship crew and able to climb on sailing mast as advertise show.
A good idea MARX did not in either scale.
Tim mee also made the first w out base too but not ship of course.
Marx 58/60 mm x unpainted and WOW sets have in some poses the wood base from obvious ship that made then looks odd if place in other surface,wile other poses are in soil or sand that do reverse and would look bad in a ship,unless sunck.
So been w out base x any sailors,navy figure is more multipurpose in my opinion.
That is why most sailors in navy from marx and others had been done with out bases in some edition productions as well.
Pop over to the Hobby Bunker’s Old Plastic page and take the Converters Challenge.
Airfix Cowboy copies and Marx 45 mm recast Fort Dearborne Troops.
Cut them all in half and make new figures.
The bodies are almost perfect matches for each other in terms of girth at the waist.
Years ago, there were cello bags of Airfix Cowboy and Indian copies that came without
any identification or header cards. The figures were molded in the same colors as the Airfix originals and came with all the poses. The mounted figures came with cloned horses and saddles. The only difference was the scale, 45 mm versus 54 mm
These were sold all over Penn flea markets and I still have a bunch.
I’ll take a quick pic later to see if anyone else remembers them.
Just came back for the Market and got skunked. Not a single piece!
Sometimes it be’s that way!
I remember them very well. At that time I don’t even think I owned any ACW guys.
I’m unaware of this Converter Challenge, but I must admit, with my time being limited, I mostly just do stuff I want for my uses. All of my projects were to fill a perceived need.
Weren’t the Ideal pirates made before Timmee? The Ideal pirates did not have bases and I think they were made before 1960 or close.
The Ideal pirates were done without bases. Plastic that was used react to the hard plastic of the ship and if they are left too long on the ship leave footprints. The ship and figures are from the 1950’s.
Well, that’s why you have to put your toys after play time is done.
In addition a few of the Timmee pirates did have bases, I can think of three off hand.
Tim mee pirates w bases are those poses w dificult to stand as they have so funny drunk poses.Most were not.I has seen tim mee pirates copies made in italy by company ISAS with bases and incredible they sold a set of 6 poses with a one mast sailing medium boat.
I appreciate the non bases poses when are figures as sailors or armor crew ,made at lot sence.
Same for claiming ladder poses too should be done as well.Otherwise we have to cut the not logic bases.
Ed.
The first set were all with out,I have a full rare set of it and observe them notice not cut or else at all-I red long ago about them been done as first issues too.
I said made first relating to first shots of TM first production.
I do not know who did first what ,if TM or Ideal pirates, not important in my thoughts ,just making a logic point out of why were most possible done with out base in first place in my opinion.
Yes three TM poses were made with bases and 7 with out bases. Incredible one with out base have wood legs but because cane or odd poses manage to stand very well as the Indians and robin hood with out base did too in their dancing drunk poses I call it.
The artist who design these figure had a very good knowledge of balance point and anatomy.
Tim Mee made in Germany reproduce most original poses Tim Mee main sets with few unique poses add on never done in the US , among then the pirates ,again done most with out base including the new poses very well thought that German made out/base off- Sailor/Navy Helmsman Tim Mee pose with wheel on hand converted to a pirate and not base.(Tim Me Germans figures were done in most cases in 54 and 65/70 mm as well painted and not painted and in hard or soft plastic as far I had seen them.
The Tim Mee German made the 11 poses pirate set with more wood legs figure POSES IN SINGLE SET I ever know off by the way. Interesting fact I think!!
Tim Mee pirate pose with crossing arms and pistol resemble a lot Marx #13 POSES CAPTAIN reissue later along .Wonder who copied who?As MARX 54 mm specific pose should had be done in 1962 the earliest.
TM mounted 70 mm knights are same as foot poses just with out base. An easy way to save in art work.
Best…
Some of the Timmee knights have bases too, the guy with the axe, the guy with the club, and the guy with the lance an odd choice for a foot guy. I think the Ideal pirates came out before the Timmee pirates. I bought my first Ideal pirate for a nickel, the kid that owned him was going to set fire to him and I rescued him for a nickel. I think I was 9 or 10 at the time, don’t remember if it was before or after I threw him through a basement window, he didn’t get a scratch I was amazingly lucky in that incident. I did have to pay for the window though.
Yes Ed the same 6 Knights poses Tim mee poses riders(mounted ) are the same ones made as foot with just a base added. I mentioned just before.
Like I said I do not know who come first, if the chicken or the egg. I know Tim mee pirates are from the 50’s too .But when I said first(was indicating the first released poses sets) not they came before to IDEAL or not.
Funny is Tim mee navy have more poses in bases ,but again few odd sets come with out,then they did AIR forces figures in many poses with out base.
Wile IDEAL air force were done in many with out base. Same in MARX 60 mm Sailors/navy that were done with or with out, Depending in year set.
Early MARX 60 MM Pioneers(I think used in Stockade playset!?) were done with out base in hard rubber first , later vinyl with add on bases and revised poses come after in second mold.
Here the scaling ladder or climbing pose with out base is great wile once adding base made not sense ;but in case of revised poses shooting pistol was nicer than early and was done with or partial base in vinyl too
I think most 60 mm Indian x that sets were done same way ,early with out base, later with add on base. So two molds at least done of it.
I hate when kids destroyed toys, I saw that as a child and got me very angry.
But I did not have much nickel or money I was poor as child a lot, most my toys were from my Dad and Priests who brought me a lot(tons) from Spain /East Germany and others. Later I was able to swap and buy some and got some for free from ex kids did not want after I grow up and was in to “flesh dolls” collection…
Yes, there were at least two molds, the 60mm pioneers must have had two molds for some of the poses and three for two of the poses. The 60mm vinyl pose, the guy is firing what resembles a revolver, they then re-did him with a partial base and finally with a full base, he was sculpted better and they substituted a flintlock pistol, the same was done with the guy running with rifle and powder horn first a crummy sculpted pose with no base, then a partial base and finally a full base and they improve the sculpt too. The pioneers with the partial base were still done in the vinyl, the third version they did in soft plastic. I do have a 2nd edition guy firing flintlock with a partial base in soft plastic. A lot of the vinyl guys were very hard to get to stand up.
I’m thinking clear plastic bases, just big enough to help them stand.
I found some thin plastic sheeting over in the craft section at Walmart that I use for stands – either figures that don’t have them or for figures whose stands are too narrow. It’s kind of opaque and with the right glue sticks to the figures and paints up well. Not expensive either and I can get a bunch of stands out of a single sheet.
That’s the stuff I was thinking of. It’s usually used for making windows, but there’s no laws against using it for bases. I want them just big enough to get the figures to reliably stand, but the bases will also hardly be visible if I put a figure in the rigging. They’ll still fit and stand in the many crow’s nests on my ships, too.