Help for a Newbie Customizer

hello.

I am thinking about slowly getting into customizing . I was windering if anyone has somnesuggestions for some easy first try head-swap customs that you would recommend--i.e. something in the army builder vein

I was thinking of switching the POTJ imperial officer head with the Death Star Commando.... and maybe some rebel piolt head swaps (any you recommend?)

also... has anyone ever tried to switch the heads on vintage figures. specifically, i was thinking about swapping a death squad commander head with a vintage imp officer

thanks in advance!!

-Rash Flembar-


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I'm currently working on some custom 'background extras' Jedi from the Geonosian battle. I'm just swapping heads from some basic alien figures onto Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon figs from Ep 1 (Nien Numb, Greedo, etc...) With a new paint job to make the costumes look different, you have some easy custom Jedi cannon fodder. Not quite your normal army builder tip, but I hope this helps some.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Flembar
hello.


... has anyone ever tried to switch the heads on vintage figures. specifically, i was thinking about swapping a death squad commander head with a vintage imp officer

thanks in advance!!

-Rash Flembar-

:crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed: :crazed:

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I have switched heads on :


*New Endor troop head on Bespin guard body

*Bespin guard head on New Endor troop body

*Old Endor troop head on New Endor troop body

*New Endor troop head on Old Endor troop body



* Old Greedo head on Anakin Skywalker (Naboo) body = Youngling jedi

*Anakin Skywalker (Naboo) head on Obi-Wan Kenobi (Coruscant Chase) body = Early teens Anakin

and some others........

Also,
I have switched heads on vintage figures........just use the boil & pop method (vintage plastic takes longer to soften)you may need to trim some of the nubb to get the head back in (use some kind of stick to push the head back in)

I customized a Bossk, just painted everything that was yellow, painted royal blue. makes for a very cool figure tansformation.

Anybody else offer suggestions on head swapping? I havn't tried it yet, but am anxious to experiment without doing irreperal damage. Darth Vellner went and got himself banned, so no more advise from him.

Hello,
I am get into it to,I heard that it is easy to switch heads.I am working on a landspeeder.I will post a pic when I am done.


-Joey
AKA CloneTrooperMace

The first head swap I did was commtech stormtrooper with commtech luke. The one I'm most proud of though is Motti with ceremonial luke painted up like Capt. Antilles.

I hate to paint, but popping heads and changing hands is easy. The boil and pop works best. Once the heads are off trim JUST A LITTLE off the neck peg, boil it again, and use a small flat head screw driver to "push and twist" the head back on. If it still seems too tight, TRIM JUST A LITTLE MORE, and repeat. Once you've done it a few times you get a good feel for just how much really needs to come off the neck peg before it goes in. The big mistake is trimming too much right off the bat and ruining it. Which, depending on how detailed you are, isn't too bad, as you could just super glue the head in place.

Which is what I do with the hands. Most of the figures hands aren't moveable anyway, so a couple of quick cuts and you have decent hands in any position you want. I did this beautifully with a Saga Nikto Jedi and POTF Skiff Lando. Head swaps, and re-positioned the hands to hold the vibro blade across his chest. I am trying to find some way to get pics up, but I don't even have a computer at home, so it could be some time.

The Nikto Jedi's body got a head/hand swap with a beard-less Endoe trooper to make a pretty decent looking human jedi. Even though I said I HATE painting, I used a color close to the figure's sleeve color and just but a little around the figure's shirt so it looks like it matches better.

There were some others that I thought came out very nice. My Ketwal Jedi uses a Saga Plo Koon body because it can accomodate Ketwal's large neck. Djas Purr Jedi used a Tattooine Qui Gon for the body. E1 cloaked Obi-Wan and Saga Obi Wan head work well together. Mace Windu on the Bespin Guard body made a fine black Bespin guard. I've also used 21st Century toys 3 3/4 army figures for heads, but not all work well. The Germans make great imperials BUT I had to super glue the heads in place. Did a swap using a German head, ATST driver body and the ATST driver's helmet it the accessory pack, very nice.

I should hope to have pictures one day. My best pieces of advise is the BUY FIGURES CHEAP when you start out. If you screw it up at least it didn't cost too much.

Hey Indiana/Peter and everyone else....

thanks for the posts on customs

Ive already slowly begun doing some

I switched heads on a vintage Death Sq Commander and Imperial commander

as I was warned with vintage figures, the DSQ's mushroom post broke off even after extended boiling.... but the Imp Commander didnt have a post... instead his head is hollow and sticks onto a post built into the torso of the figure... anyway... drilling out the DSQ's head to accomodate the torso post worked GREAT and he looks terrific with a black uniform... I used toothpicks(!!) to stick the imp commander's head on the DSQ's body and got a vintage scanning technician (I guess)... anyway he looks good and the toothpicks cannot be seen.... all in all he worked out pretty darn well

switched Screaming Mad Mace Face head onto a Saga Rebel Endor Commando's body.... got a pretty good looking figure... kind of a berserker battle pose

working on a Jan Ors (from the video game Jedi Knight Jedi Outcast) and some other video game related figures... lickily there is a vintage toy store near me (Quake on North Lincoln in Chicago--anyone know it?) that sells used loose figures pretty cheap so I have access to custom fodder at a reasonable price

Ive always felt Hasbro needs to make more dark jedi (theyve only made four (really only 3 with lightsabers)--think about it) and so I have started making my own.... Sedris, Lumiya, a Reborn Warrior, and some of the 7 dark jedi from Dark Forces 2 are on their way... but they will require painting and Im saving that for last

Still.... Im very encouraged with my results so far... and hey, this lets me still "play" with my figures as an adult and retain a modicum of respect : )

ciao for now...

-Rash Flembar-


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