17 replies to this topic

[BradMan]

Anyone ever try their hand at either altering or creating new costumes for the 9" figure line? These figures were always my favorites, but obviously a bit more limited than the 4.5" line. I think I've got a general idea for a few customs, but I wanted to see if anyone had done any of this and had any sewing tips. I've found a few tutorials and other guides for Mego customs on the web, so I'm going from that.

If anyone has any advice, how-to, warnings or encouragement, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Wildcard]

I remember seeing a few customed 9" figures on ebay: mostly costume changes (i.e. put this uniform on another figure), but I do remember seeing a custom B'Elana that was passable for the Playmates line (I wasn't a fan of that size, and so never bought them).

[Artistix]

I'll try contacting the fellow who made this, just thought I'd see if any of you knew what was used as the head for this custom?

Is it one of those older dolls with no leg movement?


http://www.localline...own/index4.html

**

Secondly, I am still planning on making my custom Insurrection civillian Crusher figure.

I originally thought I would use the old Crusher figure (with new sculpted hair on head), but with the lower legs of the brown attire Seven of Nine (for accurate feet).

Someone said I would have better luck swapping the heads over as the legs are not meant to come apart. Has anyone tried to change lower legs on the 9"ers?

If I use Seven's body, Is it flesh coloured for the most part? or is everything below the outfit brown with flesh painted hands & neck?

Lastly, whatever the 9" figures hair is made out of...could it be re-coloured using dye or something? or would it be best to simply sculpt new hair?

Cheers.

[Gordo]

I've seen Quark heads show up on eBay from time to time. I believe they've been duped from the AMT 12" model kit of Quark, which would more or less fit a 9" body.

(AMT also did an Odo model, and I think I've also seen that head show up on eBay even though Playmates did a 9" Odo.)

[Tiberius]

Yes you can usually get the Quark/Odo heads from eBay fairly regularily. t\They are resin cast from the model, but you will likly have to paint them yourself. You are much better off to remove the head rather then any part of the legs (I did a 12" Spock to get one without the vulcan salute) I couldnt tell you if they painted the 7 body or not, do you have the silver to see what method they did for her, I know the 12" had underwear, as the cloth used was fairly see thru.

[Artistix]

Thanks for the info all.

I couldnt tell you if they painted the 7 body or not, do you have the silver to see what method they did for her, I know the 12" had underwear, as the cloth used was fairly see thru.

12" Seven has little undies? I can't imagine why I've never undressed her!
& now she's too far back in my display to get to!

Undressed 9" silver Seven. The body is all gray with silver boots & painted neck & hands. I can live with Beverly having those Borg things on her hand! I'll have to raise the neck line of the oufit to accomodate. I could just go without the heels & use Crusher's regular body...but I would like her to be as accurate as possible. Shame I can't simply switch the legs.





Looking at the Insurrection pick above, I realise Playmates did not manage a very good representation of Troi's jacket! Was this during the time people were saying Playmates started using cheaper fabrics?

I still need to get Picard & Worf from that 9" set. LOVE the Ad'Har Ru'Afo & Anij figures. Though would have been nice to see Bev. I was devestated the first time I saw this set!

[Gordo]

Was this during the time people were saying Playmates started using cheaper fabrics?

Hmmm...that would explain why, by the time they finally got around to doing 9" Chapel, her uniform was a really thin material that didn't match the rest of the crew's...

[Artistix]

Yes, I'm not sure if it was VF or FHC or someone, but a few months ago I was told about Playmates switch to cheaper fabrics in the later years of 9".

Apparently the captain's jacket Picard has an almost see through outfit!

[Wildcard]

^That wouldn't surprise me. Playmates was cutting waaay back on the production budget for their Trek line as was evident in the lesser POA in the last few Warp Factor series.

[MattP]

^That wouldn't surprise me. Playmates was cutting waaay back on the production budget for their Trek line as was evident in the lesser POA in the last few Warp Factor series.

Totally agree with that - Intendant Kira and Keiko O'Brien spring to mind there...

[Gordo]

Totally agree with that - Intendant Kira and Keiko O'Brien spring to mind there...

Intendant Kira was one of the few Playmates figures I never got -- mostly because she was too expensive, particularly considering her lame "perpetually running" pose!

[Artistix]

Intendant Kira was one of the few Playmates figures I never got -- mostly because she was too expensive, particularly considering her lame "perpetually running" pose!

It really was a terrible figure! & one I was soo looking forward to.

If you are going to pre-pose a figure, you'd think they'd pick a stance that suited the character...like Seven.

Also rather unfortunate, they gave the Intendant the T shaped boxy groin, unlike any other Trek women...so I could not swap her legs with Leeta!! A nice pair of legs really would have helped.

[Wildcard]

^You could break the torso and replace it around Leeta's hip joint. But I dont' know if the sizes would line up or not. I just recently got my Intendant Kira and I don't know if I'm going to leave her in package or not. The package is a C7 at best...maybe a C8- (Lol, if you can actually count such a thing) since it has a scratches on the plastic molding (ironically right over her breasts!! LOL)

[Chalksquared]

I remember looking forward to that figure so much and when I saw her at STTE in Las Vegas and I picked it up and thought, "What the *&$%?!?" and decided not to buy her. And then I saw the Keiko figure and wondered why she was dressed like a ninja and skipped on her as well. I think Seven and the Borg Queen were my last Playmates figures.

[Artistix]

Keiko was okay....much better than Intendant.

The wide positioning of the arms & legs was the main oddity with O'Brien....but atleast she wasn't squatting! And ofcourse those big unpainted gaps between the face & hair we used to have to put up with before seperate hair pieces became the norm.

Also, her head & body were taken from different references (as far as I can tell). Instead of giving Keiko the styled longer hair she had whilst actually wearing that outfit, they chose to use one of Chao's own studio shots for the head sculpt:

Outfit head


Head used (I gather...could very well be wrong)

[Wildcard]

^No, I think you're right for the reference pictures. I actually ended up doing a custom job on my Keiko. I needed her legs to use for an Ezri figure so I took the legs and torso from the Target Troi figure and swapped them out. Then I had an extra Lwaxana figure so I swapped the arms out. I still need to go back and repaint it all to match, but for now the gold in Lwanna's arms doesn't stick out too badly from Keiko's body. Of course since she's in storage I'll have to go diving through to get her and my other customs out so I can finally take some pictures (I have a digital camera now! YAY!)

[Artistix]

I'll have to go diving through to get her and my other customs out so I can finally take some pictures (I have a digital camera now! YAY!)

Sweet!

Can't wait to see them.

[Tom Hudspeth]

ACK! A naked Seven! Hope no one else sees that!