WIP From Russian Cossack to US Cavalry Officer

[S1LVERBACK]

Hello,

I did a small conversion on Dragons German Cossacks:

The US Cavalry Officer is almost finished, the other one converts into a Canadian Mountie (no pics of the Mountie yet.)
I'm breaking my head about how to tackle the rein problem.
Hope it's worth looking at though.

 

[Steve]

What an original idea!

 

[Marcel]

Very nice work Eric!

Cheers,
Marcel.

 

[chippy]

I bought this set to see what their were like because their so cheap, £8.00 for 2 mounted figures . They are outstanding little kits for the money but have never done anything with them . Your pictures show there's some good ideas to be had to make use of some nice little kits .
Well done on your convesions .
chippy

 

[S1LVERBACK]

Thanks for the comments guys. Very much appreciated.

You're absolutely right Chippy, the price/quality value on these kits are great.
Enjoy yours!

 

[Renéduret]

I like the branding...Eric.

The rocky vignet looks also good.
For the rein...instead of glueing, drilling a little hole in his hand and shaping this part this way?


good luck.
René

 

[S1LVERBACK]

Thanks for the input Rene, nice seeing a familiar face 'overseas' ;-)
I'm affraid I would not have a clue to what tool to use for drilling such small holes.
I'm the kind of guy who owns a hammer, 2 screwdrivers and a dull handsaw I'm afraid. Thats it

I've been looking for a small hole drilling device which does not aquire me to go out and buy a complete Dremel tool or some such. Ten bucks would be an OK price, but anything above that would make me frown. A bit irrational, I know. Especially concidering that I could really use it for drilling pinning holes in 1/35 figurines for painting aswell. Brass tax of it? I just hate spending a lot of money on a tool I would use relativaly infrequent.

The 'Vignette Stand' is a great tip I remembered from good old Mr. Verlinden.
I saw him use it in a Desert Rat vignette once.
Stating that 'you can't improve on mother nature' he used a piece of wooden 'decoration' bark as a rock. I thinks he's right, it works great and is very cheap!
These chunks of bark can be found at the local Tuinland/Gardening Shop or florist. They sell it to decorate large vases or floral pieces with. No painting required. Instant Western/ Indian vignette bases, and very cool stuff for making rocks and mountain sections.

 

[Renéduret]

I also hope more and more people get familiar with the goodies gardenstores or aquarium/ fishstores provide. With a little brush those wooden stuff looks like rock.

Especially when working on smaller scales a little drill, engined manualy and just held by anything that's given can give a lot of profit ( no white resin mist).
They are sold seperately and might break.

Ok, my fellow blew blooded, country and Western lovin' very nearby neighbour...

my handmade tools:

right beneath the third drill a little, very small one can be seen.
If this were put into a dremel it would snap anyway.

A dremel can be handy though. Sometimes I put a needle in it and sharpen it more for sculpting purpose.
The rein is important in this one and allows extra drama.

I suggest drilling a small hole and try flattened copperwire by a pair of tongs, the extending parts can be kept rounded.

groetjes,

René

 

[S1LVERBACK]

The drills I bought a few years ago (and seem to have misplaces) are about the same size of drill's but won't fit my scalpel 'holders' but I see what you mean.
Even if it would, Im not sure it doesn't make the hole to big (inspite of the small boresize). I'll run into a good drill eventually I hope.

Think you're right about the reins and how to attach them to the hand (hole in hand with reins running through). I like using leadfoil from (unused) oincment tubes (not even sure thats English) as can be seen on the horse of this converted Airfix 8th Army Desert Rat converted Cowpoke I've got under construction aswell. Just asking at the local pharmaceutic usualy gets you a few for free. It makes great gunbelts also.

One thing's for sure though:
Like you said, the reins on the Cavalry Officers horse can't go without reins. It will indeed hold drama in the movement and connection between horse and rider.

 

[Renéduret]

I just wondered what might happen when you'd start converting horses...

Like he wants one to drink from a creeck or jumping ...

hm..hard.

also try to imagine what a bit of extra shading on the groundpart would do to the horses' interaction.

 

[pipetrepid]

eric, nice job! bill

 

[S1LVERBACK]

Thanks Bill, glad you like it!

Rene, I just bought a collection of some 20-30 horses and a series of very beautifull EMI and Andrea Miniatures 'Indian Wars' and 'Wild West' figures and Dragon's Civil War Union Troopers from a TWENOT member which I'm very happy with. It also includes a white metal 'wooden' horse drawn wagon. I've got enough work to last me a lifetime. I'll never say never but wont go into horse conversion just to stay 'sane'.Think I'll have more than enough skill upgrading to do in the figure painting section now my order of Vallejo Acrylic paint sets are ordered. I wish I could say I have your 'pace' of workspeed but am usualy very slow and very easily distracted.

Now I feel kinda like a kid who gets to many new toys all at once which causes him to feel lost for choosing which toy to play with (and FINISH!) first...Talk about a luxury problem!

 

[gordy]

Nice conversion Eric