Hey folks!
I've been looking for nice and articulated scale figurines to buy, but they're either too expensive to be a reasonable choice (especially with shipping across the globe) or the quality is low-ish... or both these factors combined.
After dissecting a few 7-15$ wrestler figurines I came to the conclusion that in the end the only parts that are usable are heads and maybe palms of hands.
Then I found a few printable stl files of heads and hands and made the entire figurines myself. The problem is - they need to be printed on SLA printers, as FDMs lack the resolution and it requires a lot of time and effort and skill to get a good finish - I don't have patience for it.
So here are a few of the figurines I mad.
The idea is very simple - cut torso, butt and upper parts of legs from some dense foam - no need to be too precise, just get the general shape. Sometimes the proportions have to be a bitt off as not all scale interiors of the models have the right size, so some dwarfism takes place here and there.
I usually make arms from some rope, M4-M5 nut for elbow and cocktail straws for straight parts, then just glue the palms to one end and the arm to the torso. The result is a very easy articulating hands that create no resistance on the moving steering wheel.
As legs and feet are not too visible in most models, I either use some spare feet from figurines organ donors, or also cut them from the foam. For the legs themselves I also use some rope and cocktail straws.
This guy has an SLA printed head.
The problem for me is to make a custom stitched clothes - but as on the trail they don't seem to be too visible, I make do with what I can.
I've found a way to make the head turn and not fall off - I bore a hole from the bottom of the neck, put a 9g servo in the torso, and screw a C part made from ball end plastic part - usually from some old link ends I don't need or broken, stripped thread, etc. Then I fill the cavity in the neck/head with hot glue and press the servo moving part into it.
Here these 2 guys have DIY bodies, one has the Tamiya driver head, the other has a head from some wrestler figurine. Both have their heads moving, and the steering wheel also turns.
And finally - I've found a good and cheap source for very high detail heads. Found these on aliexpress, they come either as statues or key chains. There are like a dozen different personas - different heads. The size is just right for 1/10 (1/8-1/9) rigs. And they cost under 2$ each. Haven't used them yet though.
Please feel free to comment and share your DIY figurines and techniques of making them.
I've been looking for nice and articulated scale figurines to buy, but they're either too expensive to be a reasonable choice (especially with shipping across the globe) or the quality is low-ish... or both these factors combined.
After dissecting a few 7-15$ wrestler figurines I came to the conclusion that in the end the only parts that are usable are heads and maybe palms of hands.
Then I found a few printable stl files of heads and hands and made the entire figurines myself. The problem is - they need to be printed on SLA printers, as FDMs lack the resolution and it requires a lot of time and effort and skill to get a good finish - I don't have patience for it.
So here are a few of the figurines I mad.
The idea is very simple - cut torso, butt and upper parts of legs from some dense foam - no need to be too precise, just get the general shape. Sometimes the proportions have to be a bitt off as not all scale interiors of the models have the right size, so some dwarfism takes place here and there.
I usually make arms from some rope, M4-M5 nut for elbow and cocktail straws for straight parts, then just glue the palms to one end and the arm to the torso. The result is a very easy articulating hands that create no resistance on the moving steering wheel.
As legs and feet are not too visible in most models, I either use some spare feet from figurines organ donors, or also cut them from the foam. For the legs themselves I also use some rope and cocktail straws.
This guy has an SLA printed head.
The problem for me is to make a custom stitched clothes - but as on the trail they don't seem to be too visible, I make do with what I can.
I've found a way to make the head turn and not fall off - I bore a hole from the bottom of the neck, put a 9g servo in the torso, and screw a C part made from ball end plastic part - usually from some old link ends I don't need or broken, stripped thread, etc. Then I fill the cavity in the neck/head with hot glue and press the servo moving part into it.
Here these 2 guys have DIY bodies, one has the Tamiya driver head, the other has a head from some wrestler figurine. Both have their heads moving, and the steering wheel also turns.
And finally - I've found a good and cheap source for very high detail heads. Found these on aliexpress, they come either as statues or key chains. There are like a dozen different personas - different heads. The size is just right for 1/10 (1/8-1/9) rigs. And they cost under 2$ each. Haven't used them yet though.
Please feel free to comment and share your DIY figurines and techniques of making them.
