My 1:6 Horse Project

[Gruff Old Bear]

A few of these pictures were posted in the Military thread and in the middle of a thread about cancellng $924.93 worth of stuff to buy Jabba. I decided to re-start this in the more appropriate place.

I'm converting some Marx Thunderbolt horses to suitable mounts for the upcoming LOTR figures. I bought a few of these cheap on eBay. I'm working on the first one now, usually just a few minutes a day.

First, I split the horse along the seams with some help from Golden West Super Solvent from my hobby store, which is made to loosen CA cement. Whatever glue Marx used, it came apart after a few minutes. Next I filled the horse with Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty to give it heft. I didn't want to balance a figure on top of something that slides around easily.

The Durham's filling is concave with about 1/2" of space in the center, because I'm going to attach the two halves using Gorilla Glue, which expands.

I'm also placing a series of spheres of Magic Sculpt in key contact points. MS is a two-part epoxy and it bonds at a molecular level. The gorilla glue will fill any gaps left over. I'll be using Magic Sculpt on the exterior of the horse. It cures in the air without baking.

I've anchored a screw where the horse's tail had broken and been repaired with airplane glue. The screw will serve as a post when I reattach the tail using Magic Sculpt.

Next step will be to conceal the seams.

 

[Gruff Old Bear]

My 1:6 Horse Project: Seams

I've used a dremel to cut a groove along the seams, and while I was at it I hollowed out the ears with the dremel as well. Now I mix up a small bead of Magic Sculpt, and blend away the seams on the body. I use a small drop of water to smooth the finish after working it with my fingers. Too much water will make it crack, so unless I'm going for a smooth finish I don't apply any water. I leave it for a day, then sand by hand. Later I'll have to pay special attention to the legs, which have mold seams, and the interior of the mouth. While I'm at the seams underneath, I make change this filly into a gelding. I'll have to try to catch that in a photo another day.

There is one huge seam that can't be filled this way: along the mane. The mane is too puny anyway, and I want to enhance it. For this horse, I'm going to sculpt the mane. Maybe next time I'll try cutting a trench and glueing mohair after it's painted.

I'm doing this backwards. Ordinarily you start from the bottom and work up, and that's how I'll be doing the tail. But I'm adding so much mane, I think it won't matter here.

I roll the MS into dreadlocks, model the basic shape, and then score the hair using one of my TWO sculpting tools. Yes, I am brand new to sculpting.

I use the long edge of the tool to cut a clean line on the mane.

Next: giving the horse a stud-sized tail.

 

[creecher]

Looking good Gruff.

Can you tell us about the legs please. Are they hollow? I would have thought it may be better to just fill the lower half of the horse to give it a lower centre of gravity. Filling it up may give it a top heaviness. Just a thought.

As I am posting this I see you have it completely together. I reckon all I need to know is how it stands to tell me what I need to know.

Also, are there any markings on the horse to tell that it is a Marx horse?

 

[carbo-fation]

Looks good man! Keep us posted!

 

[Migwit]

Very nice! Keep posting these 'in progress' pics!!

 

[Murderofcrows71]

excellent job, I'm glad to see others posting their how to's on here as well. The sculpting looks great I can't tell from the pics if you did or not but try using a cotton swab dipped in water to get rid of the rough edges sculpted in the Magic Sculpt, it works great.

 

[stickman]

Hey Gruff, it looks like it's coming together very well. I can't wait to see future photos. Keep us posted.

 

[Buffanatic]

Hi Gruff! I've been with you from the first (post in military thread) and I really REALLY appreciate what you're doing. The mane sculpt looks terriffic!
I'll be waiting for the next installment! Just one thing.....Creecher and I must be tuned in on the same wavelength, because I was also wondering if the horse might have a "tipsy" problem without weight in the legs. Hope it works out ok! Good luck and keep your creative diary coming. Thanks!

 

[figuremaster_les]

Sorry for the late entry Gruff!

This looks GREAT!
What a project!

Can you make more? LOL! I want one for my Robert E. Lee and my custom Napoleon and...well....can't blame a guy!

Great work! Glad I saw it.

 

[Gruff Old Bear]

Thanks all for the great support, guys! It encourages me to press on. Murderofcrows...where's that smiley for slapping myself? A wet q-tip! Of course! I may have to re-do the mane when I see how the tail comes out.

I've built the substructure for the extended tail which, truth be told, is still short for a horse. I had a recent opportunity to spend some time with a couple of horses. Their tails almost touch the ground, and I think the only time they lift their tails at the base like these Marx horses do is when they're about to...you know, unload. I think Marx made these horses' tails to look like girls' ponytails, not real horses.

But these shots may also tell you what you've been wondering about balance: the rear legs are splayed a bit wider than the front, creating a four-legged tripod. Highly unlikely to tip. The only problem was that if the rider was a couple of pounds and the horse only six ounces, it would tend to scoot...

Here's the beginnings of the tail. It's as long as I thought I could stretch it without adding wire armature:

Here's the answer about the Marx mark. I'm afraid it's so prominent I'm covering it:

I've done a bit of dry sanding to smooth the seams and will be doing a lot of wet sanding with emery paper before I'm done. I have a feeling I should have investigated Squadron Modeling Putty to cover the seams. Any advice on covering seams, murderofcrows? Les?

 

[creecher]

Thanks for addressing my concerns Gruff.

I have a horse of the same colour, fetlocks included. Mine doesnt have the mark that I can see the one you have, in the background, has. I guess horses look fairly similar. Have wanted to get more, but don't know who made it. Mine has the right front leg raised and rooted hair, so I don't have the unload problem, and its tail reaches down to an inch off the ground. Only decent horse I have, picked it up at a flea market for $2. Love it when that happens.

 

[Gruff Old Bear]

Back again, and it's on to sculpting the tail. I've also done some more seam smoothing work using Squadron's Green Modeling Putty. Works great, but it's deadly stinky stuff. Inhaling the fumes will cause liver and kidney damage. Ain't modeling fun? I went outdoors to use it and let it dry outside.

I'm hoping the tail will look like ol' Brego here is using it to slap flies. It's in mid-snap.

It's a lot bigger than the original, but then it's built on top of it. Since I don't want any two of my horses to look exactly the same, I think next time I'll cut the Marx tail away, embed a few strands of heavy wire in the filling of the body cavity, and model a tail that's really swatting flies.

Next up for this guy is some sanding on the legs, some attention to the hooves, and some mouth details. Then it'll be time to spray primer and find out how all this seam work has turned out.

It's not too soon to start thinking about the next horse:

There's Magic Sculpt on the bottom side of that neck, locking it into position. Gonna be sculpting a lot of neck muscles for horse #2, which will be Legolas' white mount.

I just got the Marx pony on eBay for $5. Gotta think ahead to Bill for Sam Gamgee. The Marx pony has a cropped mane. He won't for long.

 

[Dr_Zaius]

I had one of the Horses painted to match General Urko's horse from the Planet of the Apes TV series. Here is a pic of the result

 

[carbo-fation]

I had one of the Horses painted to match General Urko's horse from the Planet of the Apes TV series. Here is a pic of the result

That looks awesome Zaius! How long did it take you to remodel it?

 

[Dr_Zaius]

That looks awesome Zaius! How long did it take you to remodel it?

Well, I can't take the credit. I met a fellow off of Ebay who did custom work on the Johnny West Horses. I showed him a pic of Urko's horse and asked him if he could paint me a horse to look like him. And he did. He did do a very nice job!!

 

[Ironman1188]

It looks great DZ, but, ..... HEY!!!! Thats not Urko on that horse!!!

 

[Dr_Zaius]

It looks great DZ, but, ..... HEY!!!! Thats not Urko on that horse!!!

I know!! But as soon as I get a refund for that bad Ebay sale I was involved in, I look for an Urko (Thanks to your custom heads) to soon ride the mighty horse that was made for an official SS release that we may never see. Did you ever sale yours on ebay that you had up for grabs once?

 

[Ironman1188]

<sigh> not yet.....

 

[Dr_Zaius]

<sigh> not yet.....

Let me know if you run him again. I will send the ebay link to a friend of mine who may bid on him.

 

[Ironman1188]

ok, thank you.