Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on May 3, 2015 22:32:51 GMT -5
I have the White Willow but don't think her face looks anything like Willow. She looks like Amy and her hair is all wrong. Is it possible to remove her head without breaking her? I'm thinking about changing her head but can't seem to remove her current head. Anyone have suggestions?  |
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Post by elee0031 on May 4, 2015 3:54:34 GMT -5
drop figure in boiling hot water for a few min and it shold loosen the joint and you van pull the head off.
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on May 4, 2015 12:09:51 GMT -5
Thank you for the instruction. I have questions. Do I put only the head/neck area into boiling water? What do you mean by joint? Do you have any photos of what the unbroken neck looks like? I'm so worried I'll break the neck. Also, will the figure distort? Will boiling water remove the paint? I can't believe I'm afraid to take the head off this figure. How do you'all get past this feeling.
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Post by smiler on May 4, 2015 12:55:00 GMT -5
You have to destroy to create! Once you've taken a figure apart for the first time it will get easier. Elee's right, boil the whole figure in a pan on the stove or hot water from the kettle, carefully remove with tongs and pull apart.
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Post by Willow'sTheNewBlack™ on May 4, 2015 14:40:03 GMT -5
If your going to make a complete different figure there's no worries if you break it as it's the neck joint and a head will cover it
Boil it like elee said for 5 minutes it shouldn't break it should be nice and bendy
What I like to do is chuck both piece back into the water incase I disturbed anything else so it goes back to the natuaral form
dont worry back in 2011 I was to scared to pull the head of too but once you do It you will never worry again
if you you need to talk to someone about worries pm me
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Post by elee0031 on May 4, 2015 15:27:40 GMT -5
Thank you for the instruction. I have questions. Do I put only the head/neck area into boiling water? What do you mean by joint? Do you have any photos of what the unbroken neck looks like? I'm so worried I'll break the neck. Also, will the figure distort? Will boiling water remove the paint? I can't believe I'm afraid to take the head off this figure. How do you'all get past this feeling. i get what your saying - i feel uneasy baking a figure too. boiling water and put the whole figure in, every figure has joints. think of popping a head off barbie, same concept only smaller size. paint is sealed from factory so it doesnt hurt the original paint job.  |
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Post by elee0031 on May 4, 2015 17:39:27 GMT -5
You have to destroy to create! Once you've taken a figure apart for the first time it will get easier. Elee's right, boil the whole figure in a pan on the stove or hot water from the kettle, carefully remove with tongs and pull apart. I'd advise NOT using sharp tongs, especially metal tongs as I tried one time before and it made a slight cut on the figure. Lucky me I think it was on the arm or leg so it went unnoticeable. You get better grip with your hands anyway when pulling certain parts off. Also each action figure is different from the next so sometimes some joints are easy to work with others will take awhile. My first time customizing I started out small with a few simple repaints here and there and then progressed into sculpting. I have to say it helps reading what others have suggested in the customizing section before you start, so you have an idea of the tools necessary to start. I love to share a lot of great tips and offer constructive critiques. Don't be afraid to ask questions or post work in progress photos, there are a lot of talented people here on the forum. Best of luck and a warm welcome to the forum! |
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Post by smiler on May 5, 2015 1:57:00 GMT -5
You have to destroy to create! Once you've taken a figure apart for the first time it will get easier. Elee's right, boil the whole figure in a pan on the stove or hot water from the kettle, carefully remove with tongs and pull apart. I'd advise NOT using sharp tongs, especially metal tongs as I tried one time before and it made a slight cut on the figure. Lucky me I think it was on the arm or leg so it went unnoticeable. You get better grip with your hands anyway when pulling certain parts off. Also each action figure is different from the next so sometimes some joints are easy to work with others will take awhile. My first time customizing I started out small with a few simple repaints here and there and then progressed into sculpting. I have to say it helps reading what others have suggested in the customizing section before you start, so you have an idea of the tools necessary to start. I love to share a lot of great tips and offer constructive critiques. Don't be afraid to ask questions or post work in progress photos, there are a lot of talented people here on the forum. Best of luck and a warm welcome to the forum! Tongs for removing figure from boiling water, not to pull apart figure! |
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on May 6, 2015 10:25:48 GMT -5
Thank you all. I'll be boiling water this weekend. Fingers-crossed. I'll let you know how it turns out.
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Post by elee0031 on May 6, 2015 12:00:05 GMT -5
what head were you planning to replace it with? depending on your choice i think if you plan on using a dlx willow head you will run into joint issues when you try to reconnect.
the other willow heads were the same sculpt with the exception of season 5. now with that head i think you have to cut the hair off as i dont think it pulls off. its like part of the original sculpt.
before proceeding do a quick search to see what others have done and what they used to make the priject flow more easily. also if you plan on sculpting the 2 main ones are super sculpey (bake - no time constraint) and i use magic sculpt off of ebay (air dry - time constraint, will harden over night).
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on May 6, 2015 15:05:54 GMT -5
I have: DST Chosen Willow DST White Willow, international MAC Willow I've been trying to read the custom area of the forum, in depth, and searching specifically for Willow custom recipes. There are really excellent custom Willows on the forum. I want to get the head off successfully first. I'll start picking up supplies for the custom work once I decide which direction I select. I'm trying to gage how capable I'll be before I spend more money, considering I wasn't able to remove her head in the first place. elee0031 I found your post about receiving your Chosen figures. Your Willow looks great. s1285.photobucket.com/user/elee852/media/SANY1568_zps87422011.jpg.htmlDid you decide to re-paint Willow's hair or did you change her head? I have a basic set of flat enamel hobby paint too. I'm considering that too. I'm also considering buying a Transforming Willow for re-paint. |
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Post by elee0031 on May 6, 2015 15:31:59 GMT -5
this willow is a simple repaint. i recolored her hair, face and lip.
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on May 28, 2015 15:21:39 GMT -5
I forgot to let you all know how this worked out. I boiled the figure for 5 minutes and pulled her head off easily. It was so easy, I grabbed a handful of figures that need minor customization, boiled them and pulled them apart too. I now have a pile of body parts. The one thing that stumped me was working with Chosen Buffy. The figure doesn't have a waist. How do I get rid of the hip/butt portion? What tools will cut through this plastic? It's a shame the toys aren't more physically compatible.
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Post by elee0031 on May 28, 2015 21:15:36 GMT -5
The best item to buy is a dremmel with multiple end tips for sanding, cutting or drilling.
on parts, sometimes they wont mesh so you have to use sculpey to make them connect back. sometimes if you stay within the same line and series you can do a simple head swap. otherwise, like smiler said you got to destroy to create.
its always best to plan the figure out and see whats out there for parts. i normally try to use the original line of figures to get the best likeness, but sometimes you have to find something close to.
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on May 28, 2015 21:37:11 GMT -5
I have a dremel but have never used it...so another new experience for me.
I really enjoyed pulling the figures apart. I hope this next step (dremel) is as enjoyable. I might really enjoy this as a hobby.
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Post by elee0031 on May 29, 2015 4:45:16 GMT -5
in regards to chosen buffy you can remove the head arms and legs. the lower torso i believe was a connecting piece to the body. most people would use the head and use other various parts from other lines to finish out the pose they want to achieve.
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on Jul 14, 2015 0:22:13 GMT -5
I've decided to customize the Chosen figures. My very first custom figure is complete;   Recipe: White Willow body Chosen Willow head Next custom: Chosen Faith, hands in pockets |
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Post by elee0031 on Jul 14, 2015 5:26:48 GMT -5
did you have to alter her hair alot? probably the most difficult i would say is removing the dlx neck joint.
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Sineya
Victim
The First Slayer
Posts: 54
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Post by Sineya on Jul 14, 2015 11:17:42 GMT -5
I didn't alter her dlx head or hair at all. I boiled the 2 figures and pulled off both heads. I carved the neck of White Willow, to fit the dlx head, with my dremel. I drilled a hole into the neck stub. I inserted a wood-pin from an old wood-pin hair brush into the neck opening. I used magic-sculpt to attach the wood-pin into the neck opening and then to attach the dlx head. A little neck paint came off while carving but is hidden when the head is in place.
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Post by elee0031 on Jul 14, 2015 14:51:27 GMT -5
that great, sounds like you still had your work cut out in that area. had it been me, i would've done away with the dlx neck joint completely and left it a whole and kept white willows joint.
how did you fare with magic sculpt?? it was easy to use right??
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