Down On the Farm (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

I recently won a few auctions (e-bay) where I was trying to get hold of a few particular figures for various projects I had in mind. As usual, I found that I did get hold of the figures I wanted - in need of a little reapair or two - and also "picked up" some others I didn't need - but just came along with the ones I actually wanted.

This has proved to be a very happy turn of events - as repairs have generally proved to be relatively easy - and once restored and repainted - have proven to be very nice figures indeed.

You may have seen some of these restored figures in projects already posted - as my Britains Blacksmith, and Brewers Drayman have already been shown - with my Hancocks Brewery Dray. There are a few more - mostly Farm Workers - so I thought I might show how they are coming along.

My first pic shows one such e-bay lot - as it arrived. Note that all figures required a bit of repair work - so spare parts again required. These below are mostly Britains (Standing figures - Blacksmith, Cartier and Shepherd - lying down figures - because they have been snapped off their bases - Charbens Milkman[45mm figure], Britains Wheelbarrow man - without barrow and his feet^&grin, and a Britains Farmer - also footless).



My next "lot" is also Farm related - and was bought as a "set" - though in fact - it is a "made-up set", from Britains figures again. Here's a pic - as received. The main thing to look out for here - is the plough - which is missing one of it's arms/handles. Note also that the ploughman is another "Man with wheelbarrow" figure - but will do the job - until the real thing arrives one day!^&grin The horses could be for almost any of Britains Farm sets - but the one with harness - will draw the plough nicely .



First job is to strip back any existing paint - and see what parts are required.

Here's another pic - of my first batch now cleaned off - and then mostly fitted up with their missing spare parts (Dorset Soldiers Spares). The anvil - is a recast of an old Johillco one, by the way.





Note that the Milkman (front left) now has a head with peaked hat - and also feet!!^&grin. These were made from Milliput after he had been pinned to a new fabricated metal base (from my sheet metal stock) and wire pins (paper-clips). He was first put on the base - with pins up his legs - and when set, the shoes modelled on.

Note that the Farmer (second left at rear) had a spare base WITH feet bought as a spare part from a donor figure - so just fitted straight on to the missing feet part of my figure - with a couple of pins again - up his leg. A new arm with walking-stick completed his missing parts.

Other figures were repaired by simply restoring missing arms - though in the pic above - my wheelbarrow man was still awaiting new feet - though the fix will be the same as that for my Milkman - a new base and milliput feet.

Over to my plough now - as this needed a repair before anything else. Using the surviving arm as a template - I again raided my stock of metal plate - and found a small offcut which could supply a spare part. I then cut and filed it to the same shape as the existing one - and then drilled and pinned it onto the stump of the old one. Note that at the same time - I braced it in two places, by pinning it across to the existing arm ( unlike the original - which has only one cross-brace.). I used epoxy resin glue - so the repair is now very strong. (see pic below)



And when stripped of paint - they now look like this.



As I mentioned earlier - two figures have already been painted and used for my Brewery Dray project - so the others are currently "under the brush" - and I will show them as they come off the production line.

And here are three more. Farmer Giles ( named in honour of my spares provider). My Shepherd with lamb under his arm - and my somewhat dimunitive Charbens Milkman - now able to stand and deliver, once again.

See you later with more. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Don't know why the next pic didn't load - but here it is again.

 

[theBaron]

Another great set of restorations, John!

Your photos of the figures cleaned of their old paint reminds me how well Britains were sculpted. Usually the old enamel obscured a lot of the finer detail, but they really were the top of the line, really well done.

Now, will you eventually put together some scenery for your farm, too?

Prost!
Brad

 

[Ivanhoe]

That plough work is fantastic !

Looks like you did 'some' repair work on the horse also.

Amazing what you can recoup and restore.

Thank you.

 

[johnnybach]

Another great set of restorations, John!

Your photos of the figures cleaned of their old paint reminds me how well Britains were sculpted. Usually the old enamel obscured a lot of the finer detail, but they really were the top of the line, really well done.

Now, will you eventually put together some scenery for your farm, too?

Prost!
Brad

They certainly are well sculpted Brad. I think, unfortunately, the policy way back when - was paint 'em quick - and sell 'em cheap. I've read that the mostly outworking people employed in painting figures, usually at home, were paid really low sums - on piecework basis. And - as with most things - you pay poorly - and you don't get fabulous results. Old paintwork was really dolloped on in many cases - and - as you correctly point out - lots of the really finely detailed figures gets covered up. I bet some sculptors pulled their hair out!

I don't use lots of primer for this very reason. I much prefer to give a thinnish undercoat of a complimentary colour before thin topcoat(s). - sealed in with varnish. Takes a bit longer - but the finish stays crisp.

And - in over twenty years of painting - NO FLAKING PAINT.

Ummmm! Scenery, Brad? Ummmm 'err.......... I'm not really good at background stuff - as I like painting figures best. I'll have to see what I can come up with.^&confuse jb:salute::

 

[johnnybach]

That plough work is fantastic !

Looks like you did 'some' repair work on the horse also.

Amazing what you can recoup and restore.

Thank you.

Thanks chum - I really enjoyed having a go at that plough - and think the result was quite satisfying. The horse I chose to use was in pretty fair condition - but I'm not going to use those copper rods which came with my purchase - and some don't look to be original anyway. There are parts missing - which would connect horse to plough - but I will connect to a special piece using chains, as you will see later - so I used some connecting rings which I glued into the rather worn holes in both sides of the Britains Cart-Horse - before beginning any paint-work.

Most of Britains Farm horses were made to be quite interchangeable with various carts and pieces of their farm equipment anyway - so this one will connect just as easily as many of their others would. I'm NOT going to put him on a base, as I usually would - to keep him as interchangeable as possible - as you never know, a more correct specimen for this set might just turn up - one day.

IF this "set" had been original and perfect - it would have gone for a lot more than I gave for it - and it just gives me great satisfaction to have rescued that old plough from the rubbish bin. Fit now for a few more furlongs - I reckon.

Just finished it - actually - so will take a snap when it's dry enough to handle - and post it later. jb

 

[johnnybach]

I haven't finished the Ploughman yet, as I want more facial detail yet - and his arms were a bit of a mess when several coats of paint came off - but this is a look at the completed and restored plough - both sides below. jb

 

[Ivanhoe]

I haven't finished the Ploughman yet, as I want more facial detail yet - and his arms were a bit of a mess when several coats of paint came off - but this is a look at the completed and restored plough - both sides below. jb

Love the job you did on this !

The colours are great. especially the 'steel'.

BTW the on the prior picture, the Anvil is wonderful.

Thank you.

 

[blaster]

Hi JB,

Great work on that plough repair! Looks seamless and wonderful.

Rgds Vic

 

[johnnybach]

Love the job you did on this !

The colours are great. especially the 'steel'.

BTW the on the prior picture, the Anvil is wonderful.

Thank you.

Thanks - glad you like 'em. The old Johillco anvil has been a very long time out of production - but I found what I think is this re-cast version in an old box of bits and pieces at a local swap-meet. It needed cleaning up a bit - but a careful filing and repainting worked out fine. I swapped a repaired and repainted Cowboy for it - which was in advance of actually buying my Blacksmith from an e-bay seller. I have several bits and pieces like that - awaiting the right "find" to complete them - but I guess most of us are like that.

Patience is the key word. I'm actually still after the correct Britains anvil - but still waiting for the right one to come along. I guess that when I find it - I will then concentrate on finding a Johillco Blacksmith???? The process never ends!!{sm4}

 

[johnnybach]

Hi JB,

Great work on that plough repair! Looks seamless and wonderful.

Rgds Vic

Thanks Vic. Glad you like it too. Same old story - you have to learn how to see through the present state of a thing - to see how it could look after repair. However, I know that you can do it too

Missing parts are always a challenge - but with a little thought - and a bit of experience - MOST items can be restored - maybe NOT to their original state - but maybe just as good as they were when new. Thankfully, they are also (mostly) more reasonably priced too.

I'm currently repainting the horse - and will connect him up afterwards - and re-photo when all are ready.

This little "set" was actually no such thing - as both the ploughman and the horse were from other sets. However, I could see that they could be made to work - so kept an eye on the auction. He only attracted a very low bid - so made a late bid at silly-money, and won.

Hurrah!!:salute:: jb

 

[Hazebrouck]

Don't know why the next pic didn't load - but here it is again.

These are excellent John. Love the gloss

Some of the Britains railway workers next?

Scott

 

[johnnybach]

These are excellent John. Love the gloss

Some of the Britains railway workers next?

Scott

IF - I can find some - in need of a little TLC - THEN - I'll certainly have ago at some. I tried for a few Timpo Railway passengers and train staff - just the other day - BUT got slaughtered in the bidding. They were in "Quite Good" condition - and so I just got stuffed!{eek3}

I do have a Timpo "Soldier with kit-bag and slung rifle" - but he's a re-cast and not original.

As the "Monsters Inc lady says, Scott".............."Watching, always watching"...............If I ever get a chance - I'll be in!!!!

Here's my Platform 1 soldier - still waiting for that Midnight Train.........................................:salute::

 

[theBaron]

...Ummmm! Scenery, Brad? Ummmm 'err.......... I'm not really good at background stuff - as I like painting figures best. I'll have to see what I can come up with.^&confuse jb:salute::

You can do it, John! Same skills, just a slightly different application.

Prost!
Brad

 

[farmertony]

I haven't finished the Ploughman yet, as I want more facial detail yet - and his arms were a bit of a mess when several coats of paint came off - but this is a look at the completed and restored plough - both sides below. jb

Well, you have brought back some memories for me.I had this set as a boy(mid 1950's) and it was one of my favourites.As I remember it, the plough was light blue,the wheels red but with black iron tyres.The ploughman wore brown trousers with braces and a white shirt and his hands each formed an "O"(thumb to index finger) through which the plough handles passed.It was drawn by two grey horses.A large swingle-bar(a slightly curved iron rod with a ring in the middle on one side and a ring at each end on the opposite side) connected to the hook on the plough,and two smaller bars connected to each end of this and chains from the horses' collars connected to the smaller bars.The horse you are thinking of using has cart harness(including a cart saddle).All plough horses ever wore was a bridle with blinkers,a collar and a belly band.Thanks for posting.

 

[johnnybach]

Well, you have brought back some memories for me.I had this set as a boy(mid 1950's) and it was one of my favourites.As I remember it, the plough was light blue,the wheels red but with black iron tyres.The ploughman wore brown trousers with braces and a white shirt and his hands each formed an "O"(thumb to index finger) through which the plough handles passed.It was drawn by two grey horses.A large swingle-bar(a slightly curved iron rod with a ring in the middle on one side and a ring at each end on the opposite side) connected to the hook on the plough,and two smaller bars connected to each end of this and chains from the horses' collars connected to the smaller bars.The horse you are thinking of using has cart harness(including a cart saddle).All plough horses ever wore was a bridle with blinkers,a collar and a belly band.Thanks for posting.

Hi Tony, thanks for the detail on that set - and I'm glad this approximation of it brought back good memories.

Yes, I was aware when I bought the bits and pieces for this one - that both the horse and the ploughman were "wrong-uns" - but it was so cheap - I just thought - "What the Heck!". As they are separate pieces - I can always wait for the correct bits to come along.

Sounds like you had the two horse version - but there was also a one horse one too. I think there were several colour schemes for the plough, as I've seen a few - but they could have been re-paints, of course - as the set is an old one. I found a version on Google that I liked - and just copied that - as I liked the red/green/silver on the plough. My "set" didn't come with the swingle bar - but I have a cart connector bar for one horse in my spares box - or I can make one up, which might be better - which I'll use to connect to my horse with chains. I have incomplete bars anyway - so not going to use 'em ( so into the spares box they go).

Yes - the horse has cart harness and saddle - but the box that this set came in did mention that almost any of Britains horses could be pressed into service for most Farm purposes - so I'm using what I have (for the moment). I was thinking of maybe putting some Milliput blinkers on the nag - which I DID do on my similar pair that I made up for my Hancocks Brewery Dray. As I'm still painting him - I think you have confirmed my thoughts - and I WILL give him blinkers - so cheers for that detail.

The ploughman - is really the Britains "Man with Wheelbarrow" - and it's the second time I have found one without the barrow - so will use him until the correct Farm-hand with braces turns up.

I've also been looking out for a reasonably priced cart in need of some TLC to turn up - but so far - I've only seen good 'uns - which have been a bit too rich for me - so I'll keep on looking for the right one too. Come to think of it - I might even make one up from some bits and pieces. I'll work on that thought.

All good fun, making 'em fit - and it's the search and chase for the correct bits makes it even better fun.

Thanks for the ideas chum - :salute:: jb

 

[theBaron]

...Farmer Giles ( named in honour of my spares provider)...

I thought perhaps you were a Tolkien fan

Will your shepherd be accompanied by his trusty sheepdog?

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

I thought perhaps you were a Tolkien fan

Will your shepherd be accompanied by his trusty sheepdog?

Prost!
Brad

Sadly, he came without his sheepdog - but I'm on the look-out. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Sadly, he came without his sheepdog - but I'm on the look-out. jb

Backdrop attempt.

Here's a nice bucolic scene - as "The Cow" as it's known to the locals - gets a delivery. A couple of shepherds have dug Farmer Giles out of the bar - and he's off to resolve the problem with them. In the background, the local smithy gets on with repairing a plough - whilst a passing Cartier strolls by, whip in hand.

How's that? jb

 

[farmertony]

JB;Thanks for the reply and good luck with your project.I look forward to seeing the finished product;