Down On the Farm (1 Viewer)

In case you're wondering why I appear to be bobbing back and forth between restoring some British Cavalry pieces - and Farm Animals - the reason is simple.

I have an 8 year old Grand-daughter visiting who has a low interest in Cavalry ( except for the horses) - but loves farm animals. She asked me to show her how I mend them - so I delved into my stash of patients requiring a bit of treatment - and with a little help from my new "Vetinary friend", showed her how it's done.

Here's a few pic of "our" efforts below.:rolleyes:

As usual - the bits showing up in white are repairs.

The two cows in front are by Britains (grazing) and Crescent (head up). The Crescent required new horns and both lower back legs restoring ( drilling, glueing and pinning - then milliput modelling once dried out). Grazing Britains cow just one rear leg replacement (same method). They will need finishing off by filing/sanding once perfectly dried out.

The two rather skinny horses at the rear are both Britains second-grade figures. Again the grazing figure required a new leg which I made by the pin/glue/milliput sculpt - as above - so an easy fix. The other with leg outstretched had that very leg missing - so I used a spare from my box - and grafted that in place in a more unusual pose than he was originally. I;m thinking at the moment, that he might just "do" as a cowboy horse at some time in the future - and happened to have a spare saddle in my box too (Dorset Soldier spare part) - so watch out for him at some future point - when he might be paired up with some cowpoke looking for a steed!

My last more robustly built horse just required two holes filling around the neck - and is marked under his belly "Fylde Mfc.Co. England" - which indicates he was made by this long-gone Company - between 1947-1950, when they were in business for just that short time. He's another candidate as a possible cowboy horse - though his broader proportions will need a rider with wide legs to get aboard him.

As my dearest friend has now left for the long journey home - after a delightful few days with us - I shall put these back into the old corral, for now - and resume work on my Cavalry.

But please watch this space - as .....................I'll be back...........I'll have to - as I promised to send some pics when our joint venture was finished!:D jb





 
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Interesting, the horse with the leg stretched out. I didn't come like that originally (I have never seen one anyway) but I do like it and makes a great addition to the farm !
 
johnnybach said:
In case you're wondering why I appear to be bobbing back and forth between restoring some British Cavalry pieces - and Farm Animals - the reason is simple.

I have an 8 year old Grand-daughter visiting who has a low interest in Cavalry ( except for the horses) - but loves farm animals. She asked me to show her how I mend them - so I delved into my stash of patients requiring a bit of treatment - and with a little help from my new "Vetinary friend", showed her how it's done.

As my dearest friend has now left for the long journey home - after a delightful few days with us - I shall put these back into the old corral, for now - and resume work on my Cavalry.

But please watch this space - as .....................I'll be back...........I'll have to - as I promised to send some pics when our joint venture was finished!:D jb
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jb;

As any of your work is worth watching...your 'moving about' provides variety.

I'll bet you enjoyed your granddaughter's visit...I have an "8 year old grand-son", so I know the feeling...and I only have to journey about seven hours to see him.

Thank you for the posting.
 
thebritfarmer said:
Interesting, the horse with the leg stretched out. I didn't come like that originally (I have never seen one anyway) but I do like it and makes a great addition to the farm !
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You're dead right Scott - it didn't come like that originally! The spindly legs variety of Britains' second grade horses are always a challenge to fix - and I didn't have a spare leg to suit this one. This leg was too short to make him upright.........so.........

So.......I thought a bit laterally - and as I have seen a Britains Native American Chief on a horse with a leg outstretched similar to this pose - I began to think that I might find a cowboy to suit - and try something similar.

This is the pose I mean, ( both repaired and slightly altered - needless to say^&grin).



I'll fit the horse up with a saddle - whilst looking for a cowboy to suit. This Nag's days on the farm are over!:D jb
 
Markster said:
Nice job ! Some really nice looking unpainted horses there too !
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Yes - and thank you. That bunch of unpainted castings are all repaired broken pieces which came from various "job lots" purchased from e-bay vendors. All but one of the five figures shown are by Britains originally (two cows in foreground - and two "spindly legged" horses, Britains so-called, second grade figures). Because they are broken - they usually come in at very reasonable prices - as they often don't attract too many bids, (unless others spot some rareties!)

The "beefier" looking horse casting at rear right, is from Fylde and an uncommon figure. I think that horse could well become a mount for some Native American at some point in the not too distant future - as I have something in mind for him.

The same goes for the repaired Britains horse with leg outstretched - although I'm currently working to adapt a broken cowboy for him - which I'll show when completed. You may also notice that I sometimes make up a base for my four legged repaired figures. This usually indicates a leg repair on a figure - and the new stand provides added security for the fixed-up figure for the future - as it increases the strength of the whole figure to resist any knocks it may receive.

The cows will be repainted to match up with my previous figures - and then join my growing dairy herd - and other Farm animals. Incidentally, I never set out to collect these originally - but as these broken specimens arrived with job lots I successfully bid on which included pieces I required for projects I wanted to do - I was stuck with them.

I could have passed them on, or even just junked them - but instead I restored them - and then, to my surprise, began to enjoy them, I'm happy to say. As you may have noticed, my Grand-daughter likes 'em too, so maybe one day, she shall take over "The Farm". Hopefully there will be a few more for her to own before I'm finished!:D

I've just received a couple of Britains Shire horses in need of some TLC, in the post (from another job-lot) - and my immediate thought was that these might be candidates for yet another Brewery Dray project I have in mind.......................... maybe something for the future there?;)

I'm busy on another couple of projects at the mo', but when I have a bit more time, rest assured, I'll paint 'em all up - and show them here once they are completed - if not here, then elsewhere on this forum. As you have seen perhaps, some graduate from the farm - to become Western ponies - or begin work for a Brewery etc,.

Glad you're enjoying the fun, chum. jb
 
This has become one of my favourite threads.I and my young mates had many of these(or similar ones)way back when.Good memories.Keep up the interesting work.
 
farmertony said:
This has become one of my favourite threads.I and my young mates had many of these(or similar ones)way back when.Good memories.Keep up the interesting work.
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Strangely enough Tony - I completed repaints on my two new pigs last night - and I've just put the final protective coat of varnish on 'em. All being well - I should be able to let them join in the fun later on. I've changed their breeds a bit whilst painting 'em - and they ain't pink porkers anymore - but two more interesting old British breeds.

Glad the memories are pleasant for you. I'm also sending updates on to another interested party - now back home in New Zealand. She took rather a shine to 'em too.:D jb
 
Can't get to Photobucket (once again!) - so can't upload or download any pics at the moment. If it wasn't still, for free - I'd be tearing what little hair I have left out by now!! jb
 
Well - after hours of trying - I eventually uploaded ONE pic! Then - after yet more attempts - eventually downloded it here! I think the techies are having a few problems with Photobucket.

Meet Henry the British Saddleback pig - and his best chum Pongo, The Gloucester Old Spot. Here seen having an outing with the cows and birds of the (small) farm. Both piggies awarded rare breed status - and a bit more interesting than the normal pink porkers, methinks. The name of each breed probably speaks for itself.

I've been splashing a bit more paint around on my latest two recruits to the dairy herd (both repaired Britains)- but they aren't quite ready to show just yet - but soon................;) jb

 
Whilst waiting for some paint to dry - on items fro elsewhere on the forum - I decide to delve deeper into my "Hospital Patients Awaiting Attention Box".

I came up with these (from various e-bay lots), - which also indicates that I should be opening up a "Zoo" thread quite soon!

From the left - we have a Britains milk churn (says so on the bottom), with a hole in the side. Seen them like this before - air-gun damage!! I have begun repair by cementing a piece of tissue paper inside the hole - and running some super-glue which saturates it - and sticks it inside the churn. Once set - milliput repair can be done.

Britains Scarecrow is next - which fortunately had most of it in two parts. I've begun the repair by connecting top and bottom bits with a metal rod core (the connecting metal rod, was once a a broken umbrella spoke!).
I will complete the repair with some milliput - then repaint.

Next will be my first Zoo animal - a standing Polar Bear who came to me with his central area missing??? Goodnes knows what torture he survived - but again my tissue and glue trick came first - and you can now see the second stage of milliput sculpting beginning. The tissue was solid enough to begin applying small pieces of epoxy putty (I use milliput) and building up his tummy area once again. [I found a pic of him, complete on Google - which I used as a guide to repair him].

Back right is a collection of sheaves of corn - which was squashed. Probably Britains again. First a gentle easing out was attempted - exposing fractures in the metal as it expanded ( It's hollowcast - so an empty interior). As it began cracking up quite badly - I have tried to hold it all together using the tissue and glue trick once again. When set, I can continue the easing out process on the other side. We will have to see how this one goes - as it's a new type of repair for me.

Last of all - and quite a striking piece - is my second Zoo animal - a Zebra by Johillco this time. He has just three legs at the moment - but you can see that I have already selected a spare for him - from my stock of Dorset Soldiers horse legs (he'll never know the difference, once he's painted up!^&grin).

Stand by for more "Zoo bits" later on - as I've just won another load of patients - which are in the post already!! See you later. jb

 
Nice additions and looks forward to watching the zoo grow. BTW that scarecrow isn't Britains it is by Timpo. The wheatsheaf I think is also by Johillco but hard to tell as it did look similar to the Britains version. The Polar bear is also by Britains.
 
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thebritfarmer said:
Nice additions and looks forward to watching the zoo grow. BTW that scarecrow isn't Britains it is by Timpo. The wheatsheaf I think is also by Johillco but hard to tell as it did look similar to the Britains version. The Polar bear is also by Britains.
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Thanks Scott - I'm a bit new to this farming lark - and even newer to Zoo-keeping!!:D

I must remember to look 'em up in my newish Joplin book - before committing fingers to keyboard. Snag is - my fingers keep sticking to the keys - as I'm pretty well covered with that magic mixture...............Super-glue and Milliput!!;)

Thanks for the ID's - the Wheatsheaf is marked Britains on what's left of the base - as is the Polar Bear. Also, the zebra is by Cherilea - just looked him up.

I'm enjoying fixing them up - and they will be for my Grand-daughter....................one day! {sm2} jb:salute::
 
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Over the weekend, my stock ( and other parts of the Farm) have increased. My Dairy Herd increased by two more ladies - and my other Bits'n'bobs included a now restored Britains milk-churn, a Timpo Scarecrow and a Britains "Stoop of Corn". All now repaired and restored.

My two new ladies both required new rear leg parts - The milk churn needed a hole filled in - The scarecrow required the top half re-joined to the base and the Corn (which is a hollow gathering of sheaves of corn) needed to be carefullu un-flattened! ( if that is the correct term). It came to me squashed almost flat - and required carefull teasing out and gentle restoration from the inside out. Marvelous tools, those little wooden coffee-stirrers, which modellers everywhere take home with them - after a visit to the coffee shop!:D jb

 
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