The problem is that the seat "cushions" do not really cushion, as they are also styrene, metal, or whatever other material, that is anything by soft.
And, scale figures flesh is also anything but soft.
I have never been able to figure out any other way except a bit of "corrective surgery" to correct this issue.
P.S. - Pun above WAS intended......
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
If all you've got to do is cut feet off, your way ahead of the poor person I put in a Woodland Scenics convertible. They are cut off at the waist, and had to trim part of the back away to wedge them in between the seat and the wheel.
Mike
Putting figures in vehicles is hard, since as mentioned there is no give in either when they're styrene.
Below is a figure I put in a 1/25 crane cab. The figure and the controls were built at the same time, working around each other. The arms and control levers were positioned at the same time, and the pedals and his legs and feet too. There is no cushion in the seat or backrest, theyre carved out to fit the guy. And he is removable by making the seat slide back far enough to pull his feet out. That would be a lot to ask in HO, (was a lot in 1/25) but maybe some of the ideas could be applied.
Note the pedals are not yet in place here:
Think about it this way. The exterior of vehicles is what is to scale. The interior is a different matter. Almost all are smaller than they should be because the materials the model is made of are all relatively thicker than on the prototype.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Part of the problem is the inflexibility of the LPBs...
...when I decided that my steam locomotives needed crews in the cabs, it was a virtual bloodbath...
Wayne
RR_MelAt this point I’m going to try and do some massive surgery on a couple of my castings, selective chopping while keeping the feet and most of the body.
Filing some material from both the back and bum will not likely be readily seen, as people usually sink somewhat into the seat.You may be able to also take a small amount out of both the upper and lower portions of the legs, then cement them back together at the knees.
Shorten the feet, too, if needs be, and you could also cut them off the legs at an angle, removing any excess, then cement them back on at an angle suiting the foot-pedals.While it's not likely a feature of that particular vehicle, another option might be to change the angle of the steering column, in lieu of shortening the driver's arms.
I was saving the amputated limbs for creating a gondola-load of slaughterhouse "offal", but I'd need to operate on way more citizens to load even just one car.
doctorwaynePart of the problem is the inflexibility of the LPBs...
LPBs? What are they? Little People Buses?
maxman LPBs? What are they? Little People Buses?
It seems it is this way in every scale. A buddy of mine in O scale had to trim every passenger for his daylight train he has been putting together.
it's just not you Mel.
Dave
doctorwayne maxman LPBs? What are they? Little People Buses? Well, I was told that it's the short-form for Little Plastic Beings, but I've also heard a different version of the word starting with the "B". I wouldn't be surprised if Mel is using the second version, given the circumstances. Wayne
RR_Mel...this one....
I do admire your artistry, Mel.
That's a much nicer use of a word beginning with a "B" (or a couple of "Bs"), and as Daffy Duck once said, "So round, so firm, so fully-packed!"
Apparently, Merle Travis had similar thoughts, too.
Depending on ow close a fit, sanding or filing the back and underside of a figure may help it to fit in a seat.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Most "scale" figures look like they come from Milwaukee. Cheese eaters.
The problem, if it is a problem, can be readily illustrated if you have good knees. Slowly start to sit in a chair. The moment your [word that starts with B] touches the chair, stop - if you can. That is how a plastic figure sits. Now continue and notice how much further down you go. Things give, things spread, things compress.
Even the old "Flexible Freddy" figure wasn't flexible that way.
Word has it that Rapido is doing 3D scans and is looking into the issue. Any volunteers?
{I do believe Allan Pollock's Fun & Games line of figures had some sitting figures which had been, um, adjusted to meet the reality of what sitting does to the puffy parts of our backsides.}
P.S. years ago I lived in a hi rise and one neighbor was an undertaker. I once asked him how I'd be crammed into a casket when the time came, as at that time I was6'8". He unhesitatingly answered, "we'd cut your feet off. We do it often." So there's your prototype ...
Dave Nelson
RR_MelAt this point I’m going to try and do some massive surgery on a couple of my castings,
I'd like to see how you make the molds and do the casting.
As a figure sculptor of about 50 years experience (Junes Small World ,Pheonix Model Developments ,David Piper,Dart castings ,all mainly in OO and O scale ,I can tell you fitting even a master figure into auto ,plane ,race car ,train is very difficult as often the model is only to scale on the outside measurment .The actual thickness of a train body or autobody as paper thin in small scale amd impossible to cast sa,e for the floor and seats . Compromises have to come into play to get it to fit .I was once given the large scale plans of a locomotive , even a card mock up of the cab but when I went to fit the figure to the seat with its arm resting on the window sill looking out nothing fitted anywhere .The guy blamed me so I sent him some plasticene and told him to make me a quick mock up .Silence followed followed by a check for wasting my time .The drawing must have been wrong and the seat in the wrong place for no human normal or super distorted was ever going to sit on the seat ,look out the window , and have his arms on the side .You can do it if you work on everything at the same time so that seats are compromised and poses allow for thickness.to be honest the best way is to the cast seat and person together but even then it will probably end up with short legs as the floor is too thick .
hope it helps
Martin
RR_MelI think you have hit the nail on the head!! I measured the floor on my M38 HO scale Jeep and it measures .1405” thick = 12¼”. That’s about how much I would have to cut off the legs of the driver. As I remember the floor on my M38 I had back in the 70s was paper thin.
Mel,
That is a very innovative solution! It could be applied in all sorts of situations.
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I don't do a lot of seated figures, but those that I do confirm the flooring hypothesis. When I do a restaurant or bar interior with customers seated at tables, no problem. But, when I do either vehicles or passenger cars, people need surgery to fit in their seats.
Yeah. I feel bad about chopping off feet or even legs. I have to remind myself that they are just plastic models.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
RR_MelI can’t find a source for the 1mm 1½ volt micro bulbs that I have been using for headlights for years.
Hi Mel,
The jeep looks good! No more chopping off feet for me either!
I have 12 - 1.5v/15ma. bulbs. They are 1.2 mm dia. I also have two packages of 14v/30ma. 2.4 mm bulbs. I doubt that I will ever use them. You are welcome to them if you are interested. Send me a PM. I'll even pay postage!
Thanks for the idea about cutting out the floors! You can only have so many shoe stores on your layout!
Edit:
Hobbylinc says they have the bulbs in stock:
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mtr/mtr18c0310.htm
Amazon says they have 9 in stock:
https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Miniature-Lamps-1-2mm-Diameter/dp/B0755KPRZW