I have modeled a western themed down for my layout. I’m at a loss to find HO scale western figures for it. I’ve checked Walthers, Woodland Scenics (cowboys; one roping a calf. Which I don’t see happening in the middle of town), Preiser (all I’ve found are unpainted ones), eBay. Any suggestions.
Weston did them, here in the US. I see quite a few on Ebay.
I see Sierra Scale Models also has a whole lot of “people”.
Europeans are more fascinated by our old west than we are. I would continue to look there.
That you can’t find prepainted figures is an indication that you need to learn how to paint figures.
This would lead me to post a topic about how to paint little bitty people. Should you feel the need.
Ed
There are a number of sources for town people:
https://www.acstadden.co.uk/shop-2
http://www.preiserfiguren.de/download.php?file=035%20-%2012045-12198.pdf
http://www.scalefigures.com/HO/HOscale.htm
Stadden produces Edwardian people (1901 to 1910)
The linked Preiser people are around 1900
Scalefigures you have to look what fits.
Or you could look for 20 mm figures (5’-8’’ height) or 22 mm (6’-3’’ height). 18 mm figures might be too small (5’-2’’ height).
Regards, Volker
Marlon,
Here are some by Bachmann:
http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3029
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
This site has statistics on the average hight of people from 1810-1980 which may help chose figures,
https://ourworldindata.org/human-height/
For men in the US and Canada
approx 5’-7" 1850,1900, 5’8" 1910,1920 Of course many people were taller and others shorter.
It isn’t hard to paint your own figures. I use Crafters Acrylic paints. Most are flat and come in hundreds of colors. Another good thing about the Crafters paints is the cost, about $1.35 per 2 oz bottle. It is water cleanup and thinning. I will set up and paint around 50 figures at a time. To make it super easy I tack the figures to a straight pin with a small drop of CA or Super Glue. I stick the pin in a pencil erasure for easy holding and it makes it easy to rotate them.
A desk eraser or strip of balsa works good for storage and drying.
&nbs
I was going to suggest learning to paint the Preiser figures but Mel beat me to it! I’ll have to try Mel’s pin mounting technique for my next painting batch as it looks to be incredibly handy!
If you use the pencil eraser as a holder and do a bunch of figures the eraser deteriorates rapidly unless you hit the same hole every time.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I
Mel,
Your technique is only exceeded by your painting. Great work, your figures are exceptional !!
You remind me of tennis players and golfers. They make it look so easy.
Bob
Marlon,
Short list:
Wild West/Musket miniatures: Cool western figures in cast metal – a bit crude but nothing a file can’t fix
Weston/Campbell – great figures-good detail: some are now hard to find but well worth the effort.
SS Limited: lots of figures from these guys over the years in white metal – a little rough but certainly useable
Lytler and Lytler – very nice western figures – no flash –great detail – EBay prices for these products, (esp) the figures, have gone into the stratosphere as people have somehow started thinking of them as collectors’ items…
Prieser: yes they have been mentioned but I wanted to point out that they made an excellent cowboy set that can be found on Ebay from time to time. They appear to h