DalaGStanator's Customs, Mods and Experiments

I've made a new scratch built Jack with better proportions to supersede the first version (repainted Mighty Wheels backhoe). This was mainly done in an effort to reduce the scale, because he, Alfie and Byron were oversized. The front wheels came from a (low quality) pull back fire engine, while the rear ones were from a portable concrete mixer (which I used to use as Dizzy). This time, the hydraulics are fake and the arms don't usually stay up. While I sadly didn't get the "Take Along size" I wanted, he should still look better next to TOMY engines, coaches and trucks. At the time of writing, he just needs his detail, the face, the rear axle cut to size and a front axle and he'll be done. The face is expected to be a slightly reshaped cast of Take Along Thomas'. Alfie will be updated as well, with the excavator arm from the previous version.

Edit:



The detail has been added and the face cast was made, though the Take Along Thomas face was too small even after being expanded. The front wheels are the same size the face should be, so I took one of them and "carved" the features inside the mould (while filling the gaps and then smoothing the whole thing). Turned out very effective.

Edit 2:



Now finished. I thought I wouldn't be able to trim the rear axle since I don't have a rotary tool, but a strong set of pliers worked fine. The front axle is a cotton bud handle and may sometimes lock up. Here's how he looks with an engine and a motorised vehicle (pretend Elizabeth is Isobella). Shame Jack is still too tall and wide, however: