Bill Nevins’ TSSD Cowboy Conversions

Bill Nevins’ TSSD Cowboy Conversions, Bill is back with some more conversions.  This time it is the TSSD cowboys. These figures were done for their OK Corral set.  The cowboys represent the opposite site of the Earps/cowboy conflict in Tombstone Arizona. The story has become something of  legend which has been replayed in books, movies and television.

Bill Nevins' TSSD Cowboy Conversions

Bill Nevins’ TSSD Cowboy Conversions Bill Comments

Bill realized that you need to change the figures to get more poses. Here is his comments. Equal time for TSSD cowboys. This time I took a pic of the stock figures next to the conversions, so it’s easier to see.

Bill Nevins' TSSD Cowboy Conversions

The second pic is the 4 conversions by themselves.
Bill Nevins' TSSD Cowboy Conversions
 
Third photo is my favorite. Look at the difference in the poses. And yes, I cut the hat off the stand and glued it onto the second stand. Makes a really unique figure!
 
This was enjoyable and very quick and easy to do. And I added 12 new poses to my Western Town…..Bill

 

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30 Responses to Bill Nevins’ TSSD Cowboy Conversions

  1. Wayne W says:

    You’ve done it again Bill. Some great work and imaginative poses.

  2. Andy says:

    Never been a fan of TSSD produced figures. Too big & clunky – almost cartoonish. Austin Miniatures are much better sculpting & scale. Hoping Dan does more Wild West figures soon. Maybe a mounted set??

    • erwin says:

      I personally like many of TSSD ,western are quite fine to me, others from other era are not that soo but ok.Scale as I said before not my issue as I play all and combine or else;but again my personal flavor.
      In the other hand I agree and well mentioned.
      I notice too western riders had been neglected and I guess was one of the main way of life in the western.
      Again , old vintage sets were more in to western with their full sets mounted poses. European sets as Italian, Spain,UK,Germany actually made the most mounted poses per set in western line.
      Wonder other than Steve Weston mounted Mexican why others new had not done so.

      • admin says:

        Erwin unless people are able to get a supply of the TSSD horses. they would have to do a new horse. A horse mold is very expensive and more difficult to make. Only AIP and Replicants have done horses other than TSSD.

        • erwin says:

          Thanks admin. Yes I agree.
          I’m very well aware of that as I work molds and seen them…
          When matter of horse mold was brought before I notice that is not that complicated if follow simple technique as AIP did.
          I understand the matters regarding the horse mold more now and had seen it more as a matter of saving amount plastic that making mold as a horse correct pose should use more plastic than 3 to 4 figures aprox.
          It was a just an comment base in the negligence of western mounted poses as was so used as we use cars today.
          Still AIP manage to made cheap horses and well done out plastic. Their set increase value equivalent to the amount figures a horse figure should be. Same in elephant sets.
          CTS Indian mounted poses were well done horses and set come very good in price.
          Same in Steve Weston Mexican mounted set with great price versus amount poses and nice well done horses too.
          LAD is making a chariot w horses and EXF had done plenty horses sets.
          One of the ideas I notice from Chinese made horse pose is they are hollow inside(two halves hollow) made then light and save plastic, then put together. Base in kits horses poses pieces pretty much.
          So it could be well done always using right way and those sets done had made successful sales .
          So I guess an effort after so many years x any making western should have in consideration to do if doing any other western a set of mounted poses as Andy suggested very well.
          The idea from other made already could well be easy taken too as you said and I do not think is too hard to work out with different producer such TSSD if is willing to work as business partnership or else.
          Once again I understand the bad situation x all making is …
          Best regards..

        • Don Perkins says:

          Except Expeditionary Force, which also makes excellent horses. And LOD, which will shortly be releasing its new chariot horses. And don’t forget CTS, which also produced it’s Mexican cavalry horses, followed by IMEX. And Italieri, which produced outstanding horses for its Napoleonic figures, and Call To Arms, which made pretty good horses for its mounted English Civil War sets. Actually, it seems like just about everyone released horses, except for Conte.

          • admin says:

            Thanks Don, I was at the time I wrote that comment only those companies came to mind. For a new company it is a big expense on the horse mold. It is why Paragon used TSSD Horses to save money. The other companies you mention have done some fine horses.

          • Erwin says:

            Thanks Don.. forgot those too….
            I think could well be done if willing even the cost will be understood once a set of 8 mounted riders is done.Mounted figures are good sale.good welcome and great adition always.
            If specific x western I do not know if TSSD militray horses could be apropitated.I do not have those w me to look at.
            So even the use could be well done.I guess new ones would have to be done.
            Once again a sugestion x any doing any NEW western cowboys sets.
            Best

    • Pjri says:

      Disagree. TSSD are fine

  3. ed borris says:

    Conte did have some metal horses, not many but he did have the Mexican lancer and I believe a Roman or two. Plastic Underground did a few horses too including a nice dead one.

  4. Andy says:

    Reisler made some really nice 54mm mounted cowboys on hollow plastic horses, too. I use the horses for a lot of different 54mm mounted figures. The cowboys fit well on old Marx 54mm horses with molded or separate saddles.

    • Andy says:

      Also Charbens, Cherilea and Dulcop have decent horses. I also like Dom horses, but they are a little bigger – 60mm – and need Marx separate tack.

    • erwin says:

      Sorry Andy. Are you positive those are Resiler.
      What Resiler horses are hollow?.I’m confuse there…
      Reisler original and 90’s reissue horses are not hollow as far I know and ones I have plus their web site line.
      They did 4 different horses all with separated nice base and saddles, plus two camels and two western wagons.
      But may be there some others!!!??
      I agree.
      Yes western Reisler line is nice, their Mexican and cowboys poses are well done traditional small 54 mm poses.
      The Indian poses and frontiersmen included the canoe set are well done too.
      and all original designed poses.
      So the arabas ,Mounties used as WW1 or early XIX century US cavalry, sailors and others
      They WW2/modern are most(no all copies of Timpo early solid but they add some new unique poses)plus revived the early TIMPO solid poses not reissue before .
      it is one of most numerous poses set I had seen

      • Andy says:

        I’m absolutely positive on hollow body Reisler of Denmark horses because I bought some from Michigan Toy Soldier that were in kit form that I had to glue together. Also have hollow body horses from The Toy Soldier Company. All have separate saddles. Kits I bought from Ukraine also have hollow horses.

        • erwin says:

          Interesting. I know one of two camels poses,
          Definitely not in the history of Reisler web site .
          They did business with Elastolin and Presiler from Germany and I know they sold sets kit from them call “sembleseries” not using original Resiler mold designed like the wagon team horses were done hollow type.
          I will find out more as is new to me…

        • admin says:

          Send me a photo of the horse so I can post it. I looked at the catalog the horses seem solid. The figures were done unpainted and in soft plastic so Reisler could compete with figures from China.

  5. ed borris says:

    In Addition to the dead horse, Plastic Underground did a cavalry horse and Indian Pony.

    I like to read the reviews of the 1/72 figures, the guy that does the review usually crucifies the horses made by most of the manufactures of 1/72nd scale figures. I wish someone did a review like that of 1/32nd figures. Generally speaking the magazines that do figure reviews praise the figures. Of course no one wants to bite the hand that feeds them.

    • erwin says:

      Another good NEW notice to me; I did not see plastic underground too often.
      I understood GU-HO planned mounted apaches and few in metal were sold not long ago under that brand from an Australian seller. But unfortunately they stop after apaches and Aussie Viet Nam soldiers.
      I think as far regular well know more avalible vintage brands only apaches full set poses mounted had been Timpo ,HK copies and Atlantic.
      there others old as Spain ,Italian brands but of course in the hard to get line…
      Yes I red often those HO sites ,not the magazines such PW mini warriors, they are very strong nailing all. I think in small scale is much harder to get detail, they should go soft on those artist I think!!?My thoughts…
      One bad horse in the 1.32 scale done and nailed was Replicant mounted knight that look like riding a pony. Generally Replicant horses are not good wile figures are very nice to me least.
      Russian new romans sets are coming with mounted pose now …
      Italeri,Hat,Waterloo,Imex and ACTA all did mounted riders poses sets too; a lot!!.
      Italeri announce two Napoleonic horses raiders, one come last December ,other is coming now…

      • Erwin says:

        I like add PW magazine does fair review generally with bad critics and positives.Still a bit more with UK figures versus the rest of course. My observation after reading it x so many years.
        But agree more deep should be done.
        While most US magazine barrely cover european old figures as PW
        does.
        The US issues beat in quality and amount space pages the others.

  6. Michael Purchase says:

    Nice work Bill. Will you paint them next?

  7. Erwin says:

    Update.
    Andy is correct 100%
    The horses are hollow.
    I check the ones I got closely and notice they could be split in two.
    All do I did not try with my orinals.
    What happen is never seen as kit but sold original in the build up way with figures in bag.
    Aperantly some were sold unasembled and those are the one Andy got.
    Not at all show in Resiler catalog
    By the way.
    So it most had been something done in later years as overstock clean up or else.
    Thanks Andy x share a new add up with us.

  8. Andy says:

    OK, Erwin. I sent you an assortment of pics that you can feel free to share.
    Actually sent the pieces of a hollow, hard plastic Reisler horse that was not glued together.

  9. bill nevins says:

    I am a big fan of Imex horses. I was fortunate enough to be at Stengle’s house when he got the tan colored Imex run in and I loaded up on those and the brown lmex bulk horse packs.
    Those tan horses are great with Marx dark gray CSA cavalry and Union bright blue riders.
    Imex black horse can be found in their Airfix 7 th Cavalry reissue boxes. I’m not sure if they show up anywhere else.

    I like the Italieri ACW horses, also. Nice and full bodied.
    TSSD are OK, but I am not a fan of those thick bases.

    Michael, No I will not be painting these. They are a perfect color match, so why bother?
    I only paint when I use different colored parts to create a new figure. Then I will paint the entire figure one color in an attempt to match the color to the rest of the figures.

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