"GZG Head Sprues: How To Convert Exactly?" Topic

Ok . . . Dropship Horizon's Mark sold me on the idea of ordering the GZG head sprues:

link

I ordered them a week ago and got them already. But, though I can't start using my arm fully for another few weeks, I'm already thinking ahead.

The thing is I've never done head swaps on 15mm figures before.

So, my next question is, do I use a pin vise to drill a small hole the size of the sprue post? Suggestions?

Dan
TMP link

That would work to secure the new head in place.

Or cut the post off completely and put a brass pin in the head and body, but that does seem counter productive especially since those posts are quite long.

1) Take a good pair of flush-cutting snippers (ie: ones where the jaws have a completely flat side – the ones that GW market are actually pretty good), and place them around the figure's neck, flush cutting side downward and with the tool angled slightly down to the front, so you're cutting along the figure's jawline – sloping down from the back of the neck to the chin. Carefully snip the head clean off! If necessary, clean up the neck area with a fine needle file, especially if the figure has shoulder pads or neck armour.

2) With a good, sharp drill bit about 1mm diameter in a pin drill (hand chuck), make a hole a few mm down into the figure, slightly towards the BACK of the neck (where the spine would be). I use some really good titanium-coated steel bits which I bought quite reasonably in a local electronics store (Maplins, they are Blackspur branded in a set of 19 bits from 1mm to 10mm in 0.5mm increments – the whole set was only about £12.00 GBP and they are excellent!).

3) Snip the new head off the sprue strip, with about 2-3mm of pin left attached. Test-fit the head "dry" into the hole, it should sit just right but if you need to adjust it then a few moments more with the needle file will do the trick. When you are happy, fix it with a tiny drop of superglue. Job done! :-)

Jon (GZG)

Perfect! I had a feeling you'd want a little bit of the sprue post left.

Thanks, Jon.

Dan

link

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FOW have a guide here: link

Don't fret about having a drill, I use cheap dollar store modelling knives – 6 knives for £1.00 GBP It only takes a few moments of effort to dig a hole in the shoulders of the figure with these.

I tend to spend a small while test-fitting the head – looking at best angle and whether I need to carve out any more of the model to make it work. Usually just under the chin especially on an action figure like this:

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I prefer to make my heads fit quite snugly to the shoulders – too often I see 'ostrich neck' conversions -brrrr. It also gives more area of contact to secure the head.

If you find have difficulty holding the small head, get a lollipop stick/ Costs Coffee wooden stir, blob of Blu-Tack on the end and stick the top of the head to the Blu-Tack – it provides a firm hold and give you far more contril in placing the head whilst the glue dries!

Cheers
Mark

If it looks off you can always use some green stuff to make a scarf, beard or longer hair to hold the head on also. I made a druid from an orc doing a head swap so I added longer hair and beard.

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people ask where I got him from