By Dave Tallon, Tallon Custom Collectables
Farm
Toy Shows are a great time for any toy customizer. The National
Farm Toy Show is no exception. As the premier farm toy show, it
provides some of the best opportunities for customizers looking for
resources to help finish a project, or start a new one. From just
tires, to accessories, to a complete custom tractor, you can find it at
the National. This month, I will give you a look at the National
from a customizer’s perspective.One of the first things I check out at any toy show are the “bargain bins” that many of the vendors have. You won’t find any show with more of these bins than the National.
These
bins contain a wide variety of toy tractors, often selling for only a
few dollars a piece. These are usually models that are too common
to be valuable, slightly damaged, or an unpopular part of a multi-piece
set. I like to look through these bins for project tractors.
At last year’s National I made one of my better finds, an Ertl John
Deere 8850 that I customized in my July
2004 TTT article. When I found it, it was probably only worth
the $2.00 I paid for it, but with a little creativity and TLC, it turned
out to be a great model. The bargain bins are also a good source
for parts like wheels and tires. Many of the newer tractors,
especially from Ertl, have great detail on their rims and increasingly
better detail on their tires. Most of the time you can buy the
whole tractor for less than you would pay for a set of tires and rims
separately. Bargain bins also commonly contain partial or complete
models of implements. These pieces can provide planter
boxes, discs, cultivator shanks, etc. that can be used on custom
implement projects. 
Customizing
projects frequently call for parts that are highly specialized and can
not be found on mass-produced models. Vendors like Moore’s,
Standi and C&D’s are among the few sources that produce these
types of parts. These parts can be ordered by mail or over the
internet, but often you don’t know exactly what you are getting until
it arrives at your house. The National and other large shows
provide an opportunity to see the merchandise in person and make sure
what you are buying is really what you are looking for. You can
also talk to people like Jeff Moore and Stan Krueger and get some
pointers on how to best use your newly purchased parts. Better
yet, both typically have a wide variety of custom projects on display
that feature many of the parts that they sell. You can see first
hand how the parts look on a finished product. Even if you don’t spend a lot of money at the show, there is one thing that customizers of all skill levels take home a lot of: inspiration. The National always seems to spark my imagination and renew my enthusiasm for building custom trucks and tractors. The display contest not only features some of the best scale farm layouts you will ever see, but also some of the most highly detailed models you can imagine. The number of top-notch customizers who bring their models to the National is too great to list. There are also numerous vendors who offer some fantastic custom models for sale. By checking out these models, you will undoubtedly walk away with a few ideas for new projects, and techniques you might want to try on projects you already have in progress.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The only word of caution I will give you if you do head to the national next year to check out the customs is to allow yourself plenty of time to see everything. Due to a conflict, I had to go the National on Friday, and the three hours it is open on Friday night are not enough to see everything and visit with the TTT and Toy Talk regulars. I had just enough time to make one lap around to quickly look at everything and say hi to a few people, but before I knew it they were wrapping things up for the night. Hopefully next year I will be able to spend more time there and maybe even see you there.
|
Tallon Tips Article Index
03/2003 - Removing Tampos 04/2003 - Detailing AGCO MFWD Tractors 05/2003 - Making Your Own Decals 06/2003 - Making 1/64 Pullers Pt. 1 07/2003 - Making 1/64 Pullers Pt. 2 08/2003 - Making a McCormick MTX 09/2003 - Photographing Scale Models 10/2003 - Making Custom Grain Trucks 11/2003 - Detailing a White 4-270 12/2003 - Making a John Deere 6030 01/2004 - Getting Started in Customizing 02/2004 - Dave Tallon's Custom Collection 03/2004 - Building a C&D Steiger Wildcat Kit 04/2004 - Building a Chevy Crew Cab Dually 05/2004 - Tire Customizing Basics 06/2004 - Making 4WD Pulling Trucks 07/2004 - Making Articulated 4WD Tractors 08/2004 - Making 1/64 Service Trucks 09/2004 - Detailing a Challenger MT765 10/2004 - Online Auction Selling Tips |
