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Bachmann guy with working lantern

5K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  toddalin 
#1 ·
Used to be someone on fleabay that sold Bachmann figures they had set up so the lantern lit up with a bulb. Never bought one and one showed up there a month or so ago and I was outbid (may a herd of flea infested camels invade the high bidder"s home). Wondered if any of you guys bought one or made one? Assume somehow one must drill the figure up through a leg into the body and then line up and also drill up the arm that holds the lantern and the wires to the bulb replace the wire bale on the lantern, I guess. Would like to do something like that. Would be a nice addition.

Doug
 
#2 ·
Doug;

You may want to check out suppliers for dollhouse building kits. Not absolutely sure, but I think there is an electrically conductive paint used for routing lighting circuits within doll houses. It probably cannot take very much current, but could be more than sufficient for a 1.5 volt LED, It would allow you to put a contact in each foot of the figure, route a circuit to the lantern via the paint, and test out the LED. Once all was working satisfactorily, clothing colors could be repainted over the conductive paint.

Just a thought,
David Meashey
 
#6 ·
From what I remember this guy was mostly hollow. I drilled holes in his hand for the handle wires and a hole in his foot. I think I drilled a hole for the wires in his shoulder as well. It's been a while since I've modified him. At the time I put a 12 volt bulb in the lantern and I run it off a 9 volt battery and it gives a nice golden glow.
 

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#7 ·
Cristolite, good to know he is hollow. Haven't seen one of the regular ones on fleabay for quite a while let alone the modified one. Sure I have more than one already in my G stuff hoard but probably never find them. Spect one will show up on fleabay and maybe some greedy feller won't bid it up and I will try a surgical experiment on it. Will have to find my book by Laurie from Australia on model railroad LED use and rig me one up. Laurie would probably make his arm swing and his head turn.

Doug
 
#10 ·
Hard to see, but I made the guy next to the river hold a lighted lantern. Also, a dog (added after the pic) sitting on the bank has one held in his mouth.

I use the Ozark Miniatures, dissolve the plastic bead in lacquer thinner, and drill the base to pass the wires for a 14 vollt grain of wheat (rice) bulb to make the unit function.

I drilled through the guy (Just Plain Folks) and dog to hide the wires. The placement next to the river lets the light reflect off the moving water calling attention to it.

These also sit on the fire barrels on my trestle and light up the trains as they pass.



 
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