Useful items for sixth-scale environments (continuously updated)

Please use this thread to report and exhibit items you have found useful for your dioramas and other sixth-scale purposes.

For example, I am reposting some information and images that I contributed to the One Sixth Warriors forum. Inexpensive high-quality plastic boxes available at Walmart, Kroger, and Cotswold Collectibles, coming in several colors (clear/white, green, red, blue, purple) and sizes.









#custom #kitbash #repurpose

Nice,

Actually, I could do with some 1/1 versions of those for when I move!

CHEERS!

Funny, I was thinking the same thing, since I, too, will be moving in a few months.

Yes. Those boxes a super handy! I've painted a bunch of mine, they have a pretty realistic scale quality.

I meant to ask -- after you painted them, did they remain translucent? Nice avatar, by the way!

More useful items... after I put the boxes from the last post away, my little helpers spent the week snuggling on the couch, thinking I won't notice them and put them to work again. Well today they helped me unpack an even bigger stackable box of the same kind (see first post in this thread), internal measurements 6.5 x 8.5 in.



The box and its contents are a few other useful and inexpensive items for sixth-scale environments that I picked up today (box from Walmart, the rest from Meijer).

First up, squeezable stress ball keychains. One is like a classic football (soccer) ball, the other like an American football pigskin. Without being super-finely detailed, they look pretty good. And, I remind you, delightfully squishy.



Second and third, a whole bag of golden-looking award trophies and a bag of parasol picks for cocktails.



It has not escaped my notice that the pigskin is a little too big to be realistic, and the parasols a little too small (it is probable that you can find bigger cocktail parasols/umbrellas, so the point about their usefulness stands).



The classic football (soccer) ball, on the other hand, is very close in size to what it should be (only a little bit bigger), and works great. And I do like its classic pattern more than the crazy new stuff (yes, shovelchop, I am a reactionary dinosaur ). Here it is with a few random football/soccer players:





The "golden" award trophy also looks appropriately scaled for a sixth-scale scene:





Hope you found this useful or entertaining or both.

Great Stuff ! Like Your Cap figure. Another 100 % Skin Tone Match. Good to know

Ephiane wrote:Great Stuff ! Like Your Cap figure. Another 100 % Skin Tone Match. Good to know

Thank you, Ephiane, glad you found it worth commenting on. That's the M33 with the sideways glancing Age of Ultron HT head, with the neck removed. The M33's neck has been stuffed with foamies to make it thicker for another head, and I had not removed them, so it is actually a little bit too thick for this head, but not too far off.

Great info. I like those boxes! There is a brand that makes very small 0.14 litre boxes called Really Useful Boxes . They come in a variety of clear, translucent and solid colours. Nicely scaled for 1/6 characters.

I picked up a pile of these miniature woven baskets. Well made and good for many different themes and settings.



https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Miniature-Woven-Bamboo-Basket-25-mm-Vintage-Handmade-Wood-Craft-Decorate-Gift/302457240062

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Miniature-Woven-Bamboo-Baskets-30-mm-Vintage-Handmade-Weave-Craft-Decor-Gift/302554620040

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bird-Nest-Shaped-Weaving-Rattan-Wicker-Craft-Basket-Dollhouse-Miniature-Gift10Pc/192491758906

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Weaving-Rattan-Pumkin-Shape-Craft-Basket-Dollhouse-Miniature-Home-Decor10Pc/192488283368

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Weaving-Round-Rattan-Wicker-Craft-Basket-Dollhouse-Miniature-Gift-Decor10Pc/192429364103


These fertilizer baskets look like they could be useful too. The stem is easy to cut off.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FERTILIZER-BASKET-ORCHID-VANDA-FLOWER-POT-OSMOCOTE-BONSAI-DIA-1-5-inch-SizeL-EN/322576613177

Thank you, MarkEl and shazzdan, for adding to this thread. Those baskets look great. Interesting, "Really useful boxes" look just like the ones I was showcasing.

This has always been a favorite thread, and so glad to see it popping up here.  Already some awesome recommendations.  Not my best photography, but I thought I'd snap off a few quick pictures tonight of some recent finds.

Metal Barrels

While I'm reluctant to endorse Hobby Lobby, I know I'm not the only one who was looking for these type of barrels.  I believe it's actually a candle holder, but it's perfect in 1/6.  I plan to repaint the 2 I got, but they still look pretty good as is.

Also, don't do what Saint Crow is doing below.


Military Cases

While I'm already buying pretty much everything that comes out in the 1/18 scale Acid Rain line, a nice bonus is that every figure comes in 1 of these cool plastic storage containers.  The ones in the picture have already gone through a good blackwash and some weathering powders, but they're fantastic as is, and make perfect 1/6 military style crates.

Test Tubes


I have Shazzdan to thank for these.  I know he mentioned them before, but mine came in the other day and I'm thrilled with them.  I have no idea what they were intended for, but they're all glass with rubber stoppers, and are perfect in 1/6.  I have so many plans for these, starting with a wooden test tube rack.  May even see if I can knock it out tomorrow.

Skeleton

I had seen someone else make the recommendation (I believe on OSW) for a very decent, very cheap 1/6 scale skeleton.  It came with The Bones Book And Skeleton https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761142185/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1, and was actually packaged in the display dome pictured.  I had painted the base brass, and gave the skeleton a wash of brown paint, and I think he looks pretty good.

Dammit Crowther, stop messing with everything you find.

ReverendSpooky, these are great! And how much you have done with them, customizing and setting up. I do have the skeleton, but I will have to look harder in Hobby Lobby. I believe Pontiacvan has barrel suggestions too.

GubernatorFan wrote:ReverendSpooky, these are great! And how much you have done with them, customizing and setting up. I do have the skeleton, but I will have to look harder in Hobby Lobby. I believe Pontiacvan has barrel suggestions too.

Thanks GF!  Yeah, I have found there a bit more than I'd like to admit.  I wonder if it's this one Pontiacvan was going to mention:

Wow ! Love the flame Scene !

There's some really cool stuff here. I only wish I had more room for dioramas. I've always wanted to do a Victorian era room for Holmes & Watson, but the space for such just doesn't exist.

ReverendSpooky wrote:Thanks GF!  Yeah, I have found there a bit more than I'd like to admit.  I wonder if it's this one Pontiacvan was going to mention:

Nice one! No, his were metal, to go with the robots.

Ephiane wrote:Wow ! Love the flame Scene !

Have we talked about Werble before?  Its a such a fun iphone app fore these kind of simple animations.  I keep getting surprised what you can do with it.  

Stryker2011 wrote:There's some really cool stuff here. I only wish I had more room for dioramas. I've always wanted to do a Victorian era room for Holmes & Watson, but the space for such just doesn't exist.

What!?  You can't say that after posting pics of that luxurious and expansive man cave.  A Victorian Holmes & Watson sitting room (Or crime scene!!!) would be so rad, and such a blast to do!  Maybe poor lonely Picard could hang out there until the rest of his crew get produced...

I actually need to figure out a better option for dioramas.  Most of mine are modular, and get put up or broken down for photoshoots.  I have a room that gets great light, so that's become my mini studio, but isn't really a good display space.  I'd love to have a few of these on display more permanantly (especially the loft) but they're so unfinished on the outside (just unpainted insulation foam) that it'd be a project in itself to build some sort of cabinet to house them.  Not to mention 2 cats that would want nothing more than to take up residence in my 1/6 world.  Still, it's an idea I can't let go of.

GubernatorFan wrote:Nice one! No, his were metal, to go with the robots.

Ah, I want to see them too!

ReverendSpooky wrote:What!?  You can't say that after posting pics of that luxurious and expansive man cave.  A Victorian Holmes & Watson sitting room (Or crime scene!!!) would be so rad, and such a blast to do!  Maybe poor lonely Picard could hang out there until the rest of his crew get produced...

But just imagine... if I started building dioramas, that once “luxurious and expansive man cave” would turn into a cluttered, over-crowded mess.

Stryker2011 wrote:But just imagine... if I started building dioramas, that once “luxurious and expansive man cave” would turn into a cluttered, over-crowded mess.

Excellent point. You could go halfway: build diorama parts that are easy to assemble (e.g., separate walls, floors), stack, fold, etc. They will take some space, but nowhere nearly as much as dedicated permanent dioramas.

Stryker2011 wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:What!?  You can't say that after posting pics of that luxurious and expansive man cave.  A Victorian Holmes & Watson sitting room (Or crime scene!!!) would be so rad, and such a blast to do!  Maybe poor lonely Picard could hang out there until the rest of his crew get produced...

But just imagine... if I started building dioramas, that once “luxurious and expansive man cave” would turn into a cluttered, over-crowded mess.

Oh yeah, you're 100% right. For some terrible reason, my 1st instinct is always to be the (1/6th?) devil on your shoulder and encourage all the worst impulses. You should definitely buy that. Or build that. Or drink ALL of that...

ReverendSpooky wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:What!?  You can't say that after posting pics of that luxurious and expansive man cave.  A Victorian Holmes & Watson sitting room (Or crime scene!!!) would be so rad, and such a blast to do!  Maybe poor lonely Picard could hang out there until the rest of his crew get produced...

But just imagine... if I started building dioramas, that once “luxurious and expansive man cave” would turn into a cluttered, over-crowded mess.

Oh yeah, you're 100% right.  For some terrible reason, my 1st instinct is always to be the (1/6th?) devil on your shoulder and encourage all the worst impulses.  You should definitely buy that.  Or build that.  Or drink ALL of that...  

Drink the kool-aid!

I think if we kept at that we’d have to join 6th-scale Anonymous!

Stryker2011 wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:What!?  You can't say that after posting pics of that luxurious and expansive man cave.  A Victorian Holmes & Watson sitting room (Or crime scene!!!) would be so rad, and such a blast to do!  Maybe poor lonely Picard could hang out there until the rest of his crew get produced...

But just imagine... if I started building dioramas, that once “luxurious and expansive man cave” would turn into a cluttered, over-crowded mess.

Oh yeah, you're 100% right.  For some terrible reason, my 1st instinct is always to be the (1/6th?) devil on your shoulder and encourage all the worst impulses.  You should definitely buy that.  Or build that.  Or drink ALL of that...  

Drink the kool-aid!

I think if we kept at that we’d have to join 6th-scale Anonymous!

If we did, they'd tell you to stay the hell away from me. I'm a textbook enabler.

GubernatorFan wrote:

It has not escaped my notice that the pigskin is a little too big to be realistic, and the parasols a little too small (it is probable that you can find bigger cocktail parasols/umbrellas, so the point about their usefulness stands).

Meant to mention, they definitely DO make the coctail umbrellas in larger sizes, and they are perfect for 1/6 scale.  I used mine with a sort of Zatoichi style sword in the handle to make a hidden umbrella sword.

ReverendSpooky wrote:Meant to mention, they definitely DO make the coctail umbrellas in larger sizes, and they are perfect for 1/6 scale.  I used mine with a sort of Zatoichi style sword in the handle to make a hidden umbrella sword.

Great! I knew I wasn't imagining it. And the ones you found definitely look more realistic in sixth scale than mine. Also, very cool artsy photos. You do excel at these