Useful items for sixth-scale environments (continuously updated)

I didn't just include fantasy/historical keys.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/20-40-100-200PCS-Smooth-Key-Tibet-Silver-Charms-Pendants-Crafts-Jewelry-Finding/323174723658

Yes, I saw these at the very end. Do we know how big they are? Look a little rough, but then again they are quite tiny so might look quite decent in hand. Update: this time I found it: 19.9 mm... that is quite large -- too big for realism, not to mention the look.

Pontiacivan wrote:I make control knobs for various things from electrical wire nuts. I cut off the end and I can paint to suit. The softer plastic ones are easier to work with.

Never thought to use those as control knobs. I use plenty of electronic DIP switches and tactile buttons for control panels and such. Usually I rip them out of broken computers and other electrical appliances rather than buying new ones.








edit: If you want to buy some then this looks like a good selection for a decent price - around 4 cents each.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/420PCS-Assorted-Micro-Push-Button-Tact-Switch-SMD-DIP-2-4-3-6-4-4-6/32800036667.html

shazzdan wrote:

Pontiacivan wrote:I make control knobs for various things from electrical wire nuts. I cut off the end and I can paint to suit. The softer plastic ones are easier to work with.

Never thought to use those as control knobs. I use plenty of electronic DIP switches and tactile buttons for control panels and such. Usually I rip them out of broken computers and other electrical appliances rather than buying new ones.








edit: If you want to buy some then this looks like a good selection for a decent price - around 4 cents each.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/420PCS-Assorted-Micro-Push-Button-Tact-Switch-SMD-DIP-2-4-3-6-4-4-6/32800036667.html

Thanks for the link to the switches! I just got a bag of these push on/ push off for $1 so I can stop twisting wires on my custom figures...

Just like you, I also steal switches from anything I can. I have some DIPs in my GI Joe Trouble shooter. ( the water bottle has a cool backlit holder )
I'll have to see what I stole the battery box for and try to shoot this lit up later.

I popped into a couple novelty stores on Sunday:Tiger and Menkind in the UK. These are my finds for a few pounds each .



The above wheelbarrow and shopping cart/trolley from Tiger.  Scale is too far off and more 1/8ish.  I could extend the wheelbarrow handles but the angle would be too extreme. Heads for scale! Buck Jones is not a serial killer!  ;-)  I’ll return these.



The above is a croquet set from Tiger.  It’s a mixed scale as it’s intended for human use on a tabletop.  The mallet length
is ok but too bulky otherwise.  The balls are more 1/5.   I may keep this as a toy for me.

m

This functional lamp is from Menkind.  Just under 1/6 but it’s a keeper for set ups.

Nice haul, MarkEl. The cart and wheelbarrow do look so nice, it's a shame you'll be returning them. But I get the point about scale.

GubernatorFan wrote:Nice haul, MarkEl. The cart and wheelbarrow do look so nice, it's a shame you'll be returning them. But I get the point about scale.

There was a conversation once upon a time in the old place about the scale of that shopping cart. I assume it's the same one, I got mine from an Asian source. It's too small to be a run of the mill everyday shopping cart, but there are places where you might see something that size -- for example at the Airport in the Duty-Free Shop or other boutiques where space is limited. Or I used mine in a Toy Shop diorama where it looked like it was meant for kids to use. Also I think it would look OK if there was any credible way to put bigger wheels on it. I maintain that for "close but a bit underscale" objects like Barbie stuff, the height dimension is more important than overall mass. A lot of underscale-ish furniture looks fine just with longer legs.

Similarly there would a limited 1/6 use for that wheelbarrow. It's way too small to be on a jobsite but the real world does have awkward mini wheelbarrows like that, mostly for personal gardening.

The lamp on the other hand is really good. In the US Dollar Tree has one like it (Red, Blue and Black as I recall), and in Canada Dollarama used to have one but not lately. One of them had the white inner cone, which makes a big difference, and it looks like the Menkind UK one has that.

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:The lamp on the other hand is really good.  In the US Dollar Tree has one like it (Red, Blue and Black as I recall), and in Canada Dollarama used to have one but not lately.  One of them had the white inner cone, which makes a big difference, and it looks like the Menkind UK one has that.

There are plenty of sellers on ebay. I've been paying around a dollar each for them including shipping. The downside is that the colour they send is randomly selected. Any I get that aren't black or white get spray-painted silver or grey.

Just came back from a quick trip to my local Meijer. I had purchased some slate coasters to use as sixth-scale pre-modern flooring, and I didn't remember seeing more when I bought them. So when I finally got around to opening them, I liked them so much, I had to run out and see if perchance I could get more. Indeed, they had one more pack left. So while there, I took a look at other possible 1/6-usable items, and came back with this haul:



This includes:
Slate coasters by Thirstystone 4"x4" (4 per pack)
-- as indicated above, I intend to use them as flooring
Metal ("iron"), wood, and stone candle dishes ("pillar holders") by HG Global
-- I thought these could make some large period dishes/platters
Spring Lavender in Pot
-- Seems to me there are larger versions of this in real life, so this could do as a potted plant in a 1/6 diorama
Fern with Burlap in Birdcage by Allstate
-- I intend to take these apart for wooded scenes; who knows, the birdcage might come in useful too?
"Accent" corked clear glass bottles by Cousin
-- These came from Walmart, not Meijer; we've been discussing such items in this thread before, mostly from Hobby Lobby

shazzdan wrote:

Moonbase Alpha Male wrote:The lamp on the other hand is really good.  In the US Dollar Tree has one like it (Red, Blue and Black as I recall), and in Canada Dollarama used to have one but not lately.  One of them had the white inner cone, which makes a big difference, and it looks like the Menkind UK one has that.

There are plenty of sellers on ebay. I've been paying around a dollar each for them including shipping. The downside is that the colour they send is randomly selected. Any I get that aren't black or white get spray-painted silver or grey.

Painting one a nice gloss white, you can make an actual 1/6 character: Luxo the animated lamp from Lassiter's first short film, that has actually become the Logo for Pixar.

GubernatorFan wrote:Second up, the fake tree stump. Well, it works. It is made of some sort of hollow plastic or polyresin, and I later noticed a little hole near the bottom on one side. Now if only I had a sixth-scale squirrel or woodchuck...

Somebody call for a squirrel?  

I'd say the squirrel is roughly within scale, though at the upper end -- a big, fat squirrel for sure.  A chance to mention the various toy animals that you can get.  They're made regardless of scale so some will be 1/6 and other animals won't.  The squirrel (and raccoon) are Safari Ltd. sold at Michaels, $2.49 after a 50% off coupon.  The Bunny is from Target at about the same base price.  Various other animals are available -- I had a 1/6 Wolverine (animal) meet a 1/6 Wolverine (SuperHero) in my "Canada's 150th" post last year.

Nice ones, Moonbase Alpha Male. I was actually looking for goats today... found a couple on eBay that I think would work.

Target carries little animals? Are these in the toy aisles? I need a bunny.

This animals are within scale range especially the rabbit. Good finds. I need to find a large Scheich animal model display at a toy or collectible store and see what’s close. They are of wildly varying scales. I know the whales won’t work!

Stryker2011 wrote:Target carries little animals? Are these in the toy aisles? I need a bunny.

Target carries small animals in the toy department, typically on an end aisle display. I believe they are generally from the "Schleich" line though I see this bunny is from a Canadian manufacturer, Maison Joseph Babbat. It was carded as a set of 2 and came from a Buffalo Target earlier this year. It's a good pose to fit inside a top hat, like the rabbit that came with DC 13" Zatanna. Michaels (the hobby store) probably has a better selection of these small animals (and cheaper since there's always an online 40-50% off coupon).

Thanks for the info, MBAM. I’ll check into it. Alice needs here bunny.

Want a cheap pegboard?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-PCS-One-Side-5-x-7-CM-PCB-Strip-board-Printed-Circuit-Prototype-Track-LW-Test/263618027941



The boards are PCB and etched with copper so I wasn't sure what kind of paint to use. I tried metal primer and it seems to stick ok. I then joined four together with popsicle sticks and applied a second coat of paint.

@shazzdan, Really great idea and results on the pegboard.  How are the tools mounted on the board.  Brads or finishing nails?

MarkEl wrote:@shazzdan, Really great idea and esults on the pegboard.  How are the tools are mounted on the board.  Brads or finishing nails?  

Nah, they cost money. I cut up a piece of scrap wire into short lengths.The diameter is exactly the right size so I can jam them into the holes and they don't fall out.

Damn fine idea that looks very convincing.

Nice one.

Stopped at Michael's on the way home from the doctor. Found these little charms in the jewelry making section:




And in context:

Excellent find.

Man, this thread gets me in trouble. I spent way too much at Hobby Lobby this weekend on stuff I saw here. I grabbed 2 of those lifeguard chairs, 2 of the smaller ones GubernatorFan posted the link to, and some sort of other little outdoor bin I need to get a photo of. Going to need to order a pile of those switches and buttons Shazzdan and Pontician posted, and the idea of using the ends of wire nuts for nobs is freakin brilliant. I ordered a whole pile of those circuit boards for peg boards after Pontician showed them in his base build, and have already started using them for my current project. Stryker, I keep eyeing those spyglasses at Micheals, and they look perfect in scale in your pirate set up. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how adorable your pirate girl is there. And Moonbase Alpha Male, that squirrel is the business. Damn, I do love this thread.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Steampunk-2-Layers-3-Layers-Chic-Telescope-Shaped-Pendant-Novelty-Design-Copper-Necklace-60cm-for-Women/32841869254.html

It is 8 cm long so should be about right for 1:6.

That’s nice, Shazzdan. Very cool.

Great telescopes, Stryker and shazzdan! While I was in Michael's recently, I either didn't notice them or failed to grasp their potential.

I did go into several stores sixth-scale hunting yesterday. First up, Hobby Lobby, with following result:



Then there was Target (since some of you were talking about their toy animals) :



And then there was Pier 1 (which happened to be located between the other two) :



So I picked up the "other" vintage gas pump from Hobby Lobby, as well as the weathered wooden beach chair matching last week's lifeguard chair; a set of charms from Vintaj featuring an appropriately scaled simple modern key; a couple of packages of those corked glass bottles from Blank Slate; a little wooden treasure chest (there were also bigger and smaller sizes); two rabbits and a puppy, all by Mojo; and some moss and a fake plant for a planned diorama. At Target I got a couple of slightly larger rabbits by Terra, an Ocean Breeze candle for its metal bucket container (a tad on the large side, but I'm sure somewhere there are buckets that this matches), and a couple of other little plants (real, fake, not sure) from Live Trends. The Pier 1 visit yielded just more plants -- moss, fake rubbery conifers, and a plastic plant that came attached to a napkin ring.

Here are a couple of scenes I cobbled together with some of the new acquisitions.

Gas pump, keys, and plants:


Beach chair (atop a "deck" that is a barn wood sign board from the hobby section at Meijer), rabbits, puppy, a blue glass bottle (behind her knee), bucket, and plants:


So, good haul?

That is an excellent haul. ReverendSpooky has me all fired up to try my hand at a post-apocalyptic figure, and I really dig the gas pumps, but I’d hate to copy his stuff outright. He’s too good, and mine would just look like a sh$&y imitation.

Stryker -- I don't see what one has to do with the other -- you can use them in some different way.

Pontiacivan and Shazzdan, those control knobs, electronic switches and pegboards were ingenious!

Wow! Stryker, your Pirate (queen?) looks amazing, not to mention her amazing booty... er I mean chest, treasure chest . I just noticed there was a monkey there on my second look (missed it when browsing on the phone).

GubernatorFan, that's an incredible haul. Those miniature animals look really realistic and cute at the same time, and I really love the moss mat and the potted plants.

This is my favorite shot right here. The background is just splendid, the props placed perfectly, and the couple seems so natural.

GubernatorFan wrote:Beach chair (atop a "deck" that is a barn wood sign board from the hobby section at Meijer), rabbits, puppy, a blue glass bottle (behind her knee), bucket, and plants:

Man! This thread is amazing, it's like a treasure trove of cool new items and fresh ideas are to be discovered.