DIY 2mm Scale People

Having surveyed the market for off the shelf people, nothing found was ideal to reflect the costume of the period and the pose we wanted.

With some trepidation I decided to take my success in modelling people in 4mm scale to 2mm scale. My concern was whether or not this was at all possible for a figure 12mm or less in height. I surprised myself in discovering how simple it is to create an authentic model.

It did take two attempts to develop a method that works and we are helped by the fact that at 2mm scale it is not necessary, or even worthwhile, to apply fine details such as facial contours because at normal viewing distances they would not be discernable. This is not the case in 4mm scale.

The first figure I wished to model is the operator for the reaper binder, posed climbing onto his seat, just as I have seen in a YouTube video. Having looked at old photographs for the early 1900s I decided he needed rolled up white shirt sleeves, a leather waistcoat and cloth cap. This photo shows the construction method:

1. Body Frame, shoulders and Legs

0.7mm single insulated wire, bent to shape and its plastic sleeving cut to form the trouser legs. The feet are virtually hidden in the scene on the model railway so are simply the ends of the wire bent at 90 degrees.

2. Arms & Hands

0.5mm single insulated wire, bent to shape and its plastic sleeving cut to form the rolled up shirt sleeves. This part is soldered to the front of the shoulders using a heat shunt to stop the sleeving melting. Hands are the wire ends looped and a blog of solder fills the loop.

3. Torso & Head

FIMO clay applied to the frame and sculpted to shape. The head is FIMO rolled into an egg shape with a flat piece placed on top for the cloth cap (or hair). The lot is then cooked at 110 centigrade for about 15 minutes to harden the clay. Thankfully the plastic sleeving did not melt.

The model is then painted using a very fine paintbrush and cocktail stick and when dry Superglued into position on the reaper binder.

David