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I love this thread! I should be having a number of ebay rescue jobs arriving today or tomorrow and wish I could join in. Unfortunately, my best attempts at "rescuing" them would probably be in need of rescuing themselves. x'D I have novice skills and very limited paints right now since I just came back to my minis from a 5-7 year college break. Not that I had a great selection before. Some 60 or so Citadel paints and I had only just discovered washes and dry brushing.

OK, here was two Sisters of Battle with standard models that I picked up on eBay. Found out when they arrived that one had it's standard cut a bit short...but that was not a problem as I planned to change the standards to Imagifiers anyway. Had to make a resin copy of one of the backpacks as well as one was missing that part.



If anyone wants the banner let me know, I save it and it will still sticky enough to secure to a banner pole.

Finished figures.





Cheers,

CB

Another eBay recovery.





Cheers,

CB

This thread rocks! Glad I found it.

I don’t have ‘before’ photos of my two - just picture badly assembled tanks painted with house paint and rolled in grit. Yeah...

Came up well though I reckon:

Yeah they came out great. I love the sprayed on chaos symbols. Really gritty and war-worn. Super job. House paint! That WAS a major rescue!

Sweet tanks! pictures came out great too.

So, first time posting ITT, as I don't usually like posting WIP stuff but I bought an el cheapo weaponless Land Raider on eBay for the sole purpose of rescuing it. So here we go.



The Land Raider as I got it. No weapons, and some construction errors, such as one of the sponsons being put on upside down and some of the tracks being put on the wrong side. I'd only find out both of these when I was in too deep a bit so I'd need to just go with it. Time to sacrifice it to Grandfather Nurgle!




Pre paint after all of the conversion work and kitbashing weapons.


....

And the end result!



More pics below in the spoiler.



Shotzi Blackheart says "Eat my tank!", Snotzi Blackheart's tank eats you!

Love it, it looks like it belongs in the pages of The Lost and the Damned.

Some old Eldar Support Weapon Crew from eBay.


Rescued and repainted after cleaning.


Cheers,

CB

 Captain Brown wrote:
Some old Eldar Support Weapon Crew from eBay.


Rescued and repainted after cleaning.


Cheers,

CB

Nice save, Captain. Those old Jes Goodwin Eldar are still some of my favorite models of all time.

Of interest:

Yes, it's another Ebay Oops story, but I think this one may have a happy ending ;-)

https://skinflintgames.wordpress.com/2020/11/09/accidental-tyranids-hive-fleet-imprudens/

 Skinflint Games wrote:
Of interest:

Yes, it's another Ebay Oops story, but I think this one may have a happy ending ;-)

https://skinflintgames.wordpress.com/2020/11/09/accidental-tyranids-hive-fleet-imprudens/

Nice pink paint job on those. And I'm tickled that you left the three head conversion in place. Manys an eBay restoration its would've shaken his head tutted sympathetically at the poor fella and applied the exacto knife. It's very a stupid but fun conversion. And a good paint job adds credibility.

 theCrowe wrote:

 Skinflint Games wrote:
Of interest:

Yes, it's another Ebay Oops story, but I think this one may have a happy ending ;-)

https://skinflintgames.wordpress.com/2020/11/09/accidental-tyranids-hive-fleet-imprudens/

Nice pink paint job on those. And I'm tickled that you left the three head conversion in place. Manys an eBay restoration its would've shaken his head tutted sympathetically at the poor fella and applied the exacto knife. It's very a stupid but fun conversion. And a good paint job adds credibility.

Thanks mate! Yeah, I looked at him, thought of the challenge involved and thought sod it, I like him how he is

Anyone want to see how the rescued and given the full on 1991 treatment Blood Angels are looking?

Yes?

https://skinflintgames.wordpress.com/2020/12/10/crossing-the-rubicon-nostalgius-pt-3/

Quick rescue for the shelter.

Ive had this 1990 Ral Partha lizard guy in my collection for a (long) while and am entirely responsible for the state of him.

Typically, in my youth I had a quick hand with a knife and a keen sense what would make a mini "even better" and as a result this guy has seen multiple conversions and tabletop roles in Heroquest, Necromunda, Mordheim etc and now here he was, sad and armless.

So, needing a lizard for Burrows and Badgers I decided it was time to give him some arms and fix him up.

I should've stripped him first but I was genuinely scared his tail or head or ankles would fall off.
So he got some goblin archer arms, a quiver of arrows, a greenstuff coat and a sheathed knife to become a lizard ranger.


Sorry, ignore the turtle, I forgot I didn't have a shot of the finished lizard on his own.

Pretty happy with the result though it's something in line with the trajectory of this guy's conversion history following me into whatever game he'll fit. Hopefully for this 30 year old mini its his the last one.

Love the lizard guy! Brilliant job.

And now... my eBay rescue project completed! Until I buy some more...

https://skinflintgames.wordpress.com/2021/03/11/more-accidental-tyranids-hive-fleet-imprudens-complete-for-now/

I bought this grubby grot bomb on E-bay ages ago with the intent to use it as part of a larger project (that I never started). I pulled it out of the pile of shame recently to serve as my entry to the latest round of the Dakkadakka Painting Challenge.

Before


After

Been a while since someone has shared here.

Four partially painted old metal Wraithguard (all three poses so I could not resist purchasing these to increase my unit to 10)



Now they look like this:


Ironically a complete reversal of colors.

Cheers,

CB

Great save, they look fantastic

Thanks Illumini.

So some more eBay recoveries. Looks like someone was doing the base coat and lost interest.



Now the three are finished.



Cheers,

CB

So...do you guys get these rescue jobs at great prices? And on eBay? Because my eBay experience is that someone's fethed up minis tend to go for a high enough percentage of retail that it's easier just starting with a new mini.

Just seems like a seller's dream these days. I could probably get someone to pay cash for my pocket lint, LOL.

 gorgon wrote:
So...do you guys get these rescue jobs at great prices? And on eBay? Because my eBay experience is that someone's fethed up minis tend to go for a high enough percentage of retail that it's easier just starting with a new mini.

Just seems like a seller's dream these days. I could probably get someone to pay cash for my pocket lint, LOL.

Gorgon,

I often look for incomplete lots. So for example the Eldar Support Weapons had no crew and an incomplete group of weapon options...so they were less than buying a complete set.

The Wraithguard also were cheaper as they do not have the bases or the options that current plastic Wraithguard have, so they are cheaper as well.

I also pick up damaged models and repair them.

Yes, there are a lot of ridiculous prices being asked, but there are deals to be had.

If it is an auction, I only bid once and do not care if someone wants to pay more and I do not win the item...someone else will offer it for sale shortly.

Cheers,

CB

You can cherry pick deals, but it takes a ton of patience these days. You used to be able to snag good deals, but the competition is stiffer and prices keep going up.

Even facebook groups and marketplace are getting spendy. The last place to score great deals are swap meets and local trading groups.

How do all of you strip your minis?

I've been on the Super Clean lifestyle for a year now, but I'm worried it doesn't do much for the recesses.

I find Isopropyl Alcohol works well and will do plastic too.

Helps I work at a place I can get it for free.

I also find eBay has largely lost the bulk bargain lots that once were common. But ever now and then a gem comes along. Often with a “pro” paint job to boot.

 gorgon wrote:
So...do you guys get these rescue jobs at great prices? And on eBay? Because my eBay experience is that someone's fethed up minis tend to go for a high enough percentage of retail that it's easier just starting with a new mini.

Just seems like a seller's dream these days. I could probably get someone to pay cash for my pocket lint, LOL.

Searching eBay via Fatfingers.com usually yields a trove of stuff.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Archer wrote:
I find Isopropyl Alcohol works well and will do plastic too.

Helps I work at a place I can get it for free.

I also find eBay has largely lost the bulk bargain lots that once were common. But ever now and then a gem comes along. Often with a “pro” paint job to boot.

My new best thing to use is the stuff on sale at Untothebreachhobbies. Cleans plastic safely like nothing else I've used.

 Grimtuff wrote:


My new best thing to use is the stuff on sale at Untothebreachhobbies. Cleans plastic safely like nothing else I've used.

Got any way to get that state side without more than doubling the cost with shipping? I can't speak for anyone else, but if I'm buying ~$35 worth of product, I'm not paying ~$45 to have it shipped.

Not a clue mate. They’re a small uk company so certain things will ramp up the postage. It’s a shame really, as it’s a bloody good product.

Another recovery, here are some of the metal Delaques I have been painting when they arrived in the mail.



Now painted up.


Cheers,

CB

Whoa, nice save there, Captain Brown!