EASY RECIPES FOR TREK CUSTOMS
The Boil and Popper’s Recipe Page.

For the customizer with little or no scuplting talent (like myself), constructing decent Star Trek figures is relatively easy using various heads and bodies from existing figures within the Playmates lineup. These “headswaps” are fairly easy to construct, and often replicate quite accurately some of the “limited edition” figures produced by Playmates themselves. In other instances, this method can be used to construct figures that Playmates, for one reason or another, has not yet produced, or may never produce. Here are a few recipes that I’ve compiled from various sources. Most are simple headswaps, though a few also entail minor repainting. For some of these, the biggest trick is finding the suitable body parts to use for the figures. Special thanks to graphic artist extraordinaire John V Schmidt for allowing me to use his images of computer generated custom figures for alot of these examples.

	Flashback Janeway. The members of the Playtrek mailing list recently voted on characters that they would like to be made into a Playtrek Exclusive figure. The only stipulations for suggesting figures were that they basically had to be head-swaps or repaints. In other words, no new scuplting that would require new molds be made. After voting on likely candidates (listed below) suggested by the group, Captain Janeway from the Voyager episode “Flashback” was selected as the Playtrek Exclusive figure. NewForce Cards and Comics is currently pursuing the legal and business aspects of this matter with Playmates. In the interim, you can make your own Flashback Janeway using a Janeway head, and the body from Lt. Saavik. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Captain Spock: the first runner-up from the Playtrekker exclusive figure poll. Captain Spock can be easily made from a Spock head and the body from “Generations” Kirk (or a Tapestry Picard if you have one of those lying around for customizing: be sure to use the original figure, not the reissue, so that you get the painted white spot and the number on the bottom of the foot). Image by John V Schmidt.
	Captain Sulu, the third runner-up in the Playtrek exclusive figure contest. Captain Sulu, also from the “Flashback” Voyager episode, can be created from a Sulu head and a Generation’s Kirk body. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Ensign Demora Sulu as seen Star Trek: Generations. Demora Sulu can be made from the body of Lt. Saavik, and the head of the Warp Factor 4 Keiko O’Brien figure.
	Dress Janeway. Another figure under consideration in the Playtrek poll (apparently the Playtrekkers are a Janeway-happy bunch). Dress Janeway can be easily customized from a Janeway head and the Spencer’s exclusive Dax in Dress Uniform figure. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Uhura in Gold Uniform. This is Uhura as seen in her gold uniform featured in early episodes of TOS, such as “The Corbomite Maneuver”. Not a headswap, this figure can be easily customized by repainting the Basic Crew set Uhura. Image by John V Schmidt.
	First Season Riker. Ahhhh. Riker, as smooth as a baby’s butt or an android’s bottom. Either way, this figure can be customized by using a Riker in first season uniform body and a cadet Riker head. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Commander Sulu from the second Star Trek movie. Again, a Sulu head on a Generations Kirk body, but note the yellow collar and sleeve insignia. Image by John V Schmidt.
	T&T O’Brien. XXX.
	“Redemption” Data. A simple repaint will suffice here. First issue Data figure with a new coat of paint to match the red uniform color scheme.
	“Mail-away” Sisko. Mail away Sisko can be easily constructed from the head of the first issue Sisko and the body of a Wesley Crusher. Modify the duty pips slightly, and paint Wesley’s hands to match Captain Sisko’s head. The Crusher body is slightly thinner than the original mail-away figure, but it beats shelling out $80 for one of those..
	Captain Sisko in Duty Uniform from the Deep Space Nine episode “Homefront”. The Sisko, in duty uniform, can be easily constructed using a bald Sisko head from either of the two bald Sisko figures (DSN uniform and T&T Sisko) and the body from the Q in Duty Uniform figure. After the headswap, Q’s hands will need to be painted to match his noggin.
	Chekov from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Chekov from ST:TMP can be customized using a Chekov head and the body of Sulu from ST:TMP. Image by John V Schmidt.
	“Huntsville Sulu.” . The Spencer’s exclusive Sulu that was sold at the Huntsville, Alabama Star Trek convention can be constructed using a Sulu head, and a Spock body from “The Cage” episode.
	Tapestry Picard. Use a body from a Generations Kirk and the head from any Picard, and you’ll have yourself a reasonable facsimile of the the premiere figure in the 1701 series pain in the ass.
	3000 edition Barclay from the Voyager episode “Projections”. Boring Barclay can be easily fabricated from two other boring figures: the head of 7th season Barclay (OK, so he’s not too boring) and the body of Lt. Carey from the Voyager line. Yawn.
	Environmental Suit Spock. The Toyfare Exclusive Environmental Suit Spock can be constructed from the body of an Environmental Suit Kirk and a Mr. Spock head. Similarly, ES Chekov and Sulu can be constructed using, of course, heads from Chekov and Sulu.
	Environmental Suit McCoy. The upcoming Target Exclusive Environmental Suit McCoy can be constructed from the body of an Environmental Suit Kirk and a McCoy head. Image by John V Schmidt. Go elsewhere o this site to find a picture of an actual figure of this headswap.
	Environmental Suit Chekov. The upcoming Target Exclusive Environmental Suit Chekov can be constructed from the body of an Environmental Suit Kirk and a Chekov head. Image by John V Schmidt.
	McCoy from the second Star Trek movie. McCoy’s head from the original bridge crew figure on the ever popular Generations Kirk body. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Uhura from the second Star Trek movie. Uhura’s head from the original movie figure on the Lt Saavik body. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Tuvok from the Voyager episode “Flashback”. Another use of the Generation Kirk body. With, of course, Tuvok’s head. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Garak from the mirror universe seen in Deep Space Nine. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Troi in dress uniform. Troi’s head plus the dress uniform from the Speneer’s Dax in Dress Uniform figure. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Dr. Crusher in dress uniform. Dr. C Crusher’s head plus the dress uniform from the Speneer’s Dax in Dress Uniform figure. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Kahn from the classic TOS episode “Space Seed”. Head: Kahn. Body: Scotty from the classic bridge set. Man! Playmates needs to make at least one more TOS redshirt figure. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Quark in Klingon attire. Head: DSN Quark. Body: Sisko as Klingon figure works nicely. Image by John V Schmidt.
	McCoy from the TOS episode “Deadly Years”. Head: Admiral McCoy figure. Body: McCoy from the classic bridge set. See elsewhere on this site for an actual figure made using this recipe. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Dr. Chapel. Head: Lwaxanna Troi. Body: Lt Saavik (another great base body). Image by John V Schmidt.
	“The naughty Cadet Locarno. Head: Voyager Paris. Body: Cadet Wesley Crusher. Image by John V Schmidt.
	“Lt. Yar in Dress Uniform. Head: Lt. Yar, any version (they are all the same crappy head-sculpt). Body: Speener’s Dax in Dress Uniform. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Kang in classic Klingon attire. Head: Kang from the incredibly lame Warp Factor 4 series figure. Body: Sisko as Klingon works great. Elsewhere on this site is a photo of a real figure constructed using this recipe. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Kurn in Classic Klingon attire. Head: Kurn. Body: Sisko as a Klingon. For some reason, Kurn has a HUGE head, even by Playmates standards. Kurn’s head would probably look best on a 6-inch figure body. Image by John V Schmidt.
	The ill-fated Red Shirt. Mr. Expendable here can be made from the body of just about any of the classic bridge set males or the T&T Bashir, a little red paint, and the head of one of the more “generic” figures, such as Lt. Carey or T&T Bashir again. Add on an anti-protonic phase inducer coil and you can also get this cool “phasered” effect for your figure. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Dr. Crusher in First Season TNG uniform. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Kirk from the classic TOS episode “A Piece of the Action”. Kirko can be made from the head of almost any of the “young” Kirk figures, like Casual Kirk or Environmental Suit Kirk, and the body of Holodeck 40’s Data. The Holodeck 40’s Data figure has the added bonus of a removable fedora. In a pinch the Dixon Hill body can be used, but Picard’s fedora needs to be surgically removed from his head if you want Kirko to wear a hat. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Spock from the classic TOS episode “A Piece of the Action”. As with the POTA Kirk, use a “young” Spock head and the body of Holodeck 40’s Data. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Morphing Odo. See elsewhere on this site for a figure of morphing Odo using a T&T Odo body and head, with the arms and legs from a Target Exclusive Transporter Sulu. The glittery things need to be sanded off the arms and legs of the transparent transporter figure, which yields an nice frosted, semi-opaque effect to the morph. Unfortunately, the glitter is apparently stuck on with the same stuff that NASA uses to glue the head shield panels on the Space Shuttle. Very tenacious stuff. Image by John V Schmidt.
	O’Brien in First Season TNG uniform. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Dr. Bashir in Dress Uniform. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Ensign Picard. Head: Cadet Picard. Body: Ensign Wesley Crusher. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Spock from the “Where No Man Has Gone Before” episode. Image by John V Schmidt.
	“Rascals” Picard. Image by John V Schmidt.
	“Illia from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Head: Illia. Body: ST:TMP Uhura figure. Image by John V Schmidt.
	Thelin the Andorian from the animated series episode “Yesteryears”.. Head: Warp Factor 4 assortment Andorian. Body: T&T Bashir. Image by John V Schmidt.
	“Mr. Worf, in ummmmmmmm... Nevermind”. Actually, most figures look pretty snazzy in the boa accessory that came with the Warp Factor 4 Andorian. Image by John V Schmidt.