"Rules" of Customization

[Ismene]

Do you have rules on what you will or will not irreversibly customize? How do you decide if something is too old or too rare to tamper with?

[Rasputin]

I still have a hard time irreversibly customizing playmobil. I have painted 6 tudor houses when they first came out in the new colors. When they came out in red and then blue I wanted more variety so I painted some butter yellow. Then a few months later they released the yellow house.  Usually if I have dozens of something I find it easier to change them but still I have reservations.

[Ismene]

I'm trying to work up the courage to get into painting things. I don't have much in the way of duplicates, so it's usually either/or.

[mike1003]

I'm trying to work up the courage to get into painting things. I don't have much in the way of duplicates, so it's usually either/or.

me too, but its difficult for me too. iam not very talented and i have a lot of stuff i can bin straight away. a friend told me to try to paint old stuff first to get a feeling. there is one guy and he does playmobil customs andhe is so amazing.. daniel yu is his name..

http://www.google.de/imgres?q=playmobil+de+plume&um=1&hl=de&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=JOBoBJtlj9ZZVM:&imgrefurl=http://www.toycutter.com/2009/11/playmobil-de-plumes-3a-toys.html&docid=QxL7O-F7X9cHhM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XdP6Lp2ceqY/SvcsEPdAjOI/AAAAAAAAC04/kRKQVEYWEz4/s400/deplume.jpg&w=400&h=340&ei=MR8aUOGyBofktQbLqIHQCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=120&vpy=112&dur=2719&hovh=207&hovw=244&tx=114&ty=129&sig=105506064886158193581&page=1&tbnh=142&tbnw=168&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:73&biw=1280&bih=627

just google him and u will be amazed how he can paint.

[kenc]

Klickies: I keep one original duplicate for the case I would regret my custom
Buildings/accessories from within my theme: I keep one duplicate set for the case I would regret the custom/painting
Buildings/accessories from out my theme: I sometimes need to paint parts from out my theme, then I don't care about the original state. I painted two pirate lighthouses in grey to give them a more medieval look.

[Ismene]

Mike, wow! That's impressive. I was thinking more along the lines of just changing the color.

Kenc, those sound like good rules. The customs I'm considering at the moment are mostly to bring non-theme items into my theme.

[mike1003]

try to get some old plastic stuff and try it out before u use ur playmobil... u can use anything out the garbage.. just to practice first

[tonguello]

My only rule is TO NOT CUSTOMIZE UNIQUE ITEMS, ONLY REPEATED ONES AND SPARE PARTS.   

[basilsdad]

My only rule is TO NOT CUSTOMIZE UNIQUE ITEMS, ONLY REPEATED ONES AND SPARE PARTS.   

Wise words, Gaston.
I still feel funny about all the sawing, scraping and filling I do to make things fit during customization,    but I only sacrifice used parts that I get in parts lots on ebay.  I keep my original mansions in the shape they came in.
Joe

[Pynedor]

I have the same rule as others have posted. I won't customise anything unless I have a complete set that is un-customised that contains whatever items I customise. So far I've only customised a few figures though, and I usually buy sets or DS orders with the intention to customise the figures within them.

Of course, I switch around parts like accessories, weapons, and armour without considering the completeness of sets though, since this does no irreversible customising.