Starting a conversion figure

The last two conversion figures were already in process and pretty far along when I decided to finish them. Now I'm starting work on the third conversion figure that's not too far along. It's a standard Goldberg or Juro Charlie McCarthy doll head. Here are the first steps in preparing to convert it into a pro-style figure:

I begin by clearing out the eyes. I start by drilling a small hole or two in each eye. Then I take a Demel tool and scrape out the eyes until I have two clean eye sockets.

Next, I saw off the back of the head so I can eventually install mechanics for the animations. My plans for this fella include raising eyebrows, side-to-side self-centering eyes, and a steel-spring activated mouth.

Then I have to free up the jaw itself. Each Charlie head is mounted differently depending on its age and manufacturer. This Charlie head looked like an old one. This one had some heavy-duty staples and a metal axle. After the jaw is removed, I Dremel the interior edges so I can eventually install my own axle assembly.

After that, I use a Dremel to rough up the head's interior. I'll use Magic-Sculpt to mount some of the mechanics and it doesn't grip as well on smooth surfaces.

Lastly, Charlie McCarthy stock jaws are known not too open too wide. So I carve out the bottom of the jaw to make more room for the jaw to open. I'll use Magic-Sculpt to build a concave lower jaw.

After all that, the real work can begin.