In this spotlight article, I get to interview Rob Roberts who’s better known to the collecting and customizing community as Cheetimus Prime and owner/operator of Cheet’s Tweaks custom figures!
How long have you been collecting Transformers for?
As with most people in this fandom I loved TFs as a kid. I was 5 years old when they first hit so between them, He-Man and Legos I was in love. Of course as soon as I turned my back (read: went away to high school) my mother threw all my toys away. These days she says she regrets it because she didn’t know how much they’d be worth.
Well fast forward to Beast Wars season 2. I really dug the Transmetals toys and when I bought a few at KB they gave out a free video cassette of Coming of the Fuzors. I got to watching the show and buying more of the toys even though when I first saw BW toys on shelves I thought they were knock offs of a brand I used to love.
I guess you could say I started collecting with Beast Wars but it wasn’t until Beast Machines that I really got into it. That’s when I started searching onle for more info and got to see prototypes of upcoming figures… I was hooked.
What are some of your favorite Transformers and lines?
Well Beast Machines is my favorite show and I still love the nutty aesthetic those toys have, especially the Mega Cheetor. I tend to pick and choose toys from different lines that I like. Right now I think my favorite Prime fgures are First Edition Cliffjumper and Voyager Dreadwing. My second favorite toy is the newest Masterpiece Optimus. I never had Prime as a kid so this just gets me in all teh right places.
However anyone that knows me even a little knows my favorite Transformer of all time is Jazz. His appearance in Animated was the best thing ever to me with that robo Kangol and the RtS/United toy… man. Oh man. My favorite character got one of the best deluxe molds ever made. That right there is my favorite TF toy. If I could only have one that would be it.
What encouraged you to start customizing? What was your first project?
But I guess I really started with Beast Machines. I loved the toys but the colors were all wrong. My first really project was making that Deluxe Optimus Primal look like the show, at least with a decent robot mode. I found some sculpting material and got to work.
I never finished the thing but I think that figure was what really got me going. I have a NightSlash Cheetor somewhere completely painted in mostly show colors. I plan on redoing that one.
What are some of your favorite customs that you’ve produced?
I could be corny and list a bunch of recent stuff I’ve done but I think the most fun I’ve had with customizing was with Alternators. Back when I had far too much disposable income I would buy two or three of the things fully intending to make all kinds of customs. They are far too numerous to name but the most fun ones were the Beast Wars inspired guys. I had a Tigatron and a Silverbolt that I simply adored. I still have the beginnings of a Tarantulas whose resculpted head I just found the other day. He would have been made using the RX-8 mold featuring a pain job start out of Need For Speed: Most Wanted. If you played then you know the one.
When you have a custom that you really like, how hard is it for you to turn around and sell it?
Not as difficult as it used to be. Honestly for me the fun is in creating these toys. Very few do I still enjoy once I’m done and on to the next new thing. For example I really like my custom Prime Ratchets that I do. I’ve sold at least 20 of the thing as people continue to commission them but I don’t have one for myself. I’m ok with that. The ones that I love, the ones I do for myself are the ones you won’t see on eBay.
I’ve seen that you have a large part in the Allspark community. How long have you been involved there, and what are some of your favorite parts of it?
Hooboy. Ya know some people say I’m an institution over there but to me it’s the opposite. The Allspark is an institution in my life.
I happened across the Allspark ten years ago last month. As someone once said I began “posting like rabbits mack it!” My posts were the most substantive either. I was mostly just goofing around and having fun with this new community I happened in to. People grew to know me not because I’m special but through sheer presence. Somehow not only did this stat a trend where once a year people would photoshop my face into their avatars (Kalidor, the owner, one upped them all by making my face a smiley) but one day I came home and found an extra button at the top of the forum and realized I was on staff.
So yeah, ten years. My favorite parts? Well the people of course. Not to sound corny but the community is just so much fun and diverse there really is a family atmosphere there. There are in-jokes that have been going on for years and years like people addressing me as Mark and the bit “WTCHOP” which is slightly before my time. I just love those people. I have made some truly amazing friends through these guys.
It even helped me get laid once. But shhh, don’t tell anyone.
Any future plans and projects you’d like to clue us in on?
Well I plan to do more Beast Wars re interpretations as I’ve been doing recently but mostly I just make things up as I go along, flying by the seat of my pants. I improvise better than I plan.
Although is you pay enough attention in the Iacon Art Galleries on the Allspark you may get a few clues to my bigger plans later this year.
I just want to give a huge thank you to Cheet’s for giving me the opportunity to interview him. I’d also like to thank you, the readers for taking the time to check this article out. Is there anyone from the collecting or customizing community you’d like to see interviewed? Shoot me a message on twitter or an email at tj@kumastyledesigns.com.
And check out Cheet’s’ Facebook page showcasing his work here!
