[Lionel]

I figured it out and am posting the soution in case someone else wants it.
(that's to use with TelaFirma's mod)

in recommends.php

after

if(!empty($products_id)) {
foreach($products_id as $p) {
$query_ids[] = $p['productid'];

simply put

$rec_thumb_url[]=func_get_thumbnail_url($p['productid']);

then at the bottom pass it on to smarty

$smarty->assign("rec_thumb_url",$rec_thumb_url);

finally in recommends.tpl

tmbn_url=$rec_thumb_url[num] id="product_thumbnail"

Now the images that we are able to display in recommends thanks to Balinor can take advantage of that most recommended mod of TelaFirma.