The Energon Pub

Ok, so I picked up a Movie Bumblebee tonight. Call it a lack of willpower, cause it was the fat tab version. Knowing about the issues, I got it home, and with great trepidation began the TF process.

On step 1, it stuck.

I looked at the assemblage, and decided I couldn't accurately cut the tab with my assortment of tools. So I looked again.

I came to the conclusion that, based on the figure's design, the tf instructions could be wrong. The arms, specifically the arm on the left, problematic side seems to interfere with the Automorph process. If there is already too much plastic in the undercarriage (which I still think is true on the fat tabs) then pressing the button forces that oversized tab to take all the pressure from trying to grate against the arm. Also, based on the way the figure sits in package, it looks as if the automorph has already slightly triggered, making the arms more of an impediment to transformation.

I reset the hood, and pulled the arm assembly out, so there would be no friction between the upper arm panels and the hood. I pressed down... and it worked. I finished the transformation, and, for the sake of science, I repeated the process. Still good. One more time...still good. The button is very stiff, and requires force, but without the upper arms in the way, the force doesn't seem to cause a break.

I'm not claiming that this is gonna work for anybody else, and I'm not sure I'm ever going to transform BB again, BUT there is the possibility that the figure can be salvaged and breakage avoided by pulling the arms out beforepressing the automorph feature. Hope that helps.

EDIT: Yeah, I know it only a hypothesis with only one trial, and no control group of ten screaming kids.

Asderiphel wrote:Ok, so I picked up a Movie Bumblebee tonight. Call it a lack of willpower, cause it was the fat tab version. Knowing about the issues, I got it home, and with great trepidation began the TF process.

On step 1, it stuck.

I looked at the assemblage, and decided I couldn't accurately cut the tab with my assortment of tools. So I looked again.

I came to the conclusion that, based on the figure's design, the tf instructions could be wrong. The arms, specifically the arm on the left, problematic side seems to interfere with the Automorph process. If there is already too much plastic in the undercarriage (which I still think is true on the fat tabs) then pressing the button forces that oversized tab to take all the pressure from trying to grate against the arm. Also, based on the way the figure sits in package, it looks as if the automorph has already slightly triggered, making the arms more of an impediment to transformation.

I reset the hood, and pulled the arm assembly out, so there would be no friction between the upper arm panels and the hood. I pressed down... and it worked. I finished the transformation, and, for the sake of science, I repeated the process. Still good. One more time...still good. The button is very stiff, and requires force, but without the upper arms in the way, the force doesn't seem to cause a break.

I'm not claiming that this is gonna work for anybody else, and I'm not sure I'm ever going to transform BB again, BUT there is the possibility that the figure can be salvaged and breakage avoided by pulling the arms out beforepressing the automorph feature. Hope that helps.

EDIT: Yeah, I know it only a hypothesis with only one trial, and no control group of ten screaming kids.

You're onto something here. It's definitely a problem with those arms. I got Bumblebee in the Wal-Mart exclusive 2-pack, and mine didn't break, but he looked so stupid with all the gaps showing (I hated it every second of it, it drove my OCD up the wall...) so I replaced him with a single pack BB, and the hood seals nice and tight. I figured out what threw the whole thing out of whack...if you look at his forearms, there's a rivet (along with glue) holding the door piece on. If it's not sealed flush to the arm, it will slightly knock the fender out of place, and stress the Automorph.

It took me about 10 minutes to find a Bumblebee that didn't have that problem. Quite a few had it...

Also, I'm not sure, because I can't open the packages, but I believe all the 2-packs have the fat tab/small tab (breakage prone) figure. I too have this model and so far no problem except the arm on the one.

Autobot032 wrote:
You're onto something here. It's definitely a problem with those arms. I got Bumblebee in the Wal-Mart exclusive 2-pack, and mine didn't break, but he looked so stupid with all the gaps showing (I hated it every second of it, it drove my OCD up the wall...) so I replaced him with a single pack BB, and the hood seals nice and tight. I figured out what threw the whole thing out of whack...if you look at his forearms, there's a rivet (along with glue) holding the door piece on. If it's not sealed flush to the arm, it will slightly knock the fender out of place, and stress the Automorph.

It took me about 10 minutes to find a Bumblebee that didn't have that problem. Quite a few had it...

Also, I'm not sure, because I can't open the packages, but I believe all the 2-packs have the fat tab/small tab (breakage prone) figure. I too have this model and so far no problem except the arm on the one.

I lucked out then. I checked the glued arm on mine and it doesn't have that problem, though I can see how that would skew the angles even further. But you're right, it has to be more than just the Automorph feature, and the only other place where pressure is applied down to the tab is from the arms.

Wait a minute.....you use the instructions? Huh. I never use those things. I transformed my Bumblebee w/out any problems (Well, the first one anyway. )

Decepticlone Soundwave wrote:Wait a minute.....you use the instructions? Huh. I never use those things. I transformed my Bumblebee w/out any problems (Well, the first one anyway. )

Guilty. I busted that cherry years ago, when I was still mostly a Star Wars guy and bought BW Magnaboss for kicks (gray elephant & Ironhide? C'mon. How could I pass that up?). Being the first TF I'd bought since I was in grade school, it destroyed me. It took me about half an hour to admit I couldn't do it. I had never had to use the instructions before. But I swallowed my pride and broke out the folded sheet of "True Fans Don't Use". Not such a big deal anymore.

Most figs I still do without the instructions, but with all the Movie fig issues reported I figured it was better to just play it safe. It's worked so far, but I think BB's instructions are unintentionally wrong.

Asderiphel wrote:Ok, so I picked up a Movie Bumblebee tonight. Call it a lack of willpower, cause it was the fat tab version. Knowing about the issues, I got it home, and with great trepidation began the TF process.

On step 1, it stuck.

I looked at the assemblage, and decided I couldn't accurately cut the tab with my assortment of tools. So I looked again.

I came to the conclusion that, based on the figure's design, the tf instructions could be wrong. The arms, specifically the arm on the left, problematic side seems to interfere with the Automorph process. If there is already too much plastic in the undercarriage (which I still think is true on the fat tabs) then pressing the button forces that oversized tab to take all the pressure from trying to grate against the arm. Also, based on the way the figure sits in package, it looks as if the automorph has already slightly triggered, making the arms more of an impediment to transformation.

I reset the hood, and pulled the arm assembly out, so there would be no friction between the upper arm panels and the hood. I pressed down... and it worked. I finished the transformation, and, for the sake of science, I repeated the process. Still good. One more time...still good. The button is very stiff, and requires force, but without the upper arms in the way, the force doesn't seem to cause a break.

I'm not claiming that this is gonna work for anybody else, and I'm not sure I'm ever going to transform BB again, BUT there is the possibility that the figure can be salvaged and breakage avoided by pulling the arms out beforepressing the automorph feature. Hope that helps.

EDIT: Yeah, I know it only a hypothesis with only one trial, and no control group of ten screaming kids.

Well, in the trailer, his arms do come out of the side before his bonnet starts folding and whatnot. So I guess it makes sense.

As for instructions, I always use them the first time into robot mode. I just paid for this thing, I aint gonna break it by forcing things to do what they aint suppossed to. BUt the first time back into alt mode, it's no instructions at all.

Insurgent wrote:

Asderiphel wrote:Ok, so I picked up a Movie Bumblebee tonight. Call it a lack of willpower, cause it was the fat tab version. Knowing about the issues, I got it home, and with great trepidation began the TF process.

On step 1, it stuck.

I looked at the assemblage, and decided I couldn't accurately cut the tab with my assortment of tools. So I looked again.

I came to the conclusion that, based on the figure's design, the tf instructions could be wrong. The arms, specifically the arm on the left, problematic side seems to interfere with the Automorph process. If there is already too much plastic in the undercarriage (which I still think is true on the fat tabs) then pressing the button forces that oversized tab to take all the pressure from trying to grate against the arm. Also, based on the way the figure sits in package, it looks as if the automorph has already slightly triggered, making the arms more of an impediment to transformation.

I reset the hood, and pulled the arm assembly out, so there would be no friction between the upper arm panels and the hood. I pressed down... and it worked. I finished the transformation, and, for the sake of science, I repeated the process. Still good. One more time...still good. The button is very stiff, and requires force, but without the upper arms in the way, the force doesn't seem to cause a break.

I'm not claiming that this is gonna work for anybody else, and I'm not sure I'm ever going to transform BB again, BUT there is the possibility that the figure can be salvaged and breakage avoided by pulling the arms out beforepressing the automorph feature. Hope that helps.

EDIT: Yeah, I know it only a hypothesis with only one trial, and no control group of ten screaming kids.

Well, in the trailer, his arms do come out of the side before his bonnet starts folding and whatnot. So I guess it makes sense.

As for instructions, I always use them the first time into robot mode. I just paid for this thing, I aint gonna break it by forcing things to do what they aint suppossed to. BUt the first time back into alt mode, it's no instructions at all.

Now see, that's sensible. I still don't understand why people go without the instructions. Yeah, I know, they all say "It's part of thrill for me, figuring it out." problem is, with that mentality, you're guaranteed sooner or later to break something. Then the mentality is "Well, I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Hasbro made some poopy stuff this time around." No. Pride won't allow the person to admit they screwed up, and when they take the broken piece back to the store to get a new one, the next person suffers because they buy a broken figure. Also, Hasbro can lose profits which in turn raises prices for the rest of us.

It won't kill anyone to use the instructions just once.

Decepticlone Soundwave wrote:Wait a minute.....you use the instructions? Huh. I never use those things. I transformed my Bumblebee w/out any problems (Well, the first one anyway. )

So do I, last time I used the instructions the parts when flying everywhere, I just look at how it is meant to turn out like and sort of transform it lolz.