The Energon Pub

Hi all,

Is there an effective fix for loose ball in socket joints? I got the new TR Skullsmasher and his legs are very loose at the hip joint making it nearly impossible to pose and very difficult just to stand. Any suggestions?

Looking around I've seen suggestions that it is probably best for some clear-cut nail polish or furniture polish even has also been suggested before.

There were a couple videos when I did a Google search for it really quick.

Tyrannacon wrote:Looking around I've seen suggestions that it is probably best for some clear-cut nail polish or furniture polish even has also been suggested before.

There were a couple videos when I did a Google search for it really quick.

"floor" polish

Future Floor Polish
(also know as Pledge tile shine with Future)
any acrylic based hard floor polish.

Methods include.

1) Paper towel fragment in a ball joint cup - simply instant 'quick fix'.

2) clear nail polish (be careful its the right kind some can melt plastic) ideal to fix minor looseness and as it's a bit thicker it won't flow where you don't want it.

3) Any acrylic based modelling / hobby craft varnish advantage as it's usually thinner and nail varnish doesn't melt anything it shouldn't and doesn't usually react with labels you can sometime varnish stickers to protect them with this - you can do that with floor polish too but it's not a great idea as it's a bit to liquid for that to be suitable.

4) Floor polish (disadvantage is it can take several coats and hours to dry) advantage is - it also works on hinges and joints you are not able to disassemble.
advantage it's water soluble so you can wipe off any spills. (don't get it near labels though) can be also used to seal a surface or make matt paint look gloss. can be mixed with paint too. and can also be used to cover tiny gaps but this is a bit of "skill" as you are tricking it into making a bubble over a gap and that doesn't work well except on very small holes.

Is also ideal for making a fist a tiny bit tighter to enable more secure weapon holding.

5) Super Glue - advantage quick drying - the jell can sometimes be used as a gap filler - disadvantage - it can seriously damage the finish of the plastic and can not be wiped off - use only with extreme caution but it sometimes is the only way to fix a persistently popping off ball joint.

6) Other glues like resin glues or general purpose "Gorilla glue" can sometimes be useful if a joint breaks and needs rebuilding (i.e. clear plastic) as Superglue isn't ideal for many clear plastics... it can't hold them well.

General tip you varnish the cups not the ball joints. and often you don't need to do as much as you think be sparring with it.

Ask customisers they'd have a greater degree of day to day experience and more general does and do nots.

Dont do the glue thing, its dangerous. Here are way simpler ways.

The easiest of all is to put a piece of tissue paper on the balljoint and stick the leg onto it.

Also, you can put some floor polish or nail polish onto the balljoint and let it dry for a day before placing the leg onto it.

I watched 1 video on youtube where the guy dropped some pledge into the joint with the leg attached. But it sounds like you guys are saying to put the pledge or nail polish into the joint with the leg detached. Is one method preferable?

Also, I assume all these fixes are temporary. How many transformations would you roughly estimate the pledge or nail polish fix to last? I would hope it would last more than 5-10, which for me would means a year before I would have to reapply.

nycPrime wrote:I watched 1 video on youtube where the guy dropped some pledge into the joint with the leg attached. But it sounds like you guys are saying to put the pledge or nail polish into the joint with the leg detached. Is one method preferable?

Also, I assume all these fixes are temporary. How many transformations would you roughly estimate the pledge or nail polish fix to last? I would hope it would last more than 5-10, which for me would means a year before I would have to reapply.

The kleenex and nail polish arent temporary, I never ever had to redo an operation.

Yes you can put floor polish in a joint you can't get apart like pinned ball joints.

I did it just a few weeks ago to a Streetfighter II 7" figure that was crazy floppy he's much better now.

nycPrime wrote:I watched 1 video on youtube where the guy dropped some pledge into the joint with the leg attached. But it sounds like you guys are saying to put the pledge or nail polish into the joint with the leg detached. Is one method preferable?

Also, I assume all these fixes are temporary. How many transformations would you roughly estimate the pledge or nail polish fix to last? I would hope it would last more than 5-10, which for me would means a year before I would have to reapply.

Depends on the stress you put on the part. In life, everything eventually wears down/off.

Could anyone post an image of what the current bottle of the proper floor polish to use looks like (in America)? I was in the store the other day looking at the floor cleaner section and couldn't for the life of me figure out what the right one to get was. I know they no longer call it "Future", but beyond that... I just really need visual evidence I'm getting the real deal.

Optimum Supreme wrote:Could anyone post an image of what the current bottle of the proper floor polish to use looks like (in America)? I was in the store the other day looking at the floor cleaner section and couldn't for the life of me figure out what the right one to get was. I know they no longer call it "Future", but beyond that... I just really need visual evidence I'm getting the real deal.

I was having the same issue. But then I thought about it and don't think it's worth spending $10 on a big bottle of floor polish that I'll end up barely using. I'll probably just bum some nail polish off my wife. I'm also planning on using it on Skullcruncher's legs. But I leave him in alt mode, so I'm not in much of a rush to fix the joint.

fenrir72 wrote:

Tyrannacon wrote:Looking around I've seen suggestions that it is probably best for some clear-cut nail polish or furniture polish even has also been suggested before.

There were a couple videos when I did a Google search for it really quick.

"floor" polish

I stand corrected. Apologies for my mistake. I don't know why I typed "nail" in any case.