The Energon Pub

Mkdlmr wrote:Also, any upgrades and/or complementary figures for G1 Fortress Maximus? I saw they re-made Cog, and there's the toyhax stickers. I'm not sure I want either one [those toyhax stickers look like a nightmare]...

Perfect Effect made an upgraded gun and Master Sword that are compatible with G1 Fort Max. They're long sold out so you may have a hard time getting them at a good price if you're interested. And yes, that gun is G1 compatible, Michael Mercy did a video review on it not long ago that shows the handle section pops off from a hidden peg G1 Max (at the 12:05 mark).



Emerje

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Also, any upgrades and/or complementary figures for G1 Fortress Maximus? I saw they re-made Cog, and there's the toyhax stickers. I'm not sure I want either one [those toyhax stickers look like a nightmare]...

If you can afford it, get a Perfect Effect Warden. It's a great figure in its own right, representing IDW's version of Fort Max, but it has a commander mode, which is him turning into a head that fits onto G1 Fort Max, giving him a more proportionate head.

Oof... not exactly readily available... And expensive on eBay. Thanks for the reply though!

Also, will legends/core class figures fit in Fortress. Maximus's elevator?

From a prior topic in this thread: I managed to cram two Titans in top of bookcase! (clear bookends act as insurance to keep them up there)

That's 1 way to go.

If you want to do the scene from FFoD part 4 where he attacks and destroys the Ark, you should turn Trypticon around, or swap their places.

Rodimus Prime wrote:That's 1 way to go.

If you want to do the scene from FFoD part 4 where he attacks and destroys the Ark, you should turn Trypticon around, or swap their places.

Thanks! I tried that, but they feel more stable up there in this orientation.... Unless Trypticon is basically staring at the corner [Megatron has him in time-out].

Are there any contemporary (past 20 years) Micromasters worth picking up?

Mkdlmr wrote:Are there any contemporary (past 20 years) Micromasters worth picking up?

Most Minicons from the Unicron Trilogy are worth a look, some are even still very affordable loose. Early Legends class figures came with Micromaster partners that could also turn into weapons (they're OK, but not great). There's also the individual Titan Masters and Prime Masters that came with vehicles and Pretender shells they could connect with, they're basically made to go with Titans.

Emerje

Any good new-ish transformers that have a missile launching gimmick? My kid loves that on my 2010 Unicron. Thinking of digging up a G2 Megatron, but that's pretty dated...

Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

Mkdlmr wrote:Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

If it's an original, be careful. Age and use probably wore the ratchet joints down so be gentle. You might have to actually take the leg apart to see what the problem is.

Mkdlmr wrote:Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

Transform him often.

I have to say that Titans Return toys go well with the Titan-class basebots; they're kinda designed for it. That's why they all have a weapon (or combining weapons) that Titan Master/Prime Master figures can sit in - those are designed to be stuck on larger figures as extra turrets. And of course the TR Leaders have base modes that can join up to TR Fort Max and Trypticon (and SIEGE Omega Supreme). PotP Prime Masters also work well; the weapon modes of their Decoy Armor work as turrets they can sit in.

As far as Legends and Core class figures and G1 Fort Max's elevator go... I'd say yes, since G1 Hot Rod can apparently fit in it.

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

If it's an original, be careful. Age and use probably wore the ratchet joints down so be gentle. You might have to actually take the leg apart to see what the problem is.

My vote goes to that, with emphasis on looking at the state of the spring and for particles that may be jamming the joint.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

If it's an original, be careful. Age and use probably wore the ratchet joints down so be gentle. You might have to actually take the leg apart to see what the problem is.

My vote goes to that, with emphasis on looking at the state of the spring and for particles that may be jamming the joint.

Are there any repair/disassembly instructions?

Mkdlmr wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

If it's an original, be careful. Age and use probably wore the ratchet joints down so be gentle. You might have to actually take the leg apart to see what the problem is.

My vote goes to that, with emphasis on looking at the state of the spring and for particles that may be jamming the joint.

Are there any repair/disassembly instructions?

None that I know of, but you should be able to get by with a narrow Phillips screwdriver, a long one because from what I can tell they're deep in there. Also get some lids or saucers to put the screws in, preferably one for each moving section of the legs, and a LARGE workspace.
I hate it that you have to take the whole leg apart foot to hip just to gain access, but that's how the leg is constructed.

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Any advice on how to loosen G1 Fort Max's tight hips? Adjusting the screws seem to have minimal impact...

If it's an original, be careful. Age and use probably wore the ratchet joints down so be gentle. You might have to actually take the leg apart to see what the problem is.

My vote goes to that, with emphasis on looking at the state of the spring and for particles that may be jamming the joint.

Are there any repair/disassembly instructions?

None that I know of, but you should be able to get by with a narrow Phillips screwdriver, a long one because from what I can tell they're deep in there. Also get some lids or saucers to put the screws in, preferably one for each moving section of the legs, and a LARGE workspace.
I hate it that you have to take the whole leg apart foot to hip just to gain access, but that's how the leg is constructed.

Thanks! Any recommendations on any sort of lubricant I could use in there?

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks! Any recommendations on any sort of lubricant I could use in there?

Something silicon based that is safe for plastics I guess?

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks! Any recommendations on any sort of lubricant I could use in there?

Something silicon based that is safe for plastics I guess?

Silicone, silicon is the metallic stuff electronics are made out of, silicone is the synthetic stuff used in cookware, implants, and lubricants. It is a good choice, I use it for fishing reels, though a quick search for plastic gear lubricant turns up a number of options.

Emerje

Thanks for all the replies!

The fact that there's no disassembly/repair information online nor lubricating related information is a point of concern... I'm tempted to just live with tight hip joints on Fort Max instead of trying to fix him...

Thoughts?

Upon further evaluation it appears that it is lateral movement that is more problematic. Hip flexion/extension is fine. The ratchets look to be fairly well sealed, so attempting to drip lubricant in the joint will be unlikely to succeed. Disassembly seems highly involved and the entire leg will need to be split in half. Just not worth the effort...

How safe are the plastics from third party companies? I know toys made in the '70s and '80s potentially contained all sorts of nasty stuff. I'm primarily curious about some upgrade kits from DNA design.

Mkdlmr wrote:How safe are the plastics from third party companies? I know toys made in the '70s and '80s potentially contained all sorts of nasty stuff. I'm primarily curious about some upgrade kits from DNA design.

All 3P stuff and knock offs should be kept away from the reach of young children. They don't follow any safety regulations and guidelines as the Hasbro and Takara toys.

Thanks for letting me know. That makes me a little sad...

Any idea what Takara's safety standards are compared to Hasbro? I imagine anything within the past decade is probably safe...

Mkdlmr wrote:Thanks for letting me know. That makes me a little sad...

Any idea what Takara's safety standards are compared to Hasbro? I imagine anything within the past decade is probably safe...

I think everything is save with Takara unless the toy is clearly for grown ups like a Masterpiece.

Any recommendations on touch-up paint/markers for scratched/chipped paint on transformers?

Mkdlmr wrote:Any recommendations on touch-up paint/markers for scratched/chipped paint on transformers?

It may not be the best way, but good ol' Sharpies do the job. There may be better quality markers that are more suited to plastics. Maybe go to a hobby/art shop and ask the clerk.

Painting the scratches will just be a temporary measure because that paint will still scratch away when new rubbing take place. I'm speaking from experience building my Frankensformers customs.