The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:05 pm

I picked up Takara's MP 11 Starscream (first run) and the ratchet joint on the right leg at the hip does not ratchet, just swings freely. It not terrible but I'd like to fix if I can. Was this a common problem with this guy or is mine all alone? Any one have any ideas how to fix this?

News Credits: 1 · Sat Oct 04, 2014 9:13 pm

Lango7 wrote:I picked up Takara's MP 11 Starscream (first run) and the ratchet joint on the right leg at the hip does not ratchet, just swings freely. It not terrible but I'd like to fix if I can. Was this a common problem with this guy or is mine all alone? Any one have any ideas how to fix this? I was thinking of dismantling one of my Sunstorms to figure out the issue.

Found the culprit, a missing part in the hip that catches the cog on the leg. I was able to access the hip once I removed the cod piece. Lucky for me I was able to grab a donor part from my Less expensive Sunstorm. Some surgery pics.

News Credits: 241 · Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:28 am

Nice job!

News Credits: 12 · Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:19 am

Are Third Party figures allowed in this thread?

I have the little mini-Shockwave that came with the FansProject Bruticus second release. Now I've posted about the many QC issues I've had with this set, but this issue I'm struggling to fix.

Basically, the hip ball joint is attached by a very, very, very thin post, and whilst attempting to tighten his infuriatingly loose joints, one of them snapped. I've tried pinning it with a paperclip and gluing it (I've tried both plastic cement and superglue) but it wil not stay fixed.

What do? Is there a joint I could use to replace it (like a Revoltech joint or something)?

Also, FP Swindle's combiner port's ratchet is ridiculously floppy. I had the same problem with the shoulder blocks (and upon opening them up saw that the "ratchet" as nothing more than the joint rubbing against a soft plastic nub which seems to have worn down) and so the only solution was basically to pour Citadel Water Effects (basically clear resin) into the joint to build up friction- it doesn't "ratchet" but it is strong enough to hold up the arm in combined mode. Swindle's combiner joint, however, is "open" and is just sandwiched between 2 plastic panels with nowhere to actually get any of the resin in- and there's no way to disassemble the backpack it seems. Any ideas? Have I got a bootleg? It was from eBay, but it wasn't from China or anywhere like that- just from the UK.

News Credits: 1 · Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:54 am

Can you post some pics? I work better with some visual aids.

News Credits: 12 · Tue Oct 07, 2014 9:08 am

When I get home I'll take some pics, yeah. Only got a phone camera though so it may look a tad crappy.

Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:19 am

I have a problem with my Olin Zarak headmaster. The leg joint is popped out of the socket. I've tried using pliers to squeeze it back in (with a rag around the grips so I didn't mark the plastic) but it didn't work. I'm guessing I might have to shave off some of the plastic around the joint to make it fit, but I'm not sure if the rivet (or whatever it is that goes through the legs) can be removed to fix it.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Tue Oct 28, 2014 7:13 pm

Is there a fix for Generations Skids's loose shoulders? The ball joints on mine are very loose when fully pulled out. I don't know if the usual fixes like using clear nail polish, glue, or paper to bulk up the joint will work. There is no 'back' to the socket and there is a lot friction used on the joint.

News Credits: 4877 · Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:55 pm

New to this thread as I had no need to fix or embelish anything... until now. I just got some G1 toys and the stickers are in horrible shape on some of them, especially my G1 wheeljack. I ordered some reprolabels to fix him up but I dont know how what is the best way to remove the old faded and scrap stickers first. And I would like to clean up the toy too, before I apply the new stickers but I have no clue how. My instinct would be a toothbrush with some soapy water but this isn't your standard plastic toy, there is metal on this thing. Sorry for sounding like such a noob, but I would nned your help.

Any advice would help.

News Credits: 4877 · Sat Dec 06, 2014 1:04 pm

william-james88 wrote:New to this thread as I had no need to fix or embelish anything... until now. I just got some G1 toys and the stickers are in horrible shape on some of them, especially my G1 wheeljack. I ordered some reprolabels to fix him up but I dont know how what is the best way to remove the old faded and scrap stickers first. And I would like to clean up the toy too, before I apply the new stickers but I have no clue how. My instinct would be a toothbrush with some soapy water but this isn't your standard plastic toy, there is metal on this thing. Sorry for sounding like such a noob, but I would nned your help.

Any advice would help.

Ok, here s the fix I was told to do. Hertel de greaser for the stains and whatnot. For the stickers themselves, I removed them with my fingernails and then removed the extra adhesive with lighter fluid. It worked like a charm.

News Credits: 4877 · Sat Dec 06, 2014 1:07 pm

Another point, the AOE toys have some soft plastic that is sometimes mishapen. Like Strafe's 2 tails that all curl the same way. I dipped the soft plastic in hot water (more like boiling) and as the tail straightened, I guided it with my fingers to curve the other way. Once removed from the water and cooled down, it looked like this:

News Credits: 4877 · Sat Dec 06, 2014 1:14 pm

A lot of people have already mentioned that there is a breakage prblem with Generations Voyager Brainstorm's headmaster gimmick. The slot is so tight and the headmaster goes in too far down that it gets stuck and breaks when we remove it.

Cobotron has found a fix which he describes in the following post:

Cobotron wrote:
What's up with the HEAD GIMMICK?
Note the hollow groove or slot inside his neck. They are on either side of the neck socket.
the piece in front is the spring-loaded lock mechanism.

the grooves accept these nubs or pegs on either side of Arcana's head. That jutting rectangle in the back of his head, has a slot to accept the lock.

The grooves and the lock are miss aligned, and the nubs on Arcana's head are too thick to fit through the space before the grooves, making a super tight fit, before the pressure on the nubs is relieved, by the grooves.
With me?
Once you push the head in, it falls in too far and the lock closes, too far over the slot.
Recap: 2 things.
1. There is too much pressure on the nubs, making it realy hard to get in and out.
2. The head falls too far in the neck socket, and the lock closes too far over the slot housing. making it even harder to get out.

Pulling it out is the hard part, and where you could break the head off of Arcana.
The ball joint on his neck is where people have been breaking Arcana. The ball is screwed on to a post that is attached to his head. Too much pressure, and the screw strips out of the post.
I had to pull super hard on that sucker. I was scared.
I got lucky.

The ball popped out of the socket instead of stripping, But then getting the head out was even harder with nothing for leverage.

What I suggest.
Once you super carefully get Arcana detached, take an Xacto knife and shave along the contour of the curve at the top of the grooves.

I shaved about 3 times on each side, still to tight. 3 more and it was OK. you'll just have to play with it until it feels right.

I also suggest you watch these two video reviews before attempting anything. In this order.
Baltmatrix

Peaugh's

News Credits: 41 · Sun Dec 07, 2014 2:09 am

HA!
I just came here to post it myself.
Thanks for doing my dirty work WilliamJames88!
Hope it helps save some Brainstorms.

News Credits: 241 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:19 pm

Wouldn't you know it... you give some of your favourite toys a lookover, you see a fault that really spoils the love you have for them. :BANG_HEAD:

In case you're wondering, I gave my PCC Crankcase and Huffer a lookover and my heart sank when I noticed the sockets of the shoulders have cracked! The good news is that they're still holding on, but now I'm afraid to move them too much, I already lost... *counts* Leadfoot, Beacon, Skyburst and Darkstream from the same line thanks to breakages. :sad:

What should I do? Keep them as they are, or pop them off and use some type of glue in the breaks to reinforce them? I'm scared to do the latter, as I don't know my own strength at times. I have several others with the same problem, but the PCC line is problematic for me in that aspect. :BOOM:

News Credits: 12 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:39 pm

Do the latter. I haven't any experience with the PCC line, but my advice would be to carefully disengage them and use a bit of liquid polystyrene cement to seal/fuse the gaps shut.

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:42 pm

Delta Magnus wrote:Do the latter. I haven't any experience with the PCC line, but my advice would be to carefully disengage them and use a bit of liquid polystyrene cement to seal/fuse the gaps shut.

I second that.

News Credits: 241 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 4:18 pm

The problem with the PCC line is... well, clear plastic balls and opaque plastic sockets in some figures (Huffer and his repaints, the reverse for the Mini-Cons). 'Nuff said.

Are there things I should keep in mind when using liquid polysterene? And can it be used when parts have completely broken off?

News Credits: 12 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 4:20 pm

Yeah. liquid poly cement works by melting plastic together such that it fuses. So make sure you don't reattach the joint until after it's totally dried.

News Credits: 241 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 4:44 pm

Delta Magnus wrote:Yeah. liquid poly cement works by melting plastic together such that it fuses. So make sure you don't reattach the joint until after it's totally dried.

Ah, I've heard of the stuff then. How long does the drying take? Don't want to make the same mistake as that one time with nail glue... on expensive Arms Micron... :oops:

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:48 pm

Hey guys, my generations Rhinox keeps falling backwards due to the very loose knee joints. How can I fix that?

News Credits: 6188 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:52 pm

Nail polish, superglue, and the floor polish thing that I never found!

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 7:16 pm

Va'al wrote:Nail polish, superglue, and the floor polish thing that I never found!

But its not ball jointed, so how would I go about applying the superglue or nail polish?

News Credits: 6188 · Wed Dec 17, 2014 7:41 pm

Dribble the polish from a pin into the joints you need tightening. Let it dry while keeping the joints moving, or they'll just stick.

The best substance is the floor polish stuff, but as I said, I have no idea what it's called any more, as they don't sell it in the UK!

Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:40 pm

I will have to post pics later, but I have an issue with my Unique Toys Vintage Mania King, his horns seem to have been bent somewhere along the line between the factory and him making his way to me. I thought I saw a fix for this a few months ago, something involving hot water and bending them back into place, does this sound like it would remedy the problem? Thanks in advance for any advice!