Tuesday 7 August 2012

Generic Action Figure Repairs - Two Methods to Fix Most Breaks!

Greetings!
So I've been looking at my stats recently, and I am getting a lot of refers from people looking for info on fixing broken Figmas.
I haven't actually managed to break any of my Figmas yet, but they're not so different in the way they work to a lot of other figures, so here I will be explaining two methods of repairing figures which are applicable to almost all PVC toys (including Figmas!) and can probably fix over 90% of breaks!

OK, first up, I'll explain the difference between a low stress area and a high stress area:

Low stress areas are not put under much pressure. They're usually not moving parts and if they are, then they're only moved minimally.
If you want to fix one of these, read Method No.1.

High stress areas are the things which break most often. They're things like shoulders, knees, necks, elbows, hips, etc, which have quite a lot of stress put on them when the figure is being played with.
If you want to fix one of these, read Method No.2.

Method No.1 – Supa Glue
For low stress repairs.
This is a really good (and DUH obvious) method for visible areas which are not part of a moving joint. It would be great for non-posable scale figures, snapped accessories (like swords or firearms) or other small things.

The example figure I will be repairing is Nendoroid Millhiore F. Biscotti!
Isn't she pretty?

Unfortunately, just after I got her, she fell of her horse... er... bird... er... mount and her ahoge broke where it attaches to her head!
Ahoge means "foolish hair" in Japanese, and, if you didn't know already, that's the silly bit of hair sticking out at the top of her head.
In Nendoroids, large ahoge like this are actually posable! You can rotate it from side to side so it can point in any direction (I love Nendoroids)!
I would not recommend trying to fix anything which will be put under higher stress than this ahoge with glue alone. I'm careful when I'm posing it now, but it's been a few months and it hasn't broken yet.
I didn't take any pictures of it when it was broken because it was before I started this blog, but here's a shot of how it looks now:
You can see the break just above where it attaches to her head.
Anyway, after freaking out and practically crying (she is nothing without her ahoge! NOTHING, I tell you!) I glued it back on with supa glue.
This is very easy.
Just put glue on the broken surface and then push the two parts together until the glue grabs. This usually takes about 30 seconds or so.
If it doesn't grab the first time, it probably means you used too much or too little glue. Don't be discouraged if you have to try this a few times with different amounts of glue... oh yeah, and don't get the glue on your skin because it sticks to people :O
Note: Supa glue only works on really clean fractures, so if the plastic around your break is a little mushy, you might want to try a different adhesive. For info on choosing the right one for the job, have a look at my glue info page.
As you can see, the supa glue worked a treat on Princess Biscotti. Her ahoge is even still posable!

Look at that ahoge go!
(This looks way better when you're listening to fast music)

Another example of where this method is really useful:
Figma Marisa's cup had come unstuck from her hand and needed to be re-glued.

And that's Method No.1.


Method No.2 – Drilling & Pinning
This is my personal favourite method for fixing high stress fractures: this includes action figure joints! YES, THAT MEANS FIGMAS!
The equipment required is not necessarily the kind of stuff that everybody has lying in their desk drawers, but if you're a figure collector, these tools are an invaluable resource and well worth the small amount of money you will pay for them.
All of these things are easily obtainable from hardware stores, hobby shops and online!

This is the method I used to fix RAH Roy Mustang's broken head, which you can read about here!
For now, however, the figure I will be demonstrating on is Pure neemo Kanata Sorami!
Poor Kanata. Her knee joint popped out and so I took off her boots and trousers to fix it, but in doing so, I broke her foot off! *facepalm*
Even though she can still stand with the foot off (I just jam her leg into her boot) I wanted to fix it, because she's just not the same with an amputation.
Here's the busted foot and the ankle it's busted off:
The foot snapped off at the ankle joint.
Pure neemo ankles are extremely similar to Nendoroid and Figma joints!
Something like this is way too small and gets put under way too much strain to be fixable with glue alone, so I'm going to drill a hole in each side of the joint and insert a bit of wire before gluing.
Here is Kanata with the tools I will be using:
Anticlockwise from top: 1.25mm wire, pin vice with drill bits, a suitable adhesive for mending PVC,
wire cutters, pliers, a 1/6 scale designer Bauhaus chair for Kanata to sit in while I work (optional).
To start, drill a small hole into the fractured surface on each of the ankle and the foot. The holes should be roughly 3-4 millimetres deep (for my empirical friends, that's about 1/8") and the drill bit you use should be the same width as your wire, or as close as possible. My closest drill bit is 1.3mm and that works fine with the 1.25mm wire.
Me using a pin vice, in case you were wondering what it does exactly. It's
basically just a little handle for a drill bit.
(My hands aren't usually purple – I have eczema and it's cold.)
The foot, after drilling.
Notice, in the above picture, that there is a centreline in the joint. This is not a mould line. It is the juncture of two separate pieces of plastic. It is the movement of the two pieces against each other which makes the joint functional.
Also notice how the hole I drilled does not go directly through the centreline, but instead to one side of it, through the original broken surface.
If you glue a wire through more than one of these pieces of plastic then the joint will be frozen and will not move anymore!
It's exactly the same deal with Nendoroid and Figma joints.
In fact, here's an old Nendoroid joint which has been taken apart, so you can get an idea of how it works:
The hole in one piece fits over the central peg in the other. This allows
the two pieces to rotate around each other – simple, but very effective!
Many joints are constructed this way.
Here is the ankle after drilling:
If the end of the peg is really mushy after drilling, just neaten it up a bit
with pliers and a craft knife/wire cutters so that the joint will fit
together nicely when gluing... this picture was taken after neatening.
Notice how the hole is slightly to one side in the above photograph. This is to correspond with the fact that the hole in the foot is also off-centre. If you can't get this quite right, it's no big deal, but it's better this way.
... Actually, to be honest, I was hoping to pull the peg out of the leg part before drilling to make it less awkward to get to, but the pliers didn't grip properly and I just ended up mashing the peg :/

Of course, this method is not limited to this kind of joint. You can use it to fix all sorts of things, like this fracture, in the straight shaft attaching RAH Roy Mustang's neck to his body:
This was successfully fixed by drilling and pinning
and Roy has since been posed many times over.
Anyway...
Now that the holes have been drilled, it's time to cut a piece of wire to fit them.
The length of the wire should be equal to the combined depths of the drilled holes.
For example, if I drilled a hole 3mm deep in the ankle and 4mm deep in the foot, then the wire will have to be 7mm long so the whole joint fits together nice and snugly.
It is advisable to cut your wire to the right length before gluing anything. Believe me, it's just easier that way.

Once you've cut your wire, glue it into one part of the drilled joint and let it set for a few hours.
Kanata's foot with the wire glued in. The bent wire in the foreground
was used to spread the glue.
Now that the glue is at least partially set, apply more glue and glue the whole joint together... with glue (I really love glue, don't you?).
This is how the joint looks now that it has been put back
together – it looks a bit messy close up, but from a normal
distance you don't notice it much.
It's certainly better than having no foot!
Figma Chie has come to look at Kanata's foot while the glue is drying.
She makes a pertinent (if dry) observation.
Now wait for the glue to dry. I don't know how long this will take. It depends on the type of glue, the temperature, atmospheric conditions, alignment of the planets, etc...
Make an educated guess based on the instructions on the packet and add a few hours. That's my advice.
...
   ...
      ...
OK, so the glue is now set and... did it work?
Heh. Sorry about the lighting... I think a cloud must have come across
when I shot some of the frames...
Yep.

And that's Method No.2.

Well, that's all from me!
I hope this helps some of you guys with your Figma-related problems!
Cheers! Sparkey.



81 comments:

  1. I have problem similar to first photo, the broken parts is back ribbon from hermione ayasaki. (I thought the ribbon is a removable part @@)

    What type of super glue should I use..?

    Nice and cute animation on this page ^^

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hello!
      Thanks for your question! (And the compliment! ^___^ )
      Also, sorry for taking so long to reply - I've just come back from holidays :/

      To fix Millhiore's ahoge, I used Selley's Quick Fix Supa Glue. It's really good. However, it is made by an Australian/NZ company, so if you live outside of Australia and New Zealand, it may not be available.

      In general, the main thing you have to know to choose the right glue is whether the break is "close fitting" (if the plastic is even slightly warped, stretched or crumbly then the break is not close-fitting).
      I can tell you straight out, your figure is made from PVC and ABS plastics, so make sure you choose an adhesive which is says it can stick to plastics.
      For more info try reading this article on choosing the right glue: http://figurefixer.blogspot.com.au/p/more-about-adhesives-glue.html

      Once you know what kind of break you have, it's as simple as reading the indications on the glue packets until you find one which can stick to the things you're trying fix.

      If you're still not sure, you can always send me a photo of the broken surface and I can tell you how I would fix it: sparkeydavis@yahoo.com

      Good luck! ^___^

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the reply ^^
      Email sent ^^

      Delete
    3. It's failed...
      plan B: please visit http://imageshack.us/g/1/9795503/

      Delete
    4. Hi.
      Sorry to hear that it didn't work. (And again, sorry for my slowness in replying...)
      I looked at the photos.

      The glue you're using warns that it can bond skin instantly, so I'll assume it is the type used for closing wounds (doctors sometimes use glue instead of stitches for small wounds. A similar substance is sold for craft applications... heh... don't try to use it on yourself, though. It won't be sterile).
      It looks like the broken part on your figure was glued in place originally.
      I suspect that the reason your glue of choice didn't work was because the original glue left an unclean break. Supa glue is great stuff, but you need really close fitting surfaces for it to adhere properly. If there are any air pockets then it just doesn't work.

      I suggest you go to a hardware store and buy a different adhesive. Before you buy it, read the instructions. Find a brand which DOESN'T say anything about making sure that the joint is "close fitting". Also make sure that it says it can stick to plastics (a lot of glues say they can stick to most plastics but not polyethylene and polyurethane – that's still fine for your purposes. Your figure is made from PVC) .
      Give it another try, following the directions on the packet carefully.

      Good luck!

      Delete
    5. No problem, the failed attempt is for email XD
      I haven't try the glue yet, based on photo which glue should I use, 1 or 2..?

      Delete
    6. Oh right, sorry!
      They're both pretty similar, but I'd go for the Alteco 110.
      After it grabs, leave it for a few hours to set firmly before messing around with it.

      ... And if the glue touches your skin, DO NOT TOUCH THE GLUE! Not even with a tissue or a handkerchief. Instead, wash it off straight away with heaps of RUNNING WATER... or else it'll be a trip to the doctor to have your fingers detached from each other.
      Cheers!

      Delete
    7. Done and done, thanks ^^
      the glued parts is so solid now

      Delete
    8. Brilliant! Glad to hear it :D

      Delete
  2. more great advice! And the gifs are super (supa?) adorable!

    Thank you for posting this!!!

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  3. Hey I was wondering where you got the Kanata Sorami Pure Neemo doll? I tried buying it on eBay but the money bounced back and I got really sad and annoyed that someone else got it, then I found another site to buy it and they wont ship to Australia. please help.

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    1. Hello!
      I bought my Kanata on eBay. Still, I know how you feel! I totally hate it when you're going to buy something and they won't post to Australia!

      If I were in your position (as I have been at times) I would normally ask this guy:
      http://myworld.ebay.com.au/zenasas&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSX:SELLERID&_trksid=p3984.m1543.l2533
      S/he is an eBay seller located in Japan and I have had nothing but good experiences with him/her.
      Just send a message requesting your figure (remember to specify carefully the name, company, series, etc...) and they'll hopefully be able to find it for you. I requested Medicom RAH Hei, which is rather rare, and was offered two listings, one new, one used at good prices within the hour.
      They willingly post to Australia and usually send figures with SAL unless you specify otherwise.

      Alternatively, I would check shops like Jungle ( http://jungle-scs.co.jp/index_e.cgi ) and Mandarake ( http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/shop/en/ ) once every so often until one of them has her in stock. These stores have good prices, but much patience is required.
      I've had very good experiences with Jungle and I haven't used Mandarake yet, because they never seem to have what I'm looking for, but I've heard a lot of good things about it.
      There's also Tokyo Hunter ( http://www.tokyo-hunter.com/ ), who take requests, but I haven't used them either, so I can't say if they're much good. Still, worth a look.

      And, if all else fails, you could always use a parcel forwarding service to purchase from the seller who doesn't ship to Australia.

      Happy hunting!
      Cheers!
      Sparkey.

      Delete
  4. WOW! I really like your collection. Those action figures are absolutely adorable! Thanks to the adhesives, you'll be able to fix those broken pieces of your hotshot figurines. By the way, the girl riding that Chocobo is my favorite! May I have it, please?

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    1. Thanks!
      The girl on the bird is called "Nendoroid Millhiore F. Biscotti" - she's one of my favourites too! I'm sure you could get her on eBay, if you wanted.
      Cheers!

      Delete
  5. Thank-You sooo much .. I found your page via google as I was researching the best way to fix my sons Doctor Who collectables and this has helped tremendously!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! That's fantastic! I'm really pleased I could help! :D
      Thanks for writing!

      Delete
  6. Thank so much for this post! I just caved and bought my first Neemo then promptly snapped her ankle joint... I've had her for 3 hours -_-
    I couldn't get the peg out of her foot either and ended ruining it further with pliers trying to pull it out, so this is perfect, and I feel 20 times better now that I have a solution. If you don't mind I'm going to link this entry and your blog on mine!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I certainly don't mind at all!
      I'm really glad you found my article helpful!
      Thankou for writing! :D

      Delete
  7. Man, kind of bad that I snapped my figmas ankle a few hours after I got it... and since I've always thought on how to repair figures I thought why not try it? And I searched randomly how to repair action figures and to my luck this appeared as the first one!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hey! Nice! I'm glad if my article is helpful!
      Things is, though... figma ankles are super tiny. Drilling and pinning might well work (I haven't tried it), but if it doesn't work, you might also want to think about buying a cheap bootleg Figma off eBay and stealing one of the joints.
      I do this with Nendoroids and it works a treat (;

      Cheers!

      Delete
    2. Ah I see, I could probably do that, however, my road block right now is how to get the snapped joint out of the leg if I replace its joint

      Delete
    3. Ah right. I see.
      Well, if you do find you need to remove that peg (in the event that you can't fix the joint and need to replace it), something I've done in the past is to drill a little hole into the tip of the peg. Then you screw a small self-tapping screw into the peg a couple of turns – then you just pull on the screw-head and hopefully the peg will come out just like that... of course, sometimes the peg just falls apart, in which case you can drill out the remains with a pin vice.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the post! It will hopefully help me to fix my General Grievous figure who has lost two of his four arms to mauling by a two year old. ;)

    (You can visit my blog at www.theblogunderthestairs.blogspot.com. I'll soon be writing a post about how it went. :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for writing! I hope you can get those arms back on alright.
      Cheers!

      Cute rabbits, by the way! Gotta love bunnies.

      Delete
  9. my figma hatsune miku's shoe articulation broke, luckily i have a dremel moto tool and small enough drillbit set i bought for about 10 usd on ebay, to poke a hole and use a little fitting screw through both ends, as it broke through the part that unites both parts together, that drillbit set has now repaired 4 figures including a witch asuka, which has really flimsy conection spots, which where reinforced with a steel needle . good luck and proper tools for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  10. So I got my first figma (woot), figma Kirino Kousaka, but a day after she came out of the box, her elbow joint broke while posing! I understand that she's an older figma, and that it may have been user error, but I emailed GSC anyway, just to see if they sold extra parts.

    Nope.

    So I was wondering, do you think that the second method would work with her elbow joint? Or is it too small? And what kind of glue should I use if it would? GAH!!!!!

    Thanks, and sorry 'bout my rambling...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, thanks for writing!
      Don't worry about rambling – it's good that I know what you've already tried because then I won't suggest doing it again!
      I'm sorry to hear about your Kirino! What a pain to have your first Figma break so quickly!
      Luckily, I do think it would be possible to mend a broken Figma elbow using Method No. 2!
      It's a small part, but if you have a very small drill bit and a fine bit of wire, I think you should be able to get that arm working again.

      Good luck!

      Delete
  11. hi how did you fix the broken head photo, I have mine DC ark ham broken head still waiting to be fix, to afraid to fix, if only batman was quick enough to launch his grappler his head should not broke. can this be fix by loosening the peg with hot water?

    thanks for your inputs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello!
      Thanks for the question. I don't think hot water will help you, unless the head has just come off the ball joint.
      If the shaft is snapped (like it is in the broken head photo) then you will need to use Method No. 2 – "Drilling and Pinning" – to fix it.
      Luckily, I wrote an entire article entirely about the broken neck, which you can read here: http://figurefixer.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/repairing-broken-rah-joint-roy-mustang.html

      If you still need help, send me some photos of the broken parts and I can give you more advice.
      All the best,
      Sparkey

      Delete
  12. Hi there! I was wondering if you could tell me what type of glue you used to fix the mushy break on your PureNeemo's ankle? I broke a peg joint on one of my Nendoroid's pigtails and I have everything all sorted out aside from what type (or better yet, a brand recommendation) of glue to use to keep the bracing rod in place. I understand that I'd need a type of gel glue since the break isn't particularly clean. I was thinking of trying to use E6000 but that doesn't seem to work on plastic so that's right out- then I thought about Tamiya's model glue and that won't work on metal (and I think it's meant for more close fitting pieces anyway).

    Thanks so much. Your blog has been really reassuring in the event that I manage to do anything else stupid in the future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello!
      I'm glad you like my blog! (Sorry for being slow to reply. Your message got buried in my inbox.)

      From memory, I think the glue I used on my Pure Neemo was Selleys Multi Grip.
      It's an Australian and NZ brand and I don't know if it's available overseas. Soudall Fixall Clear would also probably do a great job.
      Any gel glue which sticks to metal and plastic would be fine. Just go to the hardware store and browse the different types available until you find what you need.

      Although, if you're drilling and pinning, the piece of wire should fit snugly enough into the drilled holes that you can probably just use super glue (the cyanoacetate kind).

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  13. What kind of wiring did you use it looks like with stainless steel or aluminum

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's cheap galvanised wire. I'm not sure exactly what it is under the zinc. Steel of some sort.

      Delete
  14. My neca 7 inch Christopher reeves leg peg broke, any advice in how to fix him?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like a job for Method No. 2 as in the article above.
      If you would like more specific advice, feel free to ask more questions or show me some photos of the beak.

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
    2. Well now they said they're sending me a replacement but part of me just wants the hot toys one really. If this one breaks I will be saving for that, lol

      Delete
  15. Aaah thank you so much for this post! I know it's very old but recently I snapped one of the joints on my Ultimate Madoka figma (it holds up part of her voluminous skirt) and I've been trying to find a way to repair it. The method given on the official Good Smile site unfortunately will freeze the joints, so I am glad that your method goes around that kind of thing. I will need to get some tools though, so unfortunately Madoka will have to stay in figma hospital for a bit longer :/

    ReplyDelete
  16. I bought a link figma the other day from supanova and while in the process of posing him his arm snapped off > < could you please tell me where I could buy some of the supplies to fix him? when the incident happened I attempted to superglue his arm back on and realised it was a bad idea this morning so I've cleaned most of it off as it is a cheap and bad superglue. If I can't find the supplies anywhere is there anywhere or anyone I could send it to to get fixed?

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hello!
      It sounds like you've probably broken one of the *JOINTS on Link's arm. I'm guessing it's the shoulder. Is that right?

      Since I don't know exactly what's broken on your Link, I can't tell you what the best way to fix him is.

      However, what I can tell you is that for Method No. 2, as outlined above, most of the supplies can be purchased on eBay, Amazon and at Hobby stores -- the kind where they sell model aeroplane kits and model railways. You might find it easier to purchase the wire and glue you need at a hardware store, though.

      The alternative is to contact GSC (more information here: http://figurefixer.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/writing-to-manufacturer-ins-and-outs.html ) and ask them if you could purchase a replacement joint.

      Figma joints are not generally glued in place, so it's pretty easy to pull the old broken parts out with pliers and slip in a new joint.

      I hope that helps! If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask!
      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
    2. the joint was snapped in a way that looks like - o- and the one part is stuck into his arm and I don't think getting it out would be easy. But thank you for the advice! :3

      Delete
    3. I really can't give any good repair advice unless you can link me a photo.
      -o- looks to me like a diagram of a deconstructed, unbroken joint, but that can't be it since it's nigh impossible to take the joints apart without first removing them from the figure :/

      If you intend to replace the joint, and pliers won't get the old part out, you can use a pin vice to drill a small hole into it, insert a self-tapping screw about halfway and then pop the whole lot out with pliers. It works on the same principle as a corkscrew.

      Delete
  17. Hi, I'm a late commenter lol. Love the cute figures and I'm glad they all got fixed! Figure clinic +10! Have you ever had to remold parts for missing fragments in figures? I've a cold cast porcelain Major Motoko Kusanagi statue (that I'm getting a refund for due to it coming in broken...Heart breaking. But part of me asked if it was fixable. Not much can be done if it is fragmented and missing fragments. I never really thought of having to restore a figure or statue, let alone recreating broken parts but have been searching about this as of late since it would be helpful as a collector. Have you had to do this before? If so please share! If you've any references where I might learn please share as well! Thanks! Great blog!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hello! Thanks for writing!
      I have made new parts before, but for custom figures, not as replacements for broken pieces. I've done two custom action figures, both of which were made by taking existing figures, slicing parts off with a craft knife, moulding new parts over the top with polymer clay, sanding, surfacing, then painting.
      In scale figures without moving parts, I think it would be perfectly possible to craft replacement parts from things like wire and air-dry polymer clay. The hardest part is actually surfacing and painting. For a lot of scale figures, you would need to use a spray-on product like Mr. Surface after you'd finished modelling, and then you'd need to paint with an airbrush to get the right effect.
      I haven't done anything like that for ages though.
      If you have any specific questions about it, I'll do my best to answer, though.

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  18. I just got a nendoroid and was moving around the joints and her left leg joint broke in a weird but clear cut way

    http://s1266.photobucket.com/user/AleKickAsh/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3wcudmcb.jpeg.html?sort=3&o=1

    Any suggestions on how to fix it? I still want it to be moveable, but it has to be strong enough for the joint to be removed as a whole because it has to be placed on the other legs if I want to switch between them

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello!
      Ugh. I've had breaks a lot like that a few times, especially on early nendoroid figures (yours is Konata Izumi?) and I have never once been able to fix them. My usual solution is to replace the broken joint with another one from the same nendoroid (in an older nendoroid, this would come from one of the spare face plates. New nendoroids have a spare joint included in the box).

      However, because of the way yours is broken, with two clean surfaces, you actually have quite a bit of surface area to work with (comparably speaking).
      As such, you *might* be able to fix it with cyanoacrylate glue. What you should do to try this is remove the joint from the leg entirely. You will then find that the joint was originally made from two parts that move against one another.
      Take these apart carefully and then simply the glue the broken one back together *IN AS EXACTING A MANNER AS POSSIBLE*. Even a small amount of glue-overflow on the inside surface could make the joint inoperable, so be especially careful there. The outer surface isn't so critical.
      If you decide to give it a shot, do tell me how it goes. I'd be interested to know if it's possible.

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  19. Ahhh, I didn't think of that, and yes it is Konata Izumi! I was extremely excited to recieve her and the instant that happend I felt my heart sink.
    You reminded me about the extra joint my Chino came with, so I am thinking of using that. But I will still try the glue carefully and see if it works, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's best to use a joint from the same nendoroid so the skin tone matches. Also, not all nendoroids have the same sized joints, so using one from a different figure could result in an overly loose or stiff joint.
      After a LOT of mishaps, I had to replace the joint on Nendoroid L's head with one from a bootleg, and it's very loose. If I pick him up by his head, his body stays behind :/

      Delete
    2. FYI avoid very tight-fitting joints like the plague. They can result in "my heart just sank all the way to the basement" type situations.

      Delete
    3. The joints were different, so I used one from an extra face plate. And I will try to avoid the very tight-fitting joints, I don't want that happening.
      And the glue on the broken joint would not work, once I placed them together there was a small gap towards the front and it bled through and covered quite a bit of the piece.
      And a quick question. I see that if you have a PVC figure in it's box for a long time, it's face plates become sticky. But I like to place my figures on shelfs, will I have the same problem anyway? I simply dust them regularly at the moment.

      Delete
    4. Hello again!
      I'm glad the faceplate joint was able to do the trick.

      As for the stickiness, in my experience, the answer is "no" -- as long as the figures are exposed to air, sticky layers don't happen. As far as I know, this is because the stickiness is caused by volatile plastic-softeners evaporating from the PVC. In a closed environment like a figure box, these chemicals have nowhere to go, so they fall back onto the plastic, forming a sticky layer.
      I've noticed that if I remove a sticky figure from its box and leave it in the open air, the stickiness will disappear by itself after a week or two.

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

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  20. Can I ask how are you able to take apart the nendoroid joint? I have been trying to do it but no success and the same with the cu-poche neck joint
    (I am trying to put my nendo head on cu-poche body :p )

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    Replies
    1. Hello!
      Thanks for your question and sorry for my slow reply.

      The photo above illustrates how a Nendoroid joint works. One part has a hole, the other has a peg.
      If I remember right, I was able to separate the two parts by holding the part-with-the-hole firmly with pliers while I pushed down on the peg in the middle with a sculpting tool (a pen would do just as well). Once the two parts had started to come apart, I wheedled the peg out the rest of the way with my fingers.
      Cu-poche neck joints, from what I can see, work in exactly the same way.

      HOWEVER, I don't actually recommend trying this, as it is not only difficult and tedious, but quite likely to break the joint. The joint in the photo was broken already and I was taking it apart to try and fix it, so I had nothing to loose. I won't be trying it again anytime soon.

      If you want to put a Nendoroid head on a Cu-poche body, just leave the Cu-poche neck joint in the body, and put the Nendoroid head on the Cu-poche neck. I just tried it. It works very well.

      By the way, the reason I say to use the Cu-poche neck and not the Nendoroid one is because the Cu-poche is of a very slightly thinner gauge. If you try to force a nendoroid joint into the Cu-poche body, it'll probably be very stiff and might cause permanent damage to the socket.

      I hope that helps! If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.
      Cheers!
      Sparkey

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  21. Hello once more!
    I know this forum is for broken figures but I wanted to ask if you knew how to fix some paint issues. I am afraid to use what little I know and accidentally make it worse.
    http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj522/AleKickAsh/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsimgr4dcc.jpeg
    Seems to come from the shirt which I find extremely odd. Any tips would be appreciated

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    Replies
    1. Hello!
      Ah, yes. The old "staining from the figure's own outfit" problem. That's happened to me a few times. It's caused because the dye in the fabric isn't colourfast and stains the plastic.
      Unfortunately, it seems to sink in really deep and in my experience, no amount of scrubbing or sanding can get it off.
      Painting it over is also no good, since that's bare plastic and you'll notice the difference in texture between the painted/unpainted surfaces.

      My advice is to pull the dude's sleeve down to try and obscure the marks and then NEVER GET THOSE PURPLE STRIPES WET EVER! Not even a tiny bit! Moisture tends to be what causes dye to run.
      Heads up: Washing the shirt will probably just make the purple dye run and destroy the whole garment, so don't try to get the excess dye out that way.

      Sorry that's not a very fun solution, but it's the best I've personally been able to come up with.
      If you find something better, do write!

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

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  22. I have a broken Marvel Legends vulture w/ 2 broken arms is there someone that could fix it. please call me at 917.604.5931 jim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,
      I'm not calling you. I can tell by the number that we live in totally different regions. The bill would be insane and the time difference inconvenient.
      I don't know anyone who will repair the figure for you (unless the manufacturer is very gracious. Sometimes manufacturers will organise repairs for their figures).
      If you want advice for how to repair the figure yourself, you can ask me via this comment section.

      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
    2. Hello.
      I tried to do what you said and I did. While the peg did come out, unfortunately be it by my lack of expertise or the weakness of the plastic, the whole outer part was gravely damaged as it was soft and I pretty much had to cut the part of the peg that wasn't stuck with a knife, leaving me only with part of the peg and a hole in the main body I cannot fill.

      So I was thinking of just mending the hole in the main body with putty or something like that and try to re-attach the peg. Would Epoxic Glue (the one that comes as two syrenges with a hardener and resin you have to mix) work?

      What sort of putty works best if I still want to use a drillbit to insert a wire? Is it just better to glue the whole arm to the body and say goodbye to the switchable arms?

      Delete
    3. Hello again!

      Sorry to hear that things went awry...

      I haven't had that much success with putty before; it seems to be a little too weak to hold figure parts together properly by itself. But I think that in your case, yes, it could be useful.

      If you still have the bottom of the peg relatively intact (the part that fits into the removable arm) then what I would suggest is that you try drilling and pinning the upper arm and the remaining peg end, but fill the gap with putty.
      That way the wire would be anchored into plastic at both ends, but the gap would still be filled.

      The procedure would be to drill a hole into the cavity in the upper arm. Next drill a hole into the remaining peg end. Now glue the wire into the hole drilled in the upper arm. After the glue is dried, fill the gap with putty so a little wire is sticking out the end and, before the putty sets, apply glue to the end of the wire and stick the peg-end firmly onto it, making sure that it's pressed into the putty. Scrape off any excess putty and wait for it to dry.

      The putty I use is Milliput, a two part putty that you have to knead together with your hands. Any hard-setting putty which a) sticks to plastic and b) you can shape with your hands should be fine.

      I hope that helps!
      Let me know what you decide to do and how it goes!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  23. Hello

    Where did you get the wire from?
    Are you located in west or east coast of australia?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was from the local hardware store and I'm in Victoria... not really on the East or the West coast.
      Just about any old wire would do, though. Galvanised florist's wire would be fine, for example.
      I've heard of people using brass wire too.
      Depending on the project, you could just about use an old coat hanger or a dead guitar string.

      Delete
  24. Ok thnx dude.

    Have you any experience repairing first4figures pvc statues?

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    Replies
    1. No, sorry. I've never heard of them!
      Though all PVC statues are pretty much the same to fix. If there are no moving parts, a bit of cyanoacrylate glue will usually do the trick.

      Delete
  25. Thank you so much for new ideas how to fix the broken foot joint of my IT Fashion Royalty Figure! Until now I just glued and taped it and it looks ridiculous - soon no longer. :-)
    Ciao, Melanie :-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. GRASIA CRAC +10 RECO A FAV

    ReplyDelete
  27. Got a Superman statue and displayed it on my dresser and when I came back to my room I found him on the floor with his foot separated from his ankle. The foot and ankle both have holes in them but no kind of stick to keep them together what do I do??I really want him fixed please help

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi!
      It sounds like you just need some glue, or maybe some putty to fix him up.
      Can you show me a photo of the broken surfaces of his foot and his ankle? That would give me a better idea of how to fix him. If you can't show any pictures, can you tell me the exact make of the statue, so I can look him up?
      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  28. Hello, do you think the screw method would be strong enough for a figure that has a leg broken off but said leg also happens to be the support of the rest of the figure? I could send some pictures

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hello, do you think the screw method would be strong enough for a figure that has a leg broken off but said leg also happens to be the support of the rest of the figure? I could send some pictures

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi!
      Yes, I think it most probably would be strong enough.
      If you want to be really sure though, you can just tell me the name of the figure, and what company made it and I'll look it up.
      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
    2. https://www.amazon.com/Sega-Love-Live-Nishikino-Bokutachi/dp/B00TTZWEWE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495732923&sr=8-2&keywords=maki+nishikino I put a link that goes staright to the product page, if you look at the customer pictures mine is the one with the broken fire. Thanks again!

      Delete
    3. Hello again!
      You're in luck, because that looks like one of the easiest types of breaks to fix. Because the figure doesn't have any moving parts, regular super glue should do the job just fine.
      Cheers!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  30. any tips to fix figma indys long bull whip it is quite thin

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hello!
    Sorry for the late reply.
    Yes, I would recommend using method no. 1 from this article, and the glue I would recommend using is cyanoacrylate. It's great for gluing tiny things.
    Best of luck,
    Sparkey

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi,

    The hip joint on my action figure keeps popping out. Ita a typical ball joint that goes inside a socket in the leg. I have tried glue and floor polish, which only help the joint to be stiffer but dosent prevents it from popping out every time it is moved. Is there a permanent fix to this problem.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I usually prepare some glue on a scrap bit of plastic and then apply it with a toothpick to the figure. So I know the glue has cured when the toothpick sticks to the bit of plastic ;)

    Superglue cures faster with moisture so you can speed it up by breathing on it (or dunking in water...). It was developed for surgical use originally.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hello! I just read about your blog about fixing figures. Right now I have a huge problem with my favorite figure, the figure I would be talking about is Alter Fate Archer figure. The problem is that my dear cat just bite one of his sword and broke both point of the swords. Is there a way that I would fix it? or a least correct it, because I can't stand seeing the deep scratches.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sparkey Davis3 May 2020 at 00:17

      Hey there! Thanks for your question. I love helping people to fix stuff!
      It might be possible to fix it, but it depends on the nature and extent of the damage.
      Can you link me to some photos of the breaks? The pictures will need to be well focussed and taken in good light for me to see properly and give good advice.

      All the best!
      Sparkey

      Delete
  35. Thank you for sharing, about to attempt this with a 'NOTAMAN' figure

    ReplyDelete