To Load, Or Not To Load... Does displaying 'loaded' TF's weaken the springs?

[Jaisun]

As the title says, I've got this fear that displaying all my 2005-Present TF's with their projectiles armed will eventually weaken the spring, in turn making them useless. Yes, I know they annoy some people, but some of us still like the li'l gimmick of pew pew spring bits. So I guess this would be more suited to the veteran collectors who may have had their older TF's displayed armed and if the springs have lost their 'bounce' (pun =oP) or not.

Any help appreciated =o)

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Yeah, they wear out do over time if you display them loaded.:(
Pity 'cos IMO the toys usually look better with weapons loaded, but them's the breaks.

[Jaisun]

Yeah, they wear out do over time if you display them loaded.:(
Pity 'cos IMO the toys usually look better with weapons loaded, but them's the breaks.

So true, they look so... unfinished without them. Thank you for confirming though, I guess now it just comes down to if I plan to keep them forever or if I'll sell them, because even though right now I would never, I've seen a few fans giving up and selling off their collection lately, and I doubt they thought they ever would do that. Never can tell..

[GoktimusPrime]

Meh, I keep 'ems loaded.

[Clutchkick]

While i think they will all weaken over time, I also think it depends on the strength of the original mechanism.

Example: not so long ago i found my G1.5 Rotorstorm and decided to resurrect him with articulation and such. when i found his guns, they were still loaded and had been for maybe 10-15 years. they can still shoot clear across the room and could take an eye out easily. ...great toy :D

[5FDP]

They will weaken faster if left loaded - fact!

It is well known amongst G1 collectors that if you keep Roller 'loaded' in Prime's cab, there is more chance that the spring mechanism will grow weaker and eventually useless. I don't, therefore it's as good as the day I opened it on Xmas 1985.

[griffin]

For those who don't actually "play" with their TFs, it's kinda like, does it matter?
It's like the removal of the batteries to prevent leakage - as long as the figure still converts, it doesn't matter much if they (springs or electronics) don't work anymore... because for most (like me), it won't be resold, and most likely won't ever use those two gimmicks again.
So for me, I prefer to prioritise the display factor (with missiles in place), because I'm never going to sell or "play" with the toys, to need the missiles to fire... and will only ever go so far as converting a toy, if that ever eventually happens again after their first couple months of usage when they are acquired.

[GoktimusPrime]

I play with my toys and I keep them loaded. And if the springs should weaken later, then so be it. I'm not that fussed by it. If I was worried about keeping my toys in minty fresh condition, I'd never open them.

While I always take care with my toys when I play with them, I do expect that some reasonable level of wear will occur, and the weakening of springs is something I consider reasonable. What's the worst that could happen if the springs weaken? They'll become just like original G1 launchers that I grew up with as a kid, and I'll just have to "manually" launch them! No big deal. :p

[Cat]

I play with my toys and I keep them loaded. And if the springs should weaken later, then so be it. I'm not that fussed by it. If I was worried about keeping my toys in minty fresh condition, I'd never open them.

While I always take care with my toys when I play with them, I do expect that some reasonable level of wear will occur, and the weakening of springs is something I consider reasonable. What's the worst that could happen if the springs weaken? They'll become just like original G1 launchers that I grew up with as a kid, and I'll just have to "manually" launch them! No big deal. :p

:confused:

Play with them?

[5FDP]

I think you're missing the point of this topic Goki - it's not about playing with your Transformers but rather displaying them.

[UltraMarginal]

if a load is applied to a spring for a continuous period of time it will eventually lose it's strength. It depends on the amount of compression and the actual material of the spring.
something that is only 10% loaded will not lose strength for a significant period of time but something that is loaded close to the yield point of the spring material will lose it's strength faster. this may still be several years as the weapon design should not allow a spring to be compressed to it's' yield point. (though it looks like the roller spring might be a prime example of this)

Without intimate knowledge of HasTaks design principles I'd suggest that fully loaded a weapon should keep it's spring for at least a few years, 5 - 10 perhaps.

I do leave my guns unloaded a lot but I also leave them loaded. or just sitting in the mechanism.

It depends on the figure I guess and if I think it needs it or will be damaged. I also leave them on the shelf next to them so that I don't accidentally trigger a lounge loss due to an accidental misfire :D when shifting them around or picking one out for a tour of duty

[bruticus]

yeah... i have noticed that some of my older TFs that were constantly loaded with missiles do lose boost over time and that is why i use to not display them with the missiles in.

however, after tinkering with nerf guns to get more power, you soon realise that you can also disassemble the tf guns in a similar fashion and stretch the tiny springs (or replace them) which will give you increased (or re-vitalised) boost.

so if your tf gun can be disassembled, just load them up to your hearts content knowing that it can be fixed later down the track if you ever need to.

[GoktimusPrime]

:confused:

Play with them?
Yup. :)


I think you're missing the point of this topic Goki - it's not about playing with your Transformers but rather displaying them.
I thought Jaisun was also talking about playing with his comment of...

but some of us still like the li'l gimmick of pew pew spring bits.

...otherwise, as griffin said:

For those who don't actually "play" with their TFs, it's kinda like, does it matter?

I reckon if you care about resale value, don't open your toys. If you don't play with your toys, then what does it matter? If you do play with your toys and you're concerned about preserving this gimmick well into the future, then get variants or doubles - one to play, one to preserve - and you can display one in robot mode with launchers loaded, and the spare displayed in vehicle mode with launchers unloaded in storage. I play with my toys, but I'm not that concerned about preserving the launchers. If they wear out, they wear out.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

The springs in most guns are easy enough to replace I have found. The biggest issue was finding an appropriately sized spring.

Recently though I have thought the weapons look much nicer without the missiles in them, as those oversized missiles look ridiculous. Personally I'd prefer a nicely moulded non-firing weapon than an oversized lame-cannon(tm.) with a doofy missile hangin off the front.

[Cat]

Yup. :)


I thought Jaisun was also talking about playing with his comment of...


...otherwise, as griffin said:


I reckon if you care about resale value, don't open your toys. If you don't play with your toys, then what does it matter? If you do play with your toys and you're concerned about preserving this gimmick well into the future, then get variants or doubles - one to play, one to preserve - and you can display one in robot mode with launchers loaded, and the spare displayed in vehicle mode with launchers unloaded in storage. I play with my toys, but I'm not that concerned about preserving the launchers. If they wear out, they wear out.


You mean you play with them play with them?

Like you play with them with your kids?

[griffin]

They're toys... what else are you supposed to do with them (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMxTFqPET5I)? ;)


Besides, they must fulfil their destiny... :p

[Cat]

I know that. :p

One day I hope that I have kids that will have a FIELD day with my collection.

But playing with them alone, as an adult, seems kinda creepy to me.

And yeah, I KNOW that some would argue that it's creepy to collect them in the first place.

[GoktimusPrime]

Cat: replied to your comments here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?p=277128#post277128)

[MindsetOverhaul]

Go ahead and load dude

Springs are pretty easy to find. Most electronics stores stock a range of sizes and so do some hardware stores. I've used/removed springs to load/unload pressure of some clumsy auto-morphing parts and replaced springs in ratcheting joints on some slackened vintage figures.

a problem with a lot of projectile firing accessories and other gimmicks is that some parts (the weapons in particular) are glued together and cannot always be cracked safely without damaging original plastic and others may be easily pried apart, parts that are solely screwed together are no problem to sort out.
if you're worried it may be worth dismantling some things to see what you need then buy spares already.

[bowspearer]

Besides, they must fulfil their destiny... :p

Dr Indianna Jones would disagree with you when it comes to each vintage toy out there ;) :

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b10/Bowspearer/indy.jpg


buy spares

Glad that someone finaly brought this up. If you're worried about a launcher then storing the "good one" while displaying the "dis/play one" is the ideal way to go.