Damaged During Transformation Help!

[VERT]

Zap is an amazing glue. Love that stuff.

[Iriorne]

Thanks guys. After doing some more reading last night I've decided to try the Zap-a-Gap glue. The Zap glue has a much lower viscosity than the JB Weld which I'm hoping will make it easier to flow into the gap.

I picked some up this afternoon and will have a go at repairing over the weekend. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to separate the parts, the hinge pin looks like it's plastic and without the proper tools I don't want to risk damaging the pin or hinge further. This particular Zap glue is supposed to be about the consistency of maple syrup and I have a few millimetres of clearance so with care I should be able to keep it from getting everywhere.

Will let you know how it goes.

[SuspectimusPrime]

Thanks guys. After doing some more reading last night I've decided to try the Zap-a-Gap glue. The Zap glue has a much lower viscosity than the JB Weld which I'm hoping will make it easier to flow into the gap.

I picked some up this afternoon and will have a go at repairing over the weekend. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to separate the parts, the hinge pin looks like it's plastic and without the proper tools I don't want to risk damaging the pin or hinge further. This particular Zap glue is supposed to be about the consistency of maple syrup and I have a few millimetres of clearance so with care I should be able to keep it from getting everywhere.

Will let you know how it goes.

The viscosity of Loctite 406 is almost completely liquid. Its curing process is quoted to begin in 10 seconds, but it was almost immediate when I used it. I found it really helpful to do a lot of practice with various materials and get a good working understanding of how the substance works, and also to practice the slight of hand motion I needed for the minuscule space I was working with before trying it out on the real thing.

I'd strongly recommend the same since you're working so close to a moving pin/hinge joint. Wouldn't want not-Hook to remain in upper-torso mode for good.

I totally feel your pain from damaging a pricey item, best of luck with your project!

[kup]

Yeah it doesn't seem wise to disassemble it given the pin and the fragile joint. Going with the glue seems like the best shot. Just try to practice with the glue a bit before trying. Also see about covering up with thick masking tape the joint area so that if there is an accident, it doesn't spill on the plastic itself.

In the unfortunate event that it does break off completely, I would recommend pulling the pin out then and try to loosen up the joint. That way once you glue the piece back, it won't have anywhere as much friction and be less stressful on the plastic.

How did it happen anyways? First time I hear of this. I know this used to be a problem with G1 Hook.

[Iriorne]

Good news: the Zap-a-Gap glue seems to have done its job and after a few applications the crack has been completely filled. No photo, since it looks almost exactly the same, there's just a slight shine from the glue when it catches the light. It's not a very high stress joint (usually!) so with a little care I don't expect any more problems.

How did it happen anyways? First time I hear of this.

Yeah, it was totally my fault. I was converting him back from combined mode and applied too much torsional stress to the hinge. There's a grey latch on Mobile crane to help keep the two halves together in combined mode. It's pretty flexible anyway but you have to bend it quite a bit to detach. To lessen the stress on it while detaching I twisted the crane halves apart a little as well. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I wasn't thinking about where all that stress would end up - in the hinge attachment point. The plastic is quite hard so there was very little movement until the plastic suddenly gave in and twisted.

Anyway, lesson learned: Flexible plastic is for bending.

For anyone who needs to apply glue to small fiddly bits, there's a good modeller's trick that's equally applicable to toy repairs.

Rather than squeeze glue direct from the bottle onto the part, squeeze a drop or two onto a non-porous surface like a ceramic tile or an old plate. I use glass microscope slides but bottle tops or even greaseproof or waxed paper might work. You can then dip a sewing pin or toothpick into the puddle of glue and pick up a small bead of glue, which you can then apply to the part, giving you much finer control over the amount and placement of the glue. If bits are completely snapped off you can even dip the end directly into the glue puddle for an even coat.

[Trent]

Good news: the Zap-a-Gap glue seems to have done its job and after a few applications the crack has been completely filled. No photo, since it looks almost exactly the same, there's just a slight shine from the glue when it catches the light. It's not a very high stress joint (usually!) so with a little care I don't expect any more problems.



Yeah, it was totally my fault. I was converting him back from combined mode and applied too much torsional stress to the hinge. There's a grey latch on Mobile crane to help keep the two halves together in combined mode. It's pretty flexible anyway but you have to bend it quite a bit to detach. To lessen the stress on it while detaching I twisted the crane halves apart a little as well. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I wasn't thinking about where all that stress would end up - in the hinge attachment point. The plastic is quite hard so there was very little movement until the plastic suddenly gave in and twisted.

Anyway, lesson learned: Flexible plastic is for bending.

For anyone who needs to apply glue to small fiddly bits, there's a good modeller's trick that's equally applicable to toy repairs.

Rather than squeeze glue direct from the bottle onto the part, squeeze a drop or two onto a non-porous surface like a ceramic tile or an old plate. I use glass microscope slides but bottle tops or even greaseproof or waxed paper might work. You can then dip a sewing pin or toothpick into the puddle of glue and pick up a small bead of glue, which you can then apply to the part, giving you much finer control over the amount and placement of the glue. If bits are completely snapped off you can even dip the end directly into the glue puddle for an even coat.

I don't use that latch for that very reason. Not using it doesn't affect the stability of the combined mode at all. Just a tip for the future.