Quick YF-21 question---should the belly plates fit together out of the

[David Hingtgen]

Just got mine today, opened it up---and the belly plates do not want to go together. I haven't transformed it yet, just been fiddling with it in fighter mode. But the belly plates aren't going together. Is it "not quite right from the factory" or something and it'll fit better once I transform it right and get everything together? I've fiddled with the plates enough to get to step 2 or so of the transformation just to see how they work compared to the old ones---and they'll stay together with themselves if they're not at all "hooked up to the rest of the plane". But if you lower/click them into place with the shoulders/sides/feet---they refuse to click together. I kinda suspect the legs are pushing them out, but I also suspect that the factory "has it right" regarding leg positioning etc.

[Ghostkiller]

Just got mine today, opened it up---and the belly plates do not want to go together. I haven't transformed it yet, just been fiddling with it in fighter mode. But the belly plates aren't going together. Is it "not quite right from the factory" or something and it'll fit better once I transform it right and get everything together? I've fiddled with the plates enough to get to step 2 or so of the transformation just to see how they work compared to the old ones---and they'll stay together with themselves if they're not at all "hooked up to the rest of the plane". But if you lower/click them into place with the shoulders/sides/feet---they refuse to click together. I kinda suspect the legs are pushing them out, but I also suspect that the factory "has it right" regarding leg positioning etc.

I think the factory had it wrong

on the knee position

have you check the knee point thers is a little hole

it should not be visible if you push all the way up the lower leg section

once the legs are in perfect position

simple check : leg 1 should not touch leg 2

the belly plates will just go together

hope it helps

[Valkyrie addict]

I know what you mean, the belly plates don't make a tight junction and leaves a gap, I asked this too and noone answered me about it, I put the legs properly, the hands, fins, etc but with no result in the end I just looked at various pics and vids of other users and it appears it's a defect that no one caress about...

I just added the fast packs and it gets more tight but still leaves a gap...

[David Hingtgen]

Well, for no reason at all they all of a sudden seem to hold together. Not seamless, but they at least "touch each other" now. Will see if it's any better after transforming. (I've been reading all the tips and tricks this afternoon before an attempt transforming it)

[Sumdumgai]

There will be a slight gap between the belly plates, it seems to be normal. I originally thought that people had exaggerated how fiddly it could be, until I spent over one hour of frustration wondering why it would not transform properly into fighter mode. The belly plates should be resting nice and flat if transformed properly, gotta make sure they're pressed down nice and good (the ball joint that connects them to the leg really needs to be recessed well).

The combination of leg placement+position, plus having the belly plates properly collapsed are key to everything fitting together properly.

[David Hingtgen]

I found out something accidently that I don't know if it's common knowledge (never came across it in the threads, just lots of arguing about loose vs tight torsos):

The torso WILL lock together pretty firmly. There is a "barely just barely slightly holds" stage that many people seem to achieve, then there's a "can almost pick it up by the nosecone" stage that few people seem to find. Basically--the whole forward fuselage can slide downwards about 1/8 inch at the very end of transforming to battroid. Not the "torso shortening" thing, where just the canopy area slides down towards the nose. Bring the nosecone itself down. That makes a slightly wider part of the forward fuselage go between the intakes, and instead of just barely touching the little intake tabs, the fuselage will fairly firmly wedge itself between the intakes.

I'll try to get it back to fighter mode and experiment with FAST packs and gunpods tomorrow. My first attempt at getting the gunpods on the belly plates (not the FAST pack plates) didn't work at all--wouldn't even go on half-way with the force I was using.

[Sumdumgai]

Yeah the force you have to use to get the gunpods on is scary at first. After it goes in the first time, it eases up when you take them off and put them on later. To be honest I don't like removing them much, as I dislike having to put them back on, it still remains a bit tough.

Didn't know that about the nosecone! I'll have to try it sometime.

[VFTF1]

My belly was perfectly sealed.

Then I opened it in order to put the stand holder on to the fighter so I could attach it to the stand.

Now I've taken the stand off and the belly is a bit open... but if you massage it a bit it'll close.

For people who ever handled BW Neo Big Convoy - the YF-21 is a bit similar in terms of having to massage a lot of panels which are ball jointed to go together.

Still haven't attached fast packs or transformed it...

Recently took the wheels out.

Ace valkyrie indeed.

Pete

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Both mine were sealed together as well (factory new in box), and after cycling from fighter to battroid and back it's tricky to get it flush again as all the parts have the special place to make it all "snug". The FP's were real hard at first as well.

Edited October 20, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie

[no3Ljm]

I think the factory had it wrong

on the knee position

have you check the knee point thers is a little hole

it should not be visible if you push all the way up the lower leg section

once the legs are in perfect position

simple check : leg 1 should not touch leg 2

the belly plates will just go together

hope it helps

Kinda late for me to find this solution. I feel bad for my $200 worth of toy. If I found this sooner...

Anyways, just venting out. Hehehe. Just spend almost 7 hours on figuring out how to put back the legs properly to the belly so that I can put the belly cover perfectly. But somehow it won't let me do that. I followed the manual, checked every reviews online, watched video tutorials via youtube (thanks to the links from the instruction video guides thread) and rewatching it to figure out how to do it properly. Since I can't remember if someone from the videos mentioned the 'hole' knee click.

I'm sure a lot of members here experienced this so I just Google search "Macrossworld YF-19 1/60", lo and behold, I stumbled on '1/60 YF-21 help?' thread and this thread. Thanks to Ghostkiller, the 'hole' on the knee joint should be 'invisible' and not visible. From what I've seen on the manual, it is just encircled, so I assumed that it's the proper knee bend since I saw the 'hole' on the knee joint based on the included picture from the insert flyer. But even though I followed the 'picture', I can't seem to close the panels perfectly. Even tried to removing the arms for 'studying'. Even the legs.

So super thanks to this thread and to Ghostkiller.

Here's some snapshots I did.

The 'hole' on the knee joint.

Removing the leg just to see how it will 'sit' on the panel based on the light grooves on the inside part of the panels.

...and checking what 'damage' I did just by doing this for almost 7 hours. I was told by a friend to put some putty, dry and sand it, and repaint it. Any remedies or alternative replacements from Shapeways? Anyways, that's how bad it is for my 4 day old toy.

And this what it looks like after reading this thread. "LOOK, NO MORE HOLE!" I know the knees are touching one another. But I'm going to put something in between to protect them. I was thinking of some black cloth used for cleaning eyeglasses.

"Live and learn."

Edited June 22, 2014 by no3ljm

[close313]

Wow.. those are some rad instructional photos, im kinda taken aback

[no3Ljm]

Ok, so now after I transformed it to Battroid mode, the crack on the thigh got worse. I guess, this will stay in Fighter mode for the foreseeable future until Arcadia decides to make a renewal. If not, is there someone who could point me to the right direction on how I can reinforce the thigh before it really brakes (crack plastic to fall off)? I don't mind the puttying, sanding, painting and all as long that it will really hold the plastic for future transformation. Any same experience with your copies of YF-21/VF-22's?

Anyways, thanks in advance. Looking forward to your insights.

[aaajin]

One of my 2 x Gamlin's VF-22 has similar crack, but less severe than yours, based on the pictures above.

You can actually unscrew the thigh and super glue the crack. The upper legs are held together by screws, so they can be disassemble pretty easily.

On mine, I just disassemble the leg, pry the crack line, apply super glue between the cracks, let it dry, screw it back = all done. Then sand it a little with a super-fine grit sand paper (2000-3000). Caution : do not apply pressure while sanding, just 3-4 wipes should be good.

But then again, my crack is less severe than yours. From the pictures, seems that one of the corners seems to be broken, where the ball joint slots into the thigh. Maybe you can just sand the corner (?)

Edited June 29, 2014 by aaajin

[David Hingtgen]

Plastruct plastic weld works pretty well on Yamato ABS plastic. A true cement/solvent, as opposed to superglue. Use Plastruct to weld the parts together, then reinforce externally with superglue. It's what I did on my cracked thigh.

[no3Ljm]

@aaajin

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to open this baby over the next weekend to see how badly the crack inside and to study how to reinforce the insides. Also, did you repaint the whole thigh after the superglue dried up? Or the whole thing is exposed during Battroid mode? Can you post pictures when you have time. Love to see how you repaired yours. Thanks in advance.

@David Hingtgen

Would love to try that soon. I was browsing some videos from Youtube on the best plastic cement and this is mentioned on the video as well. I know those will kinda melt the plastic portion where the cement is applied. And when you say apply superglue externally, this is the exposed cracked lines, correct? And sand it afterwards too? Can you also post photos of our repaired thighs? Thanks.

Also, I'm just wondering, does applying 'resin' on top helps reinforcing the ABS plastic? I do really love transforming my valks so I'm just looking for ways on how to make the repair long life. I'm also thinking that by painting it, it means that I'm going to scratch the paint time and again by transforming the valk. If resin will be the tough agent on fixing this then I need to find a way on making a custom-colored resin so the only thing I'll do is to sand it without the thought of scratching the paint afterwards.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions.

[aaajin]

The crack on mine is pretty subtle, so after super glue-ing it and few wipes with high grit sandpaper (cant remember which one I used, lol) makes it unnoticeable, unless if you look on it real hard. But then again, mine is a Gamlin, so black makes it less noticeable.

Its in fighter mode now, and not that I dont want to transform it to show the said area, but the last time I did that, I spent almost an hour (or two - time really flies when transforming the 21/22) to get it sit flush back in fighter mode and its getting pretty late here in Central. I'll see what I can do next weekend.

But it shouldnt be too hard for you since (thank God) Yamato did not use any glue on the thigh area. But I agree that Yamato shouldve designed the thighs to be more robust.

EDITED : just make sure you use small drabs of superglue and dont apply too much glue on it. Prepare some wipes to wipe the excess glue ASAP when the 2 sides of the crack are clamped.

Edited June 30, 2014 by aaajin

[David Hingtgen]

@David Hingtgen

Would love to try that soon. I was browsing some videos from Youtube on the best plastic cement and this is mentioned on the video as well. I know those will kinda melt the plastic portion where the cement is applied. And when you say apply superglue externally, this is the exposed cracked lines, correct? And sand it afterwards too? Can you also post photos of our repaired thighs? Thanks.

Mainly---the plastic cement is to literally weld the parts back together. The superglue should be used as an external support/bandage for the area. If you're going to fully sand and repaint--then yes, put superglue on the visible areas too. (I only did it on the internal/backside of the thigh-piece, as my crack was quite "clean" and hard to see when glued back together) My crack was at the "bottom" of the opening, yours is at the top. Mine was more of a "top/bottom split" whereas yours is almost like "exploded outwards from within".