1/55 Valk Custom - Thigh Swivel Mod Update

[Skull-1]

Well, I finally got around to working on the midnight blue Valkyrie from the TV series. I actually have a decent camera now so I can post a picture that shows the right color.

Hope you like it so far. It has a LONG way to go but will be finished soon with some luck.

Edited January 15, 2006 by Skull-1

[Skull-1]

Distorted color but shows the A stance pretty well.

Edited January 15, 2006 by Skull-1

[Skull-1]

And of course my daughter wanted to help so...

[Skull-1]

Here's how I did it:

First of all take the elbow joint assembly from a BOOTLEG Valk... The bootleg has softer plastic and is easier to work with (and they are cheap).

Then saw the thigh in half (it doesn't matter how you do it but I just did it 90 degrees from the deck).

Take it all apart once you saw the thigh....

Edited January 15, 2006 by Skull-1

[Skull-1]

Cut the post out of the inside of the thigh:

Then JB-WELD both halves of the top thigh segment and both halves of the lower thigh segment together. They should look like the original photo but without a screw.

Take THIS part:

And FILE IT DOWN to look like *THIS*:

It should fit inside the LOWER section of the thigh (the part where you removed the post in the previous step).

Edited January 15, 2006 by Skull-1

[Skull-1]

Then you file the other section of the elbow....

It should look like this.

It goes in the top section of the thigh (the shorter part).

When you get it all together go ahead and do a test fit, then JB-WELD (use JB-KWIK instead) the top part together with the swivel in place. When it dries glue the bottom. Sand. Install in the Valk.

Edited January 15, 2006 by Skull-1

[KingNor]

Hey! i did something very similar to this! only i used the ball joints from some of those lego bionicals and i put two ball joints in each leg.

my system works really good in theory, but the ammount of sanding needed on the ball joint socket tended to make them extreemly weak.

I'll post some pics for comparison, maybe you'll like some of my ideas.

here are som poses:

Edited January 15, 2006 by KingNor

[KingNor]

here are some pics of the joints and how i where they go, i don't have step by steps the way you do unfortunately.

[KingNor]

My favorite pose. i got a chunky monkey to do a standing kick pose (a dream shared, and largly un-fulfilled by most chunky monkey owners!

[big F]

Proof that there is still mileage in the 1/55`s, nice job everyone.

[Skull-1]

That's great!

Wish I could find some ball/socket assemblies somewhere.

How much friction do they have? Would a Bandai be too heavy to do that with?

I like that idea. Might work better than mine. Would certainly be faster.

[big F]

That's great!

Wish I could find some ball/socket assemblies somewhere.

How much friction do they have?  Would a Bandai be too heavy to do that with?

I like that idea.  Might work better than mine.  Would certainly be faster.

360757[/snapback]

HLJ I think do them. They have pages of custom parts for kit bashes. I will probably go that route to do a custom I am planning.

[Skull-1]

Can you get these at a hobby store by any chance?

Do they flop around or are they fairly stiff ball/sockets?

[kanata67]

sweet. I'll have to do this. Even more articulation on my next violator valk

[KingNor]

i got the ball and socets off of the LEGO Bionical figures

i had to do quite a bit of cutting too. i don't know if its faster, its not really all that simple, the first one took me the better part of a day to do, the second one maybe 2 hours tops

***edit adding more info***

There is ALOT of cutting involved to get your valk as poseable as mine, for one you gotta cut big chunks out of the "intake" section. use my images for refrence. essentially the ball joint connects the leg on the opposite side that the leg used to connect on. It's easy to do this part backwards, i almost did it myself on accedent.

another part is a part of the knee joint. on the "shin" peice, there is a peice of plastic in the joint, its in the front of the kneel. I grinded this down quite a bit to allow more bend in the gerwalk mode. ie: it allows the knee to bend "forward" more. I'm sure you can find this on your valk, just bend the leg and see where the thigh contacts the "shin". thats where i'd grind.

the last thing i did was a mod someone else came up with, essentially its cutting out the gears inside the foot assembly to give the Vector Thrust feet peices the ability to move separately. this allows you to get more foot flexibility. It's a little complicated and i don't recall the web URL for the instructions.

KidKorrupt was the guy who came up with it, if he's still around maybe he'll chime in with the url. (I think it was him anyway)

As for the ball joints. the Bionical joints wern't meant for the kind of weight even a Bootleg will exert on them, i experimented with all kinds of things to tighten the joints, my favorite so far is to coat the ball with some plastic-wrap (the kind you wrap leftovers in). it works for a while but after a few poses it gets worn out and needs to be replaced.

I don't think the ball joints from the Bionicles would stand a chance in a real 1/55. theres just too much high quality (heavy) plastic and metal.

Also , all bionicles arn't created equal, make sure you look at the packageing when you buy one and be sure its got at LEAST 4 ball and socket assemblys

don't count their feet, because the feet on a Bionicle won't give you the proper socket. you need the little black multipurpose sockets. most bionicles have plenty of.. eh.. balls. its the sockets you need to look for.

let me know if you have any more Q's

Edited January 16, 2006 by KingNor

[UN Spacy]

SWEET CUSTOM man.

Ah...the lengths we'd go to make Chunky Monkeys more Yamato-ish.

[KingNor]

SWEET CUSTOM man.

Ah...the lengths we'd go to make Chunky Monkeys more Yamato-ish.

360895[/snapback]

oh dude you did NOT go there, haha

i made my first "super poseable" 1/55 before i even heard about the 1/48 and i was CERTAIN i could do better than the 1/60's stupid mid'shin rotation. mission accomplished

in some ways i like my customs here more than my yamato 1/48, mine're more poseable and for me (as an animator) poseability earns buku bucks.

the yamato wins in prettyness is all :-)

Edited January 16, 2006 by KingNor

[Skull-1]

http://www.geocities.com/valkcreations/index2.htm

KK's site.

[Skull-1]

SWEET CUSTOM man.

Ah...the lengths we'd go to make Chunky Monkeys more Yamato-ish.

360895[/snapback]

Hehhe, funny man.

I'm with my pal on this one. I think people (KK and Fulcy come to mind) were working on poseability on Bandais long before the Yammie came out.

I know I had the first leg done almost two years ago. It has just taken me FOREVER to get around to finishing the other one. It is very time consuming.

[Fortress_Maximus]

Nice customs!

[ghiblione]

She is soooo cute your daughter!!!!

I have a son...handsome........

Nice valk!!!

[Skull-1]

She is soooo cute your daughter!!!!

I have a son...handsome........  

Nice valk!!!

361093[/snapback]

Thanks! Kids are really so great.

She is actually adorable as heck. She likes Chunky Monkeys, too.

Her nickname is Chuckie so I guess it fits. Chuckie Monkey. Chunky Monkey.

Thanks for the Valk kudos. I am desperate to get this thing done. Soon.....

Edited January 17, 2006 by Skull-1

[Black Valkyrie]

Nice job both you, I love it. It makes me think why Bandai didn`t do that with the reissue.

[big F]

Well this post proves there is still interest in the ol` Chunkies.

I have many links to pages about customing them in the joints and styling areas.

May be we should post them here so that anyone wanting to experiment with it can follow them. I for one will probably get around to a super posable 1/55 soonish. I expect the 1/55 Necromancer (Kanata67) will to, as soon as he manages to climb out of the big packing case full O` 1/55 parts hes got.

I have an idea for more possable hands which would be simple, the method might lend itsself to the other non mobile joints too. I will try and give it a go and obviously post here my results.

Edited January 17, 2006 by big F

[vlenhoff]

SWEET CUSTOM man.

Ah...the lengths we'd go to make Chunky Monkeys more Yamato-ish.

360895[/snapback]

or MPC-ish.. just playing man, it's cool.

[Skull-1]

Well this post proves there is still interest in the ol` Chunkies.

I have many links to pages about customing them in the joints and styling areas.

May be we should post them here so that anyone wanting to experiment with it can follow them. I for one will probably get around to a super posable 1/55 soonish. I expect the 1/55 Necromancer (Kanata67) will to, as soon as he manages to climb out of the big packing case full O` 1/55 parts hes got.

I have an idea for more possable hands which would be simple,  the method might lend itsself to the other non  mobile joints too. I will try and give it a go and obviously post here my results.

361345[/snapback]

I have two hand ideas I am doing.

One of them I am filling in the sliders on the arms and making the fist removable and reversible. You pull it out and flip it around depending on the mode. In fighter mode it looks like doors over the wrists so to speak.

The other method was to use a paperclip and melt it into the fist. A small hole with a flat plate in the arm would allow you to move the fist to any angle. The only problem is that you have to store the fists when in fighter mode... But it allows poseability in other modes.

[big F]

I have two hand ideas I am doing.

One of them I am filling in the sliders on the arms and making the fist removable and reversible.  You pull it out and flip it around depending on the mode.  In fighter mode it looks like doors over the wrists so to speak.

The other method was to use a paperclip and melt it into the fist.  A small hole with a flat plate in the arm would allow you to move the fist to any angle.  The only problem is that you have to store the fists when in fighter mode...  But it allows poseability in other modes.

361406[/snapback]

Your ideas sound interesting

My idea is to fill the wrist (sliders) and remove the hands I am playing with a method which would allow you to attach them and move them through 360 and possibly put some custom cast versions on instead like ones made to allow you to have one that is open. they would simply pop on and pop off.

You could also put on covers on when in Plane mode. If my method works it could be done for a few pennies

More news when I have had more time to play.

Edited January 17, 2006 by big F

[Skull-1]

WITH TAPERED SWING BARS NOW!!!!!!!!!

[mojacko]

SWEET....nice to see this things customize....

[Skull-1]

Thanks!

I really enjoy customizing the 1/55s.

Yamato 1/48s are already so close to perfect that I just don't see a lot of room for improvement on 'em. Kinda' takes all the fun out of it.

[Skull-1]

I've figured it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the cheapest and easiest way to modify a thigh to swivel on a 1/55 and all you need is a pair of BIC pens from WAL-MART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take the ink and pen tip out and throw them away. JB Weld them into the thigh at any angle you wish (as evidenced by the green and yellow lines). glue them perpendicular to the way you cut the thigh (I will go for the angled yellow cut next time).

These pens are so tight to rotate that they will definitely hold up to the abuse and weight of a 1/55. If you still want to do it the other way you have to find some elbow joints and these are very hard to come by. Trust me I'm still trying to get some!

(NOTE: THE CUT ON THE LEG HAS TO BE FROM FRONT TO REAR, BOTTOM TO TOP. THE ANGLE SHOULD BE LOWER IN FRONT THAN ON TOP. REVERSE THE YELLOW LINE AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE BELOW. ALSO POSITION THE BIC PEN PARTS PARALLEL TO THE CUT).

Edited October 30, 2008 by Skull-1

[KingNor]

I've figured it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the cheapest and easiest way to modify a thigh to swivel on a 1/55 and all you need is a pair of BIC pens from WAL-MART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take the ink and pen tip out and throw them away.  JB Weld them into the thigh at any angle you wish (as evidenced by the green and yellow lines).  glue them perpendicular to the way you cut the thigh (I will go for the angled yellow cut next time).

These pens are so tight to rotate that they will definitely hold up to the abuse and weight of a 1/55.  If you still want to do it the other way you have to find some elbow joints and these are very hard to come by.  Trust me I'm still trying to get some!

362500[/snapback]

dood. that sounds really intresting.

i have to admit however, from your image i can't really tell whats going on; which pens you used; or what part of the pen.

could you please post some pics of the pen, and the pen peices? if its as strong as you say, i MAY be doing this to my reissue 1/55

awesome find man!

[Skull-1]

The pen I used is called a "BIC ROUND STICK."

It's just the cheap ball point pen.

The sections I am talking about are at the end of the pen you write with.

You will trim the cylinder down and glue that into one section of the thigh... The other is the tapered part at the tip where the ball point goes in.

They are shaped like what you see in the picture.

Edited January 21, 2006 by Skull-1

[Skull-1]

Here you go!

The white part goes into one part of the thigh the orange into the other.

Plug them into each other when dry and they will swivel but still have enough friction to hold the leg solidly in place.

I'd probably melt a paperclip or steel rod through each end to keep it from rotating inside the thigh (help give the JB Weld something to grip). Just run it perpindicular to the length of the pen.

(NOTE: THE CUT ON THE LEG HAS TO BE FROM FRONT TO REAR, BOTTOM TO TOP. THE ANGLE SHOULD BE LOWER IN FRONT THAN ON TOP. REVERSE THE YELLOW LINE AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE BELOW. ALSO POSITION THE BIC PEN PARTS PARALLEL THE CUT).

Edited December 5, 2007 by Skull-1

[KingNor]

Here you go!

The white part goes into one part of the thigh the orange into the other.

Plug them into each other when dry and they will swivel but still have enough friction to hold the leg solidly in place.

I'd probably melt a paperclip or steel rod through each end to keep it from rotating inside the thigh (help give the JB Weld something to grip).  Just run it perpindicular to the length of the pen.

362739[/snapback]

this is an amazingly simple and good idea, i can't beleive i ddin't think of this.

You're right about those pens, that fit should be TIGHT and will hold tons of weight i'm sure.. (well maybe not TONS)

i just bid on some more boots, i'm going to try this out and then consider it for my re-ish