Please Read

[Graham]

I can't go into specific details, but I know of at least one example of an (unnamed) toy where the ABS on one part of a toy was somehow reacting with IIRC the PVC causing cracking. Luckily the problem was spotted before the toy left the factory and the affected parts were removed and new parts were installed using material of a slightly different spec that was stable with no reaction.

Just sometimes sh*t happens despite the best intentions and efforts of everybody involved.

Yamato do try their best to catch problems and mostly succeed (there's a lot of stuff you never hear about), but unfortunately sometimes something slips through the cracks.

Graham

[Graham]

Maybe Yamato should re-think their methods of testing. A little more hands on with a less or semi-experienced hand could be very helpful in assessing any possible damage of any kind to the joints. Product testers, such as yourself (Graham), understand the logistics on how to properly transform these toys and are very cautious not to force parts and cause breakage.

May Yamato might consider placing a supplemental transformation guide in English or other languages. Or just post the guides on their site.

The VF-0 design is nice, but could use some re-designing on said parts. After all, the damage appears prominent in the same area for all reported cases.

Actually, these days I'm not gentle, but your point is well taken. My first ever VF-11B was fine for months and I'd transformed it dozens of times, but the first time I gave it to my wife, she managed to break the hip joint in about 2 seconds!

An English langauage transformation guide on Yamato's site is not possible at this time, as it could be seen by the opposition's lawyers as catering to the market outside of Japan, which could cause problems for Yamato & BW, as Yamato is only licensed to sell Macross toys to the Japanese market.

I'm going to be meeting again with Yamato mid-January and redesign of the VF-0 upper arms will feature prominently in discussions.

Graham

[nightmareB4macross]

I'm going to be meeting again with Yamato mid-January and redesign of the VF-0 upper arms will feature prominently in discussions.

Graham

Should I continue with my revised version of the VF-0 upper arm joints, or should I wait for Yamato's and work with those?

[Graham]

Please definitely continue.

Even if Yamato do improve the design of the upper arm on the upcoming VF-0A Shin and make replacement upper arms available in Japan, it would probably be difficult for customers outside of Japan to get official replacements (and we all know who to blame for that).

Graham

[nightmareB4macross]

Please definitely continue.

Even if Yamato do improve the design of the upper arm on the upcoming VF-0A Shin and make replacement upper arms available in Japan, it would probably be difficult for customers outside of Japan to get official replacements (and we all know who to blame for that).

Graham

Thanks for the insight.

[mza]

Just got my VF-0A and found that the right shoulder was cracked. Add me to the list.

[kensei]

Actually, these days I'm not gentle, but your point is well taken. My first ever VF-11B was fine for months and I'd transformed it dozens of times, but the first time I gave it to my wife, she managed to break the hip joint in about 2 seconds!

An English langauage transformation guide on Yamato's site is not possible at this time, as it could be seen by the opposition's lawyers as catering to the market outside of Japan, which could cause problems for Yamato & BW, as Yamato is only licensed to sell Macross toys to the Japanese market.

I'm going to be meeting again with Yamato mid-January and redesign of the VF-0 upper arms will feature prominently in discussions.

Graham

Gah...I'd better get the results in for the survey before that. You need an opinion survey too on certain issues you are curious about?

[Scream Man]

It's interesting that these shoulder breakages on the VF-0A are only coming to light about 3 months after the toy was released, which makes me wonder if perhaps the shoulder plastic is having some sort of chemical reaction with something which weakens it after a while?

Graham

Maybe, nut i dont know. My first oA broke right out of the packet. In several places. Both my Garlads broke in less than a week after owning them. the only one this applies to for me personally is my first 0S, which showed a stress crack after having it for several months.

I should also say the 0 (and the garland) is the first Yamato product i have had trouble with. Botht e vf-11's i had are still in good shape, and my old 19 and 21, and 21 fp were all in top condition. Likewise i never had a 1/60 or 1/48 yamato break. And the 19 is in perfect shape. Its really only Zero and Garland that have cause me so many headaches...

[Graham]

Maybe, nut i dont know. My first oA broke right out of the packet. In several places. Both my Garlads broke in less than a week after owning them. the only one this applies to for me personally is my first 0S, which showed a stress crack after having it for several months.

But didn't you only get your first VF-0A recentlly? If yes, that means it had still been sitting in some retailer's store or warehouse for a month or two, time for any reaction between materials to work, if my theory is correct.

Grahanm

[myk]

I don't think it's a reaction of any kind that's breaking the plastic. Aren't they using the same type of plastic as in the 48's? This is just a simple matter of a part of the VF-0 design that can't hold up to stress over time. Also, maybe the design or the plastic is so weak that some units are arriving in their owner's hands pre-broken, although people seem to be breaking theirs during use instead.

Anyone ever see those commercials where they test the durability of a matress by compressing its springs to simulate wear over time? Yamato needs to more thoroughly test their products to see how well they hold up over prolonged use. Heck, if they had plucked any Garland or Zero from the assembly line and tried playing with them for a few minutes I'll bet they would've found problems immediately. Of course, maybe they did but decided to go through with distribution anyway? If Yamato had done that we may all have avoided the Garland and Zero problems altogether.

C'mon Yamato, how many years have you guys been at this? On the other hand, their latest Sonsaku Hakufu figure, complete with "life-like, squeezable breasts" seems to be doing quite well. I'll be sure to squeeze these things daily and let you guys know how they hold up...

Edited January 2, 2007 by myk

[Dante74]

Please definitely continue.

Even if Yamato do improve the design of the upper arm on the upcoming VF-0A Shin and make replacement upper arms available in Japan, it would probably be difficult for customers outside of Japan to get official replacements (and we all know who to blame for that).

Graham

You really think Yamato will have a possible fix ready in time for the Shin release?

[Scream Man]

But didn't you only get your first VF-0A recentlly? If yes, that means it had still been sitting in some retailer's store or warehouse for a month or two, time for any reaction between materials to work, if my theory is correct.

Grahanm

I got my first one in mid october I think. tehn it was a bit over a month before i could afford to replace it. I got the replacment and the second one within days of one another just before Christmas.

Also it occours to me that I had issues with my first vf-0S as well. The pins fell out of the shoulders. However mione was the only one I think that happened too (That I heard about0 so thats probably not as big a deal.

I can go back through threads and look for dates on when i got mine if u like...

[Graham]

You really think Yamato will have a possible fix ready in time for the Shin release?

I don't know, but I will find out. I hope so.

Graham

[Hiriyu]

...Also it occours to me that I had issues with my first vf-0S as well. The pins fell out of the shoulders. However mione was the only one I think that happened too (That I heard about0 so thats probably not as big a deal.

Nah, that happened to my 0S too. I think I mentioned it in the original 0S thread.

[nightmareB4macross]

What about the leg armour with the same magnetic polarity attracted to the same polarity on leg? Anyone find a remedy to this yet? Anyone know how to open the leg?

[doodler7]

Nice.

[the_foul_fowl]

Man, I really feel for you guys. I was so looking to get a 0A after Graham's review, but now, I just dunno... Looks like to remedy the 0S's loose shoulders, Yamato overdid the screw thing.

Given how widespread this sounds, I'm surprised that there's been nothing heard from the Japanese collectors. Is there any way to find out if they've been experiencing the same thing or to let them know what's happening to the valks? I think a public furore by Japanese collectors would be way more effective than anything we could do.

[myk]

I've always been curious about that as well. Sure, a Japanese customer could presumably walk into Yamatos R Us and pick up a shoulder set here, a gunpod strap there, an extra decal sheet or two or whatever, but it's still a hassle and I wonder what their feelings are on the matter, if they even have any...

[Dante74]

I've always been curious about that as well. Sure, a Japanese customer could presumably walk into Yamatos R Us and pick up a shoulder set here, a gunpod strap there, an extra decal sheet or two or whatever, but it's still a hassle and I wonder what their feelings are on the matter, if they even have any...

I'm sure Japanese people have feelings too.

[Scream Man]

id love to know what Japanese people think of Yamatos Macross stuff. I mean presumably they sell well there, but do they get the same issues we do?

[Pierre]

Whew, This thread Grew, Just finished moving from FL to TN. Have not been on in a while and my pc broke during the move so i have to use the pc at a library. Graham I think the Problem Thats causing The Bicep Breakage (Like the one illistraited in the Pics) is being caused by the tension at the elbow. I actually cut down the spring in my 0a when I fixed the break. There is less stress put at that section when trying to bend the elbow with the shorter spring. And I didn't even have to glue the arm back together. With the spring literally cut in half the arm can still hold a pose and hold the weight of the gun pod with no problems, but i'm not sure if it would hold something "Of what i would guess the weight of reactive armor" would be

[Graham]

Updated list of members with VF-0 toys with shoulders and/or biceps showing stress marks, cracks or completely broken.

1) Gatillero PR.

2) Pierre.

3) prometheum 5.

4) UN Spacy.

5) Scream Man.

6) Master of Puppets.

7) Ghostryder.

Magnus.

9) eugimon.

10) Kiririth.

11) Graham

12) Roy's Blues

13) sidearmsalpha

Graham

[chowyunskinny]

I wonder what the return/parts replacement policy is for Japanese fans who order from Yamato's Online Store:

Yamato Japan Online Store

*sigh* wish WE could order from that page *sigh*

[sidearmsalpha]

I received a VF-0A a few days ago and removed the shoulder covers, and so far, no stress marks or breaks. I have a VF-0S that I picked up when they came out and only transformed it to Gerwalk mode before putting it back in the box. Today, I pulled it out of the box since then and transformed it to Battroid. I noticed one stress mark on the left shoulder after removing the cover. I loosened the screws on both shoulders as Graham suggested, so I hope it doesn't get worse. Needless to say, I'm not messing around with these much. Has anyone noticed if the cracks/stress marks get worse from just having them on display?

[Macross73]

I had mine on display for awhile and never go the stress marks

then after reading about he issue i loosened the screws and

so far so good. i dont think that they get worse without the

pressure of the screw but since I dont think anyone has provided

a solid answer as to why the marks are there (chemical reaction

or the screw) why take any chances.

[do not disturb]

Updated list of members with VF-0 toys with shoulders and/or biceps showing stress marks, cracks or completely broken.

1) Gatillero PR.

2) Pierre.

3) prometheum 5.

4) UN Spacy.

5) Scream Man.

6) Master of Puppets.

7) Ghostryder.

Magnus.

9) eugimon.

10) Kiririth.

11) Graham

12) Roy's Blues

13) sidearmsalpha

Graham

you can add me to that list as well.

the right shoulder on mine is on the verge of breaking off.

sorry if this has been answered but, is it just tht right shoulder that seems to be breaking?

i opened up both shoulders and the left one was perfectly fine while the right one was totally FUBARed.

[Sumdumgai]

1) Gatillero PR.

2) Pierre.

3) prometheum 5.

4) UN Spacy.

5) Scream Man.

6) Master of Puppets.

7) Ghostryder.

Magnus.

9) eugimon.

10) Kiririth.

11) Graham

12) Roy's Blues

13) sidearmsalpha

14) do not disturb

15) sumdumgai

Added myself and do not disturb to the list. One of my VF-0A shoulders has stress marks and cracks.

[promethuem5]

Thing is, I got a replacement right arm for my 0A and it seems fine... I actually tightened it back up to a more acceptable tension and it hasnt shown any stress marks...

[Roy's Blues]

you can add me to that list as well.

the right shoulder on mine is on the verge of breaking off.

sorry if this has been answered but, is it just tht right shoulder that seems to be breaking?

i opened up both shoulders and the left one was perfectly fine while the right one was totally FUBARed.

damn gunpod is too heavy....

[Scream Man]

Graham u finall yhad one break huh?

[Graham]

Not break completely, but develop a 3-4mm crack in the shoulder.

Graham

[Graham]

Can we have more pics posted please of the cracks, breaks & stress marks so Yamato can see them.

My contact at Yamato is not aware of complaints from Japanese buyers regarding the VF-0A upper arms. That doesn't mean there have been no complaints, just my contact is not aware of them.

Anyway, the factory will be looking into the problem.

Graham

[UN Spacy]

Here's the damage on the right arm of my VF-0S.

[Graham]

Keep the pics coming please.

Graham

[Scream Man]

mines all glued up