Back in the Game

[Hikaroso]

So after a few years of not being active in the Macrossworld community, Frontier has reignited my interest/fascination with everything Macross. So.. last night I decided to open my MISB 1/72 VF-11B (you know where this is going) and as I pulled the figure out the legs just fell to the ground. Back in the day...(in the old forums) someone had posted an instructional on a DIY fix for the hips. I've been scouring the forums for over an hour and now I'm ready to beg for help. There's mention of a member named Jesse who recasted the hips and that would be the way I would want to go..but if I could find the original instructions on how to fix that would fine as well. Thanks.

[Sumdumgai]

You could always superglue them back on, that's what I did to mine when one of the legs fell off, and that hip is as good as new, able to pose and transform without problem (unlike the VF-0A I just repaired the shoulders on, they hang loose in battroid and are only good to hold the gunpod in fighter mode now).

[D_Unit]

Go to your local hardware store and buy yourself a tube of construction adhesive (around $5). One tube should last you a lifetime but the thing might dry up on ya. It's infinitely stronger than Crazy/Super Glue (just don't get any on your skin). It's quite thick & gooey and usually only comes in light brown. It dries overnight but once it's dried, it's stuck for good.

[Dangard Ace]

Glue and screw/metal pin.

[Hikaroso]

Glue and screw/metal pin.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[VFTF1]

So.. last night I decided to open my MISB 1/72 VF-11B (you know where this is going) and as I pulled the figure out the legs just fell to the ground.

The exact same thing happened to me a few years ago when I first got mine. I have since sold it; but here are my easy step repairs. Never thought after all these years that having saved these pics would be useful to anybody....:

I am sure other people do a much better job at this. My effort was born of desperation, as this was my FIRST ever Yamato toy and I was still under the illusion that hundreds of dollars spend on a toy warranted me being sweaty and "doing something" other than waiting for a better release

Now I'm waiting for a better realse

Pete

[AcroRay]

I used much the same style of repair, but my 11b's hip post broke neatly when the thing was knocked off of a shelf, so I didn't need to shave the remains away. Different hardware worked well for me.

I went to a local small True-Value type hardware store and picked up a couple of tiny metal bolts (with narrow threads, and no point at the end) approximately the same size as the ones holding the black joint knob on (that way the head of the screw nested inside of the ball joint), but long enough to reach just barely into the inner cavity of the fuselage, for more secure purchase but not to interfere with the landing gear well. I then removed the original screw from the broken-off post, glued it back together carefully with super glue, drilled out the hole in the length of the hip-post and into the inner fuselage enough so the tiny bolt could be pushed in like a peg and sit snugly, and then glued the bolt & knob in place with superglue gel. At a casual glance, the repair was unnoticeable.

Then, as precautionary measures, I did the same thing to the opposite side's hip joint. And when I re-assembled the air-intake areas in the legs I made certain to seat all the parts properly (the cup-like halves of the socket were occasionally poorly aligned or put in upside-down!) and not screw them together overly-tightly - because discussions at the time (in the older version of the MW forums) seemed to indicate that miss-assembly and an overly tight ball-in-joint assembly was responsible for the breakage in the hip-posts.

My 11B sat broken back in its box for nearly 2 years before I got around to making this repair. Afterwards, I was very happy to finally be able to play with the thing and display it.

Some people also loosen the halves of shoulder assembly like the hips, to improve mobility and reduce breakage potential. Sometimes the ratchet pieces in the shoulder are mis-aligned, making it difficult to align them properly for fighter mode.

Edited October 8, 2008 by AcroRay

[Awacs]

I think I shall store away the details of this fix myself. Not because I have had any problems with my T'Bolt, but against the day that I do....

Karl

[Hikaroso]

The exact same thing happened to me a few years ago when I first got mine. I have since sold it; but here are my easy step repairs. Never thought after all these years that having saved these pics would be useful to anybody....:

I am sure other people do a much better job at this. My effort was born of desperation, as this was my FIRST ever Yamato toy and I was still under the illusion that hundreds of dollars spend on a toy warranted me being sweaty and "doing something" other than waiting for a better release

Now I'm waiting for a better realse

Pete

Yikes! this is exactly what I needed. Thanks alot!