VF-171 lower triangle replacement?

[thetrollphysicist]

I just got a 171 Cannon Fodder today, and it comes with both upper and lower triangles cracked, a really unfortunate thing to see. I know that there are 3D replacement parts available for the upper NUNS triangle, but for the bottom one i cant find anywhere

Is there any 3D printed replacement parts for the lower part of the NUNS triangles?

 

Edited March 25, 2017 by thetrollphysicist

[valhary]

https://www.shapeways.com/product/F4NXQ4JJV/vf-171-nuns-triangles-wbk-sf-version?optionId=40495648

https://www.shapeways.com/product/KT85YVJNE/vf-171-nuns-triangles-with-lower-triangle-fit?optionId=40539780

Edited March 25, 2017 by valhary

[Xigfrid]

So far I don't know any alternative to replace only the lower triangle.

The first link above is a replacement of the higher triangle with its bottom made flat so it partly replace the bottom triangle "visually". Unfortunately it can only be flat and not "dome-shape" because of the transformation. 

If you find a better solution for this matter let us know!

[blackconvoy_D01]

This piece, correct? I need replacements too.

Edited April 3, 2017 by blackconvoy_D01

[Xigfrid]

Yes, this is this part we are speaking of. There is no replacement for it.

As described, this is the closest that you can get without the lower triangle, using this.

[blackconvoy_D01]

On ‎4‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 9:37 AM, Xigfrid said:

Yes, this is this part we are speaking of. There is no replacement for it.

As described, this is the closest that you can get without the lower triangle, using this.

I'd imagine the white metallic plastic has a smoother surface for painting the NUNS across it- correct?

[Chronocidal]

Any 3D printed surface is going to need some serious cleaning and polishing if you want a smooth surface to paint on.  Unless you really must have the NUNS markings on there, you're probably better off using black plastic, and just leaving the part its base color.

I did have a thought for how to replace the lower triangles with something more similar to the Yamato VF-17, but I never got around to making them.  It would require two parts instead of three, a new mount with a lengthwise pivot point that would screw in where the old longer pronged piece used to be, and a folding door that would rotate downward.

I don't honestly know how well such a part would work.  The green piece would need to pivot downward, out of the way of the arms.  What I don't know is how much room it would take in gerwalk and battroid modes, and whether it would interfere with the legs, especially in gerwalk.  Ideally, it might just rotate 180 degrees, and flip underneath the chest and out of the way for both modes.

[chyll2]

Necro

 

Can these be repaired reliably with model cement? There are still no missing cracked pieces.

[Chronocidal]

I want to say the right type of plastic-weld glue might work for a while, but those parts are under stress almost non-stop from the way Bandai designed them.

[Boobytrap]

Yeah, mine looked like that at one point. Used Plasti-Weld and it worked but in the end didn't solve the overall problem. It just started developing cracking in other areas. I would then fix those just to have others develop. In the end it crumbled to the point that it could no longer be glued.

It's like plugging a dam. You can slow it down but eventually you'll be left with nothing but rubble. Best to either leave it permanently in fighter or replace them with shapeways parts.

[chyll2]

I guess I just need to pick a mode that I really want and fixed it in that mode forever.

[Chronocidal]

What's sad is that part of the reason the shoulder triangles are so weak is because of all the complicated nonsense of the lower triangle covers.  The rounded cut-out section on the lower half of the shoulder parts is only there to give the lower triangles room to swing in and out, and that cut-out is a gigantic weak point in the part, where a slight over-tightening of the screw holding the shoulder together can leave the whole thing in shattered fragments.

The design is really better off without any underside cover at all, so the shoulders can actually remain structurally sound.

[blackconvoy_D01]

A guy from a Macross FB group did a fix on the original triangle here;

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154464961117059&id=622537058

 

Edited September 17, 2017 by blackconvoy_D01

[chyll2]

Can't see it. What is the name of the that group?

[blackconvoy_D01]

On 9/17/2017 at 8:47 AM, chyll2 said:

Can't see it. What is the name of the that group?

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