Arcadia VF-0S Broken Metal Hinge

[Darotower]

My friend's VF-0S toy has fallen off to the floor and the metal hinge has broken. I was thinking to write to Mr. K about it but I'm from South America and I doubt he or Arcadia can send me any replacement. Any solution?

 

 

[Sanity is Optional]

This looks like a case for 3D printing or casting a replacement.

[Mommar]

5 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

This looks like a case for 3D printing or casting a replacement.

That's a metal part.  Neither of those options are cheap.  Unless there's some way to rebond metal the cheapest solution is to literally spend $300+ on another one unfortunately.

[Sanity is Optional]

2 minutes ago, Mommar said:

That's a metal part.  Neither of those options are cheap.  Unless there's some way to rebond metal the cheapest solution is to literally spend $300+ on another one unfortunately.

3D printed metal parts are a bit cheaper than that. Shapeways might be around $50 I think, given the size, for printed steel.

[Mommar]

4 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

3D printed metal parts are a bit cheaper than that. Shapeways might be around $50 I think, given the size, for printed steel.

Yeah, but he also has to dismantle two parts of the toy.  And the ball that inserts into the leg/intake is already guaranteed to break a peg just to access it.  I have no idea what he would be in for dismantling the other half of it attached to the swing bar.

[Sanity is Optional]

28 minutes ago, Mommar said:

Yeah, but he also has to dismantle two parts of the toy.  And the ball that inserts into the leg/intake is already guaranteed to break a peg just to access it.  I have no idea what he would be in for dismantling the other half of it attached to the swing bar.

Unfortunately, that'd go with pretty much any fix, unless he knows a good welder.

I suppose JB Cold Weld might work, if it's not stressed.

[valhary]

Thats worried!

And one more time evidence that Arcadia lie us about the quality in fact is even worse than Yamato

At least should offer better rates and no the ridiculous overpriced in their products

[Mommar]

10 minutes ago, valhary said:

Thats worried!

And one more time evidence that Arcadia lie us about the quality in fact is even worse than Yamato

At least should offer better rates and no the ridiculous overpriced in their products

Umm, no, it took a fall.  Things break when you drop them sometimes.

[Xigfrid]

A welder with a gas solder should be able to fix it. Make sure that he try not to solder the rotating mechanism and to grind the metal bar so it stays the same length as original once welded

[DewPoint]

If you go for the welding option keep in mind that when applying that much heat metal can warp, stretch, or shrink.  Soldering and brazing is less heat, but rather then fusing the metal together (along with a secondary metal), it's more like gluing metal together with a secondary metal.  Either process requires removing the existing paint and can warp the metal from the heating process. Just make sure you know what you are in for before deciding on a process.

You could also use this opportunity to upgrade to a PF model.

[Sanity is Optional]

Cheapest option that might work is probably just some JB Weld, not sure how well it'll hold though.

[DewPoint]

You could also try to look for a broken/damaged VF-0 to harvest parts.

[valhary]

the same happened to my Yamato YF-21 and I never drop it 

when the metal breaks is because the part it's wrong manufacture

[Sanity is Optional]

3 hours ago, valhary said:

the same happened to my Yamato YF-21 and I never drop it 

when the metal breaks is because the part it's wrong manufacture

Or it can break because you dropped it, like is the case here.

[Slave IV]

Either way, it's impossible to compare with Yamato VF-0S quality since they are different molds and even then, you would have to subject both to the exact same situation because the fall could have been at a perfect angle to cause the break that may not have happened otherwise. I will still continue to say that the Arcadia VF-0S is the finest Valk toy made to date, imo.

[valhary]

The metal parts are design and made in this material for not break otherwise all parts would be plastic

my common sense tells me that if a valk drop is very possible break plastic parts no metal

if the Diecast breaks like is the case is because like I mention before is wrong manufacture and for the price of their products Arcadia has no justification

[Sanity is Optional]

As a mechanical engineer, you are incorrect.

Metal is used because a plastic part would not handle normal usage, or plastic would wear excessively.

Unusual usage, like dropping, can and will still break metal parts. Especially if they're cast, rather than forged (more brittle). It's entirely possible for a metal part to break when subjected to a sudden load past it's design strength (such as impact from a fall).

Edited July 19, 2018 by Sanity is Optional

[HardlyNever]

22 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

As a mechanical engineer, you are incorrect.

Metal is used because a plastic part would not handle normal usage, or plastic would wear excessively.

Unusual usage, like dropping, can and will still break metal parts. Especially if they're cast, rather than forged (more brittle). It's entirely possible for a metal part to break when subjected to a sudden load past it's design strength (such as impact from a fall).

Wait, are you saying I can't throw my valks out of a window, then blame the manufacturer when they break?

Sigh... Arcadia always cutting corners...

[Mommar]

14 minutes ago, HardlyNever said:

Wait, are you saying I can't throw my valks out of a window, then blame the manufacturer when they break?

Sigh... Arcadia always cutting corners...

Lobbing it off the balcony is a gimmick.

[Sanity is Optional]

People don't seem to understand how fragile the cast steel/iron (with powdercoat) used in these is. It's not the same as machined or hot/cold worked steel. It's way more brittle, as you can clearly see when you look at the cross-section of the break in the OP's picture (looks like sand-paper).

It's stronger than plastic, but it still has low ability to absorb energy without permanently deforming or breaking. The plastic deformation region of it's stress-strain graph is very small, and the slope of the elastic region is very steep.

Now, it's probable that if the strain from a fall is on both plastic and metal parts, the plastic would break first, absorbing the energy before it deforms the metal. However, when the metal is very thin (as is the case here), stressed in a mode it's not strong against (bending), and the plastic is very robust (like the upper leg section on a VF-0), the metal will be the weak link that snaps first.

Edited July 19, 2018 by Sanity is Optional

[Chronocidal]

Having disassembled that structure to flip around one that was assembled backwards on an old Yamato, the final segment with the actual hip bar should come free relatively easily (though they may have switched to those annoying spring-pins to hold it).  Also, the metal isn't painted, so nothing to really lose there.

I think what might be the most solid repair for this would be to actually cut off the opposite hip shaft as well, then drill out the hip bar and replace both hips with a solid metal rod.  You'd have to replace the ball joints on both hips as well, but that might be an improvement over the original Arcadia hip joints.  

Sadly, that kind of operation might require some decent metal shop hardware, maybe a drill press, and you'll need a properly sized rod to fit in the nose correctly (though it might be easier to modify the inside of the nose to fit an available rod than to make a rod fit the nose).

If Shapeways can print a metal part with the required strength, I think that'd be a much simpler option than trying to remake the part.  Replacing the rod itself would be pretty easy I think, but getting it to attach to the existing ball joints might take a lot of fine machining.  I'm thinking you would have to find or make a hip bar with threads on the ends, and then drill into and make matching threads in the existing ball joints to attach them.

 

[technoblue]

Man, I can almost see it. Impact resistant metal skeletons on future Valkyrie releases.

I wonder how much THAT would cost?

[Mommar]

2 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

People don't seem to understand how fragile the cast steel/iron (with powdercoat) used in these is. It's not the same as machined or hot/cold worked steel. It's way more brittle, as you can clearly see when you look at the cross-section of the break in the OP's picture (looks like sand-paper).

It's stronger than plastic, but it still has low ability to absorb energy without permanently deforming or breaking. The plastic deformation region of it's stress-strain graph is very small, and the slope of the elastic region is very steep.

Now, it's probable that if the strain from a fall is on both plastic and metal parts, the plastic would break first, absorbing the energy before it deforms the metal. However, when the metal is very thin (as is the case here), stressed in a mode it's not strong against (bending), and the plastic is very robust (like the upper leg section on a VF-0), the metal will be the weak link that snaps first.

They’re especially susceptible to sheering forces, like what you would get with an impact.

[Pulltoeject]

Hey Darotower, where in S. America do You live? If You can get Your hands on an intact hip bar, try taking it  to a artisan jeweller. They sometimes cast copies from other metal jewellry pieces, but You would have to ask if if they could do it in steel and heat treat it. You might have some luck, and not have to break the bank taking that route.

[The Smirker]

I know this may be a dumb answer, but why not dissemble it and weld it? If the metal is mallaeble to snap off, it should be easy enough to attach it by fusing it at a high temperature. I'm too poor to frankly afford something so delicate and elite to collect.

[Darotower]

On 7/21/2018 at 12:04 AM, Pulltoeject said:

Hey Darotower, where in S. America do You live? If You can get Your hands on an intact hip bar, try taking it  to a artisan jeweller. They sometimes cast copies from other metal jewellry pieces, but You would have to ask if if they could do it in steel and heat treat it. You might have some luck, and not have to break the bank taking that route.

I live in Argentina and yes! you're right maybe I can ask to some artisan jeweller, that's a good idea! I'll try it

 

[Darotower]

On 7/28/2018 at 8:40 PM, The Smirker said:

I know this may be a dumb answer, but why not dissemble it and weld it? If the metal is mallaeble to snap off, it should be easy enough to attach it by fusing it at a high temperature. I'm too poor to frankly afford something so delicate and elite to collect.

It's a very small size and very difficult to do so, a blacksmith will refuse to do this kind of job

[Duymon]

Wow that's rough.

The only way I've seen this type of thing fixed is by pinning the piece in conjuction with an epoxy like JBweld.

Drilling for pin prep is the huge PITA part when it comes to Diecast as Diecast is porous and actually brittle compared to regular machined / forged / stamped steel.

You'll need a vice and a drill press to properly drill a ~1 mm hole. Don't expect to be able to do it by hand with a dremel as drill bits will skip like hell on diecast and you're more likely to end up with the drill bit in your finger / hand.

Once you do have a hole it's just a matter of getting a properly sized steel pin, score it with a file and then use an epoxy as an adhesive.

Edited August 5, 2018 by Duymon

[Darotower]

After almost four years of searching and researching, a friend from Chile who has family living on Japan requested some replacements from Arcadia and finally he has sent me the original metal hinge I need to repair this beatiful valkyrie. Happy Ending!

[Angesdad]

1 hour ago, Darotower said:

After almost four years of searching and researching, a friend from Chile who has family living on Japan requested some replacements from Arcadia and finally he has sent me the original metal hinge I need to repair this beatiful valkyrie. Happy Ending!

At first I thought a fresh post was up regarding the breakage, but soon realized you had posted this 2 years before I joined the forum.😄 Nice work!

[no3Ljm]

Glad it worked out well, @Darotower.