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3D-Printed Replacement for the Infamous Yamato BP-8: A Quick Review


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Posted (edited)

As I've been getting back into customizing valks, after many years of not doing that, I realized that I needed to fix a broken Yamato 1/48 VF-1S Roy before I could turn it into a Minmay Guard Paris Act. It broke where pretty much all of the Yamato 1/48's break: the infamous hinged part attached to the backpack, BP-8. I thought about just gluing the broken bits back together, but also wanted to look around online to see if anyone made a replacement, because a glued part will be a weaker part. Indeed someone did:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/LGBVNSENS/ps-mac-001a-2-macross-robotech-bp-8-backpack-hing?optionId=123455663&li=shops

I bought a two-pack, just to be safe. Surface texture is a little rough, but that's to be expected from a 3D-printed part. Some light sanding will take care of that. Otherwise, all I had to do was make the holes on the hinges a little larger to get the rods through them and the hole underneath a little larger so the screw went in all the way. Worked great! The plastic is strong enough to support transformation without breaking. The one thing I don't like is the vernier, which is at the wrong angle and is the inverse of what it should be. The central line through the circle is supposed to be at the same level as the surrounding surface, with the rest of the circle indented. This replacement part is the opposite. Not a big deal, though. I'll just fill it with some putty, sand that down, and then put a vernier decal on the same spot. That or use a Dremel to remove the raised sections and then put the original Yamato vernier in there. Maybe it's different so it doesn't look exactly like the original BP-8? :unknw:

Now to actually start working on the custom....

Would I recommend this replacement part for collectors who just want to fix a broken Yamato 1/48? Yes, if you're going to display it in Gerwalk or Battroid mode without armor, or any of the three modes with armor. In all of those cases, you won't see the part at all.

 

bp-8 2.jpg

bp-8 1.jpg

original.jpg

bp-8 3.jpg

Edited by Anasazi37

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