Cacique Caribe | 03 Feb 2018 3:28 a.m. PST |
If so, how do you reinforce the joints? I opened another box that was in storage these last 4 months. Within it I found that some based 15mm figures spilled out of the smaller container they were in, and the other items in the box must have fallen on top and bent them at their weakest point … right at their ankles. I'm afraid they'll snap when I try to make the base perpendicular to the figures again. But if by some miracle they don't snap … Is this a job for strong automotive putty? Something else? Thanks. Dan
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martin goddard | 03 Feb 2018 3:59 a.m. PST |
Some thoughts If the figure is not worth that much emotionally, then convert him into a casualty or melt him down. If the figure is rare, loved , needed etc then suggest drilling brass wire into the base and up into his genital(!). That will make him string again. The dangling legs can be touch joined to the feet. Hope that is of use? |
Winston Smith | 03 Feb 2018 4:06 a.m. PST |
Most horses cast with anatomically correct "ankles" rearing on hind legs have this weakness. |
Timbo W | 03 Feb 2018 4:13 a.m. PST |
Old Frei Korps 15s used to suffer from this, just get them based asap and don't drop anything on them! |
Ed Mohrmann | 03 Feb 2018 4:25 a.m. PST |
Martin's technique is one I've used a lot in the past for both foot figures and for horses. |
John Armatys | 03 Feb 2018 4:34 a.m. PST |
I've also used Martin's technique to repair painted figures. I use piano wire and paint it black, it isn't particularly noticeable. The drilling plus piano wire can also be used to refix the tails of old 25mm horses that break. |
Dagwood | 03 Feb 2018 4:40 a.m. PST |
I have several old 25mm Minifigs Carthaginian standard bearers which all suffer from this problem due to very thin ankles. I have reinforced the ankles with green stuff, either just before they broke or after repair, and they have lasted years afterwards. The reinforcement is painted bronze and looks like an extension of the greaves. |
goragrad | 03 Feb 2018 5:40 a.m. PST |
I use JB Weld epoxy. If the figures have enough meat to their legs I will drill the base and leg and use a piece of piano wire, staple, or other wire in conjunction with the epoxy. I have also done this to reattach tails to horse or even used a piece of wire as a base to recreate a tail or leg for a horse. All for 15mm. Obviously not cost effective if one considers the relative costs of one's time versus the price of a figure. But then this is time that I am spending on a hobby… Chariot Miniatures are notorious for weak ankles, although I have a number of older Minifig Indian archers and javelinmen that I have had to work over (and they have what are fairly thick ankles). I also just received some Nubians from OG15 of which 4 of 48 had one leg with a crack/break clear through one leg at the ankle. 2 of the javelinmen from a previous order did as well. Auto putty could work. Green stuff would as well. I just have JB to hand. If the figures break completely off of the base I have been using the super glue baking soda mix to make an initial fix prior to applying the epoxy for a stronger repair. |
jurgenation | 03 Feb 2018 6:05 a.m. PST |
old Minifigs…usually the horses |
Zeelow | 03 Feb 2018 7:12 a.m. PST |
No. I've got edema and wear elephant ankles. |
robert piepenbrink | 03 Feb 2018 8:27 a.m. PST |
Get the castings on the warm side before you try to bend them perpendicular. Back when stoves had pilot lights, they were good for this sort of thing. Leaving them in strong sunlight might help. But yeah, humans are thinnest at the ankles, so that's there you can expect the most grief from any casting not kneeling or prone. It's an unusual casting which breaks at the waist. |
Durban Gamer | 03 Feb 2018 8:55 a.m. PST |
Toothless, narrow nosed plyers can be useful in helping straighten. Then slow setting epoxy to thicken skinny/damaged leg. Let it set for at least 8 days. Then hobby drill with 1mm, then .8mm drill bit to file the epoxy to a nice (but slightly thicker than the original) leg shape. Over the years I have fixed hundreds of 10mm and 15mm figs this way. With 1/300 I get in ahead of the problem. I put transparent slow-setting epoxy glue between their legs after they have been painted. Matt varnish makes the epoxy filling between the legs almost invisible in 1/300. |
Legion 4 | 03 Feb 2018 9:59 a.m. PST |
That just annoys me to no end, when a model designer makes figures that are too fragile to do much of anything with. And Not just their ankles ! Since all I do is 6mm, it sometimes is a concern. And a bad molding material is used … Some cheaper metal and some resin is horrible. I did get some 6mm figures from Shapeways … Not game or even painting friendly … Forge World in the past had the same situation with their 6mm models. Had to reinforce some of the smaller barrels, etc. … Sometimes I use super glue gel too on ankles etc. … And I use clear flat/matte finish on everything after the model is complete … Just to be sure. For a number of reasons … |
Zephyr1 | 03 Feb 2018 3:14 p.m. PST |
Alas, I sculpted a really good set of high heels on a 28mm female figure, then somehow one of the ankles snapped during handling. The break was too bad to correct, so she got a pair of boots instead… ;-) |
Cacique Caribe | 03 Feb 2018 3:34 p.m. PST |
Zephyr1 Boots!!! There ya go! I was also considering using them as figures that were crossing waist-deep water. Dan PS. Was she doing this little dance too?
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Legion 4 | 03 Feb 2018 4:37 p.m. PST |
so she got a pair of boots instead… ;-) Boots like those old Go-Go boots from the '60s & '70s ? Those work for me ! |
etotheipi | 06 Feb 2018 12:42 p.m. PST |
Move your gaming to the 70's. For figures with bell bottoms on, the ankles are actually the thickest part of the model. |
Cacique Caribe | 07 Feb 2018 5:37 p.m. PST |
Ok. One snapped when I tried to straighten him and another snapped even after I added "boots". I guess they are either going to be cut in half, for crossing wait-deep water or for other things. Dan |
COL Scott ret | 09 Feb 2018 3:13 a.m. PST |
Not sure of my figures but after 55 jumps and a few rough landings, I do. Which is why I almost always wear boots. |
Legion 4 | 09 Feb 2018 3:48 p.m. PST |
LOL ! |
Cacique Caribe | 20 Apr 2018 1:44 p.m. PST |
An this one wants to dance showing off on heels she can't even walk on. Dan
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Legion 4 | 21 Apr 2018 6:50 a.m. PST |
And she's not even a real blonde ! |
Covert Walrus | 21 Apr 2018 8:19 p.m. PST |
Realistic 6mm figures always do. Which is why most of them are squat and chunky. Mind you, some 3D printing materials are solving this, at a cost. |
Cacique Caribe | 24 Apr 2018 11:09 p.m. PST |
Her ponytail was blonde for some reason. :) Dan |
Legion 4 | 25 Apr 2018 6:53 a.m. PST |
Mind you, some 3D printing materials are solving this, at a cost. Some of the Shapeways 6mm Infantry I got, the Ankles were beyond brittle. Won't make that mistake again … They were FUD IIRC … Her ponytail was blonde for some reason. That being said, she has a number of other attributes going in her favor, though … |