Opening a torso and other newbie questions

Without causing too much damage.

Pliers?
Knife down the sides?

Also if I were to drill a hole into a torso would the plastic crack around it. Should I use a small hobby electric drill or a small hand drill?

Thanks

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Chris, I just use a good utility knife & a piece of pine, as a cutting board.  It's easier to do with the arm, legs & head already removed.  Just use an old pot on the stove and boil the figure for a few minutes (3 or 4 mins.).  Take the figure out of the pot using a pair of tongs.  Then with oven mitts or a good pair of gloves, pick up the figure and pull the arms, legs & head off.  You have to be fairly quick, before the plastic starts to cool.  Just don't boil the figure for too long, or the hard plastic of the torso will start to warp.  The outer edges of the torso should come apart fairly easily.  It's the male/female post in the center of the torso cavity, that takes a bit to cut through.  Just rock the knife with some pressure and it should cut through.  Just keep your fingers back.  I try and cut the outer edges at the neck or the crotch first.  Then you have some place relatively safe to hang onto, while cutting the middle part.  It's a little bit scary the first couple of times, but it gets easier.

I've never had any success with needle nose pliers in the neck hole, and prying the torso apart.

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Thanks Clint I'm gonna follow your advice :-)

poncho wrote:Thanks Clint I'm gonna follow your advice :-)

Good luck. I you need some more advice. Just ask.

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Did you manage to get the torso apart? Or do we start calling you "3 fingered Chris".

The boil and pop worked well. The torso though turned pasty in colour and losts it's colour not that it matters anyway. Is because it's moulded plastic? I suppose if you are boiling a figure this is the only out come.

Anyways

Right then knife found - check
sand paper - check

Next stage....

I must of gone through 20 different processes of customising this figure in my head, what's material to use,tools.....im sure it will change again. It's fun

poncho wrote:The torso though turned pasty in colour and losts it's colour not that it matters anyway. Is because it's moulded plastic? I suppose if you are boiling a figure this is the only out come.

I usually have this happen to the torso's. If you polish the pieces, is the dull coat removed??

Eeesh I did nearly actually loose a finger tip.....

Commander Clint wrote:

poncho wrote:The torso though turned pasty in colour and losts it's colour not that it matters anyway. Is because it's moulded plastic? I suppose if you are boiling a figure this is the only out come.

I usually have this happen to the torso's.  If you polish the pieces, is the dull coat removed??

That's a handy tip that polishing thanks

I've made or re-modified a accessorey per say. And I want add elastic so it go around the figures neck / hand. Can I superglue elastic to plastic? I don't think I can. Can I?thought it ask as its very small and superglue is fiddly and don't wanna mess up what I've done so far. Cheers boys

poncho wrote:I've made or re-modified a accessorey per say. And I want add elastic so it go around the figures neck / hand. Can I superglue elastic to plastic? I don't think I can. Can I?thought it ask as its very small and superglue is fiddly and don't wanna mess up what I've done so far. Cheers boys

I've never tried to use super glue on elastic, so I don't know how it will work. Maybe one of the other guys will know.

Commander Clint wrote:

poncho wrote:I've made or re-modified a accessorey per say. And I want add elastic so it go around the figures neck / hand. Can I superglue elastic to plastic? I don't think I can. Can I?thought it ask as its very small and superglue is fiddly and don't wanna mess up what I've done so far. Cheers boys

I've never tried to use super glue on elastic, so I don't know how it will work.  Maybe one of the other guys will know.

I tried it on some excess torso. And it soaked in the elastic and went rock hard and bonded with the plastic no problem. I was able to pull the elastic and it didn't come off the plastic. Result :-)

That awesome. And good to know.

Depending on the figure some I find I can use a hobby knife with little blood loss, but some like Stormie's I will where the plastic seems harder I will pop the arms and legs and use a hobby razor saw which would work on all if you get the arms\legs off first. The advantage of this method is less risk of cutting oneself. However I have seen thin gloves that are supose to protect from knife cuts I am going to get a pair and see how they work.

I'm ready to paint nearly...maybe.... As I have remodifued a figure all I'm doing really is touching up the areas or worn paint i.e. nose tip boots belt. So model paint I imagine do I use Matt or enamel/acrylic? Cheers boys

I like to use acrylics. The flat or matte if possible. They dry fast, and easily cleaned up. Then give it a nice clear coat because the paint is soft and marks easily. I like to use a dull coat or a semi gloss. Keeps more in line with original Kenner paint apps.

I like "Tamiya" brand. James uses "Model Master", Alex uses "Humbrol".

Enamel is a more durable paint, but takes a longer time to dry.

If your painting entire pieces. Maybe consider a primer base coat. They have nice plastic primers.

Day 8! Bollocks scuplting detail into the torso and I broke hrough an creating a hole!....

I spent 10 mins trimming excess plastic of my donor beater created a pick, poked into the hole and flattened/melted  with a red hot knife into cover the hole and fuse together . It worked...

poncho wrote:Day 8! Bollocks scuplting detail into the torso and I broke hrough an creating a hole!....

I spent 10 mins trimming excess plastic of my donor beater created a pick, poked into the hole and flattened/melted  with a red hot knife into cover the hole and fuse together . It worked...

Do you have some sort of sculpty product for creating details?

Commander Clint wrote:

poncho wrote:Day 8! Bollocks scuplting detail into the torso and I broke hrough an creating a hole!....

I spent 10 mins trimming excess plastic of my donor beater created a pick, poked into the hole and flattened/melted  with a red hot knife into cover the hole and fuse together . It worked...

Do you have some sort of sculpty product for creating details?

'Milliput' is great to use, as it bonds to most materials and can be sculped after it has set. It also comes in a range of colours.

so i bought humbrol acrylic paint. its water based paint. i slapped it on straight aways its v runny am i do something wrong? am i supposed to mix it or something. i stirred the pot for a few seconds before putting on the paint.....im clearly not cut out for this custom malarky poor luke hoth redux.....:-(

hang on its got a picture of shaking can for 0.45 seconds on the tin......

I like to use a white plastic primer before painting. They might have a brush on or a spray can?

It sounds like you may need to mix your paint a little better . I prefer to stir my paints - shaking tends to add air bubbles to the paint which makes it much harder to get a smooth coat .

As Clint said , a primer coat will make it much easier to paint .

Don't try to put the coats of paint on thickly - do lighter coats of paint . You will most likely have to apply 2 or 3 coats but will end up with a much smoother finish .

Acrylic paints dry quickly so try not to go back over areas that you have just painted while they are still tacky because it will screw up your paint job . Just set the figure aside to let the last coat dry before you apply another coat and/or try to touch up the paint .