A Quick Question About Figure Preparation

[nOizYbOi]

Hey guys, I hope you guys won't mind me posing this question. So I just received my first figure that I intend to customize and after several hours of fiddling around, I transformed the figure a couple of times between robot and alt mode to get a feel of the work that has to be done. I found that the alt mode doesn't quite fit as snug as I expected. I found that the hood, the left-side door and the windscreen doesn't fit quite right. Is this a common occurrence or does this mean I've done something wrong? I just wanted to clarify with you guys before I take a dremel or sandpaper to it. Would sanding down the parts that don't fit right work? Has this happened to you guys too? What steps did you take?

I attached a few pictures to better illustrate what I mean for your convenience:







Are these defects/imperfections that usually happen with such figures?

Thanks guys

[stevescustoms]

It may b e that some of the interior parts aren't lined up quite right. Which version of Bumblebee is this?

[ian searth]

maybe u got one made on a friday! lol some of mine are like that

[nOizYbOi]

It may b e that some of the interior parts aren't lined up quite right. Which version of Bumblebee is this?

I tried it a couple times and this is the closest that I can get them all to align bro. This is a ROTF Battle Ops Bumblebee. Most of it isn't so bad, but the window frame on the right is sticking waay out. Irritated as hell as I don't know if this is a usual imperfection or something wrong with this particular one. One things for sure though. His Guardian and Battle Mode sound effects are not working when I pull down the visor. He only repeats the same things he says in guardian mode. Smh. A case of a figure from a bad batch?

[nOizYbOi]

maybe u got one made on a friday! lol some of mine are like that

lol I hope not! So it's common to have defects like these in these figures? I saw quite a few video reviews on youtube and I found nearly all of them seemed perfect once transformed. I just wanna make sure I don't do something irreversible before I start prepping him.

[robdavidaustin]

It looks like the roof panel isn't lining up. I ran into the same problem. If you keep fiddling with the roof part until it lines up, i think the rest may fall into place. At least that's what happened to me. Good luck!

[nOizYbOi]

It looks like the roof panel isn't lining up. I ran into the same problem. If you keep fiddling with the roof part until it lines up, i think the rest may fall into place. At least that's what happened to me. Good luck!

Thanks Bro I tried what you said and he's 99% ok now. The roofs still sticking out a bit, but its not so bad as before! now if I can only figure out why his guardian and battle modes are not switching....

[SonOfNemesis]

I've done this figure a few times and have a current wip thread on it. Yeah, that particular spot right there doesn't like to fit tightly. HOWEVER, I just pushed really hard on it and it snapped into place. I think it has more to do with how well you transform the internal parts of it like the arms and all that are packed inside for car mode. That part WILL go down, but like I said, it's kind of a pain in the ass. By the way, what preparation work are you needing to do? Mine didn't require any sanding at all whatsoever and my current one is a full repaint.

Also, those flexible pipes on his hips need to FIRST be sprayed with acrylic paint to seal them OR mask them off really well because if you just prime them or base coat with enamels or lacquer, then they'll get all tacky and nasty. Plus, the head LED is super, super easy to swap out for a blue one. The head comes apart real simple and goes back real simple and once the head is off, it's just a matter of cutting out the LED and swapping it for a new one because it'll sit right on top of the neck base all out in the open and all

One more thing, I didn't bother taking apart his gun arm because that whole fricken arm is all wired up and loaded with gearing and small springs that will make you hate your life if you have to figure out putting it all back together just right after opening it. It's a REAL pain in that ass but just mask off the areas you want to paint and vice-versa for alternating colors. Pain in the ass up front, but well worth it if you can save having to eff with taking it apart.

[nOizYbOi]

I've done this figure a few times and have a current wip thread on it. Yeah, that particular spot right there doesn't like to fit tightly. HOWEVER, I just pushed really hard on it and it snapped into place. I think it has more to do with how well you transform the internal parts of it like the arms and all that are packed inside for car mode. That part WILL go down, but like I said, it's kind of a pain in the ass. By the way, what preparation work are you needing to do? Mine didn't require any sanding at all whatsoever and my current one is a full repaint.

Also, those flexible pipes on his hips need to FIRST be sprayed with acrylic paint to seal them OR mask them off really well because if you just prime them or base coat with enamels or lacquer, then they'll get all tacky and nasty. Plus, the head LED is super, super easy to swap out for a blue one. The head comes apart real simple and goes back real simple and once the head is off, it's just a matter of cutting out the LED and swapping it for a new one because it'll sit right on top of the neck base all out in the open and all

One more thing, I didn't bother taking apart his gun arm because that whole fricken arm is all wired up and loaded with gearing and small springs that will make you hate your life if you have to figure out putting it all back together just right after opening it. It's a REAL pain in that ass but just mask off the areas you want to paint and vice-versa for alternating colors. Pain in the ass up front, but well worth it if you can save having to eff with taking it apart.

Hi Zac Thanks for those really cool tips bro! I love what your doing with that WIP and I have seen some of the others you've done in the past and I really learned a lot from you. Can I ask what shade you used for painting the alt mode? I finally managed to get all the bits to fit right and he's A-OK now You were right, I hadn't transformed him nearly as well as I should have. I guess I was handling it too gently, coz I was afraid of snapping something off!

Well as for preparation, it's really just sanding off the mold lines, filling in the seams between some of the areas and to sand down and get the surface as smooth as I possibly can before and after hitting it with the primer so that I can get a nice even finish Do you think that would be overkill?

Thank god, I thought I was thinking how I would manage that arm, because I could tell it was going to be a major pain in the arse! I would definitely follow your cue and just mask that off.


Thank you so much for all the really cool advice again!

[ian searth]

good luck on this brother!! cant wait to see what u do to it!!