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Post by surlyj on Dec 9, 2013 16:39:28 GMT -5
Yeah, greengetterguy, I know it's a pain and you prbably don,t want to deal with them, nor will they do anything they SHOULD do for you, but you should still make amiami aware of the breakage. I mean hey, they gave me $30 of credit for much less.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Dec 9, 2013 16:40:16 GMT -5
Sadly, if Cm's would've had that part made out of stainless steel, or even plain steel, instead of diecast metal it wouldn't have any problems with snapping, even if a lot of force was applied. Die cast is not designed to handle stress! }|
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Post by krimpov on Dec 9, 2013 18:09:38 GMT -5
As I said, I'm no engineer, I haven't dismantled my Grendizer (yet) and am only saying this based on what I can make of these pics, so I'm definitely pulling this out of my ass. But here we go, those more in the know can tell me what they think. And I don't have the monopoly on pulling things out of my ass, so feel free to fire away too even if you have no idea what you're talking about. Sooo... I took a closer look at my figure from the outside and, if I understand it correctly, the part in red is a double ratchet joint working in tandem with the sliding mechanism in the leg to allow leg extension by pulling down the metal ball joint on the leg. So the ratchet joint doesn't change position inside the body. I mean, the parts composing the joint rotate, but the core of the assembly stays in one place. Am I correct? Looking at the pics, I can't really tell if it's held together by two screws or just one longer screw and a nut. Anyway, for my "alternative scenario", let's go with the second option, even if they didn't. I see plenty of empty space inside those Daizer shorts. (Hu hu hu.) Couldn't they have added another "pillar" ( green area) in the purple area and screw the ratchet joint assembly into it (instead of putting a nut at the end). Put another "pillar" on the opposite half of Grendizer's underwear (nuts in underwear... hu hu hu) and have it rest against the screw head to prevent back-to-front movement (huhuhuhuhuhuhu). Better yet, make the hole in that pillar very shallow and a bit wider, just enough to wrap around the screw head. That would take a lot of stress off that little diecast tab. Of course, using more appropriate material like steel, as TMZ said, would help a lot. I don't know. It looks like an easy and cheap modification that they could have made to that mold. Maybe they didn't for a reason I don't see. As I said, I'm no engineer. But if it was to save on material, they really cheaped out at the wrong place.
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Post by greengetterguy on Dec 9, 2013 18:45:39 GMT -5
Yes krimprov, yes. That,s what I,m talking about. You,re more versed in communication then me. Two hollowed out pillars on each side of the shorts (the purple marked area) to insert that joint ( red marked area )would of helped a lot.
Also TMZ, s idea of pure steel on that middle part of the joint that broke off would have been very helpful. While at it make that part beefier, lot beefier.
Third, loosen those screws at the ends on that hip joints. I,m going to replace those screws with longer ones and add real thick rubber washer to make the ends touch the each end of the shorts wall. I,m also going to fortify the bottom of the shorts by stuffing small rubber piece. That will secure the hip joints.
If other bros have other clever ideas please let me and CMs know... I personally believe they do read the threads. Surly I,ll let AmiAmi know about CMs horrible QC issues.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Dec 9, 2013 20:22:42 GMT -5
How are you planning to attach the joint? Are you going to leave it "loose" inside the armor? I mean, are you going to try to re=attach the two broken pieces somehow, or just leave the broken piece as is?
}D
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Post by greengetterguy on Dec 9, 2013 21:15:53 GMT -5
I don't think I can reattatch it. I'm just gonna put enough material in his shorts nothing can move when it's not intended. I'm gonna replace the joint screws with longer ones and add couple of thick rubber o rings at each end till it fills the short end to end super tight. To finish it off I'm gonnna cut out piece of rubber washer to fill the bottom of the short. That's only thing I can think of doing, without lot of dust and fumes which I don't want to put myself through...
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Post by krimpov on Dec 9, 2013 21:55:21 GMT -5
I'm gonna replace the joint screws with longer ones and add couple of thick rubber o rings at each end till it fills the short end to end super tight. Mmm... great idea. And if you want to make that really sturdy, you could stick a blob of plumber's putty inside each half of the "underwear", where the heads of the screws will touch it, and let that dry. Shouldn't move a millimeter once stuck in that stuff. Of course, that will make it more difficult to disassemble again if you ever want to. PS: Sorry, I meant plumber's EPOXY putty. Important precision.
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Post by gravewolf on Dec 10, 2013 10:01:17 GMT -5
Looks like that broken part cannot handle the weight of the whole figure since it's too thin along with having the added stress of the moving joints.If I only had this cm grendy I could study that part more extensively. And as tmz has said it should have been made of steel instead of diecast since die-cast is actually brittle and cannot handle stress very well.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Dec 10, 2013 12:36:39 GMT -5
Hmmm... gravewolf, do you think Pewter would handle the stress better? I'm asking because I can probably make a high temperature silicone mold from the original part and then cast a copy of it in Pewter. However, I need to know if Pewter will be strong enough to handle the stress of the moving ratchet joints. I think it will, but I'm not 100% sure.
}D
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Post by gravewolf on Dec 10, 2013 20:59:25 GMT -5
@tmz Pewter wont handle the stress better since it's a metal not suited for mechanical parts and would most likely be worse than the die cast alloy used. They used pot metal on that joint part and that metal isn't suitable for such a joint this thin and with mechanical stress involved. Aluminum, steel or brass are better for the job and are just as easily accessible. The only problem is fabrication methods which cannot be done at home unless you have the tools.
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Post by Gettershadow on Dec 11, 2013 9:04:13 GMT -5
If I am not mistaken the "Die cast" they use on these figures looks a lot like the zinc-alloy used in low-cost "blow-back" operated pistols like the Lorcin, Raven and the Hi-Point. If its zinc-alloy, that means its soft, fairly light-weight and BRITTLE all at the same time! The only way to get it to work as a construction material in firearms is to cast it in relatively huge, bulky castings so it can take the abuse during firing. Its basically "pot metal".. those assholes should have KNOWN that you cant use that as a structural material in such small pieces. That part should have been made of a high grade steel. It would have only cost a dollar more per figure in that application. Don't these companies hire a real Mechanic to look these things over first? Or are they just guys that sit behind computers all day??? .. and YES I said "Mechanic".... NOT an Engineer!.. Engineers THINK they know everything and Mechanics DO KNOW everything once the machine hits the real world... just sayin' Greengetter, Im sorry dude.. 300 bucks is a lot of money. I would feel disappointed as hell. Only pre-order from Bandai... with them, you know what you are going to get. Maybe Fewture... as long as you can stand those horrific sculpts.... ha ha
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Post by goldorak on Dec 11, 2013 12:17:31 GMT -5
Got mine today, right from its plastic bag ! did I miss something HELP ! So, I never got the "body" that Erika Sato from Anime Export promised me, she said, she got the replacement body from CM's the first week of november and sent it to me on Nov,8th, on Nov 11st she wrote me she'll give me a tracking number for the parcel, but she didn't, I asked her every week since then, but she doesn't reply anymore...I received all my orders from them shipped after that date ( Mazinkaiser SRC, SHF....), I think she lied to me but I don't understand why, If she told me at first she could not get it, that was okay for me...I'm very disappointed.... Then I try to built this missing part by myself, using plastic tube and toothpicks at first, with some fantasy :-)and trying to make new screw crusher punch blades...but I gave up...for now... but the tooth picks were not big enough I think, so I used a gundam plastic sprue for the new spikes, It's not perfect but I think it'll be acceptable once painted... what do you think guys ?
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Post by greengetterguy on Dec 11, 2013 12:41:47 GMT -5
CMs needs to be honest and address these problems immediately. Are they REALLY editing thier Facebook account to save face? REALLY? That's a MP or WEP move if I ever saw one. If true, they're making things worse..Really a bad form. Also , ironically by doing that, they are actually losing face and most of reputation they so hard to built up. This is yet another making of PR nightmare. This is an internet era... CMs In case you didn't know you CAN'T hide! What CMs and some other companies thinking "erasing some bad posts will make bad things go away" just boggles the mind. First, admitting mistakes were made and sharing hows and whys will help. Seems like HONESTY goes long way for us collectors. Second, correct and remold all the problem areas with right material and send them to us, pref free of charge. Customer Service 101, having pissed off customers will cost TEN FOLDS of what would of solved in a simple gesture of appreciation and apology... Third, contract a proven factory to make your top products.... Hire an independent consumer product testers NOT your in house engineers! They failed you CMs.. Hire a quality control inspector who can't be bought. Hire a better PR and marketing. e Bros with Facebook account please feel free to use any of my posted photos and copy and paste my horrid rants. You have my blessing. I just don't have a FB account
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Post by Lejam on Dec 11, 2013 13:39:49 GMT -5
Totally agree Greengetterguy ! We can create a FB page with locked posts and comments to avoid any bad behaviours. Any Submissions will be proposed by PM, then published after reading. What do you think ?
--------------------------------- @ goldorak : Once primer added, piece will ready to paint and match perfectly. Great job ! Do you need turn around pictures of the head to help you ?
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Post by chogokinabdul on Dec 11, 2013 13:53:04 GMT -5
Totally agree Greengetterguy ! We can create a FB page with locked posts and comments to avoid any bad behaviours. Any Submissions will be proposed by PM, then published after reading. What do you think ? --------------------------------- @ goldorak : Once primer added, piece will ready to paint and match perfectly. Great job ! Do you need turn around pictures of the head to help you ? I am with you lejam in this ... maybe we can make difference at the end and they can fix this with a re release with fixed problems! and release the rest of spazers ! I am in
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Post by greengetterguy on Dec 11, 2013 14:10:13 GMT -5
Totally agree Greengetterguy ! We can create a FB page with locked posts and comments to avoid any bad behaviours. Any Submissions will be proposed by PM, then published after reading. What do you think ? --------------------------------- @ goldorak : Once primer added, piece will ready to paint and match perfectly. Great job ! Do you need turn around pictures of the head to help you ? I am with you lejam in this ... maybe we can make difference at the end and they can fix this with a re release with fixed problems! and release the rest of spazers ! I am in Yess, Lejam and Good call Chogokinabdul That sounds great New Sturdier shoulder assembly, right sized hands, sturdier weapons, stainless steel center hip joints, re engineered spacer door assembly, how about using quality screws...without rusts. Did I miss anything? Just make sure the QC is rock solid with plenty of quality metal, appropriate metal! Price it like you mean it CMs..in other words keep it low!
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Post by greengetterguy on Dec 11, 2013 14:15:27 GMT -5
Got mine today, right from its plastic bag ! did I miss something HELP ! So, I never got the "body" that Erika Sato from Anime Export promised me, she said, she got the replacement body from CM's the first week of november and sent it to me on Nov,8th, on Nov 11st she wrote me she'll give me a tracking number for the parcel, but she didn't, I asked her every week since then, but she doesn't reply anymore...I received all my orders from them shipped after that date ( Mazinkaiser SRC, SHF....), I think she lied to me but I don't understand why, If she told me at first she could not get it, that was okay for me...I'm very disappointed.... Then I try to built this missing part by myself, using plastic tube and toothpicks at first, with some fantasy :-)and trying to make new screw crusher punch blades...but I gave up...for now... but the tooth picks were not big enough I think, so I used a gundam plastic sprue for the new spikes, It's not perfect but I think it'll be acceptable once painted... what do you think guys ? After some sanding and paint, I think you will make it better then what CMs did. I can,t believe you have to perform a head surgery on him.... Paying what we paid, we shouldn't,t have to deal with this on our own.
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Post by Lejam on Dec 11, 2013 14:20:23 GMT -5
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Post by droutmaster on Dec 11, 2013 14:26:00 GMT -5
So, I never got the "body" that Erika Sato from Anime Export promised me, she said, she got the replacement body from CM's the first week of november and sent it to me on Nov,8th, on Nov 11st she wrote me she'll give me a tracking number for the parcel, but she didn't, I asked her every week since then, but she doesn't reply anymore...I received all my orders from them shipped after that date ( Mazinkaiser SRC, SHF....), I think she lied to me but I don't understand why, If she told me at first she could not get it, that was okay for me...I'm very disappointed.... Then I try to built this missing part by myself, using plastic tube and toothpicks at first, with some fantasy :-)and trying to make new screw crusher punch blades...but I gave up...for now... but the tooth picks were not big enough I think, so I used a gundam plastic sprue for the new spikes, It's not perfect but I think it'll be acceptable once painted... what do you think guys ? After some sanding and paint, I think you will make it better then what CMs did. I can,t believe you have to perform a head surgery on him.... Paying what we paid, we shouldn't,t have to deal with this on our own. agree, that is a fine replacement part you did there goldorak, all it needs like greengetterguy said is a bit of sanding and the finish paint job and done, it will look far better than the official one.
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Post by Gettershadow on Dec 11, 2013 17:41:01 GMT -5
damn I went to that link and thought it was CM making an apology at first.. I was mistaken
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