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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 2, 2012 21:49:08 GMT -5
Not really breaking new, but Robot Kingdom sent their latest newsletter. According to them, they are getting restock for both Exgraver and Heavy Labor. However, the restock of HL will no longer include the free replaecment Exgraver shovel. They don't say but I think this means they are assuming the original run for exgraver with the weak shovel is al gone and the restock run will now have the new shovels.
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Post by Lejam on Jan 3, 2012 12:16:26 GMT -5
So Hercules visor can fit on Neckbreaker's head. I don't know where he stands on alt mode. The major (little) problem with giant combiners, is the size of hips. They are allways little, so when it is positioned just standing, then legs are allways open and can not be squeezed against each other (thank you ankel swivel)... Okay it gives dynamism between legs and torso (which is allways little). Good example with Classic Superion X FP Crossfire set : the best is to displace thunderbolt plane reactors to gain a little space...
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Post by shinobi03 on Jan 3, 2012 13:14:00 GMT -5
Not really breaking new, but Robot Kingdom sent their latest newsletter. According to them, they are getting restock for both Exgraver and Heavy Labor. However, the restock of HL will no longer include the free replaecment Exgraver shovel. They don't say but I think this means they are assuming the original run for exgraver with the weak shovel is al gone and the restock run will now have the new shovels. Any mention for Dr. Crank? I planned to buy both Dr. Crank and Structor to save on the shipping costs, only to find out that Cr. Crank is out of stock!
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 3, 2012 20:14:38 GMT -5
They only say in the newsletter email that Dr Crank is "available now." I suggest trying to place your order every few days as it seems Robot Kingdom revises their stock levels from time to time. Before the new year, I noticed that they were down to only 3 or4 pre-orders left on Neck Breaker and Mad Blender, but then after the new year, I decided to try my luck and it seemed their were back up on an estimated 30 or some pre-orders to go.
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Post by Lejam on Jan 6, 2012 10:05:45 GMT -5
Look like some people forced on shovel :
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Post by edge on Jan 6, 2012 21:06:10 GMT -5
sucks to be them! Thats no defect thats people being to rough with it.
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Post by chachipower on Jan 6, 2012 22:46:48 GMT -5
Got my Structor yesterday and instantly stripped the ratchets on the forward and back movement of the legs. Took it apart and just the opposite of heavy labor, the opposing piece of the ratchet mechanism stripped while the gears remained intact. Its a very small piece but important for the ratcheting. Otherwise solid. I dont know how someone managed to break the shovel! Pin too tight?
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Post by Chen on Jan 7, 2012 11:50:36 GMT -5
This is the problem with small companies that rely heavily on CAD designs. In virtual space everything works smooth with zero tolerances but when it comes to manufactoring the variences are greater than the designed tolerances and things break. Also to make a quick turnaround factories have to switch production as fast as possible with minimal lead time and proper employee training so things are misassembled. I guess that's just the price you pay for boutique items.
Btw sorry for the bad spelling I'm typing on my phone lol.
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Post by shinobi03 on Jan 10, 2012 4:00:06 GMT -5
Glad I was patient. Dr. Crank is restocking again at RK.
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Post by Lejam on Jan 10, 2012 4:53:24 GMT -5
Weight pulling :
(posted by TFC as a tutorial for crane cable to Dr Crank)
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 13, 2012 6:40:56 GMT -5
Robot Kingdom posted photos of Neckbreaker and Madblender samples earlier this week and now in their newsletter they confirmed that Neckbreaker will start shipping next Monday!!
They also hinted that Mad Blender MIGHT ship at the same time. (The newsletter email only says they are waiting for confirmation).
My question is therefore: if it does ship - does this mean TFC secretly decided what to do about the Heavy Labor hips? I've kept my ear to the ground between Robot Kingdom and TFC on their facebook pages (which are among the most active pages I've ever seen - other companies should pay attention to how a good facebook page should be run!) but neither party have said anything about replacement parts yet. At this point, about a week before Heavy Labor shipped, we had photos of the replacement shovels for Exgraver). But no news this time makes me go, "hmmm...."
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Post by Lejam on Jan 13, 2012 9:44:58 GMT -5
They said : TFC Toys Hercules - Madblender. Pre-order, may available later next week!!! Subject to final confirmation. So 1 week minimum before launch. About HL hips, I don't know if it's a general (mass) issue with this toy. I got 2 ex, 1 is clean and I have to open the second one box to know...
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Post by edge on Jan 13, 2012 16:13:29 GMT -5
I was scared at first.. I check RK more then once a day for updates for the Hercules figures and it said Neck Breaker was sold out! but then in the morning it was back in stock so I ordered mine right away. I cannot wait to get this guy together... I havent combined any of them and wont until i have them all.
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Post by Lejam on Jan 13, 2012 17:13:54 GMT -5
I ordered and get each constructicons in double ex... I was tempted to combine in mirror mode, but I prefer having an half Hercules using Dr Crank's crane as a rod... ^__^
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 15, 2012 0:11:26 GMT -5
Confirmed! RobotKingdom posted final product photos of Neckbreaker. Hidden inside the box will be a new replacement hip assembly for Heavy Labor! Edit: since nobody posted it yet, here's a pic of what you'll get inside the Neckbreaker box... Uploaded with ImageShack.usRobot Japan also posted a series of pics showing how to install it but I won't recopy them all here. All you need is to turn Heavy Labor over and remove the 4 screws on his back. This will split his torso into 2 and you can remove the black ratcheting waist joint (you need to unscrew the joint too). Then screw it onto the top of the new hips. Then you go through the same procedure you did to realign the hips (remove the screws for the thigh parts and reassemble those around the new hips). And then put the torso back on! Don't forget to insert the screw plugs. While you don't need to disassemble the replacement hip, for some reason the part comes with the plugs not yet plugged in.
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 16, 2012 21:06:18 GMT -5
Oh dear... as a warning to everyone... I think I just ruined my connector port on Structor. I was just fooling around with the 4 guys I already have and plugged Structor into Hercules' left arm position. Since it's a connector on a hinge, I had a hard time pulling it back out so I wrenched it around twisting it as I pulled. But that motion seems to have worn Structor's connector out. Now he barely doesn't click into his proper right-leg position...
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Post by nikodiablo on Jan 16, 2012 21:34:54 GMT -5
^ Sorry to hear about that Ben. At least you've discovered another bug on the design.
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Jan 16, 2012 22:05:48 GMT -5
It's weird because visually looking at both the Exgraver connector and Structor's connector - both look to have the same wear patterns. You can't tell which is still good and which is now damaged.
But I THINK I know what I did wrong: I twisted as I pulled - meaning that as it came apart, the hexagon corners were pressing against the hexagon faces where I think there there should be a miniscule nub that clicks into place when you plug it in. I guess I scraped those nubs off accidentally. The lesson here: always pull the connectors straight out - do not twist as you pull!
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Post by OzmaLee on Jan 17, 2012 2:16:10 GMT -5
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Post by edge on Jan 17, 2012 2:17:28 GMT -5
man i wish i could of just got these two at the same time and saved on shipping :/ f**k.. I cannot wait to have this guy combined.
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