Non-TF: Mcfarlane Kaeneda's Bike Fix

Discussion in 'Radicons Customs' started by Tom_Servo, Jan 28, 2016.

  1. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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    I just dug up my old McFarlane Kaneda mike from their old "3D Animation From Japan" line. It's a good bike for the money, but the thing that always drove me crazy about it was the stupidly gigantic rear tire. It's nearly twice as big as it should be. Well, I figured that I finally had the skill to do something about it, and I didn't have much to loose, since I didn't like it as it was. So I might as well try to fix it.
    The hubcap is a seperate piece, so I tried prying it off. That didn't work, but I found the pegs that held it on, and I was able to cut them with my knife. Once that was done, I was able to remove the screw that was holding the hub on and the tree screws that held the two halves of the wheel together.
    Now it was time to cut the wheel down. I figured out that if I put the wheel back together and spun it slowly and pressed my knife into it, I could score a circle onto it. I then took my end nips (wire cutters) and cut chunks away. When bent the plastic broke very nicely at the score marks. Then I sanded.
    The rubber tire, I trimmed to size and glued back in place. I cut extra notches into the inner lip, so it would take the tighter curve better. It's a soft PVC, and Krazy glue LOVES soft PVC. It holds very well. I also brightened up the hubs with silver.
    I may take a bit of acrylic black paint to it to get it cleaned up.
    The next task will be to shorten the rear fork, so that the gap isn't as apparent. Once that's done, I'll have a pretty presentable version of Kaneda's Bike from Akira. (Once I get all of the decals sorted out.)
    I forgot to take a proper before shot, so I stole one online.
    Any thoughts?
     

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  2. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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    BTW- The silver line on the wheel is the guide I drew with a silver sharpie. I did it the same way as my cut. I held the marker and turned the wheel to draw the circle.
     
  3. general saberwi

    general saberwi legoformer

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    Much better, it's a small difference, but it still improves the look dramatically.
     
  4. Takeshi357

    Takeshi357 "Research"

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    I'm honestly more bothered by the "copyright proof" stickers than I am by the tire!
     
  5. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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    Agreed. It's always something with McFarlane. I don't buy as much of their stuff as I used to
    Oh yeah. The stickers are the worst. I'm working on it.
     
  6. kalron

    kalron Technician/Sculptor

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    This, along with Kaneda, Tetsuo and Akira, sit proudly on my shelf in my work shop. These were excellent representations and I never really complained about the back tire...until you just had to go and do this.

    Thanks, now it's going to nag at me until I do the same :) 

    Anyway, this is some nice work and much improves the profile. Why has Repolables not done an update for those silly stickers?
     
  7. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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  8. kalron

    kalron Technician/Sculptor

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    Haven't made any is quite some time, but about 7 years ago I tried using inkjet sticker paper. They were kind of thick compared to stock stickers. However, I had the same issue with Tee Shirt printer paper but the modern ones are excellent so maybe the sticker quality as improved as well.
     
  9. hXcpunk23

    hXcpunk23 The Chaos Bringer

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    Beautiful work! Looks much better now.
     
  10. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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    Thanks bro!

    The new stuff is supposed to be pretty good. I don't know how it works, but there are apparently water-slide decals that you can print on inkjet. There are demos on YouTube. I still think that a lot of the decals I can hand draw. BWT- Did you know that CITIZEN is a Japanese watch brand? That's why it's not on the McF version. I know I didn't know that one.
    UPDATES! I shortened the rear fork! It was very nerve-wracking, but I sawed it off with my Exacto hobby saw. The silver line is my silver sharpie. (It washes off with rubbing alcohol.) It rides super low now. I had to trim off a few molded details on the undercarriage, but it does roll. As it happens, the inner detail piece is a separate part that I was able to use to bridge the fork to the body. The glue I used was Zap-A-Gap with the Zip Kicker.
    Zap-A-Gap is a super glue that comes in different thicknesses. I use the medium thickness. The Zip Kicker is a separate hardener that you can buy for it to spray on it to harden it instantly. I love it. Use in a ventilated area.
    So on the topic of there always being something with McFarlane Toys- Kaneda is way out of scale. Marvel Legends are a bit too big to comfortably ride on Kaneda's bike, and he's almost a little taller than them. Jez. The bike is roughly to scale with Figmas. Revoltech figures are good too, but the look a little small on the bike.
    I'll probably do a custom Kanaeda figure at some point, but I have to get through with this bike first.
     

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  11. KnightStrike

    KnightStrike Well-Known Member

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    That makes a huge difference. I always liked that McFarlane version of the bike, but your mods to it make it even cooler!
     
  12. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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    Thanks man! I don't buy McF stuff as much as I used to (mostly just because I collect more TFs than action figures these days), but I got a lot of customizing experience fixing things that bugged me about them.
     
  13. phantro

    phantro Well-Known Member

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    AWESOME!

    FYI for custom made decals:
    this guy on Facebook does them for a reasonable price and they are pretty good in quality. The G.I. Joe customizing community employ him often. I would definitely give him a look up.

    https://www.facebook.com/badmothertattoos/
     
  14. Tom_Servo

    Tom_Servo Well-read chick magnet

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    Thanks! That's good info! I just might hit him up.