New Upgrade Kit Series From C+ Custom Studio

Discussion in 'Transformers 3rd Party Discussion' started by erain1984, Jun 13, 2016.

  1. Dymitrix

    Dymitrix Active Member

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    FYI, for anyone who accidentally stripped a screw beyond help... I did the same to one of the thighs, so I used a soldering iron to heat up the screw and soften the plastic to pull it apart without unscrewing. The thigh was real easy as the spring automatically push the piece apart as it heated up.

    On another note, I hate the side skirt on the hip piece. They are kind of annoying to adjust when you're doing any type of poses with the thighs not vertical. I'm thinking of just removing the side piece... it doesn't really hurt the overall look. Most 3rd party combiners don't have any side skirt like that.
     
  2. The Bucket Kitten

    The Bucket Kitten Meow... TFW2005 Supporter

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    Same here.
     
  3. ShadowOfSilver

    ShadowOfSilver Element 47

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    I would have if I had any power tools. I ended up using nail clippers, pliers, and a really small knife to perform the "surgery." lol. I also agree on the hip skirt armor. I'm a big fan of the look since it is very "mech" to me, but in Victorion's case, it does a bad job getting out of the way.
     
  4. Dymitrix

    Dymitrix Active Member

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    I bought a cheap 10 dollar soldering iron to keep around for mods and stuff. It's paid for itself in headaches getting pins out of TF... particularly those capped pins.
     
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  5. Strike Creamsicle

    Strike Creamsicle Likes the G2 neon lights TFW2005 Supporter

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    @ShadowOfSilver Yeah, that's basically what you're looking for. I don't know if they'd have them at a retail shop like Walmart, but if there's a hobby store near you, like Michael's, you can usually find them there. Here's a pack of 6 that would probably work fine. Although you'd be surprised how quickly you find a use for 20+ of the things!
     
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  6. Dymitrix

    Dymitrix Active Member

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  7. ShadowOfSilver

    ShadowOfSilver Element 47

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    I was finally able to buy that exact set of magnets at a Michael's in a neighboring city. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who wants to add Rust Dust/Groove on. Just use some super glue on opposite ends of the magnets, attach them to the bots, and there you go!

    (TFW keeps rotating my pics.) 20170622_003806.jpg 20170622_003614.jpg
     
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  8. Stuntastic

    Stuntastic Well-Known Member

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    How poseable is he with this set? Every picture I've seen it's in a static pose. Can the thighs move around and stay in decent posing?
     
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  9. Strike Creamsicle

    Strike Creamsicle Likes the G2 neon lights TFW2005 Supporter

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    Epic! Really glad that worked out for you!

    Now, just you wait and see - you'll start finding all sorts of other places those magnets will be useful. :) 
     
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  10. ShadowOfSilver

    ShadowOfSilver Element 47

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    I plan on designing some custom swords for one of my combiners soon. The magnets will fit just fine in them. :) 
     
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  11. joespags15

    joespags15 Well-Known Member

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    I just got this set put together the other day. It looks amazing, I didn't realize it came with a new torso for Hotspot. The bad, the hip articulation is almost zero. Between the hip skirt and thighs, forward and backward movement is extremely limited. I really wish with the design of a new torso, this issue could have been fixed. And also holding out the guns is pretty difficult.
     
  12. Stuntastic

    Stuntastic Well-Known Member

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    Damn. That's disappointing. This set is overall pretty dope. But I'd need him to at least be able to take a big step forward for some posing. Sucks because it has probably one of the better silhouettes for CW Defensor.
     
  13. Oshboggy

    Oshboggy DeceptiCobra DeathAdderCon

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    Fffffffff ...

    A little help here guys. I've watched whatever videos are in this thread but they don't help with my question.

    1. How do you remove the ladder assembly from original Hotspot? I get that you need to slide the assembly off the peg, but I can't do that now because there's not enough clearance. It seems like you need to crack original hotspot in half? But I'm encountering resistance when i try to pry hotspot apart ... what to do?

    2. I installed the hips and one side ratchets well and but ratchets on the other side don't engage. What have i mucked up? The screw is already in pretty tight for the non-ratcheting side.

    I hate these installations. Yeah gonna go for a break now before I screw anything up more than I already have.

    Update:

    1. Resolved with brute force. Just pried the body halves apart enough to slide out the robot head and the ladder assembly.

    2. Tried to disassemble and reassemble, the screw is stripped. F@%$. Now I have a loosey goosey hip that can't be removed. Words cannot express how much I hate these upgrade kit installations. I hope the loose hip doesn't affect gestalt stability/poseability too much.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2017
  14. koonfasa

    koonfasa Well-Known Member

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    Just got this myself. It was pretty interesting installing, but I've loosened several parts severely now. None of it due to this set, although the hip/ thigh ring feels like Guttur all over again.

    OSH:
    1) I think you missed a screw, or three that are omitted in the instructions.

    2) Could you have mixed the springs up? If the two parts aren't flush the teeth might not be straight. I had to compromise coz I couldn't pull the lower leg off like the guy above to swap the legs over. It's Victorion, so that part is thick with paint. Instead I've got screw side front.

    From this:
    [​IMG]
    To this:
    [​IMG]
    Though I prefer more green.
    [​IMG]

    I found that I could use the lower leg attached to clamp down the two covers over the spring. Then pinch the top with my fingers and screw it in flush. Don't know what your options are if that screw is stripped.

    Looks so good though. The sword looks too small on her now. And I kinda like her without Groove.
    [​IMG]

    The best thing are the hands. They are just amazing.
    [​IMG]

    Next is Hotspot's added waste rotation. It's really for rotating the waist down 180 for combined mode, but the bonus articulation in bot mode makes her so awesome. That part alone is worth doing.
    [​IMG]

    Now the ladder extension which is really the chest extension almost folds snugly on Hotspots back, but just needed one more joint and would have made it perfect. It just looks awkward in both modes.
    [​IMG]

    It's the skeleton to the torso and locks everything in place, and holds the weight to all the add ons in alt mode.
    [​IMG]
    Yup, awkward.
    [​IMG]

    There's so many little surprises, but yeah it can get pretty frustrating. I know the limits on my one now and think I'll break it one day. It'll definitely get looser everywhere. Most the time though, it'll just be on the shelf looking awesome.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2017
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  15. Oshboggy

    Oshboggy DeceptiCobra DeathAdderCon

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    @koonfasa ... yeah the instructions suck. Was looking for an install video for the hotspot parts but didn't have much luck. I must have screwed up the alignment somewhere for the hips. Should have tested them before tightening the screws. Now that they are stripped (and small), I guess I'll have to live with it.

    After the painful install, my thoughts:

    1. Great display piece. But articulation and poseability is limited by weak CW knee ratchets supporting a heavier body. Waist skirts look nice but get in the way. Same for the lower leg tube things on the gestalt thighs/hotspot lower legs.

    2. I now understand why the feet are so huge. Needed for stability.

    3. Biggest (literally) gripe is the hugely outsized fireball cannons (which are supposed to be a pair of dual-wield long pistol-like blasters) I've complained about this from the start and having the kit in hand makes me wanna bitch even more. They could easily stand to be smallerised by 30 or 40%. They'd then look better and the elbows would be able to support their weight. As it is now each is too big even for a two-hand rifle and far too heavy to boot. There is absolutely no reason for these cannons to be the size they are now.

    4. I love the new waist on Hotspot/Defensor.

    5. I dunno where this guy goes. He's too big to throw down with normal CW combiners, but not big enough for MP. I guess he'll be in his own display, or perhaps pitted against CW Devastator with upgrades. I can sorta hack the construction guys being larger than the civil defence guys.

    6. Next steps: create stickers to liven up the dull chest area, and use wax to tighten up some ball joints. And see if I can find an OS KO Defensor head to replace the currently undersized one.
     
  16. koonfasa

    koonfasa Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, totally agree. Though I haven't tried the guns yet. I've just left them as jetpacks.

    Most my issues come from the original set. A chopper knee is very weak, both car elbows have gone, as well as the extra forearm joint.

    Otherwise I'm getting a lose hip problem from this set. It's Guttur all over again. Don't really want to try anything more than all the pics you've already seen. Any thoughts on how it works to fix it?

    I added photos above.
    [​IMG]
    I thought those legs were pistols...

    Overall, enjoying this set.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2017
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  17. Evirdrevo

    Evirdrevo Well-Known Member

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    Any word on the Bruticus set?
     
  18. Lord Jinnai

    Lord Jinnai Well-Known Member

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    Does anyone know if they will release this set in the Megatronia colors? Loving the look of this set.
     
  19. nuropa

    nuropa Well-Known Member

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    I got my thc-02j from ebay, the leg/crotch rachet joint broke off which some have mentioned as a problem already. Custom C+ weibo post mentions they have released improved replacement part in June. I've contacted netclow and hopefully will get a set.

    image2.JPG
     
  20. Notmarcelo

    Notmarcelo Well-Known Member

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    Can you link to that post? My THC02 came with two repalcements hips. I wonder if thats the one they're referring to.