Huh. I thought POM was one of the listed materials...haven't looked at the box myself, so, I'm not sure! But, those ankle pieces and those shoulder pieces (not the fenders themselves, but the structural pieces the fenders and the arms attach to) sure seem like POM based on the feel. Polycarbonate is usually harder and more rigid (like the jerry can).

 

Whoops, my bad. Stupid sleepy Sunday brain! You guys are totally right.

Out of all the MP cars so far, Hound uses the largest variety of plastics.

Here's a timeline of the carbots I own:
MP12 Lambor - ABS
MP17 Prowl - ABS
MP20 Wheeljack - ABS, PA, PC
MP21 Bumble - ABS, PA
MP25 Tracks - ABS, PA
MP33 Ratchet - ABS, PA, POM
MP35 Inferno - ABS, MABS, PA, POM
MP20+ Wheeljack - ABS, MABS, PA, PC
MP47 Hound - ABS, MABS, PC, PA, POM

so it looks like they didn't start using MABS for clear parts until somewhere around MP35. It used to just all be ABS.
Wheeljack+ uses MABS, while the OG Wheeljack was still just using ABS.

To those that know their plastics, Is ABS more expensive?

 

None of these plastics are terribly expensive (on the order of a dollar or two per pound, most likely), but, I would expect ABS might be the least expensive of them all because of how much more common it is. I'm no expert on plastic prices, though...some of our resident industrial types could probably provide a more accurate representation.

 

what kind of glue did you use?

 

Regular old Krazy Glue.

 

Think there are different grades, the better the grade, the more it cost, but I still don't think it's crazy expensive.
Surprisingly no MABS in MP 45 and he has a lot of clear plastics on him

 

Looks like we have some relatively new info on our great Maserpieces, at least news to me. Concerning the plastics used on Hound, should he have been shinnier in terms of paint? Sinstreaker and the likes of the toon bots are shiny. Bluestreak+ is matte like Hound. Just wondering if the chemical bonds between the paint and different plastics had some unknown reaction.

 

Sorry if this was already addressed. I haven’t caught up on this thread yet. There’s at least one step in the instructions that in my opinion is dead wrong and Wotafa’s YouTube video shows how to do it much better. The part where you first insert the tire into the leg. The panel that eventually forms the inside of the shin, the one formed from two smaller panels with the big hinge in the centre. That panel has a large ridge on the inside. You should angle the panel so the ridge is already behind the tire before pushing the tire in. If you fold the panel after inserting the tire as shown in the instructions it puts a lot of stress on the whole shin assembly and I could see that causing damage.

 

No problems with that

 

Takara Tomy wins Good Design Long Life Award for Transformers Masterpiece - Transformers News - TFW2005

The actual award background:
Good Design Award

 

Well, 100% credit to @chchchch for inspiring me to spend an enjoyable Saturday setting this shot up... Not entirely sure the wife thought it was the most productive use of my weekend but I had a blast  

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2 outta 5 ain’t bad on TT’s end ... if this were baseball  

 

Gear shot. Seems like a Saturday well spent to me!

 

wow very nicely done!

 

Interesting discussion.

I think possibly they just weren't as detailed on earlier boxes? Any clear ABS is technically MABS - it's the M that makes it clear. And I'm sure even MP-12 had some structural parts in a tougher more flexible plastic that's possibly POM, but not sure.

Anyway I'm with Jarrod - no question in my mind they have just messed up with some batches of the green plastic. I've followed most MP releases and never seen anything like this before. It's clear were getting brittle fractures that just shouldn't happen so easily with ABS parts. In some cases literally shattering - I've seen one hinge with three or more fractures, panels shattered, etc etc.

Still don't have mine but from what I see there is nothing out of the ordinary design wise. They still seem to be following their usual design rules in terms of how thin they permit a panel to be, minimum amount of material round a pin, etc etc. Assembly could be a factor - misaligned pins, oversized pins, etc, but nah for me this is a clear issue with the plastic properties. Either in the initial specification, or some mistake in part of the process that influences the final properties.

It happens. Happened to Lego and others. I just hope Takara identifies the problem fast and makes it right. This will sink the line easily if it recurs. Kinda dreading what i might find in my box when it finally moves from NY, and given their customer service i might just have to suck it up if its broken. Sad to say I'm genuinely feeling the eventual KO might be on my radar if my original is junk.

Hope everyone gets a good Hound one way or another cos damn is this design knocked out of the park or what!

 

Went out for a 15km run this morning at first light, taking in some of the local views. Imagine my surprise when crossing the local station bridge, I look over to catch these reprobates chewing the fat. Managed to sneak a quick photo...

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It's no wonder our trains are always delayed, Pesky Autobots!!

 

Hahaha, thanks. I don't think I'll do anything else...nothing else really needing done that I can see. At some point, I might trim the inside edge of the leg panel as @chchchch has done, since mine slightly catches as well.

 

Looks like a Saturday night well spent to me, keep these fantastic pictures coming through, this figure has left a sour taste in my mouth with its obscene pricing and and rather low quality but these great pictures sure do lighten and brighten the mood!

  

 

Just noticed that mine has a crack in the same spot, almost all the way through.

That's it, I'm officially done. Was OK with one small break, and planned on keeping the figure, but I'm fed up.
I've never returned a figure in my life, but at $128 this is just unacceptable. Can't believe this guy actually retails for over $150. Even IF there were no QC issues, the price is just too steep for what you get. What a shame. I used to be a die hard fan of this line...