Just wanted to give all you guys a heads up, I was transforming mp-44 today to get him packed up so I could take him with me to college and unfortunately heard a crack form. (Keep in mind, this was after dozens and DOZENS of transformations—but very careful ones at that.) The fracture is on the inner leg panel (circled below) which has always had questionable tolerance. The breakage looks very similar to that of Hound’s cosmic rust syndrome which is a bit unsettling, but fortunately, I’m sure isn’t a sign of things to come as other than this mishap, prime is as robust as ever. Thankfully, after fixing Hound’s many fractures, I have formed a pretty good process for gluing the problematic spots using the tools below: I’ve recently taken to using a fine paintbrush to apply the glue. Although the bristles become glued together in the process, it’s still a tiny bit more accurate than a toothpick in my opinion. I then smooth out the glue with a toothpick, and sometimes my finger (even though using a finger can create a more textured and unfinished-looking surface (much like a sprue mark), it sometimes helps flatten and spread out a drop of glue (This is especially helpful for areas that parts have to rotate around with minimal clearance.)). Using the paintbrush; toothpick; finger method, I got the below result: All in all a bit messy and I’m sure it’ll bother me a bit as the rougher section may still be visible in bot mode—but I’m way happier having to deal with that rather than having the panel eventually break off! Hopefully none of you guys have to experience this breakage and I hope both my warnings and fixing methods help to keep your Primes sturdy and fantastic forever!
I wouldn’t be too worried if I were you. I’m sure most plastics TT use fracture similarly due to the similar polymers they’re made of: so this in no way immediately relates the plastic quality of prime with that of Hound. Additionally, I’ve put my prime through A TON of transformations and literally all of my TT bots (except the mp-36 mold oddly enough) have developed at least one fracture due to how much I mess with them. I just posted the fix above to caution others, but in no way was it meant to imply that mp-44’s materials are of bad quality .
More like it's an ideal spot for breakages as I'm guessing a lot of us force it into position more than we should. If I remember right,hinges see a lot of forces and moments acting on them, which is why we normally see a lot if cracking or breaks around them.
Ok so apparently I attempted a mod on my previous copy of MP-44 and it accidentally broke and I had to replace it with a listing I found of the robot mode loose and I just noticed that there ain't no knee tabs on my replacement copy. I don't think I was scammed with a KO, as he is painted and he has the official Autobot logo, nor was the figure modified as there isn't any indication that the tabs were cut off and I don't think any third party kits of the knees exist yet so that rules that out. I don't think the seller gave me a reissued figure as Takara would have announced that months ago. What do you guys think? Cuz I'm pretty much stumped.
I just get everything I need from my local hobby store, no specific brand. Any kind of cyanoacrylate glue works wonders and that’s really all you should need.
Well, posted in nemesis thread, but I guess it’s more relevant here: I think there is a chance they just neatly shaved off the piece:
Prolly bend the top ratchet first then the bottom one is my guess or handle it as if takara didn't remove the knee tabs
Ik this is a MP-44 related thread, but since the main thread is closed, Here's a haha funny of my MP-27 with his broken gun (I didn't break it, it was like that when I got him on my Singapore holiday in 2017, it's like Takara forgot to glue the pieces together)
