PSA: New toy plastic condition discovered (melted soft rubbery parts)

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by Nevermore, May 2, 2017.

  1. SectorStar

    SectorStar Knightcron

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Posts:
    1,196
    Trophy Points:
    232
    Location:
    Roseburg, Oregon
    Likes:
    +860
    By DOTM Shockwave we're talking the SS mold right? That one I'm def concerned about because the hose does indeed feel like the same type of rubber on Bludgeon's treads when I recently went to look at mine.....but maybe after 10 years they've used a different kind of rubber or method..... so time will tell I guess. Nosecones, thats one I've also wondered because theres was a few movie lines figures around the time of Bludgeon and Demolisher that I def remember having rubber nosecones like the Dirge mold....and I think there was atleast one repaint of him....possibly two? (its been so long).
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. Maximus Danz

    Maximus Danz Trying to achieve something

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2018
    Posts:
    14,942
    News Credits:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    277
    Location:
    The Danz Cave, Swearth
    Likes:
    +34,225
    Nope, I'm talking the Voyager from said movie.
     
  3. Noideaforaname

    Noideaforaname Pico, let's go up to Zuma

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2010
    Posts:
    10,576
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    312
    Location:
    New Jersey
    Likes:
    +13,676
    I'm not sure if anyone else but me has reported this happening, though. It's entirely possible I've just misidentified a normal breakage.... but it sure seems to fit the pattern here. Shockwave's hose is of similar material to Demolishor's treads, a chunk of plastic the size and shape of the rubber part it was in contact with is just gone, other parts that were in contact with the hose appear mildly corroded (neither Demolishor nor Shockwave are gooey/sticky though, like if parts literally melted they've since hardened).


    I've been meaning to test Shockwave's rubber hose (i.e. lay it on top of some plastic thing and wait a while to see what happens), but I have no idea what the time frame for this is.
     
  4. imfallenangel

    imfallenangel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Posts:
    8,165
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    247
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +26,373
    Blast effect warning.

    Had my Jetfire blast effect on my omega for a couple of months as display.
    DSC05046 - small.JPG

    A member reminded me about this melting issue, and when I went to remove the piece, I was too late and it had fused a bit, so I twisted as gently as I could but the results was some plastic did come off.


    CIMG0111.jpg CIMG0114.jpg

    So no more blast effect for display anymore for me, I'll use them only for picture sessions.

    I can confirm that it is indeed happening... see the post I just did, with images.

    No leaving blast effects on anything for me from now on.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 23, 2020
    • Like Like x 1
  5. SectorStar

    SectorStar Knightcron

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Posts:
    1,196
    Trophy Points:
    232
    Location:
    Roseburg, Oregon
    Likes:
    +860
    I thought that hose was more of like a "flexible plastic" but not really "rubber" like what we're having issues with known figures so far? Unless its where it connects where your talking about? My memory could be off, its def been around 10 years as well since I last touched that figure, but I'll have to dig it out.
     
  6. RodimusRex

    RodimusRex Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2015
    Posts:
    12,526
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    277
    Likes:
    +23,436
    There’s a Facebook custom parts seller called Grimlock’s Forge who KOed the Siege blast effects.

    My thinking is that Hasbro is using an industrial rubberizer that is probably designed for rubber parts that make contact with metal and is too strong for contact with ABS.

    Despite these figures being relatively cheap to produce, my experience is that Hasbro tends to use industrial grade automotive components.

    So for example rather than an acrylic like Tamiya being the paint used for figures, I heard they use industrial automotive paint. Yes, you can get it off with a little alcohol but mainly because the coat used is much thinner than you’d have on a car. By using a paint that is vibrant and durable in a thin coat, they save money in terms of paint volume.

    But the materials themselves are industrial application grade. And I’m BETTING a hobby plastic with rubberizer is less harsh.
     
    • Like Like x 4
  7. Smitty.1981

    Smitty.1981 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2010
    Posts:
    21,146
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    362
    Location:
    Wichita Falls, TX
    Likes:
    +43,292
    Just wanted to chime in with some thoughts.

    • What are the environmental factors?
    • Type and color of plastic?
    • Painted?
    • Mass of the effects part?
    I'm not sure how much any of that matters, but I'm sure they do, even if to a very small degree.
     
  8. SideswipeFriend2005

    SideswipeFriend2005 Mirror Universe Counterpart

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2019
    Posts:
    714
    Trophy Points:
    172
    Location:
    Florida
    Likes:
    +1,526
    Ebay:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    If it's inevitable to happen, then maybe we can stop it? If this has been a problem in the fishing community with lures as some say, then perhaps we should look to them for solutions?
     
  9. Maximus Danz

    Maximus Danz Trying to achieve something

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2018
    Posts:
    14,942
    News Credits:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    277
    Location:
    The Danz Cave, Swearth
    Likes:
    +34,225
    -I live in New York. It took the paint off in both 90 degrees and 9 degrees.
    -Hard and Soft rubbery plastic, color has had no effect.
    -Non of the victims have had there treads or blast effects painted.
    -As large as CW Meg's treads and as small as blowpipe's blast effect.

    We have been looking for a solution, so far it has been either coating it in a spray or covering the tread part or just removing them. The issue is a substance that leaks from the rubber melts plastic.
     
  10. Smitty.1981

    Smitty.1981 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2010
    Posts:
    21,146
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    362
    Location:
    Wichita Falls, TX
    Likes:
    +43,292
    After working with the 3D printer at work, for a year now, I know that that is not true.
     
  11. Soundwavelover2004

    Soundwavelover2004 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2018
    Posts:
    4,941
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Canada
    Likes:
    +10,950
    Glad I don’t display with effects hearing that
     
  12. Siege Fan

    Siege Fan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2019
    Posts:
    18,445
    Trophy Points:
    302
    Likes:
    +88,805
    Is the same true of Marvel Legends do we know?

    It's a fucking bummer considering I wanted to load up Omega's base mode with them...
     
  13. dragonflye18

    dragonflye18 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Posts:
    1,466
    Trophy Points:
    207
    Likes:
    +3,687
    Twitter:
    well i just checked my omega and his blast effects had fused to him i had to pull quit hard to get the one out of his claw hand and some paint and plastic came with it
     
  14. Fenrys

    Fenrys Formerly Tigatron2002

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2002
    Posts:
    60,388
    News Credits:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    492
    Location:
    Virginia, United States
    Likes:
    +124,642
    the anniversary ironman that came out recently has blast effects that will melt paint if left on, so i would assume itll also melt the plastic if left on too long
     
    • Like Like x 4
  15. Seeaich

    Seeaich Inaction Master

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2011
    Posts:
    30,929
    News Credits:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    382
    Location:
    Wild Wild West Yorkshire
    Likes:
    +161,102
    I wonder if it could be an anaerobic reaction? Has anybody experienced the same sticking with the more porous plastic effect pegs such as Battlemaster gunbarrels and Springer's swords?
    Just going around removing them as a precaution myself I've found they don't seem to tack as much to them as opposed to when they've been on more solid, polished parts - even if they'd been attached for just as long or longer.
     
  16. dragonflye18

    dragonflye18 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Posts:
    1,466
    Trophy Points:
    207
    Likes:
    +3,687
    Twitter:
    well i checked my omega it didnt do a ton of damege barly noticeable on the figuer itself just a small amount of plastic and the paint came off on his claw hand but it was only on there a couple of months id hate to have seen how much problems if say it was on there a year or more grrrr. i have seen this happen with cheap tackel boxes and luers melting together and getting all gummy. but this is the 1st time i have heard of it happening with toys
     
    • Like Like x 3
  17. Siege Fan

    Siege Fan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2019
    Posts:
    18,445
    Trophy Points:
    302
    Likes:
    +88,805
    Is there any way to 'cure' the pieces I wonder? Some way of breaking down the problem chemical or whatever safely. Course, it seems we need more info on what's causing it, and Hasbro aren't about to admit to that...
     
  18. Seeaich

    Seeaich Inaction Master

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2011
    Posts:
    30,929
    News Credits:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    382
    Location:
    Wild Wild West Yorkshire
    Likes:
    +161,102
    If it's anything like the Bludgeon track or collectable race car rubberized tyres issue it's probably something to do with the rubberizing agent used to give the extra plasticity, I may have experienced this earlier as I tried painting clear colours over some of my effects parts for the battlemasters I have customised - I discovered that once the clear coat had dried the surfaces still seemed a bit tacky and it only increased over time. It now seems that the accelerant in my water-based acrylics merely sped up the process as the blast effects for my most recently bought and only recently opened Firedrives also felt nearly as tacky as the painted ones are now straight off-card!
    That seems to write off clear coating.
    The other thing is any curing method, if possible, could still bugger up the effect parts by stiffening them and making them prone to stressing damaging, and that'd be even if the curing didn't somehow alter their dimensions which is also possible.
    The safest option is probably to not use them for display permanently, only temporarily.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  19. Ultra Reverb

    Ultra Reverb Well-Known Astro-Creep

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2019
    Posts:
    1,098
    News Credits:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    197
    Location:
    FL
    Likes:
    +3,312
    Interesting. Creepy Crawler pieces will eat and melt if left in contact with other plastics as well. Probably similar chemicals that keep these bits flexible.

    Maybe it's an off-gassing thing? I wonder if gently boiling the effects pieces would leech out the offending compounds.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2020
    • Like Like x 3
  20. ziltama

    ziltama Mods, molds, and casts. Also full of hot gas.

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2019
    Posts:
    11,551
    News Credits:
    25
    Trophy Points:
    277
    Location:
    Planet Unicron
    Likes:
    +55,887
    So far, knock on wood, haven't had a problem like that with blast effects, and we've left them in for long periods of time before.

    I also do a lot of custom resin copies and never had issues with those.
     
    • Like Like x 1