guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 4, 2017 9:04:14 GMT
Plastic being flexible miniatures sometimes comes with parts ( staves/swords/tentacles ) bent in undesirable angles - the consensus seems to be to put the mini in hot water to soften the plastic the position it proper and dunk it in to cold water. I've tried this unsuccessfully ; two bowls of water - one so hot it's rather uncomfortable to submerge my fingers more than a few seconds at a time, one with ice cubes in it. At first it seems to work after it's ice bath the mini holds the desired shape, but after a few hours the limbs start to slip into their previous shape again. I've considered trying to prime them before it happens - but firstly the mini usually still has damp spots that are almost impossible to try completely, secondly I worry that the act of the plastic resetting will crack the paint. Have anyone done this sucessfully? example; This is an WoA mini, but the same holds true of reaper bones
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Post by Troglodytarum in machina on Sept 4, 2017 13:22:57 GMT
I have done the same, and been equally unsuccessful. It may vary with different types of plastic parhaps.
But I also think it may do with temperature and time. If your fingers are "uncomfortable" from the heat, I think the water is far too cold to be effective. I think it needs to be atleast near boiling, and submersion to be for longer than human fingers could possibly endure. So tools are requiered to hold the mini in the water. The part would likely need to be softened to the core, for it to retain the new shape.
But I havent experimented much with this, so don't take my word for it. I'm only guesstimating.
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 4, 2017 13:49:40 GMT
Thing is the plastic already becomes very pliable at that temperature - guess I'll sacrifice a grell and try boiling water straight from the kettle
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Post by Troglodytarum in machina on Sept 4, 2017 13:54:59 GMT
Just make sure the mini doesnt come in direct contact with the metal of the kettle. That might acctually disfigure the poor thing.
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 4, 2017 14:01:04 GMT
Just make sure the mini doesnt come in direct contact with the metal of the kettle. That might acctually disfigure the poor thing. I'd be the one to come away disfigured if I put a plastic figure into the tea kettle naturally the mini goes into a kitchen bowl and the water goes on top.
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Post by luckyjoe on Sept 4, 2017 15:00:48 GMT
I always use boiling water from an electric kettle. Fill saucepan with boiling water. Drop in the mini for 1-2 minutes, remove it with tongs, drop on a towel, pat it a few times with towel, then reshape, drop in bowl of ice water. Used this method with D&D minis, Reaper Bones, and some Kings of War plastic/resin. Hope you get them straightened out.
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 5, 2017 6:28:03 GMT
boiling water did seem to do the tick - plastic bending back into shape by their own volition almost immediately. Sadly it seems that the designer of the grell har a very different idea about the proper shape of their tentacles than me. To try and remedy it hurriedly dried and primed it late last night Sadly tho it looks like the tetacles are returning to their old flattened state - primer be damned, atleast it's not flaking off. The other miniatures that self corrected in boiling water are holding their shape nicely tho, so it seems that is the limit. Bit of a shame it would be nice to be able to re-pose some of the minis
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Post by lordmorbius on Sept 27, 2017 14:59:04 GMT
Yes, its been my experience that boiling water is the way to go, as "hot" water usually isn't hot enough (depending on the type of plastic being used). When using boiling water, I have found that a large pair of needle nose pliers are my friend
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Post by Sam on Sept 27, 2017 15:55:51 GMT
I have tried "hot" water, probably around 120 Fahrenheit, and not had any luck. Have only tried on a few figures. All returned to their original shape, usually slowly. Have not tried boiling hot yet. Have tried cold water, but not ice cold.
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Post by SpielMeisterKev! on Sept 27, 2017 16:35:35 GMT
Howdy,
A couple of passes with a heat gun. let gravity do the work. it will never go back.
Kev!
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Post by skunkape on Sept 28, 2017 13:26:37 GMT
Howdy, A couple of passes with a heat gun. let gravity do the work. it will never go back. Kev! That would work very well Kev, but remember folks, head guns get very hot, be careful not to melt your mini or burn your hands!
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 28, 2017 13:39:53 GMT
Howdy, A couple of passes with a heat gun. let gravity do the work. it will never go back. Kev! That would work very well Kev, but remember folks, head guns get very hot, be careful not to melt your mini or burn your hands! IIRC my heat gun is around 450*C so I think I'll stick to boiling water for now - don't particularly want to end up with an accidental "slime" mini
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Post by SpielMeisterKev! on Sept 29, 2017 15:00:21 GMT
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 29, 2017 16:02:53 GMT
Looks like a hair dryer, is it a real heat gun and if what temperature?
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Post by SpielMeisterKev! on Sept 29, 2017 19:02:45 GMT
Howdy,
It's a 1000w device from my RC aviation days, used to shrink Monocote onto air frames.
Kev!
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guppy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 202
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Post by guppy on Sept 29, 2017 20:19:37 GMT
Howdy, It's a 1000w device from my RC aviation days, used to shrink Monocote onto air frames. Kev! well it looks damn effective I'll have to give it a shot sometime
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Post by lordmorbius on Oct 1, 2017 2:01:57 GMT
Howdy, A couple of passes with a heat gun. let gravity do the work. it will never go back. Kev! That would work very well Kev, but remember folks, head guns get very hot, be careful not to melt your mini or burn your hands! Just a point to remember...burned flesh will heal (admittedly slowly and painfully), but a semi-melted miniature will be a partially transformed lycanthrope forever. ...actually, I'm not so sure about the forever part. Continue melting it and you could have a green slime...
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