Mattel: DC Universe Classics

[samueljd]

Maybe you guys can help out. This isn't exactly a DCUC question, but it is for a similarly-scaled figure. What's the best way to pull a head off of a 6-inch plastic action figure without breaking anything?

I'm doing a custom articulated Jack Bauer using a McFarlane Bauer head and a NECA Sam Fisher body, and want to do a headswap. I figure brute force is probably the wrong way to go ... so what's the right way?

SnakeDoc

I recommend heating a cup of hot water in the Microwave for a couple minutes and dipping the head in the water for about 30 seconds to a minute. It will pop right off easily. I usually avoid the hairdryer, since the dry heat and time the figure is exposed to the heat can cause the plastic to start to melt.

 

[DiFabio]

I recommend heating a cup of hot water in the Microwave for a couple minutes and dipping the head in the water for about 30 seconds to a minute. It will pop right off easily. I usually avoid the hairdryer, since the dry heat and time the figure is exposed to the heat can cause the plastic to start to melt.

That's odd because heating water gives those same results.

Boiling/microwaving not only makes the figure wet but it can form cracks and marks. You also risk burning yourself with steam. With a hair dryer/blow dryer you can control how hot it gets. It cools much faster than a cup of water.

Whatever you do SnakeDoctor, just don't stick it in the freezer. That never works. You want the heads to be pliable so you can take them off with ease, freezing them will just make them prone to breakage.

 

[amusedjester]

The boiling water works better for me, too. i've used the heat gun before but the problem with that is the heat doesn't go all the way through the plastic into the ball joint. i've positioned it underneath the head onto the neck joint but it still causes the neack seam to widen or crack.

The warm water warms up all the parts evenly and is a better choice for me. i would just put it in a minute, though. Otherwise, like Difabio said, the plastic can get too hot to handle.

 

[DiFabio]

The warm water warms up all the parts evenly and is a better choice for me. i would just put it in a minute, though. Otherwise, like Difabio said, the plastic can get too hot to handle.

Yeah, or worse. The water goes inside the crevices of the head or other parts of the body and when you take it out, the water pours out and scolds your hand.

 

[Lee in MI]

Water is the best way to go...heats evenly and you don't have to continuously turn the figure to get good coverage. Just dip, pop and repeat.

 

[toyrewind]

Yeah, or worse. The water goes inside the crevices of the head or other parts of the body and when you take it out, the water pours out and scolds your hand.

Lol! That's happened to me countless times now and it has already made me immune to the pain.

 

[Lee in MI]

Yeah that's one unfortunate draw back...watch where the water goes or you might get a little sting.

 

[samueljd]

That's odd because heating water gives those same results.

Boiling/microwaving not only makes the figure wet but it can form cracks and marks. You also risk burning yourself with steam. With a hair dryer/blow dryer you can control how hot it gets. It cools much faster than a cup of water.

Whatever you do SnakeDoctor, just don't stick it in the freezer. That never works. You want the heads to be pliable so you can take them off with ease, freezing them will just make them prone to breakage.

I've tried both many times. The hot water method is quicker, and you don't have to submerge the part for very long. It's worked like a charm every time. Normally the figure will not be damaged because your only dipping in the part you need to remove. It's hard to burn yourself if your using tweezers, tongs, pliers to pick the part up. I use a tool to pick the part out and just shake out the excess water and no burns.

 

[samueljd]

Yeah that's one unfortunate draw back...watch where the water goes or you might get a little sting.

Yup, and it's not like we're getting to the point of boiling the water, so it won't be hot enough to cause a burn.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Thanks one and all. Just waiting for the Bauer figure to come in to give it a shot.

Apparently the Fisher head is already removable because you have to take the head off to switch from body armor to a backpack ... so I didn't need heat for that part. I'll need it for Bauer, though.

SnakeDoc

 

[swiftlikessharpthings]

Got my GLC wave 2. I'm happy with them except for the GLARING QC issue this time around of THREE figures with stuck joints.

Sodam Yat--both hips stuck.

Medphyll--stuck waist and stuck left hip.

Skallox--stuck left hip.

Now, it would bother me a lot more if I wanted these figures in crouches or the hips were stuck in a position making it impossible for them to stand. When it's getting towards $20 a figure, it's making me seriously weigh the option of cherry-picking as it is without having fully functional joints and decent paint on EVERY FIGURE IN THE WAVE.

Grrr... rant over. Back to being happy to have them!

 

[Blood Electricity]

so I'm looking to fill in some figures I missed out on. What do you think is my best bet? ebay, or a forum that does trade, or a comic book shop? I need black adam and wonderwoman but they both go for like around 30 bucks.

 

[amusedjester]

yeah, with the increasing frequency of stuck joints i am thinking of dunking all the figures in hot water, to loosen the joints after opening.

Black adam is hard to find, but it may be cheaper if you're looking for loose figures.

 

[swiftlikessharpthings]

tried the hot water and it didn't free any of the joints. Grrr! Again, no big deal cus I just want them to stand, but totally beside the point.

 

[amusedjester]

That's disappointing. i was hoping that would do the trick to avoid any destroyed joints.

 

[The Mike]

It was confirmed. GL Classics are only slated for 2 waves. The third wave was suppose to start hitting around the time that the movie masters GL stuff hit but retailer orders were too low so it got cancelled.

That is correct although it was posted on a few forums that Mattel has said that if the Green Lantern takes off and there is a craze like their was for the Batman films for example that it could return. A lot of companies are playing the GL product really soft because of the lack of promotion from WB/DC on the film itself. It is freaking folks out. Noble Collection was announced as a licensee and hasn't shown a thing yet.

 

[Lee in MI]

That is correct although it was posted on a few forums that Mattel has said that if the Green Lantern takes off and there is a craze like their was for the Batman films for example that it could return. A lot of companies are playing the GL product really soft because of the lack of promotion from WB/DC on the film itself. It is freaking folks out. Noble Collection was announced as a licensee and hasn't shown a thing yet.

The new trailer looks promising. I think the character designs are crap and I don't think they have really struck a cord with the hard core fans at all. WB's has never done much to promote DC or the DC franchises. Batman produces its own hype and look what they turned the Superman franchise into?!?!?! They still haven't commited to the JLA movie cause they can't friggin push the other characters into the market right. How did X-Men become more popular than the Super Friends/ Justice League? Marvel put the characters in the minds of kids back in the early 90's. All WB/DC did was push more Batman (animated). They did a small push with Supes (animated) but that got abandoned pretty early and it was never in any real type of syndication. Fast forward to Justice League/Justice League Unlimited. Same thing. It lasted longer than the Superman series but the promotion was spotty, the airing of the show was kinda inconsistent at times and it was barely in syndication at all...AND IT WAS A GREAT SHOW!!!! DC seems like a redheaded step child at WBs.

Regardless, there's still gonna be a glut of crap on the shelves for this movie.


...and lets face it, the GL 3 wave is really just the DCUC wave 17 GL deputies wave.

 

[Mr ?]

Vintage Robin

Anyone have a Wave 16 "vintage" head Robin they'd trade/sell?

 

[Silent December]

Can't believe no one has brought up the fact that we are getting Swamp Thing at SDCC

https://www.g4tv.com/videos/52683/exclusive-mattel-toys-coming-to-comic-con/

 

[The Batman Professor]

Oh HELL YES!!!

Swampy - finally.