The Unofficial Custom Takara Batman Thread

[ZaCHw117]

I can't wait to have all the batsuits on display!

 

[amusedjester]

I am not sure if this will help anyone in the future but here is a process I used to repair a rubber batsuit that had a gaping hole. Note that the area in question doesn't have any complicated designs on it which helped a lot.

I recently bought this takara batman that had a huge hole in the arm. I acquired it very cheaply which is good since I just wanted to see if the process I had in mine would actually work.

So here is the initial shot, in order to protect the joint underneath I covered it slightly with scotch tape.

I used an RTV Silicone Gasket maker Ultra Black which you can find at any car store. (Picture on the next photo) I used an ample amount of the material and just spread it as evenly as i could. Let dry overnight.

The reason I over applied the silicone is because I was going to shave off some of the rubber to shape it accordingly to the suit design and I knew there was no way to apply the material evenly when wet. Using a brand new super sharp exacto blade i carefully shaved off excess rubber. Don't apply too much pressure just saw carefully into the rubber. Also, by shaving off the surface rubber it removes the shiny part and exposes dull rubber underneath.

Here it is shaved off as evenly as i could. Maybe i will apply a second coat of very thin layer and see if i can get a smoother surface this time since I am not worried about covering up a hole but rather cleaning the surface.

Bends fairly well like the original.

Of course, keep in mind that this is a repaired item so it won't be flexible as the old part and not as permanent. You can actually peel off the new rubber off the old one, it will feel like pulling off strong adhesive tape, like Gorilla duct tape. But it will stay there fairly well, if you don't pull on it too severely.

Now I have a representation of the Begins suit for a great price until i can snag the new HT version.

 

[Maglor]

Looks decent. When you get the HT version this can stand behind him as a first-night-out Batman. No one will notice the arm.

 

[amusedjester]

That's the plan.

 

[Maglor]

Don't know if this will be helpful to anyone, but I snapped some comparison shots with a Hot Toys Batman and my moded Takara Batman:

I took the pics to compare body shape but was surprised to see how much taller the Takara is. Takara has a little head which shrinks him quite a bit, but look at the shoulder hight.

 

[ZaCHw117]

I almost say that your modded takara looks more like bale's body type. I'm digging it man. If I can't get my hands on the new toys fair BB suit, then I'll be getting another takbats with adams head for sure.

 

[amusedjester]

The takara version has a longer boot length. i am happy with my Takara right now certainly worth the 50 bucks I paid for it.

 

[ZaCHw117]

50 bucks!? What a steal!

 

[Blood Electricity]

mods look really nice. The head and the feet are the only thing holding it back. really tops looking figure though.

 

[Maglor]

The takara version has a longer boot length. i am happy with my Takara right now certainly worth the 50 bucks I paid for it.

Wow! Definitely worth $50 even with the problem arm!

I almost say that your modded takara looks more like bale's body type. I'm digging it man. If I can't get my hands on the new toys fair BB suit, then I'll be getting another takbats with adams head for sure.

mods look really nice. The head and the feet are the only thing holding it back. really tops looking figure though.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Regarding the head and feet:

- I still think about tracking down some Hot Toys boots and moding the Takara to work with them. My biggest concern is that the lower legs are too skinny and the boots would be all floppy loose. I'll most likely just live with the stock boots. They do articulate really well.

- I wont ever be using the cowled head again as this will from now on be my first night out Batman:

​

Someone made the point elsewhere that they like the way the harness covers the bat symbol on his chest. I agree. Although the harness may not be as screen accurate as the new Hot Toys one I think the bat symbol is the bigger issue.

Of course the ski mask is terrible here, but in the end I wont be using this head or mask.

I will be replacing the Takara Bruce head with either the new Hot Toys Bruce Wayne head or Adam's custom head (which would involve cutting the neck off.) And I would just have him holding the ski mask with one of his batarang hands.

Oh yeah, I'm using the DX02 second belt here. But I will probably swap it out for the second belt that comes with the new BW figure as I think it has a nicer shine to it.

 

[amusedjester]

After having the chance to see the boots first hand, I don't really mind it at all. It's not extremely noticeable in person and the articulation is a plus.

 

[ZaCHw117]

Mag, your plan is my plan exactly. I'm gonna swap the heads, Taks gonna be first night out bats. The new HT version will be my BB suit. Then I'll have all the forms of batman!!

 

[EdwardNashton1]

Don't know if this will be helpful to anyone, but I snapped some comparison shots with a Hot Toys Batman and my moded Takara Batman:

I took the pics to compare body shape but was surprised to see how much taller the Takara is. Takara has a little head which shrinks him quite a bit, but look at the shoulder hight.

Wow, Mag, you did a great job getting him to the accurate size. How did you get the belt to fit around the waist?

 

[Maglor]

The belt baaaaarely fits. It's basically ready to spring open at any second.

Doesn't matter though, cos I'm using the HT belt now - which is still too big actually.

 

[KingGrayskull]

The belt baaaaarely fits. It's basically ready to spring open at any second.

Doesn't matter though, cos I'm using the HT belt now - which is still too big actually.

Same problem here. Takara is too small, HT too big. I thought about cutting the HT into shape...

 

[amusedjester]

Maglor - did you also stuff the takara under the armpit and what was your insertion point?

 

[Maglor]

No I didn't stuff under the arm pit.

I inserted the cotton through the neck hole, the sleeves, and under the shirt - at the waist. I also made small incisions in the pants near the hips (just under the shirt) in order to stuff the hips.


I actually think I over stuffed the upper chest. Once I get the HT BW head in-hand I'll re-evaluate and maybe take some out.

Same problem here. Takara is too small, HT too big. I thought about cutting the HT into shape...

I'm holding mine in place with Scotch Tape.


Afraid of doing a permanent mod to the DX belt.

When I get the new Batman I will use the second belt that comes with that figure and I will probably use a small strip of electrical tape to hold it in place. It won't go anywhere and won't look that bad.

 

[ZaCHw117]

is the stuffing process pretty simple? You don't have to take him apart or anything right? I have seen a pic where someone detached the leg's part of the suit to the torso's and it looked scary, cotton was coming out and everything. His figure looked great from the front thought.

 

[Maglor]

All I did was use a Q-tip to stuff little bits that I tore off of cotton balls. A little at a time is the key. And you can kind of push the cotton around and form it once you get it up there with the Q-tip.


The only scary part was making the incision at the hip.

Put the finishing touches on the cotton treatment. Most notably, I finished stuffing the pants @ the lateral hips just below the belt:

I did this by making a small slit underneath the shirt where it comes down over the hips. That way you cant see it when the shirt is in its normal position. I was going to glue the slit together at first but I see no reason to now, as it's invisible and It is nice to no I can get under there again if I need to.

Again, you have 6 points of access to stuff cotton: 2 hip slits, 2 sleeves, waist/under shirt, neck hole.

 

[Maglor]

BTW, you only need to make the incisions and stuff the hips if you cut off the tabs that hang down and cover them.

After you do, he looks like this:

The way the hips sink in under the belt really bugged me, but keeping the tabs wasn't an option for me because they look so weird.



Anyway, the only thing I have left to do is this:

Okay, so here goes. You're going to have to cut the HT leg at that line, and superglue it onto where the Takara leg comes apart. It's not going to look perfectly matched up, but the point is it remains just as tall, (actually a little shorter, which is good), and retains articulation and allows a better boot.

Personally I'm going to try it, but what do you guys think?

I just hope I can track down some HT boots someday.