Re-stringing for trade goods?

[Thundarr]

I have seen several tutorials and ummm...wooof....don't think I could even attempt that! :please: These Apes I have here are in GREAT shape, I have no complaints...most look right off the damned card, b u t........

How can I stop this "spread" ? You know what I mean...some are poseable and tight, they stand great and sit well and all, then some seem to want to flop apart...taking a pose like Paris Hilton on a Monday morning. :ugh: Does re-stringing stop this??
I'll gladly pay in the form of trade goods for re-stringing on some of my Apes. Galen is in such GOOD shape, bright clothes and a great face, but damn...he can only seem to take a horrid pose...like he spent a few months in prison...:shocked:
I'd like them strung with TOUGH cord though...possibly thick rubber like Captain Action, thats my only request.

Interested in some toys for re-stringing a couple Apes for me? (Oh, and AJ..he needs an arm as well.. :( )

Thanks!

Joe

[ABMAC]

Here's a tutorial: Restringing a Type 1 (http://www.megomuseum.com/custom/restringing.shtml)

[English Paul]

Restringing will stop the flop as it`s the old elastic inside that has failed and it is now held in place by the cotton outer. (Take a peek inside, you`ll see what I mean, it won`t do any harm) Of course if you don`t want to tackle restringing just twist the torso around at the waist a couple of times, or even twist a limb around a bit. Everything will tighten up. You won`t get the elasticity but the body will feel tighter.

Restringing really isn`t that hard and you can`t go wrong, it`s just down to personal choice whether or not you can live with knowing it`s not original Mego elastic in there. Otherwise just be patient and as your collection expands and you buy a couple of job lots, pick the best of it out, swap a head here and there onto a good body and you`ll be happy.

[EMCE Hammer]

Hey Joe - just hit me up at Mego Meet - we can restring them in no time flat. I have plenty of cord.

Steve

[Thundarr]

Thanks Steve...everyone. :) Yeah my Zaius could use a bit of attention..the cord is showing through the liner when I look into his pelvis. :( (Man, that sounded horrid! lol "Well for ONE thing, DEMASCULATION!") :shocked: I cannot complain though, because they are GORGEOUS figures...so bright and vivid the violet color is on Urko's suit...:shocked: :grin: (Ursus?)

Anthony....Yeah I have read that one man, but thing is, when ya have hands like an ape mixed with the Thing, its kinda hard for me. Let's just say I'll never be a jeweler or a piano tuner. ;)

Oh Steve...you have a PM....As to MEGO MEET, I'd LOVe to, and hopefully can...I am the chef with a catering outfit though, I'm 'second in command', and I kind of have to be ready at all times to roll....we could get prime rib and baby carrots for 300 in a MOMENTS notice. :please:

Joe

[Thundarr]

I DID it!! :grin: I clipped the band at the waist of Zaius, and let him fall apart. The 'cord' inside him, what was left of it, looked like fishnet. Anyhow, I followed the tutorial (Thanks Anthony!) and he's standing now! Tight and great! Thing is though, I used a long thin rubberband, so this is just a test run. The band is squared-off at the ends so it was a pain to thread it through, and pulling it TAUGHT was a pain, but it took me under ten minutes. :) I was scared when he went to pieces...lol...I was like "oh NO what have I DONE to him?!?" :smiley1:

Anyone know where to get the BEST cord for restringing? I was told women's hair ties and the gold Christmas cord. None of my girlfriend's hair things are long enough, and there is no gold cord in the XMas stuff. Where can I buy it, at a store like Dollar General or WalMart? (Don't they only put that out at the holidays?)

Thanks for the vote of confidence guys!

Joe

[Mikey]

they used to sell good stretchy string in Walmart-- in the crafts section.
It usually comes on a blister card with about 4 or so feet of the stuff.

OR

If you have a Joanna Fabrics near by.
They got it too, but you buy it by the foot.

Make sure you take a leg with you to measure the hole.
Some of that string is too fat for the hole

[Mikey]

Here's what the Walmart stuff looks like

http://megomuseum.com/albums/album02/ss.jpg

m

[Thundarr]

Thanks Kirk...we are heading to the stores now. She asked me to ask you if its called "craft elastic cord"...?? (beats the hell outta me...lol) The color is obviously irrelevant? Did Mego use the WHITE cord in their factories? Thats the color of all of mine inside.

Thanks! :)

Joe

[Mikey]

This stuff is a little skinnier than the real Mego cord--- but this stuff is also stronger and stretches nice.

They sell it in black or white.

I always get the white because that's Megos cord colour :)

[Thundarr]

Just got back from the stores man. We got 15 feet of the stuff for .81...costly, eh? I'm about to have a go at Cornelius, and redo Zaius.

Thanks again for the heads-up
:)

Joe

[Thundarr]

Just did 'em in five minutes each...even melted the frayed cord ends with a lighter. Pretty damned good job if I do say so myself. :) I guess this thread can be "erased" now...seeing as how the title is now void.

Thanks guys! :)

Joe

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

Good on you for giving it a go Joe! It's a great feeling of accomplishment when you restring a Mego for the first time...well, it was for me anyway.

[mego boy CA]

Not That Difficult Huh Joe. :grinning:
peter

[jwyblejr]

Just be careful. Re-stringing Type 1s can become addictive.

[DocDrako]

I always use the white cord elastic from Wal*Mart as well. Our local Wal*Marts have it in two thicknesses, and I use the thicker of the two. I like it way better than the gold cord shown in the tutorial. It's great stuff.

:biggrin:

[Thundarr]

Wow....lol...this has become some sort of an addiction! :please: E-Bay parts lots here I come! :)
My girl is also now a certified restringer. She re-did Zaius and I re-did my Soldier Ape. Something I'm noticing...
Some are just gonna be bow-legged and thats that, right? ..Like a manufacturing thing must be, cause this Soldiers legs will NOT close, and I had the cord pulled so damned tight it was gonna snap. It's cool though, cause he stands bow-legged...like a gorilla should.

:)

Joe

[Merlyn1976]

If you loop the cord over the post in the middle of the pelvis it elminates the leg splay....

[Thundarr]

Well hell man, your RIGHT! I tried several ways before commiting to knots, and I see JUST what you mean man! (It's too much to explain, the looping of the crotch post, I do several ways..) We just did FOUR of my figures, and my girl grabs the AJ we got from the flea market and says "he's a little wobbly...I'd better do him too.." lol She's all about it, and does pretty damned good as well!

Thanks everyone! :)

Joe

[K]

If you loop the cord over the post in the middle of the pelvis it elminates the leg splay....

Merlyn,

I use two pieces of cord to eliminate leg splay. The method was in the old Library on the Museum board. Works like a charm. I never tried looping the cord over the pelvis. I'll give that a shot sometime.

[Thundarr]

I just took apart my AJ, the one from the flea market that was missing half an arm, and noticed he didn't HAVE a post in the pelvis. Guess Mego really ran the gamut with production changes. Looks to be two halves bonded together, rather than posts.
This pelvis looks much like certain 1980s lines I collect...I bet with a good CRACK it would fall in half. (For repair and custom reasons of course) :)

Joe