Fixing NFL Action Team Mate Figures...

[Blue Meanie]

Recently acquired an NFL Action Team Mate figure in a lot. He's 90% complete but is completely disassembled. Looks like the rubberband inside has disintegrated. Anyone have anyway of fixing the figure? Thanks. I'll post a pic of the figure as soon as I take it. I think it's a Chicago Bear figure.

[Iron Mego]

Would it be similar to re-stringing a Mego figure?

[Blue Meanie]

Would it be similar to re-stringing a Mego figure?

It doesn't look like it would be that easy. I think the rubberband inside goes up through a post in the head.

[Iron Mego]

Do you think the head or arms might pop off somehow, without breaking the thing?

[Blue Meanie]

Soon as my rechargeable batteries recharge I'll take a pic of the figure.

[Iron Mego]

Looking at pics online, it appears the heads are vinyl, like Megos, is that right? You should be able to pop that out and see if there's something for a band, or string to go through. Or maybe they connect from arm to leg.

Actually, just found this pic, and it would appear this white part that's exposed might be what the bands are supposed to connect to. Maybe?

[CrimsonGhost]

I've restrung a number of them. If you can restring a Mego figure, you can restring an Action Team Mate.

1. get rid of all the old rubber band. It often sticks inside the arms and legs so I use a hemostat or long dental tool of some type to clean off the cross pegs.

2. Restring with 3 pieces of elastic. 1 for the arms, 1 for the legs, and one that connects from the pelvis to the head.

3. Do the arms and legs first. I've tried doing them type 1 style, but I had trouble with the body twisting and the legs going pigeon toed. I find it's best to connect leg to leg and arm to arm and not try to connect everything.

4. The head is 3 parts. There is the head, a different colored joint plug that inserts into the bottom of the head, and a tiny piece of plastic that held the rubber band inside the head. I usually take off the helmet and boil the head until it's soft and I can get the plug out of the bottom. If all goes well, the little plastic thing (sometimes it looks like a horseshoe, sometimes it looks like a bracket) will still be in the head. If it's not, it's not the end of the world. I have replaced them with a little metal ring, but you can use just about anything that will keep the elastic from backing out of the plug.

5. Here's how I string everything together: I lock a hemostat to anchor one end of my elastic that I keep at the waist. I run the elastic under the peg in the pelvis, then the elastic goes up thru the body and out the neck hole, then it goes up thru the plug and then back down the plug ( this is where the little plastic piece keeps the loop from pulling back thru) then back down the neck hole in the torso and tied at the waist. It's kind of tricky keeping that neck plug configuration from falling apart when you start to pull the elastic tight, but you can do it by yourself if you go slow...or you can grab someone to hold a couple of things. Once it's all put together, just heat up the head and pop it right on!

I hope this makes sense. I may be able to take some photos if you want.

Anyway, I love these figures. I have 3 as a kid and are in pretty good shape, but I did restring them. Recently I've been able to pick up some in various conditions.

[Blue Meanie]

I've restrung a number of them. If you can restring a Mego figure, you can restring an Action Team Mate.

1. get rid of all the old rubber band. It often sticks inside the arms and legs so I use a hemostat or long dental tool of some type to clean off the cross pegs.

2. Restring with 3 pieces of elastic. 1 for the arms, 1 for the legs, and one that connects from the pelvis to the head.

3. Do the arms and legs first. I've tried doing them type 1 style, but I had trouble with the body twisting and the legs going pigeon toed. I find it's best to connect leg to leg and arm to arm and not try to connect everything.

4. The head is 3 parts. There is the head, a different colored joint plug that inserts into the bottom of the head, and a tiny piece of plastic that held the rubber band inside the head. I usually take off the helmet and boil the head until it's soft and I can get the plug out of the bottom. If all goes well, the little plastic thing (sometimes it looks like a horseshoe, sometimes it looks like a bracket) will still be in the head. If it's not, it's not the end of the world. I have replaced them with a little metal ring, but you can use just about anything that will keep the elastic from backing out of the plug.

5. Here's how I string everything together: I lock a hemostat to anchor one end of my elastic that I keep at the waist. I run the elastic under the peg in the pelvis, then the elastic goes up thru the body and out the neck hole, then it goes up thru the plug and then back down the plug ( this is where the little plastic piece keeps the loop from pulling back thru) then back down the neck hole in the torso and tied at the waist. It's kind of tricky keeping that neck plug configuration from falling apart when you start to pull the elastic tight, but you can do it by yourself if you go slow...or you can grab someone to hold a couple of things. Once it's all put together, just heat up the head and pop it right on!

I hope this makes sense. I may be able to take some photos if you want.

Anyway, I love these figures. I have 3 as a kid and are in pretty good shape, but I did restring them. Recently I've been able to pick up some in various conditions.

Thanks for the tips. Gonna try this this weekend hopefully.

[Blue Meanie]

Looking at pics online, it appears the heads are vinyl, like Megos, is that right? You should be able to pop that out and see if there's something for a band, or string to go through. Or maybe they connect from arm to leg.

Actually, just found this pic, and it would appear this white part that's exposed might be what the bands are supposed to connect to. Maybe?

Had to show me a pic of a Cowboys figure Now I want one of those.

[Iron Mego]

This, like Big Jim, was one of those lines I was very enamored of, but never had. I don't think my mom ever did any catalog buying, so I missed out on these completely. I do recall a few friends having some. The closest I ever got were the helmets you could get from vending machines.

[ScottA]

I had several ATM figures like that and I never could figure out a way. I ended up selling them all.

I loved seeing them in the catalogs as a kid but I never had one. I always wanted a mint Redskins.