New MEGO Trek vs. EMCE Trek - Elastic Bands

[DetectiveFork]

Are the new MEGO Star Trek figures assembled any differently than the EMCE Star Trek figures?

I was dismayed to find that some of my EMCE Star Trek figures already have snapped (white) bands. Do they use Type 1 MEGO bands? I'd like to try and repair them.

As for the recent MEGO Trek figures, do they use the same type of elastics?

Thanks!!

[Speedy]

I can recommend rubber o ring's, get some the same length of the band when squished oval. These work great on the fist fighter legs also.

[DetectiveFork]

Thank you, Speedy.

[BATMAN89]

Get the same size O-rings as the New Mego Star Trek figures or...

I use the Danco size #13 o-rings from Menards. They are a little thicker, and they make a very tight, strong figure.
You will not need to twist the body at the waist afterwards, to make it tighter. It will be tight enough.
Hook the o-ring directly to the hip pin (see pics), and then you will need a C-shaped ring at the shoulder.
Your EMCE figure may have come with a swivel hook (it's probably not assembled correctly) which you can use if you open up the loop at the bottom with an awl (see pics).
Pull the right leg with o-ring and hook straight up through the right shoulder hole. You need a wire or something to use as a hook. I usually bend a large paper clip.
Pull through, pull hard to stretch the o-ring and hook the arm on.
Then do the same with the left leg and arm.
Hope this helps!

IMG_3025.jpgIMG_3026.jpgIMG_3027.jpg

[DetectiveFork]

Thanks, Batman! I'm going to try this. And for the record, it's not a pretty picture but here is how my EMCE Chekov looked when I found him.

[BATMAN89]

Wow! Yes I have seen this before.
Ok, those C-shaped rings on the hip pins. You want to hook those to the arms after you pull the O-rings through the body.
Attach the O-rings directly to the hips pins and the other end to the C-shaped rings.

[DetectiveFork]

Thanks again for all the info! Okay, I'm going to give this a shot!

[Riderfan]

I'm a little late to the party, and there's a lot of good info here, but my method is to use elastic string, because it works for T1 and T2 bodies (both vintage & modern)

I use a combo of this T1 method-

http://www.megomuseum.com/custom/restringing.shtml

And this CTVT repair (the Space 1999 guy, but I don't use the floral tape)

http://www.megomuseum.com/custom/ctvtfix.shtml

I've never tried using o-rings because these methods work for me. But as they say there's many ways to skin a cat.

Important thing is for like maybe a dollar & 10 minutes of your time your Chekov will be brand new, regardless of which easy method you go with.

Keith

[DetectiveFork]

I'm a little late to the party, and there's a lot of good info here, but my method is to use elastic string, because it works for T1 and T2 bodies (both vintage & modern)

I use a combo of this T1 method-

http://www.megomuseum.com/custom/restringing.shtml

And this CTVT repair (the Space 1999 guy, but I don't use the floral tape)

http://www.megomuseum.com/custom/ctvtfix.shtml

I've never tried using o-rings because these methods work for me. But as they say there's many ways to skin a cat.

Important thing is for like maybe a dollar & 10 minutes of your time your Chekov will be brand new, regardless of which easy method you go with.

Keith

Thanks for the additional tips! I'm so glad that I can salvage these figures and make them like new again.

[Mejo]

The band of my EMCE Chekov's right arm and right leg snapped the other day too, and I had to do my first "megoperation".

I just used two small rubber bands to replace the original white "bone" band (which was far too tight--I could never raise these figures arms, they were so tight--no wonder it snapped!), tying it off on the arm loop first then threading it through using one of those grey plastic wire ties that tie toys into boxes (in this case it was fittingly from an Art Asylum Star Trek communicator) and then hooking the other end of the bands to the leg hook. It took maybe ten minutes, including the time it took to de-clothe the figure.

On that note, I was surprised to see, as in the above pic, that Chekov's body was comprised of two different colors of plastic. At first I though it was just the trunks that were different (sort of like how the original Star Trek Mego's had blue-gray undies) but then I saw the torso, which looks orangey. Ah, well ...

Anyway, the figure works great now, at least the new right half does--now he can raise his hand on the bridge and ask permission from the Captain first before boasting about Russia's accomplishments!

Don't know how long the fix will last, but I'm sure the other side's "bone band" will give out long before then, and in all my other EMCE Trek figures too (sigh) ... but at least I know what to do to fix them.