Fixing Broken Limbs...trick

[tactile2]

After disrobing a few of my childhood megos, I discovered a couple of limbs broken beneath the joints, that I had mended with masking tape as a child. I cleaned the 25+ year old residue off and discovered that simply using a small dab of hot glue from a hot glue gun nicely mended the broken limb.

After pushing the severed pieces together, hot glue will ooze out from the broken edges...do not fret. Once the hot glue has cooled completely, slimply chip/ peel the excess glue away, ancd presto...you have a pretty strong fix.

This is perfect for the display piece, especially if you want to keep an original piece together until you locate an adequate replacement.

Just thought I'd share my fix...Hope it helps...I have to fix a Dr. Zaius soon, perhaps I'll post a pic of the process....

[mikeoz]

Good tip. I'll have to try it. I haven't found anything that works very well on the broken joints, especially the breaks that happen on the foot/ankle.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

Neat idea!

>I haven't found anything that works very well on the broken joints, especially the breaks that happen on the foot/ankle.

I usually pin broken joints I can't replace, and fill 'em in with 2-part epoxy.

Or I cast a replacement. But that's just me.

Don C.

[tactile2]

ok..after two days or so, the fracture has come apart again...I will try a more aggressive adhsive like an epoxy...any new tricks that work I will report back to you all!

[ctc]

>I will try a more aggressive adhsive

The problem with hot glue is that it bonds only to the surface of your material and has no real bite. So if there's a temperature change or significant monkeying with the glue will let go. (Hot glue will expand, ever so slightly, at a different rate than the plastic when the temperature changes.) Superglue doesn't always work so good either, 'cos it doesn't penetrate too deep into the plastic.

That stuff they made the original bods out if is pretty resistant to darned near EVERYTHING! That's why I pinned the parts I fixed. Really; it's probably best to get replacement bodies or parts, and swap 'em out.

Don C.

[Merlyn1976]

Doesn't modeling glue use a chemical reaction to "melt" the plastic together??

[fallensaviour]

Doesn't modeling glue use a chemical reaction to "melt" the plastic together??

Thats what I was wodering.Or could you use Acetone to melt the plastic together?
I have used acetone to melt plastics several times before I've never tried it on Megos though.As long as they are an acetate plastic it should work very well.

[livnxxxl]

>That stuff they made the original bods out if is pretty resistant to darned near EVERYTHING!

Does anyone here at the Museum have any idea of what the original composition of the material is? I have wondered this for some time. Those engineers really knew their stuff in the 70's.

[ctc]

>Doesn't modeling glue use a chemical reaction to "melt" the plastic together??

It does, but it's formulated for a specific type of polystyrene plastic and doesn't work on the Mego body plastic. It doesn't melt the material, and it doesn't bond. So once it dries you can peel it right off.

>Does anyone here at the Museum have any idea of what the original composition of the material is?

I THINK it's a type of polystyrene; but I've seen it referred to as a "self lubricating polystyrene." There's a high wax/oil content to it, which gives it more pliability and makes it reesistant to paint and glue.

I KNOW there are some plastics experts here that can explain it a lot better.

Don C.

[AJ-Paratrooper]

What are Mego Bodies Composed of?

This is all I've found so far from this site:

How action figure is made - Background, History, Design, Raw materials, The manufacturing process of action figure, Quality control

"Raw Materials
Aluminum wire, modeling clay, and various sculpting tools are used to create the prototype. The actual figure is molded from a plastic resin, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). This is a harder plastic used to form the main body. Softer plastics, like polypropylene and polyethylene, are commonly used to mold smaller accessory and costume pieces. "

As long as the Mego bodies aren't polypropylene or polyethylene, most current 2 part epoxy should work.

I just used epoxy to repair a leg and it seems to be stuck there pretty good.

I still wish someone could give a definite answer about what Megos are made of. C'mon, folks!

[AJ-Paratrooper]

Hello....? Some Info FWIW

I'm a little disappointed nobody can say what kind of plastic makes up Mego figures, but if you don't know, you just don't know. As long as it's not polyethelene or polypropelene, a lot of glues currently in stores will work.

FWIW, Loctite 2 part 5minute epoxy has so far worked on all Mego plastic I've tried it on:

1. Broken AJ leg hole - fixed, restrung, still holding fine after several weeks.

2. Dorothy arm snapped off. She can't bend it anymore, but it's on there really solid.

3. AJ head that some kid must have driven a flatblade screwdriver into the neck in an attempt to remove the head. Removed the head, epoxied the torn parts in the neck, it appears to have even adhered to that!

I think the glues have simply improved in the past few years making these toys a lot easier to repair! This is good!

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

Funny thing; AJ legs, female bodies and the heads are all made of different types of plastic. Heads are vinyl. Superglue works pretty good on them. I've used it to patch up some Tomland heads. Female bodies are pretty close to model kit styrene. Superglue works on them, epoxy works better. I think model glue (of a grade above Testors) WILL work too.

Don C.

[marbkwds]

Just swap out the broken leg or arm with another one ........ I know that I am not the only one with a parts box with every limb and pin in different colors and types . ..... Roy

[livnxxxl]

I'm a little disappointed nobody can say what kind of plastic makes up Mego figures

That makes two of us. I would have figured that someone here with their vast knowledge would have known the answer to this question. Perhaps it is an ancient Chinese secret? OR maybe it is like the Coca Cola formula. IF they told us the recipe they would have to kill us. I am sure that it is not rocket science. I have been doing some experimenting of my own until someone steps forward to cough up the answer that we seek.