Can't Restring Because of Broken Leg Hole

[AJ-Paratrooper]

I just acquired a really used AJ from ebay today. He's exactly as I remember him...haven't seen or touched a Mego since Richard Nixon was president...anyway, I digress.

The leg hole was broken and the elastic inside was in bad shape so I snipped it. As expected, AJ fell apart. All the pieces are there and I have no hesitation in attempting to restring him but how do I repair the broken leg hole?

When I was a kid I do recall pulling an arm or leg off like that. The cord went right through the plastic. That's the case with this AJ...hey, maybe it's one of the ones I had when I was a kid!

Somebody had taped the leg on and I got all the tape residue off with naptha (lighter fluid). It worked great and didn't damage anything. All that tape stuff melted off in 10 seconds.

I'm thinking that melting the broken plastic part together would even do it, but there's too big a chance I'm going to mess that up!

Will 5 minute Loctite epoxy work in repairing the leg hole so I can restring? Any suggestions are welcome.

[Flynne]

Working with that plastic is very tricky thing. The plastic will never again retain the strength it had before, even if you use an welding epoxy, and the tightness of the cording tends to work out any attempt at repair. Melting the plastic with heat is even trickier, and tends to melt it to slag and warp the hole rather than reforming a bond.

But, since I don't want to be the voice of gloom and doom - which leg are you looking for: left, right, standard T1 or AJ w/plastic joints? I may have one I can send you to replace the broken one.

[Bizarro Amy]

I have a T1 AJ with plastic rivets who's lost his feet. I think the hips have the same kind of holes to restring as the T1's with metal rivets. You can have the piece you need from mine if you pm me with your address.

[AJ-Paratrooper]

Flynne and del, you folks are very kind. So far, everyone I've encountered in my short stay here has been very generous and hospitable.

My newly acquired AJ is a T1 with plastic rivets. His right leg is the one that's damaged.

I've got some Loctite 5 minute epoxy on the ripped open hole that I'm letting cure for 24 hours. Once it's hardened, I might go over the whole area with the epoxy again, let that cure and try to restring.

I'll definitely pm you if this fails miserably, but I am determined to fix this thing!!!

[shellhead]

Hey AJ... the fix that works the best for me is to carve off the little plastic "ring" with a Dremel or a sharp hobby knife, then drill a TINY hole into the top of the thigh. Then screw in a steel "eye screw " from the hardware store. Thats it, thread the elastic through the steel eye and your done! And the best part is that it's stronger than new!!

Good luck!

Chris

[English Paul]

The last time I did a repair like this was on a shoulder hole but the principle is the same. I superglued the broken piece back into place just to hold it and then used a heated piece of metal (paper clip) to melt the plastic across the breaks. It has held fine. It's a little untidy but it's internal anyway and so doesn't show.

[AJ-Paratrooper]

Shellhead, English Paul,

Those are both great ideas. The eye-screw idea is going to be my last resort. I can't even consider melting anything because the whole area is now covered with epoxy.

If the epoxy just simply won't adhere to the "action figure" plastic (what are these things made of, anyway - - waxy-rubber-plastic?!?), I might try the melting idea.

I am hopeful for the epoxy, though. That stuff dries like a rock and I smeared it all over the part. We'll find out in a couple of days when it all dries and I try to restring. Probably shouldn't get this AJ wet, though.

Keep that info. coming. I'm learning! Thanks!

[Merlyn1976]

I did it completely different...

I take a needle and melt a small hole through each side of the remaining plastc...run breadties through it back and forth and that gives a nice base for the epoxy to be built on...

[gman]

I use plumber's putty and I pack it all over the part -- then when it's dry I take my drill and redo the hole. If the putty didn't smooth out, I'll wet sand it and paint it with testors enamel paint it looks perfect.

[AJ-Paratrooper]

I believe all those methods will work! I'll bet this is one of the most common repairs.

I contemplated making an epoxy "wall" where the hole is, then drilling through it when it cured but found it to be unnecessary. I was able to retain the hole as it was hardening.

I think I understand what you're saying with the breadtie method. I'm just doing it without the tie.


The only reason my epoxy might not work is that it isn't recommended for polypropelene or polyethelene. I don't know what Mego bodies are made of but it might be some kind of poly.

I was also going for the "least invasive" way of fixing it. If all else fails, I'll get out the dremel or hot paperclip and try again or try an epoxy made for poly products.

This is kind of like shining boots....there are as many different ways to do it as there are people wearin' 'em! Great info!

[AJ-Paratrooper]

I use plumber's putty and I pack it all over the part -- then when it's dry I take my drill and redo the hole. If the putty didn't smooth out, I'll wet sand it and paint it with testors enamel paint it looks perfect.

gman,

What plumer's putty do you use? What enamel paint?...I assume some kind of Testors flesh color? If the stuff I'm using works, it might be kind of fun to sand and paint the area so you can't tell.

According to this site: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Action-Figure.html

"...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. "

I'm hoping what I used will bond with ABS plastic. I'm guessing that's what the Megos are molded with so hopefully that epoxy will work after all.

(can you tell, I'm overthinking this?)

[AJ-Paratrooper]

Success!

I restrung AJ in about 15 minutes this morning, no problems! Just from looking at the repair, I'd guess the elastic is going to break before that epoxy loses adhesion (if it loses it).

The tension from the new elastic isn't nearly as strong as I'd thought. We'll see if it's still holding in a few months.

[wayne foundation 07]

JB weld,or the newer version magic puddy works really good.File down the broken area and aply the kneaded puddy useing a thick needle to put the hole through it.

[megocrazy]

Hey AJ... the fix that works the best for me is to carve off the little plastic "ring" with a Dremel or a sharp hobby knife, then drill a TINY hole into the top of the thigh. Then screw in a steel "eye screw " from the hardware store. Thats it, thread the elastic through the steel eye and your done! And the best part is that it's stronger than new!!

Good luck!

Chris

I've done this with T1 legs and T1 arms also.

[apes3978]

Get a strong stapler and staple the piece together.