Topic: Articulation for 3 3/4" action figures

[FialaFernbrugg]

Articulation for 3 3/4" action figures

Here is a tutorial showing you how you can bring more articulation to your 3 3/4" 5-points of articulation action figures.

Materials:

• Rubber sponge sealing ring made of quality EPDM (15 Shore)

-diameter 4mm for the elbows
-diameter 4,5mm for the knees

• wire

-copper wire with a diameter of 0,7mm (0,03") for the elbows
-steel wire (for example from a paper clip) with a diameter of 1mm (0,04") the knees
-steel wire with a diameter of 1,5mm for the wrists and the waist

• hand-drill and twist drills:

- diameter 0,7mm for the cooper wire
- diameter 1mm for the steel wire
- diameter 1,5mm for the steel wire
- diameter 5mm for the 4mm rubber sponge sealing ring
- diameter 6mm for the 4,5mm rubber sponge sealing ring

• pin
• cutter knife
• wire cutter
• super glue
• small handsaw

Swivel wrists
1.   Cut off the hand with a cutter knife
2.   Drill a hole with a diameter of 1,5mm hole into the hands. The hole should be 2mm deep.
3.   Drill a hole with a diameter of 1,5mm hole into the forarms. The hole should be 4mm deep.
4.   Now cut off a 6mm long piece of the 1,5mm steel wire.
5.   Glue in the piece of wire into the hole in the hand with super glue and let it try.
6.   Insert the hand with the stuck in wire into the hole in the forearm.


Bendable elbows
1.   Cut off the forearm.
2.   Cut off the elbow.
3.   Drill holes with a diameter of 5mm into the upper arm and the forearm . The holes should be 4mm deep.
4.   Drill holes with 0,7mm into the holes in the upper arm and the forearm. The holes should be 3mm deep.
5.   Cut off a 11mm long piece from the rubber sponge sealing ring with diameter 4mm
6.   Pre-drill the piece for the wire with a pin
7.   Cut off a 17mm long piece from the copper wire.
8.   Now take the wire and stick it through the rubber sponge sealing ring piece.
9.   Glue one end into the forearm and one end into the upper arm.





Swivel waist
It is pretty much the same procedure shown for the swivel wirists but you'll need a handsaw to cut the figure in two pieces.


Bendable knees
10.   Cut off the lower leg.
11.   Cut off the knees.
12.   Drill holes with a diameter of 6mm into the thigh and lower leg. The holes should be 4mm deep.
13.   Drill holes with 1mm into the holes in the the thigh and lower leg. The holes should be 3mm deep.
14.   Cut off a 11mm long piece from the rubber sponge sealing ring with diameter 4,5mm
15.   Pre-drill the piece for the wire with a pin
16.   Cut off a 17mm long piece from the paper clip.
17.   Now take the wire and stick it through the rubber sponge sealing ring piece.
18.   Glue one end into the thigh and one end into the lower leg.

[Tamer]

Wow, this is one great resource and tutorial. Thanks for doing this!

off to share all over.

[Darth More]

Christoph, this is very impressive! Thank you so much for sharing all this great information on which materials you used, the WIP pics and the great tips! I was kind of surprised to see how it's actually done. I've neither taken a figure apart, yet, nor have I even sawed single limbs. But I might try that out if I can get some 5 POA figures cheap.

Your 5POA troopers look so awesome now! I mean Hasbro really did a decent job on at least some of their figures since 2015, but the lack of articulation is frustrating. Your projects here made a good point though: The advantage of this step backwards or "change of style" has also an advantage:

It inspires us and fuels our creativity!


Much respect buddy! This post made my weekend! The force is strong with you meaning you got incredible skill! Can't say that often enough.

- Philipp

[krztfr]

I love the fact this is a solution that doe not involve stealing joints from other figures however it seems limited to only black jointed figures. But excellent work

[hemble]

Fantastic tutorial mate, I'm going to have to give this a go.

Ron

[FialaFernbrugg]

Wow, this is one great resource and tutorial. Thanks for doing this!
off to share all over.

Thank you Shawn. I hope we'll see now a lot more 5 POA custom figures in the future.

Christoph, this is very impressive! Thank you so much for sharing all this great information on which materials you used, the WIP pics and the great tips! I was kind of surprised to see how it's actually done. I've neither taken a figure apart, yet, nor have I even sawed single limbs. But I might try that out if I can get some 5 POA figures cheap.
Your 5POA troopers look so awesome now! I mean Hasbro really did a decent job on at least some of their figures since 2015, but the lack of articulation is frustrating. Your projects here made a good point though: The advantage of this step backwards or "change of style" has also an advantage:
It inspires us and fuels our creativity!
Much respect buddy! This post made my weekend! The force is strong with you meaning you got incredible skill! Can't say that often enough.
- Philipp

Thank you so much my friend.

I love the fact this is a solution that doe not involve stealing joints from other figures however it seems limited to only black jointed figures. But excellent work

Thank you. The Rubber sponge sealing rings are also available in grey. But I think you are right. The bendable joints are only useful on figures with body armor and such figures mostly have black joints.

Fantastic tutorial mate, I'm going to have to give this a go.
Ron

Thank you Ron. I'm looking forward to see what you are going to make with the articulation.