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So I'm getting ready to do the big push and paint my Tau. One major thing is still bothering me, though.

I tried a pose on a Riptide, it didn't work, and I can fix it by turning the body and the head. The torso isn't glued; the head is.

So far, I haven't been able to find anything that can get in there at the right angle and cut the head off without mangling it. Can anyone give me a pro tip on this?

What type of cement did you use? Superglue can sometimes be dislodged by freezing the part.

If you want to cut the head off, a jeweller's saw should do it nicely. The blades are very thin and can be threaded through a gap and re-tensioned in order to make difficult cuts that you could not get at with a normal saw.

Do you want to re-use that head after you've removed it?

Doesn't the kit come with multiple heads? Just yank that one off with pliers or something. Just be careful not to wreck the rest of the model.

 6^ wrote:
Just yank that one off with pliers or something.

I wouldn't recommend this, because of the high likelihood of doing this:

Just be careful not to wreck the rest of the model.

Ultra Grey wrote:

 6^ wrote:
Just yank that one off with pliers or something.

I wouldn't recommend this, because of the high likelihood of doing this:

Just be careful not to wreck the rest of the model.

Have an exalt.

Kilkrazy wrote:What type of cement did you use? Superglue can sometimes be dislodged by freezing the part.

If you want to cut the head off, a jeweller's saw should do it nicely. The blades are very thin and can be threaded through a gap and re-tensioned in order to make difficult cuts that you could not get at with a normal saw.

A jeweler's saw, hum. I have no idea where to get one of those, but I'll look into it. I'm assuming that because we're talking about some (relatively) outlandish tools, there isn't an easy fix for this that I've just overlooked. I did use superglue, but doesn't it bond plastic? Would freezing really work?

sing your life wrote:Do you want to re-use that head after you've removed it?

6^ wrote:Doesn't the kit come with multiple heads? Just yank that one off with pliers or something. Just be careful not to wreck the rest of the model.

Yeah. I used the spare heads from my Riptide and Broadsides on my Crisis Suits (alleviates some of the bobblehead effect that the stock Crisis suits have)

Any other ideas before I start shopping for a jewler's saw? XD

You didn't answer what glue you used. If it's super glue you can just pop it out after you made the glue britle by freezing it. If it's plastic glue... yeah you have to cut it. You can use your good old hobby knife if you don't have a jeweler's saw but that will damage the head and it'll be hard to reuse it again.

Freeze it for an hour and it should snap off, otherwise try an RC store, they carry something called uncure. It comes in a superglue type bottle. You apply torque and squirt small amounts on until it comes free.

Edit: Typo

heartserenade wrote:You didn't answer what glue you used.

CDRAlbrecht wrote: I did use superglue.

 BewareOfTom wrote:

heartserenade wrote:You didn't answer what glue you used.

CDRAlbrecht wrote: I did use superglue.

Wow, Im already giving another exalt, 2 in one thread!

any time i need to remove the head off any of my suits i usually just cut it off, level it off, greenstuff a replacement "neck" because theres so much surface area gluing such a small piece to a lock-and-key socket. Really dont think you can get it off without damaging it, so best to purposely damage it in a controlled way so you can fix it.

Thanks for the input guys.

After some soul-searching, I left the head as it was and used the torso to get him into a pose I didn't hate. He ends up facing the narrow end of his base, but that's not the end of the world. It's time to paint these guys and I don't want to risk permanently goofing up a $90 model.

Here is a jeweller's saw in case you want one in the future.

http://www.micromark.com/jewelers-saw,6747.html

Just drop it onto a concrete floor. Worked great for knocking the head cleanly off my buddy's riptide (and the jetpacks, and the arms, and the torso...)

We never did find it after it came off.

(disclaimer: your results may vary)

 Maelstrom808 wrote:
Just drop it onto a concrete floor. Worked great for knocking the head cleanly off my buddy's riptide (and the jetpacks, and the arms, and the torso...)

We never did find it after it came off.

(disclaimer: your results may vary)

Oh my god. A third exult. This simple, insignificant thread, has half of my exults EVER.

Well I know rubbing alcohol loosened one of my orks from its base after soaking for a couple days... Maybe if you soak it for four days depending on the strength of the alcohol it might pop off with zero effort.

Taldeer wrote:
Well I know rubbing alcohol loosened one of my orks from its base after soaking for a couple days... Maybe if you soak it for four days depending on the strength of the alcohol it might pop off with zero effort.

That reminds me - if you're not worried about the paintwork, and can handle a strong smell, a good soak in dettol will ease off just about anything from a model with minimal physical degradation.
Though, it can take a long time...

I recommend a sealed container.

CDRAlbrecht wrote:
I did use superglue, but doesn't it bond plastic? Would freezing really work?

Yes, but it's only a SURFACE bond. Unlike plastic glues which chemically weld the parts together into one new whole. Superglue bonds are only strong in one direction (twisting will break the bond relatively easily) and due to the nature of the bond, freezing DOES work against it (superglues cure with water. They seal this water inside the bond. When you freeze it, the water molecules, because they are STILL water, will expand and the superglue won't as much. This weakens it).

 Selym wrote:

Taldeer wrote:
Well I know rubbing alcohol loosened one of my orks from its base after soaking for a couple days... Maybe if you soak it for four days depending on the strength of the alcohol it might pop off with zero effort.

That reminds me - if you're not worried about the paintwork, and can handle a strong smell, a good soak in dettol will ease off just about anything from a model with minimal physical degradation.
Though, it can take a long time...

I recommend a sealed container.

And gloves.