Metal Raptor Legs

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**MechaEmperor7000**

I was organizing some of my older stuff when I noticed that one of my old metal raptors (the ones that look like birds of prey, not the ones with the goofy bat wings) was starting to bend where his feet meets the flames. Currently he's fine, as he's sitting in a case, but because of how top-heavy the are I doubt he can actually stand up for use in games anymore.

I had this happen to my champ a while back and was never able to find a fix before it broke. This one is still attached, is there something I can do before it completely breaks off to reinforce it? Note that it's already painted and varnished, but I can maybe re-paint any modifications that goes into him if need be.

**killerpenguin**

Have you considered sawing it of, drill holes and reinforcing it with a steel wire?

**MechaEmperor7000**

Tried it with the broken champion's foot. Either the hole I drilled wasn't deep enough or the wire was too thin, but it ended up breaking anyways.

Got any recommendations for drill bit size and gauge of wire?

**SmallChanges**

I've always found steel paperclips around 0.85mm diameter hold really well, as does brass rod at 1, 1.5 and 2mm.

For something weight bearing like this, consider 2 pins if you've got the space, or the 1.5mm brass rod if not. you'll either need something at least 4mm thick on or under the base to anchor it to, and around 1cm depth of hole in to the model (or past any narrow, weak parts, like the ankles on crisis suits).

If you can't get eough material on/under the base, you could bend at least 1cm of the wire in to an L shape pass it through the hole on the base so the bottom of the L is sitting against the bottom of the base, then slather liberally with thick superglue (I use a rubberised version for better volume and control - jokes aside because it's worth it) and leave to dry thoroughly before adding the model.

**chromedog**

If it's a hollow underside plastic base and a metal model, I glue a piece of 2mm thick styrene strip underneath where the model will be pinned.

You can use plastic glue for this bit. It gives you a little more material to pin into on the base side.

If it's a resin base, I just drill most of the way into the base for the same result.

**MechaEmperor7000**

I tested it out on the dude with the already-broken foot and somehow managed to get a hole to go through about half a cm deep into the foot and into the flame part of the base. I ended up using a bit of copper wire (the kind for computer electronics) for it.

It's holding for now but I'm kinda afraid some pressure might cause the joint to buckle. I think I may glue a wire down his leg and then resculpt some of the flame to hold the joint better but I am open to suggestions.

Also the one I'm talking about is this guy (not my model, but the same kind), and the joint is at the base of his toe so it won't be touching the base at all:

Btw thanks for all the suggestions. Even if I didn't directly use them they have helped.

**killerpenguin**

Ok, here's another idea. I've used a bike spoke for my flyers because i hate the transparent plastic thing. So thats my suggestion, remove the flame thing all together. A bike spike would be a bit thick for a infantry model, but you can probably get metal rods that are thinner from your local hobby store. Yea, copper is probably too soft for this use.

**Gordon Shumway**

I had this very fear with those models, so I got rid of the flames altogether. In its place I used a small wooden dowell with ridges, like carpenters use to make furniture joins, cut it at a bias to look like it was tipping, and painted it to look like stone columns. It is so much easier to pin to their feet, and it looks a lot better than the flames imho.

These things: https://www.lowes.com/pd/The-Hillman-Group-25-Pack-Wood-Birch-Dowel-Pins-Actual-0-375-in-x-1-25-in/4483990?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA_ONLY-_-ToolsAndHardware-_-SosBuildersHardware-_-4483990:The_Hillman_Group&CAWELAID=&kpid=4483990&CAGPSPN=pla&k_clickID=2ed46cfe-6b7d-4cd4-9028-9a2565e72658&gclid=Cj0KEQjwt6fHBRDtm9O8xPPHq4gBEiQAdxotvOm2k23wxt7tifeVfKss87qOVtalKWd4akYSVh99I2QaAqQb8P8HAQ

**MechaEmperor7000**

That's the one thing i hate about those models; absolutely gorgeous things, but horribly, horribly designed from an engineering perspective.

Gordon I must ask, do you have any pics of your raptors? I've tried pinning one of them to a bit of sprue once but that failed because I couldn't find a good angle for the foot to go on the sprue. One of the main problems i have with them is that the feet have thin toes that are all bugger as hell to try and glue it to anything sturdy.

**Gordon Shumway**

MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
That's the one thing i hate about those models; absolutely gorgeous things, but horribly, horribly designed from an engineering perspective.

Gordon I must ask, do you have any pics of your raptors? I've tried pinning one of them to a bit of sprue once but that failed because I couldn't find a good angle for the foot to go on the sprue. One of the main problems i have with them is that the feet have thin toes that are all bugger as hell to try and glue it to anything sturdy.

I don't at the moment, but I actually went past the toes and pinned in the arch/heel area. I needed to dremel/file the remaining fire away.

**MechaEmperor7000**

So it was more like the clawed foot was gripping onto the pillar?

**Gordon Shumway**

Sort of, or just pushing off of it.