Pinning Kits for holding power

[becdecorbin]

Sometimes glues (even super glues and contact cements) just aren't enough. And when leaning cave-people, perching vultures, mired rhinos and anything else that won't stay put gives you a headache, try pinning.

I've used metal pins to hold Mrs. Cro-Magnon in place; her tiny feet don't give her a lot of stability. To show off the advantage and use of pins, I've chosen a much larger Japanese solid vinyl kit to demonstrate.

Holes have been drilled in her head, hips and shoulder to secure limbs that CA glued FAILED to hold onto. The peculiarity of the material likely had something to do with it, no matter that I heavily scored both adjoining surfaces to improve the grip. After so many times at seeing the figure fall apart, I broke down and started drilling.

The steel dowel pins in the hips and shoulder are already in place and glued. Now all I need to do is use spackle to fill in the hole and make it look like a drill bit never touched it.

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[becdecorbin]

The pins don't have to be store-bought. You can improvise as I've had to do a few times with toothpicks, snipped pieces of wire hanger, paper clips, lengths of plastic sprue or worn-down Dremel bits.

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[TAY666]

Very good subject.
I've used all kinds of things for pins. Coat hanger, romex wire, nails with the heads cut off, screws with the heads cut off, threaded rod. Whatever will do the job.

I have a small tutorial on my website on the subject.
www.tylisaari.com/models/misc/gel/pintut.htm
Covers 3 ways to get the job done.

[becdecorbin]

OUCH! My latest break in modeling. The leg of Revell's ENDANGERED Condor broke during a test fit on the branch that is part of the diorama. Since that leg is the one that bears the most weight, it had to be pinned and glued. The upper and lower parts of the leg are now joined and the glue is curing.