Uh-oh (Deathsleet)

[Slendertroll]

There is a large variation in the hardness of the material in these Bones. I would guess different mixes have gone through with little QC between tyem resulting in great variation. For example the "Lolth" model has quite hard legs (intended I assume so she supports her weight) and Kaladrax's skull is made of softer material (mine is only slightly softer than normal Bones) and then I have models that range through that spectrum, but most models are normal from my experience of the product range.

This is not a QC issue, this is an intentional choice resulting from the limitations of the molds and the material. Softer and rubberier material comes out of the molds more easily, but stiff material stands up better. Cthulhu's head would be impossible if stiffer, and Wyrmgear's wings would flop over if softer.

[TheAuldGrump]

 

There is a large variation in the hardness of the material in these Bones. I would guess different mixes have gone through with little QC between tyem resulting in great variation. For example the "Lolth" model has quite hard legs (intended I assume so she supports her weight) and Kaladrax's skull is made of softer material (mine is only slightly softer than normal Bones) and then I have models that range through that spectrum, but most models are normal from my experience of the product range.

This is not a QC issue, this is an intentional choice resulting from the limitations of the molds and the material. Softer and rubberier material comes out of the molds more easily, but stiff material stands up better. Cthulhu's head would be impossible if stiffer, and Wyrmgear's wings would flop over if softer.

 

More accurately - this is not usually a QC issue.

 

However when the stiffness of the material varies between two copies of identical parts of identical models then there is a QA problem.

 

The title model of this thread - Deathsleet - is one that sometimes has that problem.

 

I have two Deathsleets - no problems, even with wings on. (Yay!)

 

One of my friends has a Deathsleet that sslloowwllyy goes nose down, with his legs secured to a 3"x3" base.

 

The difference is noticeable, even before basing and gluing the wings on.

 

I could easily fix the problem for him - and intend to use the same technique on one of my 'not a problem!' Deathsleets, just because the result looked good. Just carved some blue insulation foam into a chunk of rock, and glued the dragon's claw to the foam. (Time spent, maybe 10 minutes, including gluing the foam rock to the base, but not including painting the rock.)

 

But, yes, there are also some minor QA issues, as well as using different PVC formulas for different parts.

 

Not as often as Findcash models, but often enough to be worth noting.

 

And sometimes the PVC is just not strong enough, even at normal strength - I intend to glue my Jabberwock's hand to a Woodland Scenics Dead Tree (one of five in TK22 Dead Trees). It should look good, as well as supporting the weak kneed monster.

 

I tend to use either the Dead Trees or the really, really cheap plastic trees when I am working on my toys. The good metal Dead Trees go on bases and special terrain.

 

Tthe really, really, cheap plastic trees are usually glued to CDs (often reading AOL, even a decade later I still have some - seemed like every computer magazine in the world had one in every issue at the time....), and plopped down as regular terrain. The regular terrain is gonna take a beating, so I do not invest too much time or money on it.

 

The Auld Grump

Edited August 10, 2013 by TheAuldGrump

[ObsidianCrane]

 

There is a large variation in the hardness of the material in these Bones. I would guess different mixes have gone through with little QC between tyem resulting in great variation. For example the "Lolth" model has quite hard legs (intended I assume so she supports her weight) and Kaladrax's skull is made of softer material (mine is only slightly softer than normal Bones) and then I have models that range through that spectrum, but most models are normal from my experience of the product range.

 

This is not a QC issue, this is an intentional choice resulting from the limitations of the molds and the material. Softer and rubberier material comes out of the molds more easily, but stiff material stands up better. Cthulhu's head would be impossible if stiffer, and Wyrmgear's wings would flop over if softer.

Perhaps I was not clear enough; I know there are differences on purpose and understand that purpose.

 

However I have models that seem, reasonably, to have been intended to be cast in hardness "A" but have hardness "B", typically the human sized models. These models show signs of variation in the plastic suggesting either inconsistencies in mixing of the plastic's ingredients or possibly poor cleaning of equipment in changing between materials resulting in mixes of material and variations in consistency. Both of these are QC issues.

 

Given my past experience with Bones, and the places I'm finding the variation (eg Isabeau LaRoche is rock hard) I'm inclined to believe its a QC matter created by the volume of the order and the time frame it was required in.

 

I'm not unhappy with the product, its just something that I think makes it even more important for Reaper to get the manufacturing in house.

[buglips*the*goblin]

Given the range of reports on Deathsleet, I think it's a QC issue. Our orders pretty much put the factory at full capacity, and when things get urgent, hectic, and huge lots can go wrong. To be honest, I'm amazed the overall error rate is as low as it is. A mix-up in plastic batches would have been an easy mistake, one that might have allowed some Deathsleets to escape with characteristics outside the normal intended range. It doesn't seem intentional or uniform like Kaladrax.

 

I also noticed that my skeletons from this batch are a lot more rubbery than my previous ones. I haven't put them into the pot yet to see if this will be any problem, but they are significantly different. So that does tell me that there's a degree of inconsistency in the material between batches.

 

This also means I owe an apology to anybody who felt I was dismissing their claims. Kaladrax and C'Thulhu may not have been the best examples to show the potential issue, since that was intended. But a quantifiable variance between runs of the same type firms up the observation.

[Eldariss]

My deathsleet was rather fine. I just had to get her into hot water to reshape her a bit. My wyrmgear was fine, but I am actually thinking about not permanently assembling him as I have planned an adventure including him as the BBEG where the heroes through attacking him will be knocking various parts off when he reaches certain hp levels...

[OneBoot]

That is an awesome idea.

 

Huzzah!

--OneBoot :D

[DocPiske]

Having worked in plastic molding in the automotive industry, I can tell you that there is not a manufacturer on the planet that does not have some bad parts that get out to the customer. Sometimes it’s a set up issue, sometimes it’s bad raw materials from your suppliers, sometimes it’s contaminates in the resins introduced in your shop. One hundred percent inspection will not catch all the bad parts, either. And when you rely on another company to do you molding, it gets even harder.

 

 

That doesn't mean that the customer just accepts the bad parts, and Reaper has already stated that they will replace parts that do not meet design intent. We have yet to find out what the design intent was/is. Weak ankles on some parts and not others is probably not intended.

[Simon]

My Deathsleet came bent way forward, but I glued his tail to the back of the 3" cardboard base I glued his feet to. After that it was fine, he's supported by the tail as well as by the feet/ankles, he stands upright and looks great. If I hadn't glued his tail to the base he'd not have worked well, though.

[buglips*the*goblin]

Yep, the 3-point stance works wonders. My 'Sleet has stayed put since I glued the tail, although fitting it onto the colossal skeleton's base has put it in a pose sort of like a startled housecat. But I can live with it.

[Dadcubed]

Yep, the 3-point stance works wonders. My 'Sleet has stayed put since I glued the tail, although fitting it onto the colossal skeleton's base has put it in a pose sort of like a startled housecat. But I can live with it.

 

Last night I did lots of boiling of the bones to straighten out everything I am going to paint in the next year or so.

 

I boiled Sleets feet and legs, once he was very soft I placed the flat bases on the bottom of a cup to get them flat and then pulled sleet right back onto his tail and then straight into cold water (which he liked). I then popped his wings on and placed him on my desk. I expected this morning for him to have toppled forward. But nope he's still ok that 7 hours being upright!

 

The Jabberwok has fallen over though but I expect gluing to a base will work :)

[Slendertroll]

 

Yep, the 3-point stance works wonders. My 'Sleet has stayed put since I glued the tail, although fitting it onto the colossal skeleton's base has put it in a pose sort of like a startled housecat. But I can live with it.

Last night I did lots of boiling of the bones to straighten out everything I am going to paint in the next year or so.

 

I boiled Sleets feet and legs, once he was very soft I placed the flat bases on the bottom of a cup to get them flat and then pulled sleet right back onto his tail and then straight into cold water (which he liked). I then popped his wings on and placed him on my desk. I expected this morning for him to have toppled forward. But nope he's still ok that 7 hours being upright!

 

The Jabberwok has fallen over though but I expect gluing to a base will work :)

 

Mine took several days to tip forward enough to fall over; I'd keep him standing for a while longer just in case.

[Dadcubed]

 

Yep, the 3-point stance works wonders. My 'Sleet has stayed put since I glued the tail, although fitting it onto the colossal skeleton's base has put it in a pose sort of like a startled housecat. But I can live with it.

Last night I did lots of boiling of the bones to straighten out everything I am going to paint in the next year or so.

I boiled Sleets feet and legs, once he was very soft I placed the flat bases on the bottom of a cup to get them flat and then pulled sleet right back onto his tail and then straight into cold water (which he liked). I then popped his wings on and placed him on my desk. I expected this morning for him to have toppled forward. But nope he's still ok that 7 hours being upright!

The Jabberwok has fallen over though but I expect gluing to a base will work :)

 

 

Yep, the 3-point stance works wonders. My 'Sleet has stayed put since I glued the tail, although fitting it onto the colossal skeleton's base has put it in a pose sort of like a startled housecat. But I can live with it.

 

Last night I did lots of boiling of the bones to straighten out everything I am going to paint in the next year or so.

I boiled Sleets feet and legs, once he was very soft I placed the flat bases on the bottom of a cup to get them flat and then pulled sleet right back onto his tail and then straight into cold water (which he liked). I then popped his wings on and placed him on my desk. I expected this morning for him to have toppled forward. But nope he's still ok that 7 hours being upright!

The Jabberwok has fallen over though but I expect gluing to a base will work :)

Mine took several days to tip forward enough to fall over; I'd keep him standing for a while longer just in case.

24 hours later..... Death Sleets biting the dust. So hopeful I had fixed him :(

[Bob the Inquisitor]

I just saw these bases from Dungeon Crawler and thought they might work for some of the larger Bones beasties.

 

 

[ced1106]

Late to the thread, but, thanks to the unstable Jabberwocky base (which rebent after boiling, icing -- and basecoating), I finally got around to basing with cork! (:

 

Since the Bones plastic is soft, it's *very* easy to stick a push-pin to make a "seed" hole, then insert the wire of a bent paper clip into the hole, and cut off the wire with pliers. The cut wire will have a sharp tip, so you can insert it right into the cork! Easy and no drilling like in the metal days! I may need some filler (maybe just glue), since the cut isn't perfectly flush with the flat cork, or I'll just hide the "join" by gluing sand to the cork "base" like my usual bases.

 

I'm not going to have time to rebase all my Bones, but I'm glad I can do this so quickly and easily! Thanks, Reaper!