|
Community Links |
Social Groups |
Pictures & Albums |
Members List |
Search Forums |
Advanced Search |
Go to Page... |
|
Thread Tools |
01-11-2019, 02:32 PM | #51 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,156
|
Quote:
This reminds me that I had wanted to address this (doing the vest mod, but keeping the same body). The attached photo is a little brighter than my norm to help you see around the back. You can judge for yourself whether it’s worth it.
First, the neck on this body is a lot smaller than the other (no collar), so the backpack will be needed to help keep the chestpiece in place (also, you might want to resize the vest back peghole to center up the chestpiece which is favoring offset to his right. Second, he's got a tiny torso and waist connected to monstrous thunder thighs, which would even make 25th Zap and Mutt blush. But that might not be a big bother (probably occurs on more figures than I can think of right now), is most apparent only from front shots (other angles don't look to bad), and/or is more preferable than the original bulky vest (annoyingly bulkier on his right side than left). Last thing on cutting the vest. It's pretty thick--warming it up helps to get a more precise cut, but overwarming may make it too easy to slice through incorrectly. If you decide to make the mod, start cutting bits far from the final edge to get a feel of the knife through the vest plastic--by the time you get to the final edge, you'll have adjusted for better control of the cut.
__________________
Nighthawk's Feedback | HasLab figures FS Wants: female Hiss driver from HISS Haslab My Ebay auctions: kalwin_woo | eBay |
01-11-2019, 02:35 PM | #52 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,156
|
Quote:
Sorry for being unclear! I was referring to the 25th version. That figure has an indentation sculpted into the waist to accommodate a belt. You can see the indentation being used in this capacity on the 25th Tele-Viper. The Viper's belt, however, is sculpted onto his combat vest and because the vest does not hang low enough, the aforementioned indentation is exposed, creating a visual gap. (See attached photo.)
Perhaps I'm the only one, but that visual gap has always struck me as unsightly! It's clearly (to my eye) where the Viper's belt should be and since it's not, well, my OCD gets starts to get the better of me. I've had a few (imperfect) ideas for addressing this, but I thought I'd ask the master of perfecting 25th figures! The other option is just find belts that fit in there. For example, the Nitro Viper had that same issue, but the vest covered the indentation a bit better. I just put a Wild Weasel belt under there so there wouldn't be a gap. You can kinda do that to the Viper as well.
__________________
Nighthawk's Feedback | HasLab figures FS Wants: female Hiss driver from HISS Haslab My Ebay auctions: kalwin_woo | eBay |
01-11-2019, 04:58 PM | #53 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 330
|
Quote:
I did a fix before. I just cut off the belt from the vest. The Viper vest has 2 clasps so I cut it in a way so there was only one left. Then the belt part, I just put a new hole in so it can go on him tighter. I don't have that one anymore though.
The other option is just find belts that fit in there. For example, the Nitro Viper had that same issue, but the vest covered the indentation a bit better. I just put a Wild Weasel belt under there so there wouldn't be a gap. You can kinda do that to the Viper as well. Sticking a belt in there is another good idea and one I have actually tried. I went with a 25th CG belt and although it was a tight fit (had to heat it up to get in on) it didn't look too bad. And because the belt is rather slim (one of the reasons I chose it), it didn't affect the fit of the vest too much. Problem is I don't have enough spares (right now!) for all my Vipers. I've also thought simply to paint the area black; or perhaps lay a piece of black electrical tape in there. An imperfect solution to be sure, but I figure it would at least make the gap a little less noticeable.
__________________
'Tank Feedback: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...-feedback.html TFW2005 Feedback: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/fredviii.1145024/ |
01-11-2019, 05:02 PM | #54 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,156
|
I didn't take any pictures. The vest will just float around like it currently is, but be higher, but if you put a belt in that area, it'll be fine. My suggestion is to just use whatever spare belts you find to put underneath.
__________________
Nighthawk's Feedback | HasLab figures FS Wants: female Hiss driver from HISS Haslab My Ebay auctions: kalwin_woo | eBay |
01-11-2019, 06:40 PM | #55 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Kansas
Posts: 981
|
Quote:
Sorry for being unclear! I was referring to the 25th version. That figure has an indentation sculpted into the waist to accommodate a belt. You can see the indentation being used in this capacity on the 25th Tele-Viper. The Viper's belt, however, is sculpted onto his combat vest and because the vest does not hang low enough, the aforementioned indentation is exposed, creating a visual gap. (See attached photo.)
Perhaps I'm the only one, but that visual gap has always struck me as unsightly! It's clearly (to my eye) where the Viper's belt should be and since it's not, well, my OCD gets starts to get the better of me. I've had a few (imperfect) ideas for addressing this, but I thought I'd ask the master of perfecting 25th figures! |
01-11-2019, 07:40 PM | #56 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 330
|
Yes -- and I'm all ears!
__________________
'Tank Feedback: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...-feedback.html TFW2005 Feedback: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/fredviii.1145024/ |
01-12-2019, 02:44 AM | #57 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Kansas
Posts: 981
|
FredVIII, initially thinking that you were looking for a mod of the 30th style Viper, I was all ready to go. But when you clarified you were thinking the 25th style version--although at first stumped, I figured I'd try the same technique done on the 30th to the 25th...
gCobra_25th_86-03Viper1_2019-0111a by J Perez, on Flickr The goal was to get the vest to sit lower to hide the offending waistline crease(s), and to get the belt, molded with the vest, in contact with the torso. To get the vest to set lower, the vest piece was thinned out in thickness by repeatedly carving out super thin layers of plastic from the underside of the vest mold--particularly at the straps over the shoulder. They are pretty thick, so you should be able to carve out a decent amount (every milimeter counts!). The thinner vest piece will also bend and contort better to the torso piece, allowing it sit even a little bit lower. However, this is not enough to get it all the way down for full concealment. So you also need to work down the body/torso shoulders (and a little towards the back. I did this by carving with an exacto knife and sanding down multiple times. You may also need to carve down and/or sand down the torso chest pockets. I did not carve down the pockets on mine, because I didn't feel the need to get it that low. That waist belt line doesn't bother me too much (although more than before you pointed it out). gCobra_25th_86-3p2_2019-0111b by J Perez, on Flickr You may also have to trim the back neck line of the vest that bumps up against the torso's back collar. The final cut will be to elongate the backpack peg hole in the vest, so the backpack can attach with the vest's new lower position. Final step was to add some squishy filler material inside the back of the best, only at the lower torso half--this step pulls the belt in closer contact to the Viper's belly. For mine, I used foam earplug material. Heating up the vest may also get you a few more millimeters down, using you preferred technique. The vest plastic might not want to change the new profile you want. So heat it up, stretch it down to conform to the new lower shoulder profile, then run under cold water. Then use the backpack pressed tight to the figure back to help keep the vest pulled low. There are a bunch of other little things I may have forgotten and done on the fly, but above are the main things. Below are pictures I had ready yesterday, assuming the mod was needed for the 30th Viper. Having the bottom the vest sitting so high above the painted sculpted on belt drove me nuts for some time. The left Viper has the full mod, while the right only had a few the steps done (shoulders not as flattened as they needed to be). gCobra_25th_86-03Viper2_2019-0110c by J Perez, on Flickr gCobra_25th_86-03Viper2_2019-0110d by J Perez, on Flickr |
01-12-2019, 10:08 AM | #58 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 330
|
The visual incongruity of the 30th Viper's vest/belt line mismatch has always been one of the (several) things bothering me about that figure. I'm not surprised it bothered you too. Attention to small, subtle details like that is one of the distinguishing features of your customs in my view and one of the things -- again, in my view -- that makes them so ultimately satisfying.
As for your 25th Viper fix, I can only say: "fantastic!" I had previously thought of thinning the underside of the shoulder straps to help them lie more naturally (i.e. flat); strange that I never thought of using the same technique to help make the vest sit lower on the torso as well. But I suppose that's why you're the master not me! Rest assured I will be experimenting with your method in the very near future. Thank you for sharing it!
__________________
'Tank Feedback: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...-feedback.html TFW2005 Feedback: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/fredviii.1145024/ |
01-13-2019, 06:46 PM | #59 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 3,030
|
I'm not a fan of the Viper helmets - never have been. I like to think that only Cobra Commander has a "Chrome Dome" helmet. But the main thing that bothers me about those 30th Vipers are the knees and calves. If they would have just stuck to the Shocktrooper knees and boots, I could have accepted the Chrome Dome helmets.
Jason |
01-13-2019, 09:02 PM | #60 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Kansas
Posts: 981
|
Quote:
I'm not a fan of the Viper helmets - never have been. I like to think that only Cobra Commander has a "Chrome Dome" helmet. But the main thing that bothers me about those 30th Vipers are the knees and calves. If they would have just stuck to the Shocktrooper knees and boots, I could have accepted the Chrome Dome helmets.
Jason Despite my preference however, I can't ignore the Viper and its design's iconic status--even though I never got the figure(s) back in the day. So he's got a solid spot along with 11 other 85-87 Cobra troop builders on my upper right shelf, trying to stay true to the vintage look and feel for all. In terms of retcon reimaging and redesigning, I like what you done in your Cobra Legions with your Frag Viper's use of the Viper look. For my own ideas, I see the 86 Viper as a limited membership infantry trooper--maybe most akin to the US Army's Ranger from a technical standpoint (but from a look and gut feel, the Viper's seems more US Marines, sans the whole amphibious aspect--which would then definitely not make them Marines). I see the standard 86 Vipers having somewhat more training and experience (and higher pay), but nothing really extremely rigorous like the US Ranger/Marines. In the end, they just have cooler and fancier equipment than the standard trooper--and the filecard info is internal and external Cobra propaganda. Using an old school Contra video game comparison, Vipers are the what you start running into past stage 1, later in levels, where their hits do more damage and they take a bunch more shots to put down. Recently, I been exploring ideas of how to tweak the Viper look to be true enough to the original design, but without having the Commander chrome dome. The first idea was to simply change the faceplate color--maybe to a metallic or mirrored black or darker silver. Some early tests were satisfying, although I was testing on the smaller original 25th Viper head. Ongoing tests will play with different helmets heads and goggles. We'll see where this goes... Regarding the POC/30th design/build, I also agree with you on the legs (at least in the knees, not the feet). Ideally, I would have preferred Shock Trooper knees, some interior thigh red band padding (newly sculpted pieces), and some slicker boot design (without going overboard). But I'd have to say that overall they used mostly the best parts available (amazing that this is a 100% Franken-Joe), and in the end--with a few tweaks for fit--the POC/30th Viper is a gorgeous slick figure with well proportioned modern body parts and accessories, that definitely feels like a Cobra Viper to me. So the POC/30th earns its spot on my limited shelf. |
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
CB's Joes shelf | Colt Blue | G.I. Joe Collection Showcase | 5 | 02-10-2015 05:54 PM |
Who's on your shelf? | ash50187 | G.I. Joe Toys Modern & General Discussion | 30 | 06-04-2013 10:34 AM |
More shelf warmers | Mazinger | G.I. Joe Toys Modern & General Discussion | 85 | 11-07-2011 10:56 PM |
BFJ's Collection: Shelf by shelf | Barefoot Jedi | G.I. Joe Collection Showcase | 39 | 11-26-2010 12:42 AM |
Shelf Help, What do you think | CodenameLawman | G.I. Joe General Discussion | 7 | 04-16-2009 09:43 PM |
|
|