Action Figure Collector tips, tricks, and Q and A thread.
 

I decided to make another thread this one, this one being sort of a Q and A/ help thread for collectors.

The topics I would like to see here are basic things that you would like to share with other collectors on either how to manage and display your collection, up to how to fix figures that might be either broken, or have incorrect parts. (on occasion this afflicts DCUC), or even the best ways to find figures before scalpers do in your area.

over the course of this thread I will edit this post to link tips left by posters to provide fast access. If I don't add your tip to this post please pm me and if it should be here I will post it... or a MOD could.. (to determine if a post should be here I may enlist the help of another member or two. TmarcumUSN I'm looking at you.)


I will start.

also please do not bash someone else's tips or :fight:

Preventing Action Figure Suicide.

Securing DCD Power Battery Handles

Preventing Action Figure Suicide.
 

Preventing Action Figure Suicide.
First of all I am not a grammar nazi and I will most likely have some grammatical errors in some of most posts...

Action Figure suicide(figures falling either over on it's own or with third party assistance) is perhaps one of the most frustrating things about collection figures and displaying them on shelves. as most of you know by now it is hard to keep figures from taking dives or being knocked over by the vibration of someone walking or worse the clumsy guest who bumps the shelf. unfortunately some suicides are unavoidable.

Here is how I have combat this issue.

I personally do not use figure bases as in some cases they take up valuable space that another figure could occupy.

After months of frustration I started using a product called Handitak which I found for found for a dollar at big lots.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wsilxqUh2f...0/HandiTAK.jpg


I found Handitak was indeed Handy for keeping figure in place as it will both adhere to the figure and the surface you want to stick it to. Handitak is completely removable and reusable.

there were two drawbacks to handitak, one was that in some cases I needed to use a lot of it to keep the figure standing, sometimes making the figures feet look like it was standing in yellow mud. the other drawback was that in order to get the figure to stay in place, over time you need to take remvoe the handitak and Knead it and replace it on the figure..

even in some cases I found Handitak was not doing the job and was not strong enough to keep some figures in place (for example the last two star sapphire figures, indigo 1, Saint walker, and Black lantern earth 1 superman).

just as I was ready to give up the fight I remembered a post from another member here in a thread about this very subject. ( If you read this and can prove you are the one that posted it I will give you full credit here) this poster recommended a different product Loctite Fun tak

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/img/p...ntct_putty.png

I started testing this on my aforementioned chronic offenders and found it was stickier and I could use less to achieve the same result. I have since been switching my figures to loctite and the results are amazing. over the last month on the figures I have switched I have only had one suicide and that was due to my own placement of the fun tak.

so I now wholeheartedly recommend Loctite Fun tak to any collector having this issue.

in the provided link you can enter your zip code to find the nearest place that stocks this wonderful product(sorry those of you outside of the us)

Display Idea
 

While I admit I haven't tried this due to costs/available funds I believe it would be a way to make a creative display.
Use different Styrofoam blocks and 1/8" wooden dowels.
You can get the blocks in a number of different sizes and shapes at craft stores, you can create different displays like a step display
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...nmvuY8csCQksc=
like this one and use the wood dowels to stand your figures on it, the 1/8" dowels would fit in the hole in the bottom of there feet and can be put into the Styrofoam.

Another Display Idea
 

Xylob has I nice one as well with these plastic cubes
http://www.thegreenlanterncorps.com/...ad.php?t=14510
while the different color ones work nicely with the GL figures, there are black ones and white ones that might work for non GL figures.

Where did you get the cubes
EDIT was reading on my phone, thought that was your display at first

Another good option for that method. IsExpand a Shelf this was cheap at one time at bed bath and beyond however they have become hard to find.

HAHA thanks for calling me out Superlantern. I'll post mine in the morning!

I figured you would not mind plus it makes it so I am not the only one that decides what goes and does not... makes it a little fairer.

dont mind one bit

Go to Bed Bath and Beyond, they sell these things that I can best describe as bleacher steps, I have no idea what they are used for. You can easily fit 10~12 guys on it. This enables you to see the figures in the rear very clearly. I use these plus a bit of something called "sticky max", it is like soft waxy stuff you just dip the feet into and it does a good job of keeping guys upright. The Star Sapphire figure is just a big pain in the ass.

those are good too however the expand a shelf was great too bad they stopped selling them.

Xylob posted the link in his thread.

While those are not bad they don't give much flexibility in make different displays.

Well you can also sculpt and mold your own displays our of resin. I am working on one for all my Corps rings it will be one piece and will have each corps emblem in it in that corps color, facing forward, with Ring Stands on the top for each ring. I also will be putting LED's in it in each color but I am going to pour it in layers each colored for the corps with a transparent layer where the corps emblem is so it lights up.

use these sites to get your Silicone for molding and resin for the pours you can find powders to color it at Hobby Lobby and other such hobby and modeling stores.

molding rubber
http://www.alumilite.com/ProdDetail....2%20%28HSII%29

Casting Resins
http://www.alumilite.com/Category.cf...sting%20Resins




Darth_Andrea http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u.../starwars1.gif http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u.../anim-ring.gif http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...by_Seiken_.gif

Securing DCD Power Battery Handles
 

Securing DCD Power Battery Handles

This is something that used to go hand and hand with Action figure suicide for me. that is until I saw a post by a member here ( if you were that member i will credit you here after a PM)

While the DCD Power batteries are great they have one flaw, the handle can be lost rather easily. in my early days of collection one or more lantern figures would take a dive from my shelf and I would almost always have to look for either the battery or the handle itself.

The member post I saw recommended putting adhesive putty (either handi tak or Loctite fun tak will do the trick)

1. getting started.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-20-41.jpg

2. A small amount of adhesive will work here.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-21-17.jpg

3. Roll the adhesive into a line.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-21-41.jpg

4. insert adhesive into the side of Handle hole on the battery
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-22-11.jpg

5. Tear off the unneeded extra amount. both sides should look like this
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-24-13.jpg

6. Insert Handle and squeeze both ends together until excess adhesive comes out.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-25-07.jpg

7. then use your larger amount of adhesive to pull off the excess.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-26-18.jpg

8. The Final result
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...3113-26-47.jpg

the Handle will still be able to turn but not as freely as before. however you should no longer have the Handle separation in the event of a untimely shelf dive by a battery holding figure.

Great tip !!! Thank you !!!

For the batteries to stay in the hand of the specific figure I currently utilize a twist tie (typically that holds the figure in the packaging) and use that to help out.

another good tip is to keep the clear bands that come with DCUC figures... they do come in handy.

I went to BB&B over the weekend with my wife looking for something like a clear step display and couldn't find anything. We went to Michael's as well and the only thing that was comparable was their Acrylic Doll display cases which were pretty pricey.

http://www.displaycaseart.com/dollnobase.jpg

another way is to put a drop of superglue in the tips on the handle...let it dry and then attach...

works like a charm.

Ive done that, Ricky. Like I said in my earlier post the twist tie is for keeping the Lanterns in the hands of the figure itself.

Also, another good tip, is the compressed air canisters typically used to clean computer keyboards, are great to dust off figures. Only press the trigger down half way if the figure is standing, but I really dont suggest to do it while its standing (for obvious reasons).

anyone know any good cheap place to buy level risers ?.. I want some thing for my minimates display ...

ebay has them but nothing cheap specially when you add in the shipping costs

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-LAYER-CLEAR-AC...item518f1ad2b2

$23 for those actually isn't that bad but the $35 shipping that kills it.

Shipping always gets me when it comes to sales.

yup like I said in my post ... very annoying too cause these I Think would work perfectly for mini mates ... I could buy an entire CASE of minimates though for what it ends up costing me so screw that :D