The Ultimate Guide to Fixing Loose Joints - 3D Prints

Testing 14 different ways to tighten loose joints of your articulating 3D Prints like these 300% Scale Transformers! Testing your suggestions!

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00:00 Intro to Loose Joints
01:36 3D Print Test Pieces
03:15 3D Gloop
05:51 Plasti Dip
07:53 Liquid Tape
09:35 Floor Polish
13:51 Resin
15:58 Fuzzy Skin
18:26 Enlarge Parts
21:05 TPU Sleeves
23:50 Aluminum Foil Tape
25:53 Plumbers Tape
27:04 Tread Tape
28:14 Electrical Tape
29:15 Craft Foam
30:38 Hot Glue
32:58 Top 5 Results
35:57 300% Scale Update

Thanks for watching!

#3DPrinting #Transformers #optimusprime

[onewaydown]

The hip joint design is commonly referred to as a mushroom peg. Ultimately, all of these solutions should be considered temporary, as wear on your coating will always occur over time. Reapplication, like Thanos, is inevitable. If your socket is really smooth, that might help it last a little longer. I'd imagine a rough layer line surface would eat away more. What I've done a lot with smaller figures is apply the coating to both the ball and the joint.
EDIT - Also, on the TPU front, an option to try that I've seen folks like SamMakesToys do is make that middle joint piece completely out of TPU.

[SilentZieth]

I highly recommend looking at a High Grade Gundam model kit if you want a better idea of how to incorporate a flexible filament like TPU. You’d have to split up the joints into additional pieces, each made from either PLA or TPU depending on what part of the joint they make up.

[Dimplepig]

I think that combining the fuzzy print with any of your liquid solutions like the resin could improve the amount of time itll take for the joints to wear down. I think that the fuzzy print could give a good texture for the liquid to sink in the cracks and adhere to.

[notcreativeside]

Plastidip and liquid tape will probably work better if you hit the areas to be applied with some sandpaper first. There may not be enough for them grip onto. Hitting the socket with some sandpaper to smooth out the layer lines may help reduce the friction rubbing as well.

The floor polishes look similar to an older product called Future Floor Polish that was basically just thinned out acrylic medium. The Rejuvenate coming out white is similar to acrylic glazing medium which comes out white and dries clear. I don't know the compositions of the two polishes you used, but if they're acrylic based and don't have a retarder added they should dry in 15-30 minutes. You're basically just painting the prints in clear acrylic paint.

Craft foam is normally thin EVA foam. You might be able to find some foam backed or double sided tape that uses EVA foam or something similar, but would be more expensive than just the foam.

Seeing as various tapes and foam worked I believe you could try paper and or cardboard. Some thin corrugated stuff would probably yield better results than say cereal cardboard. A rougher paper like construction paper would probably have more friction than newsprint or printer paper.

If someone was very careful I think gorilla glue could work, using it's ability to expand and how it can be compacted by enough force. Trying it sounds like massive headache overall though.

[OriginalSharpe]

I used contact cement in the joint (not on the ball itself. I did 2 coats in each joint and it worked amazing! It’s has amazing grip and I can pose my Prime (200% size) no problem and since it’s clear and in the joint you don’t see it.

[mtayseer]

These 38 minutes were really enjoyable & useful. I'll apply some of these tips soon :)

[Peter-DOC-Docter]

Great video man, honest opnion, clear pros and cons, very complete! Great work man!

[WuLongTi]

thanks for going through all these tests it was SUPER informative. I've been supporting toymkr3D over on patreon for years and it's awesome to see him getting some love. On my own work, when I do oversized stuff, I've used the hot glue method as well as the fun foam sheets but I'll have to give some of these others a try. On my current project, I'm experimenting with printing the ball joints in TPU w/ 0.0 tolerances to get a snug fit but you don't often have that freedom if you're not the designer lol

[richc]

I love the Elegoo filament. Not tried the Neptune printers, but would love to at some point. Those are super cool. Those scaled up 310% joints could maybe be 308% or 309% if they are slighty too large to take apart easily.

[SALSAiA]

Plasti Dip is designed to be peeled away, so I'm not surprised it peels with the friction alone. I used to Plasti Dip my car rims and it was a great way to easily change the look of the wheels, and it was cool to just peel away when I didn't want the coating anymore. Great option for joints if you're not looking to move it!

[TheZahnputz]

really thorough and deliberate testing! thanks!

[GCSportR]

I like using mod podge for loose joints. It's mix of PVA glue and varnish so a bit thicker substance than the pledge/nail varnish.

[SirAmMaRAli]

that is a great video! btw you dont have to apply the coating allover the joint part, just about 50% of the area will be enough

[israelrobles]

Thank you, its nice to have that knowledge for future projects.
Maybe I should add foam to my sculpts for more grip
🤔

[pacificcoastminiatures]

Hockey stick tape might work too. It’s very sticky and stretches. Just not sure if it would peel off over time.

[rhelscher]

Great video and review of different options with some results that suprised me. I think the "real" solution to figures of this scale and weight is key joints need to be completely redesigned as ratchet style joints which many Masterpiece and larger Transformers have. Now the catch is actually designing 3D printable ratchet joints that actually hold up to use over time.
Any chance you could do a deep-dive video or video series on something like this, or on advanced joints for larger 3D prints like these?
Thank you for all the great content!

[PLrcr]

For toys like this you should print the parts in PETG, ABS or ASA because they don't suffer from part creep like PLA does.

[Ryoku]

I knew most of these but definitely found some new tools. Nice wide test. Now I'm curious for a follow-up in 6 months to confirm which last the longest

[Enigmatyr]

Hey! The loose joints would be PERFECT for puppets! You should consider making the old models into marionettes!

[StevenKelley]

Thanks for the 3d Builder tool suggestion! I created a ready to print object faster than a 8min abs workout!