Hot Toys Maintenance Advice Thread

[Dagashi Something]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

I don't think that the property of the silica to absorb humidity can go as far as drying up things to that extent. I've had figures on display before but now I keep most of them in the box because I just don't have enough space. Many of those figures have rubber bodies, and their outfits are made of pleather, and I never had any problems. I even have old figures for way back when HT was selling "model kits" and they're fine, they even smell like new after 9 years.

Getting rid of the silica just in case is fine, but I don't think you need to worry too much about figures drying unless you live in a place with dry climate.

 

[shells075]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Don't expose to sunlight.
Don't get them wet
and lastly most importantly never feed them after midnight.

 

[hottoyskyle]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Thanks for the great advice, everyone. I'm in between houses at the moment and need to put my figs in storage for a bit, but this discussion has me rethinking my packing strategy.

When I moved, I had all my accessories neatly packed in individual zip lock bags. Then I had them stored in a small tote. I then took my figure ( out of display cabinet) and loosely packed them in bubble wrap and stacked them in a tote starting with the biggest to smallest so the fragile figures won’t get broken. I left this for a few months in a spare bedroom till I brought a new cabinet. I never had an issue. Oh and I didn’t have a cover on the tote with the figures inside so that helped.

 

[SmokeUpJohnny]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

When I moved, I had all my accessories neatly packed in individual zip lock bags. Then I had them stored in a small tote. I then took my figure ( out of display cabinet) and loosely packed them in bubble wrap and stacked them in a tote starting with the biggest to smallest so the fragile figures won’t get broken. I left this for a few months in a spare bedroom till I brought a new cabinet. I never had an issue. Oh and I didn’t have a cover on the tote with the figures inside so that helped.

Nice. Good to know. I may need to put mine in a storage unit for a few months until I get things sorted out, so I'll need to top the bins. But packing loosely (especially those with rubber bodies and/or pleather accessories) with bubble wrap seems like the way to go. Thanks!

 

[jchow1030]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Hmm.. So I recently purchased the soap reactor kits for the Iron Men, is it ok to leave that inside the figure? There's no power attached to it, unless I flip on the switch......and it's direct DC power....

 

[hottoyskyle]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Hmm.. So I recently purchased the soap reactor kits for the Iron Men, is it ok to leave that inside the figure? There's no power attached to it, unless I flip on the switch......and it's direct DC power....

Yeah the soap reactors are basically hard wiring the connectors to an outlet. Theirs no battery acid involved so you should be completely fine in leaving those in.

 

[Thainitty]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Works every time

Just kidding, I just do the basics like most of the people here

 

[thoha]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Is there any concern with the waist clamp on the paint or gloss of Iron Man figures, or on the cloth of other figures?

 

[Vortex]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice




This DX02 has been in its box for 8 years.

 

[gmoney5000]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Is there any concern with the waist clamp on the paint or gloss of Iron Man figures, or on the cloth of other figures?

I had the crotch grabber on my DX12's crotch for an extended period of time not thinking anything about. When I checked on it later the 2 round pins on the crotch grabber left 2 indents on the suit...so beware of that.

 

[gmoney5000]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

View attachment 381239
View attachment 381240

This DX02 has been in its box for 8 years.

Wow, holding up just fine!

Kinda makes me wonder about those who do leave em boxed up for extended period only to find that the figure has deteriorated.

May I ask what kind of environment did you keep the box stored in?

 

[Vortex]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Wow, holding up just fine!

Kinda makes me wonder about those who do leave em boxed up for extended period only to find that the figure has deteriorated.

May I ask what kind of environment did you keep the box stored in?

Sure thing.

That figure has been stored in a closet since new. It was a spare and i kept it for the back pack, boots, and stand. I also wanted to see if it would rot to be honest. It's literally like the day i bought it, but that doesn't mean it's going to last forever.

I live in Ohio so i get the 4 seasons here. I keep the house climate controlled and that's about it. I also remove the plastic wrapping from figures i won't be displaying. Sadly I don't have the room for everything.

For tomorrows experiment i'm going to pull out a boxed MK1 2.0 that has original batteries in it and has been sitting in the box since new. I'll let you know how it goes.

Stay tuned!

 

[Vortex]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

 

[gmoney5000]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

View attachment 381247

Looks like all is well with it. No leakage, no deteriorating, no nothing?

 

[Vortex]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Looks like all is well with it. No leakage, no deteriorating, no nothing?

Nope, it's mint. You obviously don't want to leave batteries in your figures like i did. In fact i would like to thank this thread for reminding me to take them out. A lot of good advice in here. Just don't be afraid of leaving your figures in the box if you can't get around to displaying them for awhile. Not forever.. but awhile.

It's best to enjoy them.

 

[medicomsucks]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

I don't have an answer. I've recently opened iron monger, asm2 spiderman, 1st avengers hulk, no legs cracking, no black stripe, no styrofoam melting into rubber. So i have to say storing in a package is totally acceptable. Maybe if you live at the North pole or the equator, your results will be different.

I do know that dust will cause paint to fade over time, sunlight will speed up the breakdown of rubber and plastic. I feel those are inevitable for everyone in the long run.

I guess unless you want to go full michael Jackson and have a room converted into a hyperbaric chamber, we will just have to take our chances.

The good thing is by the time my figures turn to dust, I'll probably be long gone, but if not, there will be an even better toy on the market.

 

[yacobschlomo]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Wow, holding up just fine!

Kinda makes me wonder about those who do leave em boxed up for extended period only to find that the figure has deteriorated.

May I ask what kind of environment did you keep the box stored in?

Wonder if it's also because the DX packaging is a bit different. It's not airtight the way the box is and with the foam padding.

 

[Vortex]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Wonder if it's also because the DX packaging is a bit different. It's not airtight the way the box is and with the foam padding.

Both figures were taped up in their shipper boxes.

Again, this is just my experience thus far. I cannot promise your experience will be the same.

But still, one of the biggest POS figures in HT's history has survived in those condition for 10 years.

And the MK1 for what, 5 years? I can't remember when that one came out. It was also sealed in shipper.

 

[Tinman2000]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Check out this guy's Nick Fury at minute 2:50...what the heck would cause this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc3m5wh9lLU&t=27s

 

[SmokeUpJohnny]

Re: Hot Toys Maintenance Advice

Nope, it's mint. You obviously don't want to leave batteries in your figures like i did. In fact i would like to thank this thread for reminding me to take them out. A lot of good advice in here. Just don't be afraid of leaving your figures in the box if you can't get around to displaying them for awhile. Not forever.. but awhile.

It's best to enjoy them.

Ditto, Vortex. I just did the same thing. No leakage, thankfully.