Hot Toys Sandtrooper MMS 295

[loki2371]

Looks like it's just the glue has let go, 2 pieces of pleather glued back to back I think. The shoulder pouch glue has also given up.

View attachment 545672

That is exactly what happened to my HT Sandtrooper waist pouch sometime in the last year or 2. Just the first 2 straps have popped up. Thankfully, it's just the waist pouch. Been meaning to fix it and have been wanting to post on here as to what glue to use. I don't really like using traditional Super Glue.

 

[loki2371]

I used Bostik All Purpose Clear Glue.

View attachment 545677

It's the stringy kind you have to be careful with, but it looked like the type that was originally used by the way the old glue was strung between the pouches and the back.

Thanks for posting this. As my HT Sandie has the same problem as mentioned above. Anyone have another recommendation or type of glue they have used?

 

[D.R.37]

HT glue is notoriously weak (great for dismantling for customs/mods though), possibly a budget thing. All the same issues happened with my Sandie and it was nothing a couple tiny dabs of fabric glue wouldn’t solve. I used CA glue for the shouldered ammo pouch as the fabric glue didn’t hold too long considering it’s in a slightly twisting position. One of my favorite figures. My 3rd HT.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Looks like it's just the glue has let go, 2 pieces of pleather glued back to back I think. The shoulder pouch glue has also given up.

View attachment 545672

Strangely enough I discovered this about 3 weeks ago but chose not to say anything for fear I'd start a panic.

I suppose there's some relief knowing its not just mine. But then, I fear for all the coming 'separations'....

 

[loki2371]

Strangely enough I discovered this about 3 weeks ago but chose not to say anything for fear I'd start a panic.

I suppose there's some relief knowing its not just mine. But then, I fear for all the coming 'separations'....

Yeah, I've been trying to ignore it since I noticed it some time ago.....

Oddly enough, it's just my Sandtrooper. The 2 waist pouches on my Shadowtrooper, which are the same, are still fine. Surprising considering he's the older figure of the 2.

 

[TaliBane]

Pleather. A ticking time-bomb. In coming years, all my Terminator jackets and pants have flaked into dust, all leather holsters gone, boots of Ben, Anakin and Tarkin, gone. Same goes with the notorious Vader suit. I don’t even want to think about it. Sideshow pleather seems to hold up much better than the poo HT use.

Edit: Hahaha! My **** was automatically turned into “poo”. Lol.

When I did a reboot of my Sideshow Tusken recently, I noticed the pleather waist belt had gone off (like painted part of pleather was coming off the fabric backer.) Oddly, the pouches themselves seemed fine, as were the bandoliers, it was just the single belt.

I also bought a very cheap SSC Luke Bespin recently and the belt/holster looked like the pleather might be beginning to exhibit the tiny cracks you see on pleather that's starting to go off. And the pleather jacket on the SSC Indiana Jones Premium Format statue was pretty notorious for crumbling

So yeah Sideshow pleather definitely seems to be lasting better than HT overall but not it's not 100% and it's possible with all of it reaching the ten year old mark it may be heading the same way as HT.

Interestingly, I have some Hasbro pleather parts that only went off around 20 years after it was made (like from late 1990s or early 2000s) and some is still okay. Who would have thought Hasbro would beat out HT and perhaps SSC too?

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

Strangely enough I discovered this about 3 weeks ago but chose not to say anything for fear I'd start a panic.

I suppose there's some relief knowing its not just mine. But then, I fear for all the coming 'separations'....

Oh dear I have four of these, should I do a welfare check?

 

[Hoody999]

HT glue is notoriously weak (great for dismantling for customs/mods though), possibly a budget thing. All the same issues happened with my Sandie and it was nothing a couple tiny dabs of fabric glue wouldn’t solve. I used CA glue for the shouldered ammo pouch as the fabric glue didn’t hold too long considering it’s in a slightly twisting position. One of my favorite figures. My 3rd HT.

Yep same with mine as well. Glad I'm not alone in getting around to fixing it. Guess it shows it's not such a big deal.

 

[asgardianboy]

Same has happened to my pouch, due to the tension from the band as mentioned. Luckily not as huge of a deal as the pleather is intact so it can be reglued.



@Chainedstream - It’s not as bad as it looks. It’s just from the glue weakening and the crusty stuff is old glue, not the pleather. The pleather is intact on Dave’s and mine.

With maintenance (apply 303 Aerospace to them) and displayed properly, a lot of the pleather on the more solid pieces will be okay for the long term. The glue may give out on some pieces but that’s not a difficult fix.


@sithocan - Aleene’s is a good brand. They specialize in glue for textiles so they are good for fabrics, pleather, etc. They have multiple types that are waterproof, dry clear, flexible, semi-permanent, and meant to be used to repair 1:1 scale clothes and vinyl and leather goods.

I am assuming that 303 stuff has to do with outdoors UV protection and nothing else, so I have always doubted it would make any difference, since the problem with 1/6 pleather (unless you expose your figs in direct sunlight) is oxidation through air contact, which is in turn why pleather can die out even in unboxed figures.
So, my question for the experienced ones: does applying stuff like 303 make any difference? What? How?

 

[asgardianboy]

I guess HT uses this glue because it allows fixig mistakes duting manufacture. Side effect: it won't last.
Pleather on Hasbro lasts longer maybe because the backer is thicker, and the plasticky front side of pleather does not oxidize (only the porous back side, less exposed but in constant air contact anyway). More thickness, pleather's inner glue more isolated, slower oxidation, longer lasting.
My 2c anyway.

 

[MyenShi]

I am assuming that 303 stuff has to do with outdoors UV protection and nothing else, so I have always doubted it would make any difference, since the problem with 1/6 pleather (unless you expose your figs in direct sunlight) is oxidation through air contact, which is in turn why pleather can die out even in unboxed figures.
So, my question for the experienced ones: does applying stuff like 303 make any difference? What? How?

An oversimplification, but pleather peels and cracks from drying out and debonding or delaminating from the surface it’s adhered to.

It is not just UV exposure that does this, but also other factors like temperature, humidity (partially why Hot Toys puts desiccant packs in the box with the figure), dust and oils in the air, and surface soiling.

Yes, products like 303 help to prevent fading and cracking primarily by acting as a UV resistant surface protectant. But that is not all they do. They also restore luster, depth of color, and shine to the surface which in turn keeps the material healthy, so to speak.

eg. Tires that are properly black from being conditioned will last longer than tires that are gray and dried out which in turn leads them to being more susceptible to cracking from UV damage and heat. So as an aside, everyone should always put a quality water based dressing on their tires to help make them last longer.

Good surface treatment products like 303 can also be anti-static and help to resist smudges, dust, and soiling, further protecting the material.

I’ve tested numerous interior protectants for automotive use and 303 has been a good product overall. I typically recommend 303 to 1:6 collectors because it’s the highest quality vinyl, rubber, and plastic protectant at its price point, which is relatively low. And other people have tested it on their figures as well.

The only caveat is that 303 is not intended to be used on fabric, so care must be taken when applying.

 

[MyenShi]

Thanks for posting this. As my HT Sandie has the same problem as mentioned above. Anyone have another recommendation or type of glue they have used?

I’ve done some research into glue and Aleene’s appears to be a good brand. They have glue specifically for these sorts of materials.

I asked my spouse who’s done a lot of crafting work and they also recommended Aleene’s without me bringing up the brand I was looking at.

Do not use super glue for these materials. Super glue does not dry clear and can leave surface discoloration and a white residue. It also dries hard and can get crusty, which you definitely don’t want.

 

[MyenShi]

Strangely enough I discovered this about 3 weeks ago but chose not to say anything for fear I'd start a panic.

I suppose there's some relief knowing its not just mine. But then, I fear for all the coming 'separations'....

I did not intend to start a panic, but we’re all in the same boat so I figured it’s a good time to start talking about it.

Plus I also wanted to see if I could help any folks out there from accidentally losing those tiny buttons which was my main concern.

Again, luckily it’s just glue giving out more so than the actual pleather itself for these.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by how well the material itself was holding up.

For the Sandtrooper, it’s just a combination of being an older figure before Hot Toys (maybe) made any improvements over time, a first gen Star Wars figure, and a figure with a lot of weakly glued on parts under constant tension like the pauldron, pouches, and straps.

 

[MyenShi]

Oh dear I have four of these, should I do a welfare check?

Your figures are probably fine. Check the tiny buttons though; that was my main concern as some of mine just slid off. Take care not to lose them.

You may find some pouches or straps coming unglued with a close look. But overall, the pleather material itself should be holding up alright for those of us in more temperate parts of the world.

We also tend to keep our collections in cabinets out of sunlight, so the main thing to be concerned about would be the glue.

 

[TaliBane]

I’ve done some research into glue and Aleene’s appears to be a good brand. They have glue specifically for these sorts of materials.

I asked my spouse who’s done a lot of crafting work and they also recommended Aleene’s without me bringing up the brand I was looking at.

Do not use super glue for these materials. Super glue does not dry clear and can leave surface discoloration and a white residue. It also dries hard and can get crusty, which you definitely don’t want.

Which Aleene's glue do you think is best for pleather? They seem to have a pretty huge range of glues (especailly in fabric glues,) though nothing that is along the lines of superglue.

And re 303, the one issue I have is its unsuitability being on fabric because so much of this pleather, even if you can remove it from the fabric its up against to treat it with 303 (say a Han Solo pleather holster,) you then have to put it back in contact with that fabric, and presumably you treat the entire coating side of the pleather, so undersides that touch fabric and not just the visible/out-facing side. Or does 303 "cure" making it then okay to be in contact with fabric after say an hour of dry/cure time?

 

[MyenShi]

Which Aleene's glue do you think is best for pleather? They seem to have a pretty huge range of glues (especailly in fabric glues,) though nothing that is along the lines of superglue.

And re 303, the one issue I have is its unsuitability being on fabric because so much of this pleather, even if you can remove it from the fabric its up against to treat it with 303 (say a Han Solo pleather holster,) you then have to put it back in contact with that fabric, and presumably you treat the entire coating side of the pleather, so undersides that touch fabric and not just the visible/out-facing side. Or does 303 "cure" making it then okay to be in contact with fabric after say an hour of dry/cure time?

I haven't decided which one to get, but I was leaning towards the all purpose fabric glue which dries clear and is supposed to be permanent but remain flexible.

Products like 303 are meant to be wiped/buffed off after application and once dry, it should be fine to put back on. You can give it some time to further sit and dry out, but it doesn't have a cure time.

You just don't want to like spray or wipe on the entire figure so the fabric gets soaked in the material more as a precaution.

If it's still a concern, I would recommend the Ultimate Interior Guard Plus, which I'm currently using for my car and have used in the past. That can actually be applied to fabric, though I have not yet tested it on the figures. I've been meaning to do that for a while now. It's more expensive, but it might give you more peace of mind.

 

[asgardianboy]

An oversimplification, but pleather peels and cracks from drying out and debonding or delaminating from the surface it’s adhered to.

Well, I'd say it is no oversimplification, but spot-on.

It is not just UV exposure that does this, but also other factors like temperature, humidity (partially why Hot Toys puts desiccant packs in the box with the figure), dust and oils in the air, and surface soiling.

Among seasoned collectors, UV exposure is no longer a problem to be reckoned with. Yet, pleather dies out even in boxed figs w/ desiccant, where humidity and pollution are very low.

It would be oxigen, mostly and mainly, what should be avoided at all costs.
How? Impossible in practical use, possible when in storage: those cheap vacuum thingies and bags used to keep food good for longer stretches. That might help. Very little oxidization / drying out, maybe.

Surface soiling might have an impact (avoided by using gloves or washing hands), but for the most part, pleather's plasticky finish could be quite impermeable. Pleather can die out even in slightly handled figs.

Air polution's effect, when figures are kept in enclosed environments, inside rooms insidenhpises might be negligible.

Yes, products like 303 help to prevent fading and cracking primarily by acting as a UV resistant surface protectant. But that is not all they do. They also restore luster, depth of color, and shine to the surface which in turn keeps the material healthy, so to speak.

To me, that sounds too esoteric. Luster? Depth? Healthy?
How exactly does all that happen?

eg. Tires that are properly black from being conditioned will last longer than tires that are gray and dried out which in turn leads them to being more susceptible to cracking from UV damage and heat. So as an aside, everyone should always put a quality water based dressing on their tires to help make them last longer.

Is 303 the same substance you mention as being used on tires?
Anyway, I can imagine the outer layers of a tire's rubber absorving some stuff that
protects it. Also pleather's cloth backer, but the plasticky surface, or the glue
that keeps everything together......

Good surface treatment products like 303 can also be anti-static and help to resist smudges, dust, and soiling, further protecting the material.

Anti-static properties only affect dust collection, which I'd say is not a pleather killer.

I’ve tested numerous interior protectants for automotive use and 303 has been a good product overall. I typically recommend 303 to 1:6 collectors because it’s the highest quality vinyl, rubber, and plastic protectant at its price point, which is relatively low. And other people have tested it on their figures as well.

Because car interiors can do a lot if UV exposure, but again, how the front, vsible, plasticky side of those materials
absorb ANYTHING, is beyond me yet. Best guess: a film is formed on the material to be protected, which will eventually
evaporate or wear off by touch.

The only caveat is that 303 is not intended to be used on fabric, so care must be taken when applying.

 

[Dave_W]

Nitroglycerin is more stable and less reactive than HT pleather.

 

[Waste Time Continuum]

I've considered just making these parts out of actual leather myself. The HT parts are actually very inaccurate, so making them myself would satisfy the "accuracy demon" and would make them last as long as I'll be around to appreciate it.

 

[Chainedstream]

One of the pouches has started degrade like @Dave_W's. Fortunately not seen it on all pouches/leather garments yet.

Terminators are safe, for now!