Sunday, January 6, 2013

Modifying Power Team Hands

Before I even start this post I'm going to tell you upfront that you can skip everything I'm about to do because you can buy really inexpensive hands at [MonkeyDepot.Com.]  They are even having a sale on some of them today.


I have never purchased these hands or used this company so I have no idea about their product quality or customer service.  The company has been recommended to me by other bloggers though.

With that out of the way, if, like me, you wanna be a little crafty now and again or you are even cheaper than myself (if that's possible) then read further.


These are the variation of hands used by Power Team: full flesh, fingerless gloves and heavy duty work gloves.  Unfortunately, probably 99% of them come ready for heavy duty.  I've attempted three methods of replacement for this, the first of which uses the actual work glove itself.


I used an exacto knife to whittle down the glove and shape it into a hand.  A metal finger nail file sanded away some of the texture.  Because there is a molded strap decoration on the glove, I cut above it which revealed a square portion of the peg that is visible when you insert the hand.  I'm painting it anyway, so I didn't care.  Cut below that strap if you don't want the square peg to show.


I applied three coats of gesso to cover the black (white paint is fine if you've no gesso).  After painting it I thought that might be too much gesso and I only did one coat on the second hand.  Nope - three coats was the right amount.  I'm horrible at mixing paint so I messed around with the colors above to try and get a good match.  I didn't really need the dark brown at all.


All that gesso bulked up the hand and took away a lot of the definition between the fingers.  I should have whittled away more from the hand and shaped the fingers as well.  I did that on my second try and it looked more hand-ish, instead of like a fat meat puppet.


Granted, it's not cute, but at least is not a black glove anymore.  I wouldn't zoom in on it but it's fine from a distance - a distance far far away, lol.


The left hand, with its one coat of gesso, is not as smooth as the right.  I used matte varnish on both hands and it gave them more of a shine than the doll's flesh has.  Eh, neither one is going to win any prize but if you like to sculpt, sand and paint this might be the method for you to try.

I consider this next method a complete failure.  I just wasn't digging it.  The idea had merit but because of the material, it's not going to work well in the long run.  I'm showing you the photos anyway, though. ^__^.


I used a rubber Ken hand for this because it's nicely shaped, the coloring is a decent match and I had a bunch laying around, so what the heck.  What I wanted was to have a single hand/peg combo.  The problem is that Ken's rubber is very soft and at some point the peg is going to twist off and get stuck in the arm hole.  This gave me a another idea though.


Still using a Ken hand, I cut off the exact amount I needed with my easy cutter.  I used small scissors to start a pilot hole and then dremeled into the wrist.  Big Lots sells the perfectly sized bamboo skewers that will fit snuggly into a Power Team arm.  Put a dab of glue in the hand hole if it's a loose fit.  Insert the bamboo between the two, cutting it at the end going into the arm until you get a snug seam.  This works quite well.  Sure, the hand's not articulated at the wrist, but neither was that glove.
 



If you have something metal or harder, of course it's going to last longer than the bamboo, but for something cheap and easy to cut, it's darn good. It looks way smaller than the Power Team hand and isn't as defined, but it's better than a thick glove.  And, if you don't like the look of the cut...



... give him some watches and junk.  Of all three tries I rather like this one the best.  Even with having to use a drill it was still the fastest and simplest.  I know that Monkey hands would be even simpler, but I enjoyed fiddling around with these so it was worth it to me.

38 comments:

  1. Fascinating. The Ken hand does look more slender but it's amazing how much the watch disguises that. Given that postage is also probably going to be a factor for anyone overseas, this is a useful post - and I'm sure you had heaps of fun doing it.

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    1. Carrickters, you are right about the increased postage cost. To ship to you economy class with no tracking or insurance would cost $5.98 but if you wanted it with priority tracking it would cost $17.90 and that's just for a single pair of gloves! Yeah, just cut up some Ken hands and poke something in the holes because those are some crazy prices.

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  2. I really enjoyed this post. You always come up with the most innovative ideas, and your willingness to give it all a go is inspiring. (^_^) I have shopped Monkey depot and they are excellent. I have even ordered hands from them. Thank you for taking us into your lab once more Muff.

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    1. Cat, I'm a lover of anything that lets me whip out my easy cutter or exacto knife, lol. Thanks for weighing in on the Monkey Depot company so others will feel okay about ordering from them.

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  3. Well, since you mention it, sure MD is fastest and simplest, but you have no idea what kind of inspiration your Frankensteining provides. I have a few Frankenstein projects waiting on my craft shelf, and seeing your methods is unbelievably helpful. Thanks, Muff.

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    1. Thanks to you too, Roville! We can just have a mutual admiration party for each other. ^__^

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  4. Girls here are demanding more male action figures, so your post is very useful for me, since I've decided to buy more action figures. I won a Jason Statham action figure on Ebay and his head comes from Monkey Depot.Since I have tons of unemployed Ken around, I will sacrifice them in the name of 1/6 scale science.

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    1. Sergio, I guess it's time for those unemployed Kens to get to work! I've seen that Jason head before - congrats on winning him.

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  5. Hello from Spain: I did not know that one can buy hands. It's very original. Your doing a great job. You always come up with innovative ideas. Awesome! Keep in touch

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    1. Marta, I think it was Vanessa who first told me that you could buy just hands (and other body parts) for the action dolls. That's a good deal.

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  6. You are seriously something else. :) I'm just sat here in awe because I would never be able to come up with anywhere near half of the things you do. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi, Alura and thanks! I'm happy to share my hits and misses. ^_^

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  7. Hey Muff! Thanks! The last one is the one that I may be brave enough to try after I purchase a easy cutter. You make it look so "user friendly". Lol! I agreevwith Pam, you are something else and truly amazing would be one of them. Thanks so much for sharing.

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    1. Georgia Girl, the last one can be tried on dolls that are articulated at the elbow, but not at the wrist by using their own hands. They wont be able to move the wrist up and down, but it will become twist and turnable.

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  8. Hey Muff, Like everyone else said your experiments are too much. I love seeing how your mind works thru photos keep up the good work.

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    1. Thanks, Mustiwait! The ideas keep popping so I'll keep posting them.

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  9. I love the hand work LOL. I like the use of the Ken hands. I do still need to get one of those easy cutters. I have been known to steal the hands from older soldiers that are leaving. They get the gloves the other guy gets their hands. I have to order some more hands

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    1. Hey, Dollz4Moi. That rubber is not that hard so you might be able to cut it with a sharp butcher knife. That's a good idea about hand me down hands if you are not using the bodies anymore.

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  10. This was awesome... I'm always in awe of people who can manage these kinds of mods, I'm sure I'd muck it up royally! XD

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    1. Thanks, Heather. Modifying is easy when you are in mad scientist mode. ^_^

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  11. This, what you are doing is amazing. With admiration I look at it !!!
    It's fantastic :)
    Congratulations.
    Greetings from Poland ;)

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    1. Thanks so much, Marille. I'm glad you stopped by to visit!

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  12. My Muff you've done it once again! Iknow I've been reading your blog too long because Im beginninng to experiment on my people!!!

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    1. LOL, Jay. Don't blame me for you experimenting on your dolls. That was inside you all along.

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  13. Hi Muff wow another interesting attempt,and I must say you achived something which most of us can't even dare to dream of...Hats off to you,my dear friend,All the best for your all future projects,I am sure there must be plenty!!!!!!
    This is AN AWESOME POST,enjoyed every bit of it!!!! :D

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    1. Hi, Pam! Thanks a lot and I'm glad you enjoyed the post. It was a fun little project to work on.

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  14. Wow, the power team guys are nothing for me (not that they're sold here or anything) but this post was still fascinating to me.
    I actually really like the outcome of the Ken hand experiment! I think it fits quite well, you're truly a classified mad doll scientist ^^

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    1. Hey, Tali and thanks! I like that the coloring is very similar to Ken and it's an easy fix.

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  15. Thanks for sharing the results of your PT hand/glove modifications. I am usually lazy on this kind of endeavor, but maybe I'll try and give my guys new hands.

    Oh oh ... I see my Kens running and dodging ... lol.

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    1. LOL, Dana. Just tell your Ken's it's for the greater good.

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  16. It's amazing how your get to cut and reasemble those hands, I wouldn't be able to!! The final result with the watch is great!

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    1. Hi, Rossetti and thanks so much for stopping by!

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  17. I always love seeing your experiments. Love that first technique. That could definitely work. The 2nd method might work if you used a sculpting putty to cover the cut. Either way, great job! Just in case others are wondering about prchased hands, the quality is great. Sometimes the wrist pin has to be cut down a little bit.

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    1. Vanessa, thanks for commenting on the quality of the monkey hands. I guess I don't mind the cut myself since they have visible seems all over anyway.

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  18. WOW! How did I miss this too! It now making me mad that I don't always know when you do a new post because this is fantastic! I have used Monkey Depot and like them but they don't always have AA hands in the right complexion for my use. I am wanting one of those cutters more and more! Great job!

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    1. Thanks, Ms. Leo. Since a majority of the dolls I find at the thrift store aren't articulated, I'm totally okay with using their hands. I still have not found any AA Power Teams at my BigLots and one of our stores closed, so new lots might not be coming my way.

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