Mickeys Leg Modification!! From Centaur to Human!!!
So the wonderful Centaur Body I had on layaway for my Luts 2013 Summer Event Finally got paid off and came in!! He's wonderful!
However as Much A I Love Him as a Centaur I don't have the space to keep him that way full time.
So I've decided he needs human legs! At first I thought about just getting him another body. But the more I looked at and into Luts centaurs I realized.... They're almost full human! He just didn't have legs! So I've decided to give him some!
Ingredients:
1 - Luts Centaur/Human Upper Body
1 pair - Fairyland Minifee Boy Legs and Feet (in beautiful white! Sold to me by the Wondrrful Wonton!)
1 - Hand Sander with paper
1 - Dremel with cone grinding stone head
1 - Hand Drill
1 - 3/8 Drill Bit
1 - 1/4 Drill Bit
However as Much A I Love Him as a Centaur I don't have the space to keep him that way full time.
So I've decided he needs human legs! At first I thought about just getting him another body. But the more I looked at and into Luts centaurs I realized.... They're almost full human! He just didn't have legs! So I've decided to give him some!
Ingredients:
1 - Luts Centaur/Human Upper Body
1 pair - Fairyland Minifee Boy Legs and Feet (in beautiful white! Sold to me by the Wondrrful Wonton!)
1 - Hand Sander with paper
1 - Dremel with cone grinding stone head
1 - Hand Drill
1 - 3/8 Drill Bit
1 - 1/4 Drill Bit
Lets Do This!!!
Part One! - the thigh peice
Photo By Wonton
So to start with! I need to make the Fairyland Legs fit the Luts Body! Luts now has this peg system... While I can see the easier stringing benefits it now sucks to change out legs and pose.
First! I had to make the thigh cap fit over that peg.... I actually think this will be the hardest part!
First! I had to make the thigh cap fit over that peg.... I actually think this will be the hardest part!
I matched a drill bit to the peg size! I think it was a 1/4 bit!
I then drilled at 2 points along the already existing channel. Then I kind of "sawed" the bit back and forth to shave out the excess and open the new channel wider.
I had to be careful though! I accidentally broke one of the caps without even noticing!
I used the grinder to smooth out the rough edges! It also helped round out the ends of the channel. But again I had to be super careful! On this first cap I set the dremel speed to high and lost my grip on the part! It got caught on the grinder and flew away! I couldn't find it for an Hour! I had to search EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY of the room. I found it all the way across the room in a tool bucket!
But Best of All It Fit!!
Part Two!! -- inside the thigh
Photo By Wonton
I think this will be the easiest part! Getting rid of this raised part!
I just sanded it down!
I just sanded it down!
At first I thought about just leaving it and widening the part where the peg went through.... But that would turn the leg funny! The original channel was meant to run front ways. I was turning it to go sideways. So it had to go!
I began by sanding it down to a point where I could just snap off the extra part. Then sanded it flat! But I kept the little raised edge. The thigh cap just sat atop the leg and I didn't want to slide off. Plus I thought it'd be neat if the leg could turn well.
I'm actually turning the thigh cap sideways for it to fit the peg. It still fits well but it does give it a bit of an edge. But I don't mind. However I did mind that the string hole looked a little small....
So I Opened It Up!!
And I think It Looks Good So Far! I still have to build on the thigh cap of course but for my first mod I think this is working out really well! All I need to do now is decided what I want to use to build the thigh cap into a fitted thigh ball.
I Think the legs are working out really well! I'm so glad I stumbled upon them in the marketplace! I was really worried about having to buy a whole second body when I found them! Their color doesn't even matter to me! I figure since most of my dolls wear pants it doesn't matter. And even if I did put him in shorts stylized stockings solved the problem!
Plus since the legs are kinda long Mikey will be a little taller than my other MSD. This is Our Mod standing next to my Luts Yuz. Yuz is wearing boots that make him stand about a half inch taller! It's all very cool!
I still haven't decided what to build on with.... Someone suggested Apoxxie Sculpt. But I've never used that before. And my sculpting abilities are pretty bad. So i'm thinking about using a rubber brush on mold to mold the inside of the thigh then casting a fiberglass piece and melding that to the thigh cap..... but I just don't know yet?
Plus since the legs are kinda long Mikey will be a little taller than my other MSD. This is Our Mod standing next to my Luts Yuz. Yuz is wearing boots that make him stand about a half inch taller! It's all very cool!
I still haven't decided what to build on with.... Someone suggested Apoxxie Sculpt. But I've never used that before. And my sculpting abilities are pretty bad. So i'm thinking about using a rubber brush on mold to mold the inside of the thigh then casting a fiberglass piece and melding that to the thigh cap..... but I just don't know yet?
Part Three --- Adding On and Sanding!!!
I ended up using WaterWeld Epoxy Putty. Simply because 1) I could buy it in small amounts 2) I could buy it at work 3) it cost me less than $5 It was pretty easy to use to.
I used a little bit of glue to tack down some plastic wrap inside the thigh joint and around the peg to keep the epoxy from sticking to it. Then I portioned the epoxy out and filled in the thigh. The tricky part was fitting in the thigh cap of the leg. I had to MAKE SURE it was positioned right without pulling out the epoxy.
The bottle says let dry 4 hours but I just left it over night.
I used a little bit of glue to tack down some plastic wrap inside the thigh joint and around the peg to keep the epoxy from sticking to it. Then I portioned the epoxy out and filled in the thigh. The tricky part was fitting in the thigh cap of the leg. I had to MAKE SURE it was positioned right without pulling out the epoxy.
The bottle says let dry 4 hours but I just left it over night.
I purposely plied on little extra for sanding. More is Less and all that. I didn't was to start with no mistake room. I just used my Dremil with a Sanding Head to round out and fit the new thigh top.
All in all I think its turning out really well! And I Still Get Good Motion! Though I Still Haven't decided what to do about this bit of a ledge I have going on in the back on the thigh.... I could sand it more round... But it fits into the hip Really Well as is....
Sorry for the random Everything in the background (I'm House Sitting) but this was the only picture I got of the epoxy setting in the left joint.
I wanted to show how well he stands now!
I wanted to show how well he stands now!
Part Four ---- CRISIS!!!!
So.... Everything was going Perfect! Absolutely Perfect!! I was even almost done with the second leg and...... and..... AND I BROKE IT!!! I could Die! I broke the stupid little peg that strings the leg! And i've tried 2 types of glue to fix it! I don't know what to do! I contacted Luts to see what they thought might work. The whole piece itself is just glued in place. So i'm hoping they'll tell me what they used to put it in. Or if they can sell me a whole new piece. I'm just hoping they get back to me soon. I really dont want to just start over. Originally I had planned to just sand off the whole piece as a stupid idea. It limits the leg movements. But I was determined to see why Luts decided it was a great idea.
Next Say...
YAY!! so Luts just got back to me about trying Locktite 401 to fix the broken park! And if that doesn't work they say they can sell me a replacement piece! So later today I will buy the glue at work and try it out on my lunch break! If this works his legs are basically Done! Just a little more sanding and then an over coat of resin to harden it and Boom! Legs!
OKAY! So slight hiccup in progress. Apparently Locktite 401 isn't something you can just buy at the local store. Hardware or otherwise..... and its Expensive!! the online search begins!!
Next Say...
YAY!! so Luts just got back to me about trying Locktite 401 to fix the broken park! And if that doesn't work they say they can sell me a replacement piece! So later today I will buy the glue at work and try it out on my lunch break! If this works his legs are basically Done! Just a little more sanding and then an over coat of resin to harden it and Boom! Legs!
OKAY! So slight hiccup in progress. Apparently Locktite 401 isn't something you can just buy at the local store. Hardware or otherwise..... and its Expensive!! the online search begins!!
So The Glue has been FOUND!! Of course I had to get it online and it cost me near $20! This glue better be Awesome. Its a 2oz bottle! The directions say it should be set in 5 minutes but to wait a full 24 for complete setting? This is some weird super industrial glue. Oddly enough the directions also say to store it in the refrigerator.....
Fingers crossed! Lets Hope This Works!
Fingers crossed! Lets Hope This Works!
Im Soooo Happy! So far the loctite works! I've tried taking the leg off and on a few times times but so far we have Success!
I'll spend the next few days filling gaps with more waterweld, giving the caps a fine sanding to smooth out some scratches, and maybe even a top coat of something harder.
But so far I am very happy! Mickey will be just a hair bit taller than my other MSD and with these legs he almost has a bit of hipcock! Some attitude in his stand! Which he'll need now that he's got "Chicken Legs" as one of my friends pointed out. I've been getting all kinds of "Your legs so White..." And "Your legs so Skinny..." jokes because of that.
For now though I think hes DONE! Once all the gaps are done we'll see how he runs long term. See if anything else is needed.
I'll spend the next few days filling gaps with more waterweld, giving the caps a fine sanding to smooth out some scratches, and maybe even a top coat of something harder.
But so far I am very happy! Mickey will be just a hair bit taller than my other MSD and with these legs he almost has a bit of hipcock! Some attitude in his stand! Which he'll need now that he's got "Chicken Legs" as one of my friends pointed out. I've been getting all kinds of "Your legs so White..." And "Your legs so Skinny..." jokes because of that.
For now though I think hes DONE! Once all the gaps are done we'll see how he runs long term. See if anything else is needed.