My DS Mini Also Has Broken Back

Post by **LoneRanger** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:49 am

As is life, we can choose to look or not. Please post as there are many who are interested and you might even get some good pointers.

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:51 am

Cheers my friend! It may be a couple of days before I do some more but I'll keep posting, thanks!

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 10:21 am

Just a quick post as I haven't had much time to work on her. I had to remove the broken bits left in the leg after removing the pelvis of course and I realised that the joint itself that allows the leg to move outwards was so f'ing tight there was no way I could move it by hand. I did a one eighth turn on the nut and now it moves really well. No wonder the pelvis ends broke as this joint was so tight moving the legs outwards would have put so much pressure on them if the 'true' joint for this doesn't move. It was only a matter of time! Why didn't they use a torque wrench? The videos I've seen just use a normal wrench so it would be down to the guy doing up the nut and that could vary from joint to joint! Pic below of joint I mean.

Post by **LoneRanger** » Fri Aug 19, 2016 10:27 am

Pumpster · Post by **Pumpster** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 12:06 pm

With these plastic joints better a bit too loose than too tight I guess. I just closed my mini and I think it could have been better but we'll see tomorrow and perhaps I'm brave enough to post picture of final phase of repair.

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 12:13 pm

I agree Pumpster! I'm going to replace the nuts with locknuts where I can so I can set the 'tightness'! However, I will try to see what the movement is before I seal her up!
This is what she looks like without the torso! The torso seems to have an elastic band around the top part probably to seal it and stop silicone filling the cavity. This band wasn't included on the new part so I'll put it back to stop any SilPoxy getting in.

Post by **LoneRanger** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 6:56 pm

I feel like I'm watching an episode of Bones. Forensic Scientist dissecting the victims corpse. Hmmmm, what's for dinner to nite my dear Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

Both my minis just passed out, where's the smelling salts...

samara78 · Post by **samara78** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 9:21 pm

hollows+fentiman wrote:I agree Pumpster! I'm going to replace the nuts with locknuts where I can so I can set the 'tightness'! However, I will try to see what the movement is before I seal her up!
This is what she looks like without the torso! The torso seems to have an elastic band around the top part probably to seal it and stop silicone filling the cavity. This band wasn't included on the new part so I'll put it back to stop any SilPoxy getting in.

Wow what an effort. Carefully seal her up one section at a time. I highly recommend cleaning her insides with acetone, and cleaning her bones with acetone then glueing the inside to the bones. This will ensure she doesnt get any tares from the inside out.

Wishing both of you well wishes .

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 4:41 am

Thanks Sam, I've got the acetone ready but I think I'm going to have to have a trial go at putting in the pelvis/hip as that might take some time to feed the silicone into the grooves. I don't want the SilPoxy to set while I'm still trying to manoeuvre it in place!

samara78 · Post by **samara78** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 4:51 am

That is understandable you are doing a fantastic job.

Post by **LoneRanger** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 11:27 am

No Updates??

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 12:33 pm

Sorry, not really! I've been working on my daughter and partner's house for a while and I've been coming home knackered! I was sort of waiting for the second hip/pelvis part to arrive which should be any day now just to see if there's any difference in quality. I did try fitting the new pelvis in place and it does look as though I can feed it back OK. I've now got a stack of locknuts as well so I can set the 'stiffness' of the joint without worrying if it will loosen or tighten! I'm hoping I can get a fair bit done this w/e as in the UK it's what we call a bank holiday weekend, so Monday is a non work day!

Post by **LoneRanger** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:52 pm

Cool!

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sun Aug 28, 2016 2:38 pm

I had a little time today to see what I could do! Those little brass washers drove me mad! In the end I only got two out of five in when I attached the legs to the hip joints! Testing the movement she now creaks a bit - I'm just hoping she'll get better! I think I must have spent about two hours trying to get those legs on! It wasn't that difficult, it was those bl**dy washers! By the way, the bolts are too short to take locknuts so the old nuts had to go back.

It looks like the silicone is going to feed into the grooves again pretty well, although not a perfect fit in all places.

I decided I'd put the whole back together and see if she'll close up easily so the second photo shows the back in place. Then I noticed that I've connected it in back to front. WHAT A STUPID TWIT! She does close up ok and I can get the cuts to line up but I'm going to have to take the back and arms off again (annoying as I actually got the brass washers in place there!) and turn it round. Looks like it'll have to wait another week as I'm going out with my daughter and partner tomorrow!

However, she stood up and moved really well! That's the first time I've seen her standing as her neck was broken when she arrived!

Post by **LoneRanger** » Sun Aug 28, 2016 2:50 pm

I believe samara78 said she put a drop of super glue on the washers to keep them in place on my Krystal.

The best results on her seams was on the side were it was held in place with hat pins instead of being taped.