Using Sugru to make base for Battat T-Rex & Acrocanthosaurus

[ruochuan]

Base for dinosaur is not everyone's cup of tea, I get that. But I personally like bases, especially for theropods, since they allow for more dynamic pose and not oversized feet. Collecta Mapusaurus and Safari Giganotosaurus are two of my favorite dinosaurs models.

I didn't like Battat T-Rex & Acrocanthosaurus right out of the box, none of them would stand. In fact, they can't even do tripod, all they do is nose diving all day. It's a shame since they actually have pretty good sculpt.

So I wanted to make some sort of base for them. Not having the artistic skills of fellow DTF members, I have to find an easy fix.
A quick google search for glue, and I found this product called "Sugru". It is a moldable glue that feels like Play-Doh when first opened, you can shape it just like you do with Play-Doh and joint various parts together, after that you let it dry. It will turn into rubber after a day. Here are some pictures showing how I added some plastic piece to make base for Battat T-Rex & Acro.

They come in these packages that looks vaguely familiar ;-)
No idea why the packing says 5 great projects when it comes with 8 packs and 4 different colors...


A base from a broken Collecta dinosaur(I broke it) and a loose piece stolen from my daughter's toy box


Glued the plastic toy piece to T-Rex's feet, using pencil to add texture


Let them dry...


A rehabilitated Tyrannosaurus searching for food after regaining his walk


Acrocanthosaurus enjoying the view atop a small boulder

[Lanthanotus]

Nice solution and up cycling of those broken parts

...but a question - since I do not own these figures - are their legs thick and strong enough to withstand the weigt of the figure indefinetly? or will they still nose dive? I know my Safari T. rex (heavier, but also from a sturdier plastic I think) gives way to its weight over time...

[ruochuan]

The materials of these two Battat dinosaurs are soft PVC, similiar in softness to some of the Collecta figures like Therizinosaurus. And the legs are not particularly beefy like Papo T-Rex or Collecta Deluxe.

I have not had these two figures for long to know how they will bend over time. But for right now, the two of them are stable enough that they should withstand some degrees of bending while remain upright. Time will tell.

[Shonisaurus]

In my case I had problems with the Battat tyrannosaurus last version (the one shown in the photo), did not stand up. I left it for a lost case and placed it on my shelves and what is my surprise that after a few months this figure stands correctly, which has filled me with great satisfaction and joy. Fortunately, in my case, I did not have to put bases on Battat's tyrannosaurus because it holds perfectly. In my case it may be that the initial plastic was dried and that the figure thus stabilized.

Regarding the acrocanthosaurus of Battat modern version I do not have any problems in terms of its stability on all fours. Unfortunately another thing happens with the utahraptor and the acrocanthosaurus (first version of Battat) that are not able to hold correctly, in fact the utahraptor has to be supported on the wall to avoid falls. It's like an invalid dinosaur with no chance to hold on, I'll have to use a hair dryer or use cold water / hot water baths to stabilize my legs.

[acro-man]

Yeah, time is the problem.

PVC will bend over time if the force is not balanced.

My experience told me the bend takes place where it's the thinnest - the knees and ankles.
Simply sticking the feet to the ground doesn't change the gravity imposed on these weak spots.
So the ultimate remedy would be either give it a extra support (as simple as putting a toothpick against the chest), or harden its legs (bone surgery, insert metal rod)

I still wish you the best luck.
It's a new field few ever tread on, and may hopefully solve stability issue once and for all.

[Shonisaurus]

I believe that a PVC figure usually deteriorates or bends due to the environment if it is wet or dry. In my case, my collections are in very poorly lit rooms. Almost no sunlight passes. In my case I think it is a cause that my theropod figures (in their vast majority) do not tend to deteriorate with the passage of time.

Sunlight, dust or moisture I understand that do much damage to the stability of theropod figures in general terms. Honestly in my case I review with a certain regularity the dinosaurs and prehistoric animals one by one. But I understand that what I mention is extremely relative. For example the Battan tyrannosaurus last version of PVC did not stand up, that is, it was not stable when I bought it from urzeitshop.de but what is my astonishment that with the passing of months the figure became stable by itself. I do not know what happened with respect to that figure.

On the other hand the utahraptor of Battat is not stable for example or the gallimimus of JP plastic version from the first day does not stand up (in this case it was manufacturing error) when I bought it when I was finishing my university studies in a store of comics.