Gunpla Tutorial: Fixing older Real Grades - Joint Strengthening guide - [4K]

[@hirotheog8467]

I'm glad more people are discovering the joint fixes, I've been doing it to my mg kits with poly caps but instead I use receipt paper.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I haven't tried that method or plastic wrap, maybe I'll do a follow up video and show other methods. But I've heard receipt paper works perfectly. I appreciate you commenting with another method!

[@yesayamichaelchandra648]

​@@JoesGunplaGarage it actually works, i do use receipt paper for my loose gunpla too

[@TheMrSwampert]

People need this video. Also it’s a great point that these are model kits, not toys. But that’s a good thing, model kits can be fixed, pretty much anything can be fixed.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you so much for the kind words! I really hope this opens more builders up to RG.

[@MrGoatFish10]

As a RG Collector this is very helpful thank you very much.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you for watching!

[@nhutminh9290]

Bandai dont realized this man is literally your RG Akatsuki savior

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

You’re too kind! I’ve seen other builders completely replace the joint which would be the best fix. I might do a video when more 3rd party stuff releases for it

[@thanhvu2377]

I think u meant Saviour

[@Izolus]

Recently discovered your channel with the real grade tier list and have fast become a fan. Thanks for covering this fully in-depth, given real grade's added complexity this is definitely something I want to be as familiar with as possible :D

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Welcome aboard! I appreciate the kind words! I hope this video is able to help out your real grade endeavors!

[@AnaheimElectronicsInc.]

Thanks for sharing Joe! I personally would take the joint off, apply super glue with a tooth pick rather than applying it directly on the joint. 1. Super glue may stick the ball and socket joint overnight and cause it to snap when you twist it the wrong way, (especially on brittle KPS high grade ball joints) 2. If you take the joint off, it’s easier to apply it uniformly around the ball joint, a little dab on the toothpick will dry in 5 minutes and you can add more/sand off depending on how much you add. That being said, I’m using foodwrap over glue now, it’s transparent, thin, easy to mold, doesn't affect the plastic and cheap :P

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I’m gonna have to try that method out. I keep hearing about it (of course after I mostly had this video filmed lol). But you put some great tips in here. I appreciate it immensely!

[@nexusorigin2600]

This video gives me some confidence in getting an older Real Grade. Great job

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

That’s great! My mission was accomplished!

[@erlienfrommars]

There are many old RGs that have very good inner frames, but the armor parts can fall apart due to their poor engineering, but that's nothing a plastic glue could not rectify. For RGs that completely ditches ball joints and use hinges/swivel joints such as the AMSJ 5 (Mark II, Sinanju), 6 (Zeta), 7 (00 trio kits), 8 (Zgok), 9 (the Wing EW duos), and 10 (Astrays - the last full pre-molded inner frame design), you would be more worried about the non-moving armor panels staying together, which means just glue them shut and they'll never pop out ever again.

[@ericroca1913]

Thank you for this knowledge, it’s always good to see visuals to see what we can do to make this hobby more enjoyable.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Im glad you enjoyed it! It's really hard to get these very small details sometimes, had to film the joint disassembly on AMSJ4 five times just to get it perfectly captured in the video lol.

[@ericroca1913]

@ wow! Man hats off to the editing, I just build as a hobby and wanted to get better at painting and small detail work like that.

[@starstreak8525]

Finally the guide that i waited for a long time

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I am happy I was able to be of service!

[@gabriellejameseran3094]

Awesome tutorials, man! Keep it up! Just a quick note: high margin of error means just a small chance of messing up, while low margin of error means a high chance of messing up.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thanks for the kind words and the tip!

[@HalibutToast]

Bro's the Real Grade Guardian 💀 But fr though I'm really happy you made this video, I've always been scared of early real grades so I've been scared of buying them even though some (like the Gundam Mk-II and Unicorn) you've said are very good standalone kits. This video is probably what gets me to finally buy my beloved pig cop gundam

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I appreciate the kind words immensely, I hope this video blows up and helps turning builders onto RG's especially those older ones, I'd love to be the one that starts that shift. Which Gundam are you referring too by pig cop? haha.

[@HalibutToast]

@@JoesGunplaGarage The Titans Gundam MkII

[@littlelw319]

one thing about superglue method for anyone who worried about it might lock up the entire joint. constantly move the joint you apply the glue. at first, it'll feel very lose, but after some time the joint will start to tighten up due to the glue is cured. this is how I fix my RG 00 Raiser to be able to hold a pose with Raiser Sword effect.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

great tip!

[@espeetea]

DUDE great quality video! As someone new into the hobby and as someone who hadn’t built an RG yet, this video was extremely helpful. Instant sub

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thanks for the sub! I’m glad it was able to help!

[@somebystander9465]

When I was fairly new to the hobby I figured that some joints could be tightened with some tape (got the idea from toys loosening up) Didnt know this was a genuine technique. Love the video , learned a lot

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I've dont that too with old action figures in the past, one of my xenomorphs waist is tightened with an old starburst wrapper lol. Im glad this video was helpful!

[@Skroopy]

I usually skim a bit over gunpla videos, but the way this is presented makes it engaging! It motivates me to get my RG Destiny out of storage and fix it right up😄

[@bryanv.1354]

This video is awesome! Well put together and hope more ppl that have this issue see your video. Thanks for the help!

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you so much for the kind words! I really wanted to get this out right after my RG ranking video, a lot of builders asked for it.

[@xManzi]

And one more thing people can try is, if they have "abs juice" or putty made from tamiya cement and sprues. Now I have to go buy Sinanju and Akatsuki... Thanks 😒 In all seriousness, thank you for this video. It is so refreshing to see fixing examples for kits that are engeneering marvels with just a few flaws that are easily fixable. And at the end of it you have fantastic kit that hold poses amazingly.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you for the kind words and the additional thickening method! I kept the examples here simple so the video could help builders both advanced or new to the hobby.

[@EvAnKaiju]

I subscribed since the RG tier list and don’t regret it keep cooking

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thanks for the sub and the support! Glad you’re here.

[@nefariael4189]

My first RG was Freedom and while I had issues building its wing sections being loose, it was nothing a blue tac could not fix. While I did fear "bad" kits out of the box, this video showed me to just get them anyway as I can just fix it.

[@djjazzgaming863]

The fix I did on the shoulder of my Destiny Gundam (and others that use the same frame) was adding super glue inside the shoulder armor itself (the small white part that goes on the shoulder). I didn't do anything on the ball joint itself out of the box. Note that I bought it before pandemic. Still holds up well up to this day without much degradation on the ball joint. Great Vid by the way. :)

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Hey that’s great! Love to hear that. Idk why people hate Destiny so much, it’s really not that bad.

[@gelmig]

This was amazing, thanks so much! Exactly the kind of informative and easy to follow instructions that might help folks like me dive into the early release high grades. Keep up the great work!

[@5000KAITOSHION]

Thanks so much for this guide! I really wanted to fix my RG Red Frame astray and got really discouraged hearing about “early rg syndrome” I will be applying the lessons I learned from this!

[@xxraverxxonxtacy]

Awesome tutorials Joe, my nephew who's been in the hobby for 10+years gave me a cheap advice hack by cutting a tiny piece of tissue paper worked wonders on my MG GM Sniper II.

[@DamnedInBlack92]

Ty for uploading good quality videos related to gunpla.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I’ll always do my best to deliver the highest quality video 🫡

[@NBaeK01]

this video came at the perfect time, i just got a rg sinanju for my first rg

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

ZakuArelius has a great video on sprucing that kit up, I'll have one soon. It's not a terrible kit, just needs a little bit of TLC. I hope your build goes well!

[@paktahn]

@@JoesGunplaGarage i wouldnt listen to anything ZakuArelius posts that has to do with modifications any one who uses a wood saw to cut parts to modify is an amateur at best

[@rheomararce9278]

Yess this video really helped, been having loose joints on a few of my kits so im glad i saw this

[@ZZ0632]

Seeing the usually weak real grades being able to pull off those poses is so satisfying

[@mpgaro47]

I have an RG RX-78 1.0 and Strike incoming, they would be my first real grades that have the advanced MS joints. I was planning to keep them on the backlog for who knows how long, but after seeing this I'm excited to do something with the dspiae strengthening joint. Honestly I didn't even bother looking up the fixes because I though they were gonna involve operating the parts (i.e cutting them and replacing with hard mod). Thanks for this video, I'll make sure to share this to my friends

[@nobody-bt7mu]

Saving this video for the future!

[@edermaldito]

I did not know about Joint Guard, I usually use either matte acrilic paint, superglue or some cheap adhesive tape. JG seems to be a nice QoL thing for us with many models over some years. Seems so easy and fast that I feel like tightening my entire colection.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It’s super quick. It’s usually what I try first, then I’ll use glue if I need to strengthen the joint further.

[@DorkN3rd]

Just getting into the hobby and have only built RG 35 Wing so far. Thanks for all of the tips!

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Welcome to the hobby! RG35 is a great place to start. One of my favorites.

[@billythenarwhal1579]

Joe spittin the real facts about RG.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I am just here to spread knowledge.

[@billythenarwhal1579]

@JoesGunplaGarage I know and I appreciate that, because people talk mad bs about the RG line and with every "early" RG I put together, I get so mad that people spread so much misinformation about the line.

[@aldoalfandi7555]

Broo thank you for the information 👍👍👍 and yes agree with you all the way. Not all kits are perfect! RG zeta can be solid too if we give it more effort

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

100% Zeta is a skill check but not a bad kit at the end of the day.

[@Jascen90]

Amazing work, I will give my old RGs a try with the super glue method

[@alexport5419]

great work you're doing man

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you so much!

[@eternalmaggot7246]

Conversely, if you have parts that feel WAY too tight, you can apply WD-40 or Dish Soap to the areas and gently work it in.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Good tip!

[@BrianEchevarria-u7b]

Dude you're awesome, thanks for this tip, still haven't build my Akatsuki because of that joint

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It's quite a simple fix really! Like I said it isn't perfect but it's better than OOB. The glue method would add quite a bit more strength over the Joint guard but with JG being so quick thats typically what I use most of the time. I wanted to keep the tutorial here simple so any builder could benefit from these tips. There are ways to fully replace the joint but that takes some hard modifications to the joint itself and has a high margin of error. I hope your akatsuki build goes well!

[@xeroze01]

@@JoesGunplaGarage As someone who just rejoined the hobby a month ago with my first RG (RG Nu) with Akatsuki on the way, I would say that you had done a good job on this. Looking forward to building the Akatsuki when it arrives in February.

[@raylexsonlol]

Your extensive explaination and showcase of AMSJ 3 & 4 was very easy to understandand interesting. If you have the time could you showcase the difference between AMSJ of early RG. Or you could do tutorial for painting gunpla like your HG Hyakushiki, it look so good. Hope you channel keeps growing even more.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I'll see what I can do. That would require a lot of disassembly or repurchasing of model kits lol. But it might be worth it if it keeps helping builders get into RG. I can do a painting tutorial, however I'm not going to lie, I think a lot of my builds like that was dumb luck.

[@kevinkun]

Totally new on this line, and planning to get AEUG Mk ii soon. Thanks for sharing this vid

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thanks for watching! The AEUG MKII is actually one of the best RGs. Doesn’t require any mods or joint strengthening at all.

[@Folsomdsf2]

Don't need it, I have the titans version right next to me, it doesn't use AMSJ 1, 3, or 4. Those are the 'problem children' for the most part. Most of the kits people describe as being bad have those 3, and the ones that use 2.. they're fine but people don't like building those for other reasons. So avoid grandpa and things that use AMSJ 3 or 4, especialyl if they're a larger/heavier mecha.

[@AstreaGT]

RGs are the best bang for your buck if you enjoy building. Most of mine are just in katoki poses but this is all great to know. Added joint guard to the perpetual newtype cart lol

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

RGs are my absolute favorite! Joint guard is just so quick and easy it’s what I primarily use. Can’t beat the classic Katoki pose either.

[@darkspine133]

Loved the vid, very informative for less experienced builders. I do however always have mixed feelings about the early RGs: On the one hand it doesnt take a whole lot to fix them. But on the other hand, gunpla is marketed for being modelkits you can build without glue, etc. Something Bandai admitettly has proven they're very competent with in recent years. Which makes what they did with the Akatsuki all the weirder.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

You’re right and I totally see your point. I see gunpla as a sort of entry point into the hobby of model making as a whole. Bandais engineering has made their snap technology wonderful but sometimes these more elaborate designs would benefit from glue anyways, especially when we get these tiny tiny RGs with small parts. The Akatsuki debacle is disheartening for sure and I can only speculate. My theory is that the kit was already going to be super expensive so to keep costs down the frame was reused. If it was too expensive to develop a frame that overhead cost might’ve shifted into the consumer and made it even more expensive. I honestly think it was a bad pick for a retail RG release. I definitely think it would’ve faired better as a premium Bandai release, which I know is controversial but given its cost and sort of niche design I think it makes the most sense.

[@darkspine133]

@JoesGunplaGarage I agree wholeheartedly. It's just a shame to see such a beauty of a kit not be able to do some of the basics. Im personally pretty understanding if kits struggle a bit with holding up bigger weapons. Ironically my MG Sword Impulse struggled with that. I think the fact Bandai's been on a roll with their RGs in recent years made this mishap with the Akatsuki a bigger pain point for a lot of people.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I think their release cycle was laid out horribly this year, Looking at the runners the akatsuki is dated as 2023, so it should've released in spring to be the RG to support the SEED Freedom release, you're absolutely right Akatsuki coming after the first officially branded 2.0 RG was a mis step.

[@darkspine133]

​@@JoesGunplaGarage Huh, that's pretty clever i actually didn't catch that detail! It does make way more sense to release alongside Seed Freedom too. Bandai really shot themselves in the foot with this RG. The lack of other "exciting" kits aside from the HG Seed Freedom waves didn't help either.

[@TussalDragon344]

DSPIAE recently made their own Liquid Joint Pen, and there are other pens too, yet the main principles and applications remain effectively the same. There’s also recently a 3rd-party making metallic inner frame parts for the Akatsuki (and assuming Strike since they share the inner frame); lots of choices, including those that might not be easily obtainable! You should try the Zeta next…

[@KingGhidorah299]

In here early before my morning meeting, letsssss go! 🔥

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you for watching!!!

[@KingGhidorah299]

​@@JoesGunplaGarage always, gotta support the homies 💪

[@alienmeat1455]

Thank you so much for this! I’ve wanted to buy the Akatsuki and some of the other earlier real grades as the line has become my favorite after builds like the Sazabi, Rx-78 ver 2.0, the Eva kits, Epyon, God gundam, and wing gundam tv version. I did buy the Exia kit to try and see how it holds up and I’ve been surprised how well its holding on. Just trying to find videos for how to fix weak ms joint frames has been a nightmare and seeing this was a must watch for me.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I'm glad I was able to provide this for you! RG is my favorite line too so I'm always trying to spread the wealth and get more builders interested in it. I kept the methods for this video very simple so anyone new or old to the hobby could have an easy job working with it.

[@volatile5460]

The main reason the superglue trick works on the AMSJ parts that can’t be disassembled is that superglue doesn’t really like sticking to polypropylene, which is ne half of what AMSJs are made of. The other half is ABS.

[@jackka82]

This is god's work. Subscribed!

[@Vznable]

I think bro just revolutionize Early Rgs

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I’m just trying to wake people up to RGs hidden potential ;)

[@baratiecook]

My solution is to always buy an action base 2 for every RG kit. Its only ¥350 more. I also make modifications in case i break something while building. The nail polish to ball joints work wonders.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

That's a fair solution, a lot of these kits do look better on a stand anyways like Freedom and Strike Freedom.

[@billythenarwhal1579]

I've been buying AB 4/5s and kinda putting 2-4 kits per series on them, plus I get sweet poses.

[@dimensionsrift]

this is by far the most helpful response to my unanswered question on the RG tier list video. can't wait to do this to my RG Exia and Akatsuki when that one comes in. Also, I'm not sure if you forgot to include it in the video or didn't record it but you never showed the results of tightening up the joints on the toes. Would really like to know if that works as I have a Wing Zero EW RG in the backlog.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I'm glad this video was able to help! It does work on the toes! That destiny frame was used as an example but all the same methods where used on the completed destiny at the end. However the destiny doesnt have super articulate toes so it's really just a decent fix for RG wing zero and wing EW. I might make a second video in this series and I'll try to remember to show that off, all these frames have their different nuances.

[@dimensionsrift]

@JoesGunplaGarage glad to know it works. Again, thnx for the amazing video.

[@lelongg2588]

You can use nail top coat to apply on ball joint, that's better than super glue

[@alvarosolorzano5405]

Don’t do that, some nail top coats have acetone, which will melt the plastic if not careful

[@spencerpond4098]

My RG Strike is currently using the sword striker because its arms are holding better than the legs, and I can balance it better. The only kit currently in my backlog is the RG Justice (with p-bandai wings of light), so this is going to be super helpful.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

RG Justice is pretty good, even has a little stand on the runner for it's big backpack, examine your runners carefully a lot of builders accidentally throw it away lol.

[@spencerpond4098]

@@JoesGunplaGarage I meant to type Destiny instead of Justice. Oops. RG Justice is on my short list though, but I'm committed to keeping my backlog small after a period of having a huge backlog. Thanks for the tips.

[@GUND-Dork]

Appreciate the tips on fixing these frames. However, I might’ve gotten a bad sheet of Gunprimer joint tape. So I’ll go the super glue route.

[@Gpose16]

same method i use for my RG’s.. but i use the joint streghtening pen.. i’ve been telling others about it but they just don’t listen.. RG’s are awesome..

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I’ve been meaning to pick one of those up. Glad to hear it works well. I’ll have to order it soon.

[@myhobbyr3825]

Good job & thank bro.. i so appreciate you.

[@loricamarco1877]

Thank you man!

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you for watching!

[@loricamarco1877]

@@JoesGunplaGarage most welcome! I'm 3 regular RGs short of completion so I know this problem very well but never tried to solve it. I will build the RG Akatsuki soon so I will definitely apply your tips. Thanks again :D

[@zhiyongng1930]

As a beginning RG builder, it is always frustrating to see a kit that I took a long time building, ended up unable to stand still when fully loaded. What I understand from the video and the comment section, seems like joint strengthening simply means to reduce the gap by any adhesive or thin layer piece that you can find, regardless of their surface friction, if I understood correctly🤔

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

yeah its super frustrating to put time and attention into a project and have it be frustrating to pose and stand. The theory is to add more thickness to the ball joint so the socket holds onto it more tightly, keeping the joint tighter. I typically start with joint guard and if that doesn't do a good enough job, I'll start adding glue to the joint a little bit at a time until it's strong enough to hold the poses I want. It's not a perfect fix, some kits are extremely back heavy and strengthening the hip will only do so much, in that instance it's smart to look for other areas of weakness and stiffen them up, RG Freedom is a perfect example that could benefit from bracing the rear lean to keep the backpack from leaning backwards and taking over the kit, It can also be beneficial to raise the heel pieces a little bit to offset them from the front foot so it sort of has a natural forward lean that's barely noticeable. I'll have future RG fix videos as every kit has their own little nuances but this joint tightening method is what I start with before diagnosing other kit specific issues.

[@zhiyongng1930]

@@JoesGunplaGarage I saw in the comments people using foodwrap, adhesive tape, receipt paper, super glue, joint strengthening pen, etc. Guess I'm gonna try with what's available, either masking tape, tagging sticker, or super glue on my RG 00 Raiser. Despite knowing the quality of Gunprimer products (I have a Gunprimer polishing file, it is good), they are quite costly. I have seen people use the plastic cement solution (the one used for seamless process) to strengthen the joint, not sure if I were mistaken. Anyways, always welcome a more affordable yet easy to handle method. Looking forward for your future videos Joe!

[@malcotechnhobbies]

Greatly appreciate the approach of this video. Keeping it easy for anyone to follow. I can’t remember the assembly but these same tricks should be able to be done on the RG Setsuna suits right? They also tend to have loose hip/leg joints, at least my QANT was doing the splits from a straight build 😭 again thank you for the great video 🎉🔥

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

yes this should be transferrable to basically any loose joint for any kit, HG, RG and MG. Im glad you enjoyed the video and I hope it helps bring your 00 suits to greatness!

[@forklift8362]

Ive always been spectical about joint guard because i thought it'd peel off inside the joint so i just stuck with super glue, but i might have to give it a try now 🤔

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It does have the ability to do that if you don’t leave a strip hanging off the joint. Super glue is a better stronger method. But joint guard is much much quicker.

[@AmRegularGuy]

I usually use the hobbymio joint strengthening for any loose stuff.

[@marcjustinpascasio9955]

To see an RG Strike hold a pose almost feels like blasphemy to me. I can't wait to do this with all my RGs that has this problem.

[@haventorres6658]

Great job mate , Prost.

[@MrJacinto0512]

Fix the Sinanju, you coward. Loljk. Great vid! This channel has been a great discovery.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It shall be done soon! I have a zeta and a Sinanju in the backlog specifically for videos.

[@DellsGunplaetc.]

Bros cooking !

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

thanks for the support bro. You're the best.

[@DellsGunplaetc.]

@JoesGunplaGarage I like our dynamic here , you the bandai guy and I'm the third party guy

[@AlexLee-je5jg]

Now do this on the RG Zeta, transform it to wave rider form, then transform it back. That is the best test to see if this really works.

[@Daniel-w3g2z]

Also followed

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thank you so much for the sub!

[@nathanielangelojancamacam7584]

Interesting. I would like to see if rg sinaju is fixable 🤔

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It 100% is. Just needs some added patience.

[@ninjaguy_12]

What kind of camera are you using? The quality looks great for the video! Also learned a lot so I can fix up my RG Perfect Strike lol

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Thankfully perfect strike comes with that stand, Idk if there's anything I could do to keep that guy solid on the ground, its so backheavy! I use a Canon R5 MII for my videos, I used my 100MM macro lens for a lot of this video so I could get those fine details in good clarity. I appreciate the kind words on the video quality, that's something I always strive for.

[@ninjaguy_12]

Unfortunately for me I misplaced my stand for my perfect strike so at the moment I have it as the Sword Strike since the backpack part was included! I plan to do gunpla reviews of my own someday, I did some before but since it was recorded on a IPhone 7, it was not the best quality and felt kinda of cringe rewatching them now so I'm striving to find something that has some high quality footage just like your videos are!

[@StringKiller]

This is exactly what I wanted to see, I have been very hesitant to buy some of the older RGs but I really love the line... You mentioned you matt coated the frame as a first step, did you do it piece by a piece or fully assembled?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Fully assembled. This adds some resistance to the moving joints on the legs and arms that are harder to get with glue so it works pretty good. It doesn’t do a lot for the ball joints on the hip or the shoulder armpit area tho.

[@StringKiller]

​@@JoesGunplaGarage Thanks a lot! Do you know if it's safe to use lacquer top coats such as Mr Clear coat? I believe they are ABS

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

@ I use Mr. Hobby matte clear for a lot of my kits. I used to use krylon 1311 exclusively and have 50+ kits cleared that way. Krylon 1311 is a very hot lacquer but has a nice finish. It ate some of my decals due to a chemical reaction with the clear and the ink of the decal so I stopped using it.

[@StringKiller]

@@JoesGunplaGarage thanks!

[@73juro]

I’ve been using the joint guard fix for a long time because when I used the super glue, it just usually glue the joints stuck or crack. I never thought of glueing the joints without disassembling them, how come they don’t glue them shut? EDIT: You guys should try using facial tissues or paper napkins, they do a good job and it’s really easy to trim

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

could just be the brand of glue I use, this gorilla brand glue hasn't given me any issues, it does just enough tightening and is malleable enough that it allows the joints to articulate.

[@73juro]

@ ah I see, I used to use Krazy Glue for that, could be the reason

[@dhiofernand1906]

my God gundam still can standing on one leg and it's been around a year already. while made tons of poses u can imagine throughout that year. still solid idk why. well, only that RG tho. the others, not so much survived 😅

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

the RG god is a masterclass of RG, one of the best.

[@axess707]

Learning a new skill related to my hobby is a better use of my time than bitching about "early real grade syndrome" on the internet.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I wish I could double like a comment

[@BLS.93]

I bought the 2.0 gramps to replace my 1.0, I felt the urge to repair it befor selling it, and now I don't want to sell it anymore.......

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Gramps 1.0 is definitely fixable. It’s nice having it side by side with the 2.0 to see how far RG has come.

[@tristanagosto942]

Tbh I was happy I didn’t get the rg akatsuki seeing how bad it was but now that I see this video I regret not getting it😭😭😭

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It’ll probably be available no matter what given all its poor reviews. There’s some new joints coming out for it but this joint guard or glue method would work well in the interim.

[@Astejhael]

That was amazing, thank you for this great explanation and comparison. Do you know if Revell's Professional Contact glue (the blue and yellow needle dispenser) would work too?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I’ve always just used this gorilla brand super glue or CA glue. From what I can find CA glue should do the trick. I’m not familiar with the revell brand glue so I can’t comment on it.

[@jamavra]

What if the glue dries too much and sticks and you cant move the joints anymore withour breaking them?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I haven’t ran into that issue. The glue will dry but it’s still malleable enough that articulation isn’t an issue afterwards. I can’t comment on other glues, this gorilla glue is what I’ve used and what works for me. Curing time was cut out of this video but I’d let a joint cure for 12+ hours and no issues.

[@minhbh9811]

will the super glue hold on for a long time? i'm consider getting myself a RG Justice gundam and I'm a kind of collector that love to play around with my kits. I just curious if this trick can help it holding good enough for constantly posing or not!🤔

[@HalibutToast]

I heard that superglue isn't good for ABS plastic, or something like that. Is there any risk of the inner frames getting more brittle or breaking when you use the superglue method?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I haven't had issues yet and I've been doing these method's for years. It might be the specific glue I use, I'm sure there's chemical differences between glue brands. I can only speak from my experiences, and this gorilla glue has been solid so far.

[@erlienfrommars]

The use of Ball joint is the reason those kits suck at holding their stuff together without falling loose, the ERGS is just overgeneralizing and very misinformed (thanks to a certain popular channel who reviews gunpla with little understanding on how we should treat model kits) as pre-molded kits the Wing EW kits, the Mark II, the 00 trios, the Zgok and the Astrays all have been relatively solid due to their use of hinges instead of ball and socket joints, that being said those kits I mentioned do have issues, but it had more to do with the way their armor parts are designed rather than the structural reliability of their inner frames.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

You hit the nail on the head here. Couldn’t have said it any better.

[@StrikeNoir105E]

I wouldn't be too harsh on MechaGaikotsu as it were: it's clear from his vids that his reviews focus on the OOB experience, how a kit ranks up if it was built with no real work done on them but the bare minimum of assembly and stickers, which is in fact how the majority of Gunpla fans build their kits, and thus would be the most relevant reviews for them. Yes, we can in fact fix issues with kits with the proper tools and elbow grease, but it's ultimately up to Bandai to not make things harder for the builder than it has to be, considering that's what they themselves have been striving for the past several decades with every new iteration of model kits - it's why we've gotten stuff like the RG Gundam 2.0, and why modern High Grades have better parts separation, engineering, and articulation than Master Grades from the late 90's - early 2000's. Bandai set themselves up to be judged based off the standards they themselves have raised the bar on. No matter how much like to we claim that Gunpla are model kits and thus should be treated as model kits, Bandai also engineers and markets these kits for the children and the children at heart who want to play with all that articulation, and thus it's not exactly helpful to anyone to ignore that "play" aspect of Gunpla, and thus pointing out weaknesses when a kit fails to hold its pose after a limited amount of play is a valid concern that should be exposed.

[@HoangAnh-ye1wb]

Can you show us how to fix the problem with PC part, like the arm of IBO kits? PC part cant be strengthen normally because its soft like rubber, it will push the part out, instead of having friction like normal POM or ABS plastics

[@zangetsu27]

what im worried about using the super glue is the part getting attach permanently with no movement after that. so i used nail polish. it kinds of solve it but not as sturdy like the results u shared in this video.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I had a nail polish segment filmed for this video and didn't have good results with it sadly, so for the sake of focus I cut it out of the vid. I understand the apprehension to use super glue. Super glue isn't bad, just go super light with it, it's malleable enough that it adds strength without locking the joint in place forever. If you're light with your application and still find it too loose you can always add just a little more. If nail polish works for you then keep doing what works for you! There's no wrong methods here, just whatever works!

[@zangetsu27]

@JoesGunplaGarage agree. I do use the super glue method for my MG tallgeese body and it works way better than nail polish. Im just not confident enough to use it on the RG frame😅😁

[@Gjauthority92]

I haven't taken a look at any RG older than the Zeta yet but was interested in the RX-78-2 1.0 and Zaku's. What would you recommend doing to those frames, more or less the same tips as AMSJ3/4?

[@kage004]

sometimes i use teflon tape to tighten joints :)

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I’ll have to use that soon! I love trying new methods.

[@rafa_bra7105]

I want to super glue my rg zeta, specifically the connection between the legs and the hips, because I lost that ring used to keep the leg in place and it's about to break. Do you guys have any tips for a beginner?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I haven't built a RG zeta in 5 years, I planned on building one and doing a video on that kit separately.

[@rafa_bra7105]

@JoesGunplaGarage I'm looking forward to it

[@lofieva4639]

Fantastic video. Too many people are into something being perfect right out of the box, without putting any work in.

[@jdreiarts]

how about electrical tape? that's what I've been using in my MG and HG. just wanted to know your opinion about it.

[@MechanizedMemories]

Awesome work, what kind of glue did you use, is it cyanoacrylate -based? cuz afaik with this kind of glue, once bond the ball joint not gonna move anymore if you apply it while in the socket. Different story if you detach it first however

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

It’s CA based. I’ve always been able to articulate the kit afterwards, no issues. I let these parts cure for 12-18 hours during my examples in the video.

[@MechanizedMemories]

@@JoesGunplaGarage really?, so I guess its due to the brand. Mine cures almost instantly and it bonds very strong so you can't do anything afterwards. I used Dextone by the way

[@samwise511]

Tried these methods. The socket will only expand more after a few poses.

[@nicanorperdigonjr.6689]

I had this kind of problem on your audio, its kinda low i had to use my headset to hear what you are saying in other vids its ok, maybe your mic is to far from you or something. Btw i love your uploaded vids thank you

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

hmmmmm that's strange, I boosted the vocals significantly on this video. I'll check with different audio devices for the next upload. I appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@GMPhil]

Separate question...got any similar tips for the RG Sinanju?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I'll have a sinanju video soon, that's a whole separate can of worms to unpack haha. The short answer is to just pack runner or pla plate in the waist to keep the abdomen crunched and keep the backpack in a upward angle. It takes the ab crunch articulation out of the kit but it's a worthwhile sacrifice to have a stable Sinanju.

[@SD-vp5vo]

what if it's a rail joint in knees and elbows and not a ball joint?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Which kit specifically are you having issues with?

[@SD-vp5vo]

@@JoesGunplaGarage all early real grades have sliding rail joints

[@Daniel-w3g2z]

So super glue like that won't lock the joint? That takes some bravery to do that. Is it safe lol I want to try it but i worry about the joint locking from the glue

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

This specific brand of glue won’t, I haven’t had issues with it in the past. It cures but it doesn’t bond the plastic together so to speak. but if you’re nervous separate the joint and do it disconnected just start light and if you want it tighter add a bit more material. In small increments until you’re satisfied.

[@aimanhakim180]

Can you do 1 video on the RG sinanju, I would appreciate if you do.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

That's coming soon! I just wanted to keep this video laser focused on AMSJ3 as that's a hot ticket item right now with the Akatsuki releasing stateside soon.

[@GMPhil]

Doesn't this run the risk of snapping the joint at the peg like we frequently see with RG Unicorn shoulder joints?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I think you'll only run into that issue if you gobbed a ton of glue onto the joint itself, I havent had issue with parts breakage by overtightening a joint this way, but I start with a small dab and add more if I feel I need to.

[@GMPhil]

@@JoesGunplaGarage Excellent, thank you. I've got an Aile Striker sitting in my backlog from this year's Secret Santa, and the new Akatsuki is on pre-order. I look forward to trying these methods on those kits. I'll try to circle back and let folks know how it went.

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

one of these methods should work for both, joint guard is a little less tight than glue so if the joint guard doesnt work try glue. Aile Strike does have a bit of a loose abdomen so tightening that up would be advantageous as well. Last I checked Nick had joint guard in stock at MW ;)

[@keithlewis1739]

First 2 RG’s I bought recently (I’m new) are the freedom and chars zaku II. Any mods for the zaku skirt you recommend?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

The freedom is extremely back heavy and does a lot better on a stand. There’s some more mods you can do, but it needs a bit of work. If you put some bracing in the rear of the waist to prevent it from leaning backwards that would help a lot. The zaku should be fine out of the box but may need a bit of glue on the side skirts to keep them from popping off but that’s the only issue I’ve experienced with the Zaku.

[@MrEMeatshield]

So if applying Joint Guard on a swivel joint, I put it around the peg, and slot it back into its hole?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Yup! Be careful though it’s really really tight and requires a lot of force to get the joint back into the socket. It might be beneficial to have the joint guard only go around one side of the peg rather than both sides of the peg if that makes sense.

[@MrEMeatshield]

@@JoesGunplaGarage So I got my hands on some joint guard. Surprised how much you get from one sheet. Went and tried putting some on my RG God's upper arm swivel joint. Had a real tough time keeping the joint guard on the peg. and when I finally put the peg with it back into the hole, the joint was still loose. Apparently, the joint guard came off inside the hole. Even with it in there, the swivel's still very loose.

[@pun1293]

did you use this technic on the rg sinanju is it work great?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

RG Sinanju will be getting its own video as it has a separate set of issues and is a little more involved for a fix.

[@LucasPrimeV3]

as someone who is getting the rg zgok and the rg zaku as their first early rgs, what would you say is the best way to keep them nice and tight?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Z’gok shouldn’t be too bad. The Zaku isn’t bad either worst that happens with the Zaku is the skirt likes to pop off. A smidge of super glue on the skirt pegs to stiffen it should help. I’d just glue the side skirts on the connection point from the start tho.

[@LucasPrimeV3]

@@JoesGunplaGarage just a lil concerned because I really like the look of uma and hazards zakus

[@zoul8935]

how do you feel about the joint strengthening pen by dspiae? can it help early real grades?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I want to say it's a similar theory, people have added lacquer paint in place of glue or joint guard with similar results, so it's the same concept of just adding a bit more thickness to the joint. I haven't had the chance to get my hands on the joint strengthening pen myself so I can't comment on its efficacy. I might get one just to try it and put it into the second part of this working with RG series.

[@zoul8935]

@JoesGunplaGarage I see, i personally would love to see you test out the dspiae joint pen as it is much cheaper to get the pen here in southeast asia than buying the gunprimer joint guard. on the other hand, these tips are really helpful. i think i will try the super glue method when i build the rg sinanju later.

[@V_Blaze34]

Question… what would you use to tighten up the joints on the RG God Gundam’s arms?

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

I just pulled mine off the shelf and examined it. You have those sort of locking lugs that make it a little funky. I added some joint guard to the socket of the elbow and it tightened it up significantly. A dab of super glue on the peg would work to but do this cautiously! Don’t want to add too much.

[@kevinyeah8002]

Hay what about the middle leg and arm bend degradation the more I move those joints they just become weaker and weaker the more I move them

[@JoesGunplaGarage]

Matte clearing the frame will help with that for sure. you could add some super glue to the channels where the armor separation joints go, that would help stiffen it up. This isn't something I have done before but in theory should work no problem. Matte clearing the frame is what works for me.

[@kevinyeah8002]

@@JoesGunplaGarage thank you for the extra tips 👍👍