SWIVEL WRIST

This is the big one! All over the place in the fan world of G.I.Joe I hear many people asking why the figures do not have this feature. Everyone sees it as easy, and can't figure out why a big company like Hasbro couldn't add this.

Actually it is easy! Below you'll find step that I broke down into 3 catagories. I put the page together in the table form that I've been using to make easier to follow. So many pages out there throw images on the page as they are discussing and you get lost. This makes it easy!

At the bottom of the page is follow up notes to cover anything that wasn't covered.


Parts
Parts 1 - This image you can see the different tools I used for this project. On the right you see my set of exactos. You don't have to have a set this big. All that is needed out of it is a good knife to cut the hand off and another one that you can smooth down the area you cut. Other items are the dremel tool used to make the holes, sandpaper, and a "tree" of parts from a model kit. Any model kit will do. Also you see the figure we will use, the 2001 repaint Destro.

Parts 2 - Here you see a close up of the model kit I chose. It is from the Deathscythe Gundam kit. All that you will need is a larger round part from the "tree" and another part smaller than the first piece you chose. Notice how the main section that holds everything together is larger than the other part that hold the pieces individually.

Parts 3 - Here you see a close up of the bits I used for the Dremel tool. Listing what I used each for starting from the top:

(1) The bit to start holes. Notice how it's cone shaped. It gets a nice point and lets you make sure to get the center of where your aiming.
(2) The larger ball bit I use to insert into the wrist after a hole it drilled. This bit give you the inside "lip" that will hold the wrist joint in place.
(3) The smaller drill bit is used to make the hole in the hand.
(4) The larger drill bit is to make the hole in the wrist.
(5) The smaller ball bit I use to trim excess inner plastic to make the "lip in the wrist cleaner.

Putting it Together
Putting it Together 1 - To start the project you have to just go into it and cut off the hand. This is the hard part for people because they don't want to not be able to go back if they mess up. Once you cut off the hand though you're more than willing to go on to the next step.

Putting it Together 2 - Here's the hand cut off and ready to go. Remind you of luke Skywalker? Hehe!

Putting it Together 3 - Now we begin drilling the holes. Hold the bit on the outside of the arm so you can see how far to drill. The last thing you want to do is drill all the way to the elbow joint! You want to drill a little more than half way into the wrist. On the hand you want to drill no more than just enough to see a hole made. Why drill in the hand? This will hold the part that inserts into the hand. Smooth the inside holes and use your plastice pieces to be sure the holes are large enough. The smaller round plastic part will go in the hand, the larger round plastic will go in the arm. Both round plastic parts should be snug in fit.

Putting it Together 4 - Here you see the round plastic parts being cut off. You ask why is this out of sequence in steps? Well after you have done this once, this is the sequence you find yourself doing this. At least it was with me. Note that one is smaller than the other. Again the smaller is what goes in the hand, the larger in the wrist. We'll get to how this makes sense in step 8. Makes sure the smaller round plastic is longer than the length from the elbow over the end of the wrist.

Putting it Together 5 - You have the hole drilled in destro already, now you need to make the "lip". The lip is what will hold the hand in place without worrying that it'll pop out. It's "professional" and the way Hasbro would/should do it. You take the ball bit BY HAND and push it into the hole. DON'T TURN THE BIT UNTIL YOU GET IT ALL THE WAY IN. Once it's all the way in, take a pair of pliers or something to turn the bit BY HAND. once it starts turning easy and you feel it's spinning free, pull the bit straight out. DON'T TURN THE BIT. You then take the smaller bit and BY HAND insert it in the hole. Once in you will hold the bit and scrapeany excess plastic, blowing out the hole as you do. With the smaller bit after this, you should be able to put your finger on the end and rotate it. It should wiggle around!

Putting it Together 6 - Here you can see the hole in Destro's wrist waiting for the insertion of the hand joint. The smaller piece of plastic will make that. Take that smaller rounded piece and trim down one side to be sure it's flat and smooth. Check the hole in the hand to be sure that the plastic will fit tight, but does fit. Make sure it's in deep enough that it will hold. Once you do all this, apply some glue to the one end and push it back in the hole. MAKE SURE THAT IT'S STRAIGHT. DON'T ALLOW IT TO DRY AT AN ANGLE! You will need the flat side of the hand to meet the flat side of the wrist flush.

Putting it Together 7 - Here you find out why it's important to have the smaller plastic as long as Step 4 tells you. The glue should be dry and you can take the hand and insert the plastic that will become the joint. Trim down the end of the plastic where you can still insert your fingernail or something of that thickness.

Putting it Together 8 - Here is where the larger plastic comes in. I didn't shoot a picture of making this part because it wouldn't make sense seeing the picture. It's better to explain. The larger plastic part needs to have a hole drill through the center. This can be the difficult part. You have to be sure you are directly in the center.make sure to drill the hole at the radius that is the same of the smaller plastic. Cut the larger plastic piece 1/8" in length. Glue it on the very end of the smaller plastic piece. Let that dry then heat up a knife so you can melt the plastic further. This ensures the plastic will stay together. Melt the end of it first. This is the reason you leave a small amount of space when measuring the joint. You will now loose that excess when you melt the plastic. If your larger piece of plastic cracked while putting in place, melt the seam closed. You'll then take what you just made and sand down to make the larger part just larger than the smaller radius. You'll want to make sure it's smooth. Once you get this finished, you should be able topush the hand joint in and it'll pop in place. Don't force it. If it's too hard to push in, get the larger drill bit and BY HAND shave the hole larger. You'll then have a swivel joint for the hand and can move on to do the other hand!

Finished Figure
Destro 1 - This shot gives you a great view of how the figure can hold a gun almost anyway. Of course the main reason for having swivel wrists is to be able to hold a gun more natural. Here, the pose is just over exaggerated.

Destro 2 - Here we find Destro on a Maisto. He's able to now hold the handle bars without his elbows sticking out like he has a problem or his armpits are stinky!

Other stuff you will need to note when doing this project is if you are to attempt this on an older figures. The new repaint ones have rubber like arms. Older ones are hard plastic. To attempt this the plastic "rods" you use will need to be made of a softer material so that it has the give like the new figure's arms do. You also need to use something better to cut the hands off. I'd advise a saw bit on the Dremel. It's a harder task to accomplish on the older figures. Above everything though, the thing to remember is not to think that you can't do it. If you are afraid to attempt it, buy a figure as cheap as you can. Get a Lanard CORPS! figure. Maybe you'll mess up your first time, maybe you need to do a little something different than my steps I provided. Either way, try it and you can do it! Just remember, HAVE FUN!



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