Branjita's WIP Custom Figures

I think BD SS Goku will turn out pretty cool.

FYI to any customizers, that is the Jakks body I have referred to as being the most difficult body to repaint--which is unfortunate, because it's a great sculpt and Jakks used it on a lot of figures... Goku... Gogeta... Tien... Bojack... Broly... etc. The torso is extremely tight and will remove paint from the arms, and the shoulder and elbow joints are very difficult to prevent paint loss on as well. It takes a ton of dremel/manicure tool work... like hours of it. The tolerances are just too tight, which is what has delayed this custom and my Tien customs I need to work on more, so much. The torso has to have the entire arm sockets reduced a LOT, the shoulders need the typical process I explain in the How to Get Started Customizing topic, and the forearms need that work done aggressively (because the forearms are quite swollen compared to the elbow joint), and you also have to remove the forearms from the upper arms to dremel the forearms thinner at the joint or swiveling the forearm will remove paint too. It's quite a long process, and has been a learning experience on this figure as well as the Tien that's been on my table forever. Hopefully the next time I do this, I'll know to be more aggressive, because trying to be gentle has just resulted in more work, having to redo the process over and over. You really have to remove a lot of material from the arm sockets on the torso.

Nice. So you're able to move Goku's elbows without paint removal? Or just going to not worry about it?

I think I've come to the conclusion that if I feel like they need it, I will start really implementing that knife in crack, glue, paint, glue process. I repainted a Tien in that body a couple of years ago and he looks nice, but in no way in hell would paint stay on if I moved his arms right now. I do want to start posing my customs for pictures when I finish them like you do, so I shall upgrade my efforts in that respect. Luckily, some customs didn't need it. Wheelo's paint stayed on pretty well.

Of course. That's why I'm using Irwin parts on the Yamcha I'm making , well outside his arms...and why I replaced the arms on the Tien I'm working on too, which has that same torso as your Goku. I had to carve/dremel away a lot of plastic on the peg compartments just to get the Irwin-like arms to fit and move freely. I used the arms from that weird BD Vegito figure because they're still pretty bulky for Tien.

It's the only reason to hate ball-joints lol I bet you're glad King Piccolo's arms only swivel. So can he move his arms all around now?

Yeah my point was it's at least good his shoulders aren't ball jointed, because it would be nearly impossible to maintain his muscle texture and paint job if so. That's why all of Jakks' Piccolo's shoulders look messed up.

Here's a comparison. I think the armored Goku looks best.

pearl!?

hmmm, interesting! that really is something you would have to try on your own to see the effect...I imagine it could be kind of cool - good thinking!!