Hot Toys DX Bespin Luke Skywalker

[cbulas1]

Thanks for everyone's responses here. EVILFACE in the old SS 1:6 Bespin Luke thread made it seem like a very easy process- that I could just remove the old head and pop on the new one (https://www.sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26552&p=8711975&viewfull=1#post8711975), so now I'm wondering who's right about how easy/doable this head swap would be...

Your pictures, jedijim3002, would be greatly appreciated!

 

[cbulas1]

Just in case anyone is curious about putting a DX07 head sculpt on the body of an old Sideshow Heroes of the Rebellion figure, here is my experience with swapping the heads last night. I am only posting this wall of text because I am VERY happy with how the final product turned out (especially for only ~$110 total), and wanted to help someone if they were interested in creating an awesome custom like mine at a great price. I'll share pics of my finished figure after I add some red paint/blood (hopefully) this weekend.

I was able to pull the head (and it's attached neck) off of the old SS figure, but with it came a rounded/swivel neck piece that the head sculpt/neck was very firmly connected to. The head sculpt/neck and rounded/swivel neck piece was pretty difficult to pull off from the body, but not too bad after heating the area with a blow dryer. Unfortunately, the battle damaged DX07 head was not secure at all in the neck area of the body that was left, so I thought I would need to remove the rounded/swivel neck piece from the old SS figure's head sculpt/neck, attach it to the DX07 head, and then put those two pieces back on the body. However, removing the rounded/swivel neck piece from the old SS figure's head sculpt/neck was VERY difficult. I was finally able to pry them apart with a large flat head screwdriver after heating the head for several minutes, but it was quite the challenge and my hands are sore today from the effort it took.

Next, I was then disappointed to see that the DX07 head sculpt would only fit over the very top portion of the rounded/swivel neck piece (not nearly low enough on the piece to look right on the body). There was no way the DX07 sculpt would completely fit over the entire rounded/swivel neck piece like the old SS figure did without removing the rubbery ring around the inside of the DX07 head sculpt. However, that would've created TOO LARGE of an opening in the DX07 head sculpt for it to fit snugly onto the rounded/swivel neck piece. Also, even if I WAS able to satisfactorily connect the DX07 head sculpt to the rounded/swivel head piece, I saw no way for it to be tightly reconnected to the body like it was before I pulled the old SS head sculpt/neck from the body- there was now a post sticking out through the body's neck hole with a spring wrapped around it, which clearly sprang up and into my way when I pulled the old SS figure's head sculpt/neck from the body.

Because of this, I simply pressed some Blu-Tack into the neck hole of the body and set the DX07 on top to hold it in place, meaning there was no purpose to me removing the rounded/swivel neck piece from the old SS figure's head sculpt/neck (which, unfortunately, was by the far the most difficult part of the process!). Blu-Tack is obviously not the most secure way to hold the DX07 head sculpt in place, but I think the figure as a whole turned out great despite this, especially after I added some weathering and damage effects to the outfit.

 

[jedijim3002]

Great job. How is the head articulated? Does it swivel or move back and forth?

 

[cbulas1]

It doesn't move at all now- it's just held by the Blu-Tack in one pose wherever I want it. If I ever want to change Luke's pose, I'll have to pull the head off of the Blu-Tack, re-position the head, then push it back onto the Blu-Tack. Not ideal, but you can't tell that's what's going on when looking at the figure, and I don't plan on changing the head's position very often, if at all.

 

[jedijim3002]

Gotcha.

 

[dms54nyc]

Anyone into selling the bespin base for their luke? Not the weather mane. Hit me up.

 

[earthdog]

It doesn't move at all now- it's just held by the Blu-Tack in one pose wherever I want it. If I ever want to change Luke's pose, I'll have to pull the head off of the Blu-Tack, re-position the head, then push it back onto the Blu-Tack. Not ideal, but you can't tell that's what's going on when looking at the figure, and I don't plan on changing the head's position very often, if at all.

Pics?

 

[jedibear]

Was intrigued by the mod discussion in here....would love to see some shots of your final result there, chulas1...sounds cool.

Got the HT BD Bespin Luke out of mothballs for a new shot....still feel the sme about it...it's good, but.... ...not sorry to see HT give up on the whole PERS concept...just looks a little wonky no matter what you do...

 

[SilverStar17]

Great shot, jedibear. This set is still one of my favorite figures in my collection. Like you said, the PERS is irrelevant to me also. I pretty much just put the eyes in a forward position and leave them there like any other standard sculpt. If I want the figure to look in any particular direction, I simply turn the head.

 

[cbulas1]

Here are some pics of my custom figure. I'm very happy with how it turned out! Everything is from the old SS Heroes of the Rebellion Luke except for the head sculpt, and I weathered the figure quite a bit and added a bit of blood.

 

[jedibear]

Looks good, chublas. Have you tried tugging the jacket down bit to fit the shoulders a little more? You've got the uniform looking good there. ..I like the weathering you did. Thanks for the look. ..

 

[SilverStar17]

Looks great. I would concur with jedibear though about seeing if you could tug the shoulder area of the jacket down a bit more, as it currently makes it look a bit bulky.

 

[cbulas1]

Thanks, guys! Yeah I fussed with the jacket quite a bit to try to get it to sit lower and fit the arms and shoulders better, but without much luck. This was the best I could get it to look, which I chalk up to old-school clothes on an old-school body.

 

[Timemeddler]

Thanks, guys! Yeah I fussed with the jacket quite a bit to try to get it to sit lower and fit the arms and shoulders better, but without much luck. This was the best I could get it to look, which I chalk up to old-school clothes on an old-school body.

Have you tried a good old safety pin around the back? Always works a treat!

 

[cbulas1]

Have you tried a good old safety pin around the back? Always works a treat!

No, I haven't. Thanks for the idea! I'll definitely give it a try, but I think the problem is more needing to pull the jacket down, not back.

 

[T2_1991_LD]

Does HT HK take customer requests into serious consideration? Fairly new to collecting and wondered whether anyone here has had a figure produced after placing a customer request.

I have asked them to re-release a single clean version of Bespin/ Dagobah Luke Skywalker without PERS, but with a light up saber and a newly designed belt with plastic pouches, instead of those leather ones (where the glue failed over time). Plastic pouches like the EP 4 Luke belt.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Arrgh.

I recently sold a DX07 saber (hilt and blade) on eBay and the buyer complained the neck of the saber had a small crack - I knew the one I sent was perfect but what are you going to do? I accepted the return. Today I get back a hilt I know isn't the one I sent. The blade is super loose in the hilt even when the neck of the hilt is squeezed.

The buyer sent back a hilt from the HT ANH Luke which is otherwise the same, but the neck has thinner walls to fit a blade with slightly larger diameter plug - and it's got the hairline crack he complained about.

First time in the past 10 years that someone has done a switcheroo on me and I'm not pleased.

 

[steveo]

That really sucks! I fear that this would happen, but have no idea how to protect myself.

 

[Chubs&Doggers]

Arrgh.

I recently sold a DX07 saber (hilt and blade) on eBay and the buyer complained the neck of the saber had a small crack - I knew the one I sent was perfect but what are you going to do? I accepted the return. Today I get back a hilt I know isn't the one I sent. The blade is super loose in the hilt even when the neck of the hilt is squeezed.

The buyer sent back a hilt from the HT ANH Luke which is otherwise the same, but the neck has thinner walls to fit a blade with slightly larger diameter plug - and it's got the hairline crack he complained about.

First time in the past 10 years that someone has done a switcheroo on me and I'm not pleased.

That's BS. Did u take any pictures before shipping? Or have any display pictures? You should be able to file a claim with either PayPal or through eBay no?! Maybe share the buyers eBay profile so at least he can't take advantage of anyone else.

 

[dms54nyc]

Arrgh.

I recently sold a DX07 saber (hilt and blade) on eBay and the buyer complained the neck of the saber had a small crack - I knew the one I sent was perfect but what are you going to do? I accepted the return. Today I get back a hilt I know isn't the one I sent. The blade is super loose in the hilt even when the neck of the hilt is squeezed.

The buyer sent back a hilt from the HT ANH Luke which is otherwise the same, but the neck has thinner walls to fit a blade with slightly larger diameter plug - and it's got the hairline crack he complained about.

First time in the past 10 years that someone has done a switcheroo on me and I'm not pleased.

The worst is when you leave feedback to warn others, (if ebay even lets you) the buyer or seller complains to eBay and eBay then deletes the feedback you left about their scam. I have a lotta words for eBay I can't write here.