Modification/Customization for the DX12 Batman Figure

[hannibalcaine]

I've got the faceplate and the cowl and they're both pretty great.

 

[joda76]

Good to hear

 

[EKT]

Did you do the squint mod or just paint the eyelids? Looks fantastic!

Sorry, haven't been on SSF much, lately. Mods in that pic:
-Painted eyelids (no squint mod).
-Robbie's custom mouthpiece.
-Dx2's shoulder pads and collarbone area.
-Shoulder pads are properly layered. (As in, they're 2 piece, each).
-Old custom cape by BuddyLee.
Further mods have been done to the figure, since then.

 

[samueljd]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/290933384404?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Ordered this empty cowl
Also ordered this faceplate.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-6-Custom...2256?pt=US_Action_Figures&hash=item4174942d70

Can anybody tell me which faceplate is the best? The two mentioned above look nice. I've had my eyes on this one too, but have been waiting until there are better pics and opinions.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/221206379863?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[TheFiend]

I bought the one in the link that joda76 just posted.

 

[zhiggins1204]

Here's some comparisons on the mouth pieces.

Stock mouth:

[/URL][/IMG]

eBay mouth: Very close to Robbie's just a bit smaller and darker paint apps

[/URL][/IMG]

Robbiethepainter mouth: I was lucky enough to get my hands on this one because I had a friend willing to sell me the one he had. This one is the best in my opinion.

[/URL][/IMG]

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. Photos can't really capture true quality because its totally a different experience when you have it in hand. However, Iv'e got the squint eye mod coming up and some other mods I may decide to do. I will be sure to post high quality photos of how the figure turns out. Stay tuned.

 

[KingCharMing]

Would you guys suggest the velvet or raylon cape? Also I like the shorter capes but am I correct in saying the hero cape is shorter than the "short" cape? I'm buying one from lforigno
Thanks!

 

[zhiggins1204]

I definitely prefer the velvet cape. It can be a bit too shiny at times and I think that may have been what lforigno was trying to eleminate with the rayon cape, but none the less the velvet cape feels very nice and of high quality. With the rayon cape, I was a bit dissapointed when I saw it in person. Tony Meis also makes a cape that is very nice and it is niether velvet nor rayon. He also makes his own clip mounts so you dont have to sew the clips onto the cape like you would with the lforigno cape.

 

[The Clown Prince]

Im thinking about buying the 1989 batman boots to swap for the originals, anyone know if their compatible?

 

[iMan]

Im thinking about buying the 1989 batman boots to swap for the originals, anyone know if their compatible?

I am pretty sure they are but why? They are not accurate to the Bale suit at all.

 

[zhiggins1204]

A few observant folks here on the boards noticed that the kevlar connectors on the DX12's collar were wildly innaccurate, which is bizarre considering that past HT releases of this suit had gotten the general shape and curve of these connectors right, for the most part. Sort of. The DX12's connectors by comparison lack angular features and have too round a curve at its apex. Examples can be found below.

At least one person here chose to hotswap the DX02's shoulders and connectors onto the DX12, and it looks very nice.

For those (like me) who do not have a DX02 figure to take parts from, we had to either live with the innaccuracy on the DX12 or do something about it. It's a minor detail that I'm sure only the most compulsively detail-oriented will even notice in any given situation, but for the rest of us, it means another mod. I don't what it is about this figure that brings out my OCD.

Okay, here's a comparison between the DX12 kevlar connectors, the actual suit's connectors, and the DX02's connectors on the DX12.

You'll notice that on the actual suit and on the DX02, the connectors rise up from the chest very close the the vertical lines near the center of the area between the base of the neck and the top of the chest. They then touch the collar befor they start curving to the shoulder pads.

The DX12 is very incorrect in this regard. The DX02 had better connectors, by comparison

I've altered the kevlar connectors on mine. Maglor asked me to post about it, so I will. You may have seen the result in some photos I posted in the past week, but I went back to it recently and further modified them. What we are essentially doing is taking the connector from one side, rotating it, and then switching it with the connector on the other side.

It is a very extensive and involved mod, and the risk for damage is high. It requires a lot of cutting and regluing.

You might ask: Wouldn't it be easier to just heat them up and re-adjust? There's only so much you can do that way. Because they are so tightly connected to the shoulder pads and chest, there's not much wiggle room to adjust the connectors.

Steps:

1. Remove the chest armor (refer to Maglor's chest armor guides on the first page for this process).

2. The chest armor is comprised of two layers glued together. The kevlar connectors are glued down to the lower layer. You will need to carfully, using a flat head screwdriver or a blade, pry and peel the kevlar connectors off of the chest armor. There's very little gapping between the top layer of the chest armor and the lower layer, so this will be difficult if you don't peel the two layers apart first (not necessary, however).

3. The opposite ends of each kevlar connector is glued directly underneath the shoulder pads. That's where the complication comes in. Notice the triangle shapes embedded in each shoulder pad? Those are actually connected to each kevlar connector.

When you peel the ends of each connector from the shoulder pads, you will get this:

4. What we're essentially doing is switching a kevlar connector on one side to the other, and switching the ends that connect to each point of connection on the chest armor and on the shoulder pads. The image will illustrate more clearly:

We are turning the kevlar connector so that the end that originally went into the chest armor now goes into the shoulder pad.

5. But what about the triangle bits on the end of each connector, you ask? You cut them off. Yes, cut them off, but keep them. We will soon reglue those bits back onto the shoulder pads.

6. In the comparison pic, you'll notice that the kevlar connectors tend to get thinner as they approach the shoulder pads. We will now replicate that by cutting each of our DX12 connectors into shape.

The line indicates where I cut, in a photo above and one photo directly below:

Note that the red line indicates a general angle you MIGHT want to cut. It is not an exact placement. You will have to judge on your own using reference images of the actual suit.

7. We're approaching the final step. If peeling the connectors away from the suit the first time stripped some paint off, use some flat black acrylic paint and coat the underside of each connector. Give it time to dry. Once dried, hold the connector up to a light to see if any light peeks through.

8. Now that the kevlar connectors are reshaped, we will reglue them to the chest armor first. Get it as close to the center of the collar as possible. Like Maglor recommended, use a glue that dries slowly, allowing you time to position them as you please. Glue them down to the lower layer of the chest armor.

9. Last step requires you to reglue them to the shoulder pads. This step is pretty simple. Just refer to pics of the actual suit to guide you to where the connectors should be attached to the shoulder pads. They should go directly underneath the "tips" of each pad. You may need to shorten the ends of each connector to hide the dried glue damage underneath the shoulder pad.

With my custom capes i usually take the clips from the original cape and sew them on to the custom cape. Will this mod affect how snug the clips sit in the shoulder slots? Will they just fall out?

 

[zhiggins1204]

Anybody know where to get a belt hook for the grapnel gun like in this pic. I'm looking for one for my DX12 and I believe the belt hook came with the DX02, but I can't find it by itself anywhere.

 

[liuskusuma]

@zhiggins1204
I don't think the mod above will affect how the custom cape sit on the shoulder since the mod doesn't affect the hole for the cape.

I don't think the DX12 comes with the clip above, that picture that you posted above is QS001.

 

[samueljd]

I bought the one in the link that joda76 just posted.

Here's some comparisons on the mouth pieces.

Stock mouth:

[/URL][/IMG]

eBay mouth: Very close to Robbie's just a bit smaller and darker paint apps

[/URL][/IMG]

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. Photos can't really capture true quality because its totally a different experience when you have it in hand. However, Iv'e got the squint eye mod coming up and some other mods I may decide to do. I will be sure to post high quality photos of how the figure turns out. Stay tuned.

I'm going to go ahead and buy this one off of EBay. It looks good in your guys' pics and nobody else posted pics of the other ones, so I assume there isn't much difference in the other face plates.

 

[Yodasodabo]

Would this paint work for the pink around the eyes?

 

[Sidious-66]

I read posted on this site that you should use flat acrylic paint for the job buddy.

 

[Yodasodabo]

Soo I cut the cuffs of the gloves too short and now I gotta buy me fists. Any tips on how to get the gauntlet over the glove? I heated it up but still seems impossible

 

[irok84]

Soo I cut the cuffs of the gloves too short and now I gotta buy me fists. Any tips on how to get the gauntlet over the glove? I heated it up but still seems impossible

I just used a blow dryer to heat up the gauntlets. Then I just wedged the gloves in to them and molding them in the position I wanted them in.

You can also use hot/boiling water. Just dont over do it. Hope this helps.

 

[olbertfrog]

Need some dx12 gauntlets if anyone has a spare please pm me
Thanks

 

[Papasmoak]

Soo I cut the cuffs of the gloves too short and now I gotta buy me fists. Any tips on how to get the gauntlet over the glove? I heated it up but still seems impossible

This is a good video for mods for the DX12...Clipper did good.

Skip to 16:30 to see the gauntlets, but watch the whole thing for other mods.
[ame="https://youtu.be/ULyHHnuWkYk"]https://youtu.be/ULyHHnuWkYk[/ame]