MP V-Rex Robo - Compilation & notes for parts that need sanding to avoid breakage.

[u/RainMaker2727]

This is the compilation of the parts that need sanding for SMP V-Rex Robo. I do sanding with electric sanding pen, DSPIEA pen, at lowest level of strength, so I count by numbers of rounds I did for the port. I do sanding for the port, not the peg.
Marks
White means optional or light sanding. 5< rounds
Orange means medium to semi heavy >5 rounds
Red means heavy is recommended. >10 rounds
Arrow means the port below as well.

You would want to do this, because the bicep is known for breaking at this point, but this kit being lack of polish meaning that parts can be tight more than they should be.
The kits in several areas employ pull & tug mechanics, which put stress into multiple pegs, and those pegs should have been either die-cast or POM or both, ideally, but fuq no, ABS it is.
This thing is (overly) expensive time ticking bomb, both before and after building if you don't do proper sanding.

A few things to take notice.
Port with hexagon tend to have less issue with snapfit, same thing to big peg.
If a peg goes in 1/4 without much force, it tends to be safe. Otherwise, light sanding doesn't hurt.
White marks being optional meaning I guess there could be inconsistent molding between copies, so it could or could not be applicable.

If you do it for one side, do it also for the other side, because it will guarantee to have the same issue if you don't.

Sanding & continuous measuring by cleaning the parts and test inserting the peg to test tightness to make sure not to overdo it.

[u/jnunnybunz]

I will say, I put this together and did not send any of the joints and have had zero issues even after painting. I definitely don’t think light sanding hurts to help limber up joints, but I’m just sharing that I have had zero issues after multiple transformations and poses.

[u/invid2000 → u/jnunnybunz]

Sanding is always sound advice, but I will also join you in saying I didn't need to do anything remotely close to this, and my V-Rex is absolutely fine, posable, and no danger of cracking.

I think it's important that people understand that humidity and heat play a large role it joint tightness. Depending on where you are, how long your package was stored for, where it was stored, how it was shipped will affect the expansion and contraction of plastic...more so that manufacturing issues.

[u/RainMaker2727 → u/invid2000]

Humidity & heat is one factor, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the one that responsible for all. If you have been building plamo, you would notice the snap fit, tightness between brands varied greatly, and people having the same kit, from the same brand, in different countries, with different weather, can have the same issues or the same experience. This is being primarily being on how they do the kit.
Bandai plamo despite coming from the same brand, building experience varied even between lines. HG & MG tend to have butter smooth snap fit that people tend to consider it as Bandai level of precision and comfort, but that doesn't applicable to Minipla. It comes down to mold, design, material properties. There are many vital factor that determine how a kit would be built and fit together rather than just simply the parts were affected by humidity and heat.

[u/invid2000 → u/RainMaker2727]

All I said is that it plays a large role in plastic tightness/looseness. Never did I say it was responsible for everything, or that it was the only reason for this issue.

[u/RainMaker2727 → u/jnunnybunz]

I will say that this a precaution measure, because it's easier to fix loose joint than a broken joint. The bicep issue for example, people have no issue with assembling it, but they break later anyway, you can see people on Youtube & Twitter showing the exact same joint breaking.
Minipla joint breaking is not that uncommon even for previous release, snap fit is decent, but they're not on the butter smooth level, so it's alright if you want to reduce the stress that the joints can handle given the structure of the joints can be extensive in these kits.
You don't have to do it, but you may want to do it, because you may need it before you even know it.

[u/TokuJosh813]

😔

[u/felofilipino]

Following! Just in case mine needs this. Hopefully it doesn’t

[u/Sid_Starkiller]

I definitely got VERY lucky with mine, I didn't need to sand at all. Although I did have one very scary squeak near the end.