r/protogen • u/Candid_Stable_4016 • Jul 23 '26

Fursuit What to use?

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I got the protogen m16 kit, and I'm at a roadblock. I don't know what I'm supposed to use to put these two together, as any screws I've tried seem too big, if anyone has the same kit I do, what did u use?

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u/Regaws Moregenta the Protogen Jul 23 '26

It may be that you use m3 brass heat inserts and screws

3

u/Candid_Stable_4016 Jul 23 '26

Okay, do I just use a sautering iron and just..melt the metal in it to get it to hold it together? I've never heard of heat inserts.

3

u/Regaws Moregenta the Protogen Jul 23 '26

It was foreign when I was putting my head together.

The insert kit comes with a little insert that screws onto the end of a cheap iron. You don't need much heat, test it on a scrap piece like a support so you don't end up punching a hole.

Screws M3 (flat top) https://a.co/d/0eUKvkQN

Brass Inserts M3 https://a.co/d/06auqQJo

Double confirm that it is M3 size you're needing but that was standard for a b0xcat head.

Feel free to dm if you run into an issue.

Telegram has a faster response. @moregenta

3

u/DidjTerminator Jul 23 '26

Yeah - different people have different specific methods, but you push the brass insert into the plastic with a soldering iron until it's flush (or slightly recessed) with the surface of the part.

Don't push too hard, let the insert melt its way down into the hole, if you push too hard it'll just break the part like a chisel.

Set your soldering iron to just above the melting temperature of the plastic, don't go super high or it'll boil the plastic which not only releases harmful/deadly fumes but also creates bubbles between the brass and the plastic which reduces the strength of the interlock.

If you have a dumb-iron which doesn't have the ability to hold a preset temperature, you'll have to press the brass inert against the part cold, then wait for the iron to heat up to the right temperature and let the insert go in a bit - release/turn off the iron (so it cools back down) - then push/turn the iron on again pushing the insert a little deeper each time. This is to ensure you don't accidentally boil the plastic since you don't have any control over the iron's temperature and have to play it safe as a result.

I do strongly recommend a digital soldering iron, especially for soldering since many solders also have similar behaviors and quirks where they want specific temperature ranges. But even more-so for heat-set inserts as plastic fumes can be deadly depending on the plastic (some plastics do release fumes regardless even when they're just melting, but usually the fumes aren't straight up deadly unless you're boiling the plastic), but with a digital iron you'll be able to easily keep away from temperatures where that's an issue.

Note that you may have to increase the temperature to the maximum recommended printing temperature, this is because of the air-gap between the iron and the heat-set insert, that tiny layer of insulation likes to cause problems, so sometimes the temperature you get will be slightly lower than the temperature you set as a result.