If I wanted to melt Lego....

Jasen

Let me build the scene before a posse forms and hunts me like a witch!....

So.... I'm making a Lego Stop Motion short film (20mins or so).
If you're not sitting down you may want to around now (this also serves as a few more seconds I have to get away....)

I have a script and it involves a "handicapped" Lego Minifig. Now it has taken alot of months of deliberation and MOC trials.

I then realised I have about 20 or so minifigs (circa 78-86) which are in a pretty bad way.
So to make my "handicapped" minifig more realistic I thought about melting his legs. Now to just apply a lighter would result in "blackness" and I want to avoid that (and trialling real people that walk past my house....)

Long discussion cut short ....
Is there a way to melt Lego legs without discolouring them but still disfiguring them? I'll probably do it with the torso attached so they still fit but if anyone has any ideas (or if they have also 'done the deed' I'd like to know to save on trial and error of alot of innocent (yet retired) minifigs.

If you could please refrain from forming a Lynch Mob that would be great too :)

collect_that

Too late there's a mob forming.....

Have you tried a soldering iron, but not on full power, you could then try and shape your plastic? Apart from that I don't even want to think about it. :(

GothamConstructionCo

before we all light our touches and track you down maybe you could put into context your vision or what you are aiming to achieve.

Odindusk

::coms chatter::

THIS IS BRAVO TEAM. TARGET ACQUIRED.

PROCEED.

Redbullgivesuwind

Well I think the lego melts at about 80c so anything that hits that would work but you will want to gradually reach that as if you hit it at 80 or above it will melt quickly and you will just have a puddle.

However at the same time I dont know anyone with melted legs. If you are going to put the legs at funny angles then you are only going to melt a small section which will allow you to gently flex the leg into position.But for a disabled character melted legs will either a look silly or just be offensive imo. You could just remove the legs.

andhe

What do you mean? For a figure in a wheelchair? I think you'd be better of moc-ing some legs and a wheelchair. Something like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaypercent/7067472915/in/photostream

davee123

Melting of LEGO bricks for injection molding is done at about 232C (450F)-- but you don't need to make it that hot for the ABS to melt. Boiling water will usually start to warp the plastic-- it just gets pretty hot to manipulate with your hands. Might want to try bending it with tongs or something else while under boiling (or nearly boiling) water.

DaveE

Jasen

Who knew it would be so hard to type into an iPhone and run at the same time - but here I am!

@collect_that @GothamConstructionCo @Odindusk I forgot to mention I need to film it happening as well, so the damage needs to also be 'photogenic' ....

@Redbullgivesuwind I believe you have the answer and to the others mentioned.... "Redbullgivesuwind" has obviously done it.... get him! haha :D

@andhe do you have the spex of that? The wheels look wierd....

@davee123 thanks that also helps :D

Redbullgivesuwind

Lol I would never hurt them. Its a well known fact they come alive at night and kill those who mutliate them.

Sherlockbones

What about instead of burning them, crush the legs? The legs look smashed, if you still want to burn them, maybe hang them over a fire and pul them out every few seconds

Redbullgivesuwind

^The legs are more likely to shatter if you crush them so you will end up with just a few shards so wont look as good.

mr_benn

You could potentially yank one of the legs off, then fashion something out of plasticine (other modelling clays are available) and stick it on as a substitute leg that you can then mutilate as you like...

Ernst

Maybe a suggestion is a hairdryer or paintburner ? And no, I never tried it before.

akunthita

LOL! Scary thread! Acetone (nail-polish remover) works really well to melt LEGO. It is also slow enough that you can film it in stages, and it won't burn the plastic like fire would. Also, I think a soldering iron is a good idea. I use it for removing LEGO keychains, and and it is definitely hot enough to melt the plastic, but won't turn it black. You can use it in a very controlled way and only cost a couple of $$$. Now that I think it thru, I would definitely go with that one. :)

Renny

The sad part is that while you are melting the Lego's poor legs he will continue to look upon you with a smile :(

Jasen

@akunthita hmm acetone, I never thought of that.

@mr_benn that's not a bad idea either :D

@Renny no he won't be looking at me .... I'll pull his head off first :D m'w'hahahahaha!

cavegod

Hot water will do it, you could boil his legs!

bobabricks

I'm actually going to try out melting some black bricks and using instant mold to make a black crow bar because I need one and sharpie/paint won't do the trick :P I'm crossing my fingers but I think the molten Lego will melt through my instant mold XD

DoubleD

Be careful with acetone cause it will it a lot of stuff up, my girlfriend ruin our kitchen table with it.

SirBen

You could try a heat gun (like a hairdryer, but from the hardware store).

A quick Google search indicates that ABS melts around 105C/221F whereas PCV melts around 160C. Last month I was able to melt and shape a piece of PVC using a heat gun with the heat applied for 10-15 minutes. I would expect that a heat gun similarly applied to LEGO would provide similar results in a quicker fashion.

Edit: And what a way to bring back an old thread. I really should have read the posting dates before adding a comment.

StuckTogether

Methyl Ethyl Ketone will dissolve it slower than acetone

Troybin

It scares me so many of you know exactly how to 'melt' things...

piratemania7

I bet Walter White knows the perfect way...

Yellowcastle

I'll call Pollos Hermanos.

Legoboy

I'd do it the obvious way.

pastelnerd

I have a pair of melted legs from when I was a kid. I can't remember how they got that way though.

KiwiLegoMeister

Personally I'd use my solar death ray. Take one old front screen from a rear projection tv, and focus the sun through it (look it up on you-tube). I've managed to melt glass, which takes about 1450C, so plastic should be child's play.
Having said that, I only tend to melt imposter brands when they come my way. Same effect, but no loss of Lego-life.
Have fun!

piratemania7

KiwiLegoMeister said:

Personally I'd use my solar death ray. Take one old front screen from a rear projection tv, and focus the sun through it (look it up on you-tube). I've managed to melt glass, which takes about 1450C, so plastic should be child's play.
Having said that, I only tend to melt imposter brands when they come my way. Same effect, but no loss of Lego-life.
Have fun!

I don't even want to know why you know this...

cody6268

Just don't.

rancorbait

Noooo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GgNupKR4cc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

indigobox

Interesting how his legs just wobbled.
The last one you could say he's burning up

chuckp

^^ As Ben Kenobi would say, "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened. "

KiwiLegoMeister

piratemania7 said:

I don't even want to know why you know this...

Take a pile of imposter brands; create an average creation - towers are best - then focus 1000C solar heat on it and watch a nuclear melt-down!
Mwah-ha-ha!!!!!!

bobabricks

@rancorbait the worst thing is that they are all classic figs in like mint condition D:

bobabricks

KiwiLegoMeister said:

Take a pile of imposter brands; create an average creation - towers are best - then focus 1000C solar heat on it and watch a nuclear melt-down!
Mwah-ha-ha!!!!!!

Um... I think that's a bit far, but uh, whatever you're into I guess XD

bobabricks

StuckTogether said:

Methyl Ethyl Ketone will dissolve it slower than acetone

Is that a better way to get mold-able ABS or a better way to torture Lego?

CCC

bobabricks said:

StuckTogether said:

Methyl Ethyl Ketone will dissolve it slower than acetone

Is that a better way to get mold-able ABS or a better way to torture Lego?

Not really, the best way is to add solvent literally drop by drop, and leave it for a while between additions. You want minimal solvent in there for when you cast a part, otherwise you get significant shrinkage when the solvent evaporates from your molding.

bobabricks

And will the solvent keep the ABS cool enough for instant mold or willI have to find another method of molding?

CCC

I'm not sure what you mean by instant mold. It certainly doesn't set instantly like this. It only sets once all the solvent has evaporated, which can take days. And even then, it will still shrink a little once you take it out of a mold. I have some parts that I molded probably a year ago, and they are still soft compared to regular lego. If you really want to DIY mold with recycled ABS, melting it (application of temperature and no solvent) gives way better quality than dissolving it (using solvent). But it's still poor quality compared to lego parts (at least what I get with my skills).

bobabricks

hmm I wish I knew the knowledge of brickarms, brickforge etc. :P

I just want a black crowbar! Lego only has them in red and gold, such odd colors :P

CCC

Those dye easily to black in RIT dye. Black is by far the easiest colour to do and get right!

Brickforge also sell them in more normal metallic colours, steel and silver.