112 replies to this topic

[Fugazi]

I'm sure it happened to you over and over again... taking a MOC apart, or even an official set, and getting stuck on that nasty part assembly that just won't yield to reasonable force, where there's nothing you can grab without hurting your fingers so badly, and where even the Brick Separator won't be of any help. Here are two of them of recent memory, drawn in LDD as I wouldn't want to recreate them on purpose!



The left one is pretty nasty only when using the old 1980s friction pins, which won't bother coming off even when pushed from behind with a Technic axle. No wonder they got replaced with a more user-friendly type of friction pin.

The right one is quite simple, 1x1 plate on 1x1 round plate, the Brick Separator won't work well on this kind of combination and you will definitely hurt your fingers/nails in the process!

Ok so those two are not that bad, I'm sure you've seen much worse! What are some of your dreaded unbreakable assemblies? And do you have any good tips for taking them apart?

Edited by space6901, 04 March 2010 - 04:23 PM.

[Big Cam]

Quite honestly, I don't have a problem with the technic pin you have pictured to the left.

The setup on the right is a bit more frustrating though.

[astra]

This is so recognizable! Very frustrating indeed.

This is probably the fact a lot of my 1980's friction pins have bite marks on them... A lot of times that was the only way to separate them...  

[Fugazi]

Big Cam, on Mar 4 2010, 04:54 PM, said:

Quite honestly, I don't have a problem with the technic pin you have pictured to the left.

Perhaps you are lucky enough that your friction pins are all of more recent make. Mine were incredibly hard to pull out. I don't know the exact production time frame of the aggravating pins.

astra, on Mar 4 2010, 05:00 PM, said:

This is probably the fact a lot of my 1980's friction pins have bite marks on them...

Ahah same here!  

[CP5670]

The annoying friction pins were used in the 1980s. TLG switched to the current design in 1990. There is actually a somewhat easier way to remove them, using a 1x4 antenna and a half-wide Technic liftarm, but they should still be avoided since they damage other pieces they're placed in over time.

Any two large plates placed on top of each other are also tough to remove, especially plates from the late 80s which had a much stronger grip than modern ones do.

Edited by CP5670, 04 March 2010 - 07:24 PM.

[Rick]

What about small plates (1 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2) in the middle of a (base) plate?

[LegoGalactus]

The 1x1 square and 1x1 circle can be very hard to separate more so than the technic pin. The brick separator can be useless sometimes with some pieces.

[Aanchir]

The only ones I ever have much trouble with (and it's not enough to get me too frustrated) are this and this. Usually the trick is to twist rather than pull-- that loosens it up and gives you room to slide a fingernail between the two pieces.

[Zorbas]

Rick, on Mar 4 2010, 08:41 PM, said:

What about small plates (1 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2) in the middle of a (base) plate?

This combination was the first that came into my mind. Now that's &$%#&*@(*%$#....
Especially when having a plate (not a baseplate, since you can bend it a little and have the solution) and a 1x1 or 1x2. The surface these small plates take on another plate is minimum and there is almost no chance of taking those apart without extreme frustration and a good amount of swearing.

The 1x1 plate on a 1x1 round plate is also *F word* irritating.

Frustrating Nice topic!

[Darth Legolas]

2X4 plates stuck together. To use the brick separator on the bottom, you have to somehow grab hold of the top one, and vice versa.Much easier to get a 2X4 plate off a 2X4 brick.

And any plate past 1X1 stuck on a baseplate, when you don't have a brick separator handy.

[MrTools]

1x2 plates for me, i dont have a brick separator and have to do it by hand not only is it a pain but painful on your fingers

Edited by MrTools, 04 March 2010 - 09:31 PM.

[Ricecracker]

For the one on the right, use two brick separators. Put one on top like normal, and put the studs of the second one on the bottom of the round plate. Then pull the two handles towards each other.

Rick, on Mar 4 2010, 02:41 PM, said:

What about small plates (1 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2) in the middle of a (base) plate?

Brick separators work fine there, or you could bend the baseplate slightly.

[indianajones]

Sometimes the plate problem happens to me, but not alot. One useful way to remove tiles in the middle of a baseplate without bending it, is to take a trashcan-lid/light peice and use the edge of it so you won't end up with bent creations, or hurting fingers.

[danim]

I have, with great effect started using This Peiceas the screwdriver end is even better for getting plates of than the brick seperator

[Peppermint_M]

Light Saber Blades and any part with a hole in... Do not insert the blade through the hole.
My (diety of choice) is it hard to seperate them! It took years with some parts, no idea why.

[prateek]

Peppermint_M, on Mar 4 2010, 04:31 PM, said:

Light Saber Blades and any part with a hole in... Do not insert the blade through the hole.
My (diety of choice) is it hard to seperate them! It took years with some parts, no idea why.

Yes! I hate that. I think they make them so thick so they stay in the lightsaber hilt better.

[paul_delahaye]

I've thought of something, old grey technic halfpins/half alxe with a small gear attached,

This http://www.bricklink...p;catString=134 (old light grey one without friction ridges)

with either this http://www.bricklink...p;catString=136 or this http://www.bricklink...p;catString=136

Was a real b**turd to try and disassemble on the old 8851 technic excavator http://www.1000stein...ages/8851-1.jpg

[Clone O'Patra]

The normal type cylinder with hole piece stuck completely onto a minifigure neck.

I had a Ron Weasley torso with a little gray round head for a few years, and then finally it came off.

[prateek]

Clone O'Patra, on Mar 4 2010, 06:07 PM, said:

The normal type cylinder with hole piece stuck completely onto a minifigure neck.

I had a Ron Weasley torso with a little gray round head for a few years, and then finally it came off.

That's not that hard to take off. I've done that plenty of times, and they never get stuck.

[Ricecracker]

Peppermint_M, on Mar 4 2010, 05:31 PM, said:

Light Saber Blades and any part with a hole in... Do not insert the blade through the hole.
My (diety of choice) is it hard to seperate them! It took years with some parts, no idea why.

for many of those, you twisting while you pull really helps. Half-pins stuck to the bottom of the small antennas on the other hand...

[Corvus]

CP5670, on Mar 4 2010, 11:23 AM, said:

Any two large plates placed on top of each other are also tough to remove, especially plates from the late 80s which had a much stronger grip than modern ones do.

These are terrible. Usually I have to do a great deal of prying, and then sliding a nail between the two and prying them apart. It's really bad on fingernails, though.

Rick, on Mar 4 2010, 11:41 AM, said:

What about small plates (1 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2) in the middle of a (base) plate?

Ugh. Usually I can get those off, and it's easier with a brick seperator. Unfortunately it's only readily available 10% of the time for me...

Peppermint_M, on Mar 4 2010, 02:31 PM, said:

Light Saber Blades and any part with a hole in... Do not insert the blade through the hole.
My (diety of choice) is it hard to seperate them! It took years with some parts, no idea why.

This is the absolute worst. I still have a grey lightsaber blade stuck in a tan cone piece, left over from when I took my old AAT apart, however long ago that was... I think it's pretty much permanent.

[Alex the Great]

The one on the right is quite hard to get off, especially since I don't have a brick remover. I have a round 1x1 plate get stuck inside a grill helm, I still can't get it out.

    

[ILikePi]

I personally hate the 1 x 4 antenna's grip on whatever you stick the bar in. For example, the mini V-19 Torrent:

See those two engine parts? Those are the 1 x 4 antennas. You have to push each through two 1 x 1 plates with clip lights, and it's extremely hard to take off if you leave the model built for a long period of time.  

I would recommend using a rubber jar opener (it's just a thin piece of rubber) for situations like Clone O' Patra's Ron Weasley torso one. It actually works very well!  

Mr. Mandalorian, on Mar 4 2010, 03:47 PM, said:

This is the absolute worst. I still have a grey lightsaber blade stuck in a tan cone piece, left over from when I took my old AAT apart, however long ago that was... I think it's pretty much permanent.

Why not send it to me so I can separate them for you?

[Piranha]

Ricecracker, on Mar 4 2010, 11:39 AM, said:

For the one on the right, use two brick separators. Put one on top like normal, and put the studs of the second one on the bottom of the round plate. Then pull the two handles towards each other.


Brick separators work fine there, or you could bend the baseplate slightly.

I don't seem to have problems anymore after I bought my 2nd brick separator as shown above  
The 1x1 mentioned in the first post are pretty tough, funny that if the 1x1 round was on top it is much easier than the opposite.

There are situations usually when I am taking apart a set that I encounter parts that are a pain to take apart.
But I don't remember any ones in particular.

Oh how about removing the chain from a key chain? That is hard  

[Natman8000]

This may sound wrong, but I use my teeth. Always. They work fine, even if it is sort of gross.