Arm transplant techniques?

[Zilcho]

I'm not a big fan of swapping arms from torso to torso, it is dangerous but sometimes it is necessary.

Today I swapped several arms however I ended up ripping the hand through the arm, creating a small crack.

Two other arms must have been damaged and so were very loose in their new torso.

To remove arms I tend to extend the forward and then pull back, out of the socket.

Do you guys have any techniques of removing/replacing arms that always works?

Edited May 4, 2014 by Zilcho

[Flobnomdob]

I usually rotate the arm so it's facing down, then lever it upwards. I'm not sure if this is the best (Or only) technique, but I've never broken a part like that.

Sometimes I do remove the hand first, or just avoid holding onto it.

This is another conversation that would sound very strange if no-one knew we were talking about toys.

[fatmui11]

i did encounter same issue as Zilcho, anyone can help ?

[Rinzler]

I take the hand out and do it

[CMP]

I remove the hand, face the arm forward, then lever it in the opposite direction.

[Spider-Man]

I remove the hand, face the arm forward, then lever it in the opposite direction.

This is my method as well. I've never experienced any breaking parts this way, however I'm sure there is no sure fire way to guarantee the parts don't break.

[KingPixels]

I've probably removed and reattached hundreds of arms and I've never had a part crack.

[Artanis I]

Removing a hand first is safer, but like others just turn the arm forwards, and holding both parts firmly bend the arm towards the back. Should easily snap out. Getting them back in, I hold the arm by its side. Repeated removal of arms & hands can cause the parts to become loose, and the socket area can become brittle and eventually crack. I've broken maybe 3 arms over the years. Only have vintage torsos with cracks though.

I have more trouble removing legs than arms. Just every now and then a leg won't work free for some time, but I haven't yet broken a leg pin.

[AmperZand]

I usually rotate the arm back then lever it towards the front, easing it out as slowly as possible. I sometimes leave the hand in place when I do it, but never use the hand for leverage or purchase. So far, it's always worked.

[emilstorm]

I have just sat down and rearranged about 50 old minifigs that had been totally mixed around, so I have it fresh in my fingers :) for the hard ones I rotated the arm back and up, then rotating it downwards while levering it out. I took the hands out first. Putting them in is more about force than technique. For the hard ones I lay them down on a table with the whole up and just press it in really hard. If it needs a little extra I put a cloth or something soft on top and bang it in gently with something hard.

[rodiziorobs]

Sounds like arm-removal technique is pretty standard, since I also extend the arm out and then apply pressure the other way.

After cracking a hand-hole once, I started removing hands first. Soon, however, I realized I didn't need to-just make sure when you're removing the arm to press on the arm itself, not the hand; that way you won't weaken the hands by removing them unnecessarily.

[Robianco]

Rotate arm to the back of the fig and lift up is the way for me too.

Just had a custom Punisher arrive and had to fit the trench coat so I removed the arms this way and then had to pop the arms back in over the holes on the coat.

I never bother to remove the hands... it's actually easier to grip the arms with the hand acting as a little stopper!

[Microdragons]

I remove the hand, face the arm forward, then lever it in the opposite direction.

I use CallMePie's method and yours with no problems. Although when using your method I do tend to remove the hands as I have also encountered this problem.