Why do limbs break so easily?

[Phovos]

Most of my pieces are broken now. I think it's because of the hot, humid, dusty weather here, but I am certain that pieces from 2006 and later break more than before then. My Tahnok-Kal celebrates his 11th birthday this August and a lot of his parts have had to be replaced, but the same applies to my Tahu Stars, which I can no longer even build because all but one of his limbs snapped, one of his hands snapped and his head snapped. The only remaining pieces I have are his body, mask, sword and feet.

[Removed297]

Most of my pieces are broken now. I think it's because of the hot, humid, dusty weather here, but I am certain that pieces from 2006 and later break more than before then. My Tahnok-Kal celebrates his 11th birthday this August and a lot of his parts have had to be replaced, but the same applies to my Tahu Stars, which I can no longer even build because all but one of his limbs snapped, one of his hands snapped and his head snapped. The only remaining pieces I have are his body, mask, sword and feet.

 

This is why my Tahu star holds the honoured position of the always-assembled; being such an iconic figure, and one of the last BIONICLE toys ever released, I decided to keep him together for fear of broken limbs.

[Tattorack]

Pre-2006 are made of a kind of more oily plastic.

I have the sense that the older parts are softer or more "pasty" somehow in my fingers.

The newer Bionicle parts felt "dead", they are very unmoving and quite brittle. "Stronger" parts is complete nonsense, they're thinner at the parts where the ball goes in.

[Lyichir]

Pre-2006 are made of a kind of more oily plastic.

I have the sense that the older parts are softer or more "pasty" somehow in my fingers.

The newer Bionicle parts felt "dead", they are very unmoving and quite brittle. "Stronger" parts is complete nonsense, they're thinner at the parts where the ball goes in.

The plastic formulation never changed in the way you described or to the degree you described.

[Kaleidoscope Tekulo]

I ended up sacrificing Matoro

 

My Matoro beat me to it... =P

 

But, yes, I have had many issues with sets from 06 onwards where their limbs would break. Some of them even broke when I first put the set together. My Tahu Star's set had both ends of the socket for his leg broken so I can't even put him completely back together. It was too late at the time it happened to order a replacement piece, so now he is forever hopping along to save the day.

 

Even so, I have never had this problem with slizers or from any sets between 01 through 05.

[Kopekemaster]

I noticed it more once they switched over to the smoothed-over concave parts, instead of the ones with visible grooves.

Meaning, a change from this style:

 

To this style:

[Tattorack]

 

Pre-2006 are made of a kind of more oily plastic.

I have the sense that the older parts are softer or more "pasty" somehow in my fingers.

The newer Bionicle parts felt "dead", they are very unmoving and quite brittle. "Stronger" parts is complete nonsense, they're thinner at the parts where the ball goes in.

The plastic formulation never changed in the way you described or to the degree you described.

 

Not true, both plastics burn differantly.

(Tested with a candle and a part that broke off a black newer piece, and one older part that had a pretty solid impact during an accident).

 

I noticed it more once they switched over to the smoothed-over concave parts, instead of the ones with visible grooves.

Meaning, a change from this style:

 

To this style:

And it was a change for the worse.

I really do not understand how the new piece can be considered more reenforced...

[Lyichir]

 

 

Pre-2006 are made of a kind of more oily plastic.

I have the sense that the older parts are softer or more "pasty" somehow in my fingers.

The newer Bionicle parts felt "dead", they are very unmoving and quite brittle. "Stronger" parts is complete nonsense, they're thinner at the parts where the ball goes in.

The plastic formulation never changed in the way you described or to the degree you described.

 

Not true, both plastics burn differantly.

(Tested with a candle and a part that broke off a black newer piece, and one older part that had a pretty solid impact during an accident).

 

I noticed it more once they switched over to the smoothed-over concave parts, instead of the ones with visible grooves.

Meaning, a change from this style:

 

To this style:

And it was a change for the worse.

I really do not understand how the new piece can be considered more reenforced...

 

If you have pictures of your "flame test" I'd be interested in seeing them. The only change in plastic formulation over the course of Bionicle's run was the shift from pre-dyed plastic granulate to uncolored plastic granulate with dye added during production. That shouldn't have changed the way the parts burned, so assuming you're actually comparing two ABS parts (and not, say, an ABS part and a Polycarbonate part), they should have pretty much the same properties.

 

As for the second style of ball cup, it is only more reinforced in that it does not flex as much due to the lack of slots on the side. This is by most accounts a bad thing, since while it made unbroken joints slightly firmer, the slots relieved stress and the lack of them meant that the new versions tended to break more through ordinary use. The new style from Hero Factory (and the earlier style from Ben 10 limbs) also lacks slots but Lego had the good sense to significantly thicken the ends of the cup so that they would no longer crack.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Lyichir

[Tattorack]

As for the second style of ball cup, it is only more reinforced in that it does not flex as much due to the lack of slots on the side. This is by most accounts a bad thing, since while it made unbroken joints slightly firmer, the slots relieved stress and the lack of them meant that the new versions tended to break more through ordinary use. The new style from Hero Factory (and the earlier style from Ben 10 limbs) also lacks slots but Lego had the good sense to significantly thicken the ends of the cup so that they would no longer crack.

 

Here's wishing they'd done that a little sooner

[Jakura Nuva]

Yeah, me and my buddy agree that one of the best things that came from HF was their "invincible" joints

[Aanchir]

 

As for the second style of ball cup, it is only more reinforced in that it does not flex as much due to the lack of slots on the side. This is by most accounts a bad thing, since while it made unbroken joints slightly firmer, the slots relieved stress and the lack of them meant that the new versions tended to break more through ordinary use. The new style from Hero Factory (and the earlier style from Ben 10 limbs) also lacks slots but Lego had the good sense to significantly thicken the ends of the cup so that they would no longer crack.

Here's wishing they'd done that a little sooner

 

Well, you know what they say — hindsight is 20/20. I imagine part of the reason the LEGO Group held off on thickening the ends of the ball cup is that they wanted the holes on the sides of the ball cup to fit a Technic pin or axle. That's not possible with the new Hero Factory Y-joints or other parts with the current style of ball cup. Nor is it possible with the ball cups in the Ben 10 sets, which were similarly reinforced but still had flat ends like the BIONICLE and Hero Factory ball cups between 2008 and 2010.

[MrSciFiGuy]

I know your pain. This has kept me from MOCing with any of the newer parts from 2008+. Its a shame.,..

[Tattorack]

 

 

As for the second style of ball cup, it is only more reinforced in that it does not flex as much due to the lack of slots on the side. This is by most accounts a bad thing, since while it made unbroken joints slightly firmer, the slots relieved stress and the lack of them meant that the new versions tended to break more through ordinary use. The new style from Hero Factory (and the earlier style from Ben 10 limbs) also lacks slots but Lego had the good sense to significantly thicken the ends of the cup so that they would no longer crack.

Here's wishing they'd done that a little sooner

 

Well, you know what they say — hindsight is 20/20. I imagine part of the reason the LEGO Group held off on thickening the ends of the ball cup is that they wanted the holes on the sides of the ball cup to fit a Technic pin or axle. That's not possible with the new Hero Factory Y-joints or other parts with the current style of ball cup. Nor is it possible with the ball cups in the Ben 10 sets, which were similarly reinforced but still had flat ends like the BIONICLE and Hero Factory ball cups between 2008 and 2010.

 

But.. what was the problem keeping the older type sockets?? I wouldn't dare putting an axel through 2008 type parts; tried it once on a perfectly good piece and the part litteraly burst appart there!

 

I know your pain. This has kept me from MOCing with any of the newer parts from 2008+. Its a shame.,..

Those are unfortunately the majority of the socket parts I have...

[Phovos]

Can I just say, kudos to those silver Bohrok-Kal hand pieces. They're my oldest pieces yet they're also the least broken and suffered the least from loss of friction. I've found though that not only do the ball joint thingies break, but the top of the cross socket thing also has a nasty habit of snapping off. About 70% of all my hand parts have suffered from this, greatly reducing my MOC skills.

[Hitoshura]

Those 2008 parts just messed everything up.

[Pomegranate]

Can I just say, kudos to those silver Bohrok-Kal hand pieces. They're my oldest pieces yet they're also the least broken and suffered the least from loss of friction. I've found though that not only do the ball joint thingies break, but the top of the cross socket thing also has a nasty habit of snapping off. About 70% of all my hand parts have suffered from this, greatly reducing my MOC skills.

I don't know if it's just that particular silver plastic, but mine have survived as well and are still doing a great job. If it proves anything, it's that years and years down the line the Bohrok-Kal are still tough to beat

Edited April 11, 2014 by Pomegranate

[Removed297]

Can I just say, kudos to those silver Bohrok-Kal hand pieces. They're my oldest pieces yet they're also the least broken and suffered the least from loss of friction. I've found though that not only do the ball joint thingies break, but the top of the cross socket thing also has a nasty habit of snapping off. About 70% of all my hand parts have suffered from this, greatly reducing my MOC skills.

Oh, Phovos, I share this pain, the problem of the upper cross-pin holder breaking.

 

I had a fine collection of Throwbots once, and now whenever I even make a sideways glance at my beautiful teal and purple socket pieces, the tops crack down the middle, lose all ability to hold a technic pin firmly, and eventually snap off completely. What's worse, I fear every socket of mine, old, 2008, and HF, will suffer the same fate, since LEGO has never (to my knowledge) changed the shape of that upper portion.

Edited April 11, 2014 by The Kumquat Alchemist

[Tattorack]

 

Can I just say, kudos to those silver Bohrok-Kal hand pieces. They're my oldest pieces yet they're also the least broken and suffered the least from loss of friction. I've found though that not only do the ball joint thingies break, but the top of the cross socket thing also has a nasty habit of snapping off. About 70% of all my hand parts have suffered from this, greatly reducing my MOC skills.

I don't know if it's just that particular silver plastic, but mine have survived as well and are still doing a great job. If it proves anything, it's that years and years down the line the Bohrok-Kal are still tough to beat

 

I got blacl, white, dark green, and blue parts from 2002 and 2003 that work as stiff as ever and don't have a scratch on them ^^

[fasggbfrfesv]

I've found the new hand parts from the glatorian tend to crack, did anyone else find that?

[Lyichir]

I've found the new hand parts from the glatorian tend to crack, did anyone else find that?

They have the same fragile joints as the other 2008 parts with ball cups, so yes, they would break about as often.

[Kopekemaster]

 

Can I just say, kudos to those silver Bohrok-Kal hand pieces. They're my oldest pieces yet they're also the least broken and suffered the least from loss of friction. I've found though that not only do the ball joint thingies break, but the top of the cross socket thing also has a nasty habit of snapping off. About 70% of all my hand parts have suffered from this, greatly reducing my MOC skills.

I don't know if it's just that particular silver plastic, but mine have survived as well and are still doing a great job. If it proves anything, it's that years and years down the line the Bohrok-Kal are still tough to beat

 

Hmm. For me, several of them have broken.

Weird.

 

But I've also noticed that some brown hand pieces (from 2006 maybe?) break easily.

[Phovos]

Oh, Phovos, I share this pain, the problem of the upper cross-pin holder breaking.

 

I had a fine collection of Throwbots once, and now whenever I even make a sideways glance at my beautiful teal and purple socket pieces, the tops crack down the middle, lose all ability to hold a technic pin firmly, and eventually snap off completely. What's worse, I fear every socket of mine, old, 2008, and HF, will suffer the same fate, since LEGO has never (to my knowledge) changed the shape of that upper portion.

To be fair, some of my Bohrok-Kal pieces have broken, but compared to other sets which I have lots of *coughToaNuvaToaMetruBarakicough*, they're far better.

 

Pretty much all my sockets though have suffered this fate. Even newer HF pieces, I've got quite a few broken ones. I am STUPIDLY careful with my parts, so it can't be negligence, I don't know what it is that makes SO MANY of my parts snap and break.

 

Oh yay, 4200th post.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Phovos

[BionicleBordeaux]

Well…at least eBay is there for you..

[Arzaki]

Well…at least eBay is there for you..

Bricklink is still better

[Aanchir]

 

Oh, Phovos, I share this pain, the problem of the upper cross-pin holder breaking.

 

I had a fine collection of Throwbots once, and now whenever I even make a sideways glance at my beautiful teal and purple socket pieces, the tops crack down the middle, lose all ability to hold a technic pin firmly, and eventually snap off completely. What's worse, I fear every socket of mine, old, 2008, and HF, will suffer the same fate, since LEGO has never (to my knowledge) changed the shape of that upper portion.

To be fair, some of my Bohrok-Kal pieces have broken, but compared to other sets which I have lots of *coughToaNuvaToaMetruBarakicough*, they're far better.

 

Pretty much all my sockets though have suffered this fate. Even newer HF pieces, I've got quite a few broken ones. I am STUPIDLY careful with my parts, so it can't be negligence, I don't know what it is that makes SO MANY of my parts snap and break.

 

Oh yay, 4200th post.

 

Yeah, some of my Bohrok-Kal feet have broken, so I don't think there's anything especially resilient about that silver plastic.

[Tahu3.0]

oh god no i remember when i had tahu from the stars line and i saw some videos showing the original tahu coming out of the canister and building himself so guess watt i broke the limbs so you can know wen the stars line came out i was 9 but thank god that directly when i made all of those cracks in the limbs i putted him in a box and stored him some little years later i got him out of the box and displayed him in my still tinny bionicle collection.

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

One of my biggest annoyances is that any socket new or old that any damage in the circle on the left means much that it's usually unable to hold any rod shaped brick or even breaks off clean if a piece is inserted.
However 2006 thigh pieces that gain small cracks in areas like the circle on the right are sometimes strong enough to build limbs with.

[Manducus]

All of the new sockets that I have are extremely fragile. One small tug or pull could ruin the whole entire socket. Talk about brittle.

[Aanchir]

All of the new sockets that I have are extremely fragile. One small tug or pull could ruin the whole entire socket. Talk about brittle.

How new are we talking? New in BIONICLE terms (2008—2010) or new in general (2011+)? I've heard occasional stories about breakage of post-2011 joints (which is usually a surprise when it happens to people), but never about consistent part failures with those joints.

[Manducus]

 

All of the new sockets that I have are extremely fragile. One small tug or pull could ruin the whole entire socket. Talk about brittle.

How new are we talking? New in BIONICLE terms (2008—2010) or new in general (2011+)? I've heard occasional stories about breakage of post-2011 joints (which is usually a surprise when it happens to people), but never about consistent part failures with those joints.

 

 

Phantoka and beyond. I have to handle those sockets with extreme caution. The fear that they'll break is always on my mind.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Kaiser Manducus

[Aanchir]

 

 

All of the new sockets that I have are extremely fragile. One small tug or pull could ruin the whole entire socket. Talk about brittle.

How new are we talking? New in BIONICLE terms (2008—2010) or new in general (2011+)? I've heard occasional stories about breakage of post-2011 joints (which is usually a surprise when it happens to people), but never about consistent part failures with those joints.

 

Phantoka and beyond. I have to handle those sockets with extreme caution. The fear that they'll break is always on my mind.

 

Same here. It didn't stop me from MOCing with those sets, of course, but you can see in the photos of my Wairuha Nuva MOC that some of my joint pieces were already considerably damaged the same year that I got them.

 

The new style of ball cup introduced in 2011 has not given me any trouble at all. It's a shame it wasn't rolled out for all ball cup pieces right away. Some parts like Shadow Matoran feet and Glatorian heads continued to use the old, fragile ball cups well into 2012 (a new version of the Shadow Matoran foot DID get introduced for 6201 Toxic Reapa, but only made it into later production runs of the set and has not appeared in any sets since). Ever since the switch, I have avoided using 2008–2010 ball cups in my MOCs almost entirely, though I did pull out some of the older 2001–2006 ones for Delwyn Buckler since the new style is not available in white.

[Phovos]

I spoke too soon. Since I last post, I've had four Bohrok-Kal feet, one Lehvak foot and most of my Metrutoran feet break.

 

I'd buy more parts from Bricklink or whatever but SHIPPING IS SO EXPENSIVE GAH.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

I know exactly what you all mean... a post 2008 limb or socket gets a small crack in the cup and becomes much more "floppy" and ugly. Sometimes, a whole side of the cup might break off if you're not careful. The only limbs I have that are actually broken are a Rahkshi Leg and one of the "dog-bone" thighs. They broke when I forgot to take them away from my bed and I stepped on them in the morning.

[LadiesMan217]

*-*

 

Right after I read this thread, I went to build Rahkshi Guurahk. It was missing a socket, so I borrowed one from my Gresh Stars. It was fine when I took the ball out of the socket, but when I put it on Guurahk it CRACKED. And I was extra careful! D: Eh, at least the socket still works.

[Tahu3.0]

i know that at least one time you had a broken a arm or a leg and you couldn't forget that theirs a crack on one piece then thanks to that cracked piece you would make a new arm or leg >

[Makuta Miras]

Well, I've found the limb pieces.... they just weren't in the Bionicle section. Huh.

WHERE ARE THEY??? I've been searching on BrickLink for ages now for the translucent gold limbs from Inika Jaller (I'm making a Toa of Light and am significantly low on white and gold parts), and I can't find them ANYWHERE!!! I've tried searching for basically everything that they could be classified as, but nope. Nothing. So now, introducing the Toa of Light with a grey torso, grey upper limbs and silver legs. But he does have white torso armour, thanks to Krika.

[Aanchir]

 

Well, I've found the limb pieces.... they just weren't in the Bionicle section. Huh.

WHERE ARE THEY??? I've been searching on BrickLink for ages now for the translucent gold limbs from Inika Jaller (I'm making a Toa of Light and am significantly low on white and gold parts), and I can't find them ANYWHERE!!! I've tried searching for basically everything that they could be classified as, but nope. Nothing. So now, introducing the Toa of Light with a grey torso, grey upper limbs and silver legs. But he does have white torso armour, thanks to Krika.

 

Could you make your post any more difficult to read? Giant, red, all-caps text isn't exactly conducive to legibility.

 

But anyway, the easiest way to find any part on Bricklink, if you know what sets it came in, is to look in the inventory for that set. Whatever you need should be listed here. Those limb parts are in the "Technic, Connector" category.

[AdaptingChaos]

 

 

Well, I've found the limb pieces.... they just weren't in the Bionicle section. Huh.

WHERE ARE THEY??? I've been searching on BrickLink for ages now for the translucent gold limbs from Inika Jaller (I'm making a Toa of Light and am significantly low on white and gold parts), and I can't find them ANYWHERE!!! I've tried searching for basically everything that they could be classified as, but nope. Nothing. So now, introducing the Toa of Light with a grey torso, grey upper limbs and silver legs. But he does have white torso armour, thanks to Krika.

 

Could you make your post any more difficult to read? Giant, red, all-caps text isn't exactly conducive to legibility.

 

But anyway, the easiest way to find any part on Bricklink, if you know what sets it came in, is to look in the inventory for that set. Whatever you need should be listed here. Those limb parts are in the "Technic, Connector" category.

 

Wait I dont think Inika Jaller even had translucent gold limbs...

[Lyichir]

 

 

 

Well, I've found the limb pieces.... they just weren't in the Bionicle section. Huh.

WHERE ARE THEY??? I've been searching on BrickLink for ages now for the translucent gold limbs from Inika Jaller (I'm making a Toa of Light and am significantly low on white and gold parts), and I can't find them ANYWHERE!!! I've tried searching for basically everything that they could be classified as, but nope. Nothing. So now, introducing the Toa of Light with a grey torso, grey upper limbs and silver legs. But he does have white torso armour, thanks to Krika.

 

Could you make your post any more difficult to read? Giant, red, all-caps text isn't exactly conducive to legibility.

 

But anyway, the easiest way to find any part on Bricklink, if you know what sets it came in, is to look in the inventory for that set. Whatever you need should be listed here. Those limb parts are in the "Technic, Connector" category.

 

Wait I dont think Inika Jaller even had translucent gold limbs...

 

I assume he meant the Trans. Bright Orange limbs.

[Makuta Miras]

 

 

Well, I've found the limb pieces.... they just weren't in the Bionicle section. Huh.

WHERE ARE THEY??? I've been searching on BrickLink for ages now for the translucent gold limbs from Inika Jaller (I'm making a Toa of Light and am significantly low on white and gold parts), and I can't find them ANYWHERE!!! I've tried searching for basically everything that they could be classified as, but nope. Nothing. So now, introducing the Toa of Light with a grey torso, grey upper limbs and silver legs. But he does have white torso armour, thanks to Krika.

 

Could you make your post any more difficult to read? Giant, red, all-caps text isn't exactly conducive to legibility.

 

But anyway, the easiest way to find any part on Bricklink, if you know what sets it came in, is to look in the inventory for that set. Whatever you need should be listed here. Those limb parts are in the "Technic, Connector" category.

 

Sorry. Also, thanks SOOOOO much!!! (By the way, I did mean the translucent orange limbs. I only thought that they were gold because of the background and the fact that in the instructions, the chestplate looks orange. Fail.) This is going to be very useful in the future. So thanks again! Now to go and buy four white limbs, four lime ones (My Mahri Hahli pieces are basically dead), a white torso, and various other stuff. Thank you!!!

[Edit] Also, none of my 06 pieces have broken. Weird. Although I do only have three 06 sets, Inika Nuparu; Hakann and Vezok. And also one of the upper arms off of my Toa Ignika has broken so badly that I literally cannot use it. About half of one side of the cup has come off. Which is so sad, especially seeing as I spent ages saving up for the set, and also because it was actually my first big set ever.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Makuta Miras