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SOOM Super Gem Lupin discussion thread

Feb 28, 2008

    1. Here's more in-depth stuff I've noticed since I got him.

      SOOM's default stringing apparently is "loose enough that the weight of his legs can pull his knee out of joint when I hold him by his torso". That's looser than my terminally floppy Volks girl, so I took him apart and restrung him. At a (much) higher tension his arms pose much better, and his legs don't swing around disturbingly. Even better, he no longer flops backwards when I try to sit him up.

      His ankle joints are VERY smooth. So smooth, they get in the way of him standing. I pose him with one leg slightly bent, and he wants to stay up, then the top weight of his body makes his ankles gives and he falls down. There just isn't enough friction. His neckjoint is also a bit less mobile than I'd like. He looks down very well, but has some issues looking up and back. I might have to remedy that with a bit of sueding and sanding.

      I got mine with ball-jointed hands, and they're rather nifty, if sometimes a bit more limited in pose than human hands simply because resin doesn't compress. I'm not sure how to remedy that with sanding without threatening the integrity of the TINYTINY pieces, so I'll let that be.

      The wrist balls of the ball-jointed hands are screw-on, but they aren't very tight. SOOM has used double-sided tape to provide the necessary tackiness for them to stay in, but it doesn't work too well once one has popped open. I used Tacky Glue to glue them on, seeing as it's removable anyway.

      His head is very easy to face-up, mostly because the definition of his facial features is such that it's almost "paint by numbers" when it comes to shading him with pastel/airbrush.

      The magnet in his head doesn't hold his faceplate too well. I've had to retrieve an escaping Lupin a couple times because when he flops and falls, it flies right off. The way I see the problem is the grooves in his neckpiece for his headplate are too loose, and giving those some "grip" with hot glue would probably improve things a lot.

      Stringing Lupin too tight may also lead to issues with his leg posing, as his legs are kept in alignment with his hip sockets by a little nub-and-divot system SOOM has moulded into him. It's ingenious, but when I strung him really tight and tried to get him to sit like a guy (slouchy, legs apart, stretched out) his legs kept wanting to pop back into the sockets and closer together. So a medium stringing tension would work - about two to three inches less string than SOOM originally gave him.

      He can sit cross-legged with his ankle on his knee. Woooot.

      There is an incredible amount of subtle veining on his body sculpt. His forearms are nice and sinewy. Very much a man, as opposed to a teenage boy.

      He's pretty well-endowed for a resin figure. So much so that sometimes when seating him I have to adjust his jeans so I can move his lower waist joint. *cough*

      - Mel
       
    2. MelWong - Thanks for the review and the tension recommendation on the Soom body. I know that I was planning on glue sueding and perhaps wiring my Spinel but I see that tightening the tension will probably be most beneficial.

      coleen at Patrice's
       
    3. You're welcome. After restringing the arms I haven't had any problems with the "donut joints" sliding out of alignment like I had previously with posing him, so I suspect string tension is a big part of why mine was flopping around like a fish out of water when I got him.

      A little glue sueding on the neck and ankle joints would probably be beneficial, too.

      - Mel
       
    4. Thanks MelWong for the notes on string tension! When I took my Spinel to a meet people said he wasn't loose, but after comparing him to my Dia, who poses like a dream, it's quite obvious he's too loose. I'll jump right onto it once the stringing tool arrives from Dollmore!
       
    5. Okay, so it's been a long time and I've modded up my Lupin, but here's my findings on hot-glue sueding.

      My Adrian now doesn't have any trouble posing or standing at medium string tension now I've hot-glue sueded all his joints. Hot glue is too blobby for his jointed hands, however, so I've simply painted the inside of the joint cups with a little gloss varnish - the stuff I use on his faceup.

      Now his hands don't keep springing "straight" any more. Adding grip to his neckjoint and faceplate grooves has also prevented the autodecapitation problems I had with him, where he'd flop over, fall and his face would fly off his head.

      Generally all the issues I've had with this body come from how smooth and silky his resin has been sanded - it's so smooth on the joints there isn't enough friction - as opposed to an engineering issue.

      - Mel
       
    6. Great review. I'm waiting for Lupin now and I was really curious about his face magnet but you covered it all in my search. Thanks!
       
    7. You're welcome.

      - Mel
       
    8. Question: Does Lupin's sculpted hair cause problems when putting on wigs? As in, does it raise the wigs high up so that they show more forehead than usual? Thanks!
       
    9. Not at all, as the sculpting is pretty much just textured onto the resin. It doesn't interfere with wig-wearing at all.

      - Mel
       
    10. Wow there really is a Lupin thread!!!! He's not so unloved after all. I just love my Lupin and think he's totally under rated.

      Soom definitely did a great job on this guy and everyone should go out there and get this boy. And I'll back up what MelWong said the resin hair is just texture in the resin I have put a little velcro on his head and his wig says on perfectly.
       
    11. I think I JUST fell in love with Lupin and I have a question to ask all you owners: If I were to get ahold of one such guy, he would be a Portuguese sailor from the late Elizabethan era. Do any of you know if he looks good in historical garb? I want him to be that perfectly dark, sultry type that makes a starched neck ruff look like a worn-in wife-beater.
       
    12. I wish I had some pictures for you WeirdReality but sadly my guy is happy in his grungy look lol. But your guy sounds AMAZING and I totally think Lupin could pull that off. I would love to know if anyone has done this too.... maybe I'll get Gavin to convert ;)
       
    13. WeirdReality: That'll have a lot to do with his faceup. With the right faceup, I definitely think he could pull that off. Lupin has that "dont-touch-me, I super dangerous" look to him. And I can see him in historical garb.
       
    14. Thanks for the help, you guys. I think Lupin would look great in no matter what he wore, really, lol. I am a little surprised I haven't seen him in anything historical on here, since he has such a romantic face, but he's pretty to look at in whatever--or whatever he isn't--wearing anyways. I guess I'll just have to buy him and spam him in his ruffles and tights myself!
       
    15. I love his lips & chin sooooo much, SOOM's male dolls are always my favorites.
       
    16. There aren't enough pics of this good-looking guy on here, IMO. I need more!
       
    17. Not quite historical garb per se, but my Adrian is dressed in a sort of steampunk Space Gothic (the prevailing visual style of Warhammer 40K, which I've based him on.)

      [​IMG]

      That's the armor, mk 1. I'm currently trying to find the free time to tool in his armor in sheet metal for a more visually appropriate look.

      Without the armor - enormous period greatcoat, leather jerkin, so on so forth.

      - Mel
       
    18. Wow. Thanks, MelWong! It really gives me an idea of how he would look. His armor is really wonderful, very realistic. Nice job on him, he's truly amazing.
       
    19. I've had Lupin nearly a year now, (he shipped the 17th of April last year) and he's a very versatile headsculpt. I've mine modded to hell and back, and have more modding work to perfect, but he does make a very good studious warrior-sage type.

      Other folks' Lupins, on the other hand, have completely different personalities depending on faceup.

      I think a Lupin togged up in period would be wonderful - I have seen a Spinel dressed in full-on rococo, right down to the periwig, and he was very striking.

      - Mel
       
    20. I don't think this was asked yet...shoot me if it was. x3

      I am going to be getting Lupin very soon, and wanted to know if his stubble is in the body blushing or in the face-up? I want to make sure I get him with the five o'clock shadow and I can't tell with the website pictures. Thanks for any help! ^^