Tony Stark Arc Reactor Question

[Sundowner]

Thanks! (nice score!)

What link was the one YOU used?

The price is up to $23. This is such a weird marketplace DIY Model Kit LED Chest USB Movie Props Light Powered Arc Reactar Men Heart | Wish

 

[xl97]

The site IS weird! LOL

I mentioned the same thing in a previous post in this thread.

If you co back and forth to items.. and to shopping cart.. you can ultimately get things down in price! I havent found a repeatable pattern yet... but back-n-forth a few times.. seems to be working! haha

 

[LTsmash1200]

Just built my Mando Mk1 arc reactor, which was delivered a few days ago (to the UK from a seller on eBay).

My version had the copper coils pre-wound - you needed to just literally slide them over black plastic inserts and then slide the whole coil onto the clear ring, bracketing each coil with the end stops. The coils are wound with the 'bridging wires' already connected so you just need to slide the loose ends through pre-drilled small holes in each end stop, secure them with a dab of glue for safety, trim the ends and then paint the moulded 'solder' connections silver. Much less effort than having to wind all the coils from wire manually!

The quality of the parts was excellent, it all fitted together really well and from what I can tell the accuracy is pretty good too.

View attachment 1021468 View attachment 1021469

Well that's way more convenient...Kind of wish (intended) I went with eBay instead of Wish. That looks really good. Oh well, I guess mine will have more of a...rustic...look.

My display came today and they at least got that right. The second reactor I ordered doesn't look like it's left China yet, so the wait continues

 

[xl97]

Sorry... LTsmash1200

Mine arrived today as well.. its legit. So I'm (for you) but for me! LOL

Looks like the same Mando kit mentioned above (pre-wound copper wire for outer 'cubes' as well the copper inner ring)

I didnt go through all the bags/components yet.. but it looks amazing (this is my first one)

My box came crushed however (if that makes you feel any better?) haha.

I just need to think of what new electronics I want to put in it...

Question.. for those that have put one together before..

how easy if it to access the electronics again after assembly? (can you at all?)


thanks!

 

[LTsmash1200]

Oh, so there's hope I may get the pre-wound copper wire from Wish still. That would be a nice bonus. I am not looking forward to wrapping it, haha.

 

[xl97]

Its a bit odd to me.. (the pre-wrapped)

and how they have the 'solder points' made in plastic. (and provide a chrome marker/paint pen?)

you can see the wire used for the 'wrap'.. coming through the 'holes' (solder points)


not sure how I feel about that visual aspect yet..

 

[wayouteast]

Its a bit odd to me.. (the pre-wrapped)

and how they have the 'solder points' made in plastic. (and provide a chrome marker/paint pen?)

you can see the wire used for the 'wrap'.. coming through the 'holes' (solder points)


not sure how I feel about that visual aspect yet..

I used little dabs of super glue to fill the holes after I'd trimmed the excess length of the wire and before silvering the 'blobs' (I used a Molotow chrome pen rather than the included pen as the finish looks better). I may have missed a few, but all in all it looks pretty good. The original prop has very 'messy' solder points by the look of the pictures earlier in the thread, so I was contemplating using a soldering iron to melt the moulded blobs and maybe add some Miliput to replicate that look, but in the end I decided I preferred the cleaner look.

Re: pricing, I've just gone back and checked the eBay listing where I got mine and the price has doubled since my purchase - £49.99 now instead of the £24.99 I paid. The prices for similar of identical items from other sellers have all risen massively too. As they all seem to be manufactured in China I suspect we're seeing the effects of the tariffs that have been imposed since my original purchase.

 

[xl97]

I'm not sure how I feel about this 'thin wire' being used.. its very hard to make 'clean'.. as you have to bend it all around to 'feed' it through the holes..

 

[matty matt]

I’ve been working on mine little by little. Some of the instructions are a little hard to understand so I went rogue a few times. I’m going for the cobbled together in a cave look so I didn’t bother wrapping the wires nicely or anything. Tried a few different things for the solder before I found something that I liked.

 

[xl97]

The new kits have the 'copper wire' pre-wound in a cube shape.. (slips right over the black 'blocks')..

but they also leave 'excess' wire after the wrap.. that is to be fed through two tiny holes on the tops of these black blocks.. (yours do not have them)

I'm not sure how I want to proceed yet..

* not sure how I feel about the gauge/thickness of the wire still
* not sure how I feel about the 'holes' on top (some good suggestions provided above on one way to handle them)
* the excess of wire comes form the pre-wound wire block.. so they have to be fed through these holes.. but the wires are at one of the corners.. not in the middle where the lines/holes should be...

** this is reference to the wires that get 'soldered'... I like what is there for the pre-wound stuff....


** your wire is also a bit more 'red'.. where is mine is more 'copper'.. I think I like the darker red..

 

[LTsmash1200]

I'm thinking I may do what benhs1898 did for his bridge wires when I get mine. That looks pretty close to the pic Drew Baker posted of the actual prop.

 

[xl97]

Hopefully you'll get the same kit then!

the ones we have been getting have a little different black plastic 'u' shape..

 

[matty matt]

We finished ours. I ended up giving it some subtle weathering. Really impressed with the kit.

 

[Lord Finesse]

Wish.com stand assembled. Very happy with it, but I’ll probably still tweak it a bit.

 

[xl97]

Stand looks good!


I think I'm going to order one as well.


As far as my AR..

I think I am going to 'reverse' the pre-wound coil/wraps.. and put the 'extra' wire side on the bottom/inside..

then I am going to use some fine/thin brass wire for the 'connector' wires.. and figure out something for the blobs/chrome.

 

[kalkamel]

I've got one coming too complete with stand, but I'm planning on painting my base silver to be screen accurate.

 

[Lord Finesse]

I got a bit of super glue residue on the "Tony" ring. Would some non acetone nail polish remover work to remove it? or would it damage the finish?

 

[xl97]

Is it truly metal?

Or a 'chrome/mirror' acrylic?

 

[Lord Finesse]

Is it truly metal?

Or a 'chrome/mirror' acrylic?

Looks like plastic, coated with some kind of silver. Can’t really tell

 

[xl97]

Probably acrylic (chrome/mirror top (finish) so it can be etched into...etc)

I'm not sure about this one, unfortunately....