Fix a classic G.I.JOE figure (using a condom)

Last saturday I was invited by a couple of friends of mine to their home. They have an awesome collection of classic G.I.JOE action figures. Some of them were damaged because the inner rubber band that put them together was broken. Luckily, the keep the parts. Then I took one of the apparently good figures and… accidentally I broke its rubber band. Now I have in my hands the legs, hip and chest of another dead JOE.

Ashamed with my friends, they told me I didn’t need to blame myself. After all, it was a normal age damage on the classic JOEs. Maybe one day the would buy some rubber bands for the action figures. Or maybe not.

I didn’t want to leave without make amends for my fault. But what could I do? I didn’t have any rubber band, neither my Dremel or my Sonic Screwdriver. So I use it something everybody has: a condom. It worked so well my friends asked me for fixing other figures and I’m posting the instructable. It’s a simple solution and you can give a new life to your old G.I.JOEs. Even, you can reuse expired condoms.

And here I am, using condoms in near Valentine’s Day, repairing some old toys…

(by M.C. Langer)

DIY: COBRA Naval Base Playset (made with upcycled plastic waste)

Christmas. When you are a kid, toys beneath the tree are the best thing in life! But when you are a parent, you have to suffer how much “Evil Toys Megacorp” makes you expend a lot of money for only for a big piece of  “Made in China” plastic with a famous logo.

Don’t get me wrong. I like toys, I love action figures and some of their vehicles and playsets are pretty cool. But, when we talk about the heroes/villains average headquarters playsets, a lot of those are overpriced things for children who will destroy them in the worst case scenario or stop playing with them in the best. Depending of the size, an playset for action figures costs between $45 and $200 in US, and if you live in South America, the price triplicates.

(And don’t start with the classic G.I.Joe playsets, from $500 to thousands of dollars).

Do you want to know something? You can build your very own and personalized playset for much less, using upcycled plastic things and a lot of imagination. No limits for what you want to build for your favorite heroes/villains. A new mass destruction weapon for Cobra Commander? You got it! A great garage for your Cobra HISS Tank? Checked. Destro and the Baroness want a hot tub? Why not?

As example, I made a Cobra naval base playset for G.I.Joe action figures and the Cobra MANTIS vehicle. I used a big discarded tape recorder, some printer pieces and other found plastic stuff. The maritime base has a dock, Cobra Commander’s last Annihilation Ray and a defense droid I called CRAB (COBRA Rapid Attack Bot).

So… LET’S PLAY!

(G.I.JOE, COBRA and all characters, vehicles and names related, are trademarks and propierty of HASBRO)

(by M.C. Langer)