I had an hour this morning, not really enough time to pull out the paints and get anything done. So, I decided to prep one of the other models for this project.
I have a metal Mule that I need to assemble, but that is easy. I also have a 2nd hand Merc Jack kit. One of the high school kids had the kit and assembled it using as much glue as he could. The unused weapons have a ton of glue on them too. Then the it was made into Rocinante when that upgrade kit came out.
I got the kit, knowing that the left are was broken at the elbow. I figured pinning that would be easy. It seemed to have all the other parts. Guess what, I was wrong! The left hand that goes with the Rover Cannon and Nomad Buckler is missing.
I like to save mistreated Jacks for a life in the garage. I try to restore a model to the glory it 
deserves. For some reason, the Mule’s Cannon is magnetized. I plan on magnetizing this kit.
First thing was to remove the arms. I already showed you how to do that in update 4, so I won’t repeat that. The arm connections had glue globs around them. I have to use knife & file to clean those up.
Once the arms had been removed, I needed to remove Rocinante’s armor from the right arm and repair the left one.
The armor on the right are was attached by a huge glue glob. It is pretty to see that mess. I scratch around the edge with knife and pick, but it wasn’t going to budge. The other end had a gap and I used cutters to pry in that area and to my surprise, it popped apart.
I never expected that, but some times you get lucky. Prying things apart is hard to do with plastics. It is really easy to damage the parts.
Of course the glue was still on the plastic, the 
metal parts are really clean. Another surprise.
I have started to slowly remove the glue, but I have not finished it yet. You get the idea.
Next was the broken left arm. Pretty simple. Use a prick to mark the point to be drilled. 
This make a spot for the drill to bite, so it doesn’t dance around.
Once the holes had been drilled, it was just a matter of fitting the parts together and gluing them. I have to admit, the cylinder that is the connection between the arm and shoulder is really beat up. It was that way when I got it. I may putting it a little to smooth out the rough spots. Maybe call it battle damage.
I am planning to paint the metal Mule like the Amethyst Rose Gun Mages I am doing. The plastic one will be more of a Merc Jack. 
Beat up with different color on the parts like the Nomad.
So, there is still more work to be done. I need to get a plastic left hand or find a metal arm and cut the hand off. I know the metal one sounds like more work, but it is easier that tracking down a plastic hand. Unless one of you has a spare hand?
Honestly, I didn’t do all of this in an hour. I got out of work early, so I have another hour to work on this stuff.
Rocinante’s parts are packed away with Damiano, that many steel heads is for another day. Well, I did just get the parts to fix Stannis Brocker and I traded for a beat up Steelhead Cav unit and ordered the parts to complete them too… Shrug, I just keep going…
Heck, it took almost as long to write this as it did to make the repairs.
Till next time,
Just do it…..
The Monk's Cave 