Toy Review - Superior Spider-Man’s Mechanical Arms and Wrist Communicators from Shapeways (Designer: Strangefate)

Today I will not be reviewing a figure, but a custom “upgrade” kit for the Marvel Legends Infinite Series Superior Spider-Man figure from the BAF Ultimate Green Goblin wave.  This kit includes the mechanical arms from the backpack and the wrist gadgets (communicators for the Spider-Bots?) for Superior Spider-Man aka Doc Ock Spidey.

This kit is available on Shapeways, which is a 3D printing site, and it allows designers to upload their 3D designs and allows people to order prints of the designs from the website.  This kit is designed by the designer Strangefate.  Note that I have no affiliation with the designer nor Shapeways, just trying to give credit to customisers where credit’s due.  I will provide the links to the designer, the kit and Spider-Bots at the end of the post.
Edited: I got the 6inch version of the Mechanical Arms.  The designer also has a 7inch version for slightly larger than ML scaled figures (e.g. Marvel Select).  But I think that the 7inch version should also fit ML figure but that I cannot say for sure.

I have been eyeing this kit for the longest time but the price of the shipping and item prevented me from making an impulse buy.  However, recently a bro from the Facebook group Marvel Collectors Singapore, gave a heads up on a free shipping deal, I caved in and decided this is the time I will order the kit.  I was also thinking of ordering the Spider-Bots (also designed by same designer) but I was trying to keep the package cost low to avoid tax to where I am at now.

On Shapeways you can choose to order the 3D print in various materials and colours.  For this Superior Spidey upgrade kit, the standard material is “Red Strong & Flexible Polished”.  It would be better to paint it when you receive it and fix it up, but if you choose not to, like me, this red colour plastic will look just fine.

The item took less than a week to get to me from Germany (seems like it has similar shipping times to Singapore as well) to where I am.  The item is printed in 3 separate pieces held together in sprues.

I used scissors to separate each piece from the sprues and then use a nail-clipper to cut the extra plastic to smoothen the surface.  This was a trick I learnt from some plastic modeling folks some years ago.  After cutting off the plastic you will notice that it leaves behind a white sprue nub.  It does not bother me, but if it does for you, then maybe you would like to paint over it.  After removing the pieces from the sprues you should have 23 separate pieces.

There are no instructions on how to put all of the parts together, but just by looking at the photos from the site where you order should help.  If it doesn’t then hopefully the pictures I took when laying them out will give you a better idea.

Do note that it takes quite a bit of effort to pop the ball joints in.  I find that by heating the socket portion with a hairdryer makes it slightly easier.  The hardest joints to pop in are the short ball joints to the first arm section nearest to the back.

These are the mechanical arms with the joints popped in.  I am glad to report that the joints are really snug and tight and should withstand posing.  In fact, the mechanical arms can actually carry the Superior Spidey figure just with 3 arms on the ground.  I had fun posing it around until the Blu-Tack gave up on me.

One thing I need to highlight is that the designer suggests that the backpack and the wrist communicators are to be glued in.  I have not decided whether I want this permanently on my figure yet, so for this review I have used Blu-Tack to keep it together but it does not hold too securely.  Also, the wrist communicators need to be painted silver, leaving the dome shape red.  I do not have my paints with me, so I have kept them in their red colour currently.  And since I do not have any Spider-Bots for the moment, I guess the wrist communicators aren’t that critical, right?

  

All in all, I like the kit.  I recommend it, especially if you like the Superior Spider-Man run (I like it).  To be honest, I might just get one more Superior Spidey figure and permanently attach the kit to it.  And I will definitely put the Spider-Bots on my wish list for my next order.

Links:

- Mech Arms kit 6 inch version (the kit in this review) 

- Spider-Bots 

- Strangefate (designer of this kit)

Editors note [15 Sep 2016]: Added clarification that this review covers the 6inch version of the kit and NOT the 7inch scaled version.