Thread: Hiding/removing the hanging hardware on top of my bucky.

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So this year i bought a Bucky torso and i am going to make him into a groundbreaker. The only problem i have run into though so far though is that i don't want everyone to see the hanging hardware on top of his head. On my last group of Buckies i did not care because they were all above eye leve but this one will be below i level. What do you suggest?

Here is a drawing of what i am going to make.




Any and all help is always appreciated!

Thanks a lot,

Nick

Well the hardware just unscrews and you can putty or caulk the hole, but I assume you want to know how to hold it up with out the hardware? Just use some re bar up the spine secured with zip ties or wire. It will pound into the ground easily, and make a nice secure mount.

I know that the hardware unscrews but i don't want to unscrew it because last time i did that the entire body expanded upward making it almost impossible to put the hanging hardware back on. I just want to take that giant know off the top of his head. I was thinking about finding a skinny nut to replace the hanging harwareand then grinding off the rest of the bar that is sticking up.

I havn't tried this, but you might be able to use the wire clamps that find in electrical boxes.
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/e...yl_j_block.jpg
If you put at the base of skull on the inside with a large washer under it, it should hold the skull in place. You will sill have the top of the threaded rod sticking out, but it won't be as bad as the large nut and hanger.

Originally Posted by Big Nick

I was thinking about finding a skinny nut to replace the hanging harwareand then grinding off the rest of the bar that is sticking up.

That's what I would do. By your drawing, it looks like you'd even be able to hide the nut with some hair. The only problem I foresee in this is the nut eventually loosening and being hard to put back on with so little bolt remaining. Perhaps some teflon tape around the bolt would be enough to keep the nut secure. Then again, this may not be a problem-- it's a static prop, after all.
Awesome drawing, by the way.

You can use a lock-nut (the skinny nut mentioned) and after it's tightened use a cut-off wheel to remove the extra threaded rod. Teflon tape will make it easier to remove the nut, not harder. After cutting off the extra threaded rod use a prick punch and hammer to deform the nut and rod at the point where they contact each other. (the remaining face of the cut off rod.) Dimple the material in three or so points, and the nut wont back off without some effort.

Or...
You can remove the skull, cut the rod down about three inches, and use a die to cut new threads down to the point where the skull attaches. Then use a large (fender) washer and nut to hold the bottom of the skull in place, and epoxy the top section back on.

Or...
Remove the top of the skull, goober up the threaded rod with epoxy so the skull wont come off. Cut excess rod off and reattach the top. The skull will not turn using this method.

Originally Posted by Big Nick

I know that the hardware unscrews but i don't want to unscrew it because last time i did that the entire body expanded upward making it almost impossible to put the hanging hardware back on. I just want to take that giant know off the top of his head. I was thinking about finding a skinny nut to replace the hanging harwareand then grinding off the rest of the bar that is sticking up.

Thats happens to me a lot. Just put the hanging nut back on with out the skull and hang it up. Unscrew the big nut on the bottom of the bucky and pull down hard on the neck then put the skull back on. I been working on some ideas on for the hardware problem myself. When I get the bugs worked out I will post it.

After working on this prop this weekend i started thinking about the different ideas mentioned here. Really like the idea of cutting off the top part of the rod and just securing the bottom part of the skull. Only problem is that i have to hang my bucks in order to corpse it. So i think i will first corpse it and then once dry i will either grind the rod down so its fluch with the skull or use a thin nut to secure it.

I've never had good results taking the original hanging nut off. Bucky is always a little too loose afterwards. I paint the original nut black and hide it in his hair or headwound or whatever...you really won't see it at night and still have the option to hang him later.

You could always make the hardware look like it is something that was impaled into it's head.