Thread: Advice needed: bending Barney fingers

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Has anyone developed a quick and simple technique for bending Barney skeleton fingers? I want to have a Barney gripping a lightweight plastic sword, with his hand curled around the hilt. I searched and found a thread from last year about using a heat gun, but I don't currently own one. I suppose I could cut the fingers at the joints and glue them to bent wires, but that seems very labor-intensive.

Any thoughts/tips?

Hi Max I have been considering this for my helmsman this very morning I want his hands to wrap the ships wheel. I am thinking of V notching the back (palm) side of each knuckle with an X-acto or hot knife then shooting hot glue into the joint, the hot glue should softing the remaining plastic enough to easily bend it without breaking it and set it in place when it cools. I know this seams like a lot of work but no wires and you can get the shape you want. Paint or Sharpie marker the hot glue to get rid of the sheen.

Thanks olieee! I think that technique has potential. Do you think you may try modifying your helmsman's hands today or tomorrow? I may try it tonight, but I'm willing to let you try it first.

"Asps...very dangerous. You go first."
Sallah, Raiders of the Lost Ark

Hot water should do it...dip the fingers in boiling water to soften up the plastic then bend them any way you want...use cold water to set them.

Don't have a clue on how long you will need to dip the hand in water...you will have to test and see what works.



This is a easy way to bend PVC also and can save some money by not using elbows

Sorry ran for a quick shower and a shave so I can get out to the garage to start on it I'll let you know how it goes.

I think HOT water is a bit risky i.e. you will probably flatten and widen the entire diggets because you can't heat each joint separately, I guess it depends on how you want it to appear. PVC is thicker and can only be bent in minimal a radius it to risks flattening.

I used a heat gun to shape my Barney's hands so he could better grip the helm wheel. It took some time to heat up the fingers and they wanted to revert back to their original position once released. The heat was pretty intense, yet I could only bend them a bit. (I did not want to use too much pressure for fear of breaking off any fingers.) I also considered using hot water, but now doubt that it would be hot enough to shape the fingers.




Another suggestion would be to replace the Barney hands with poseable Bucky hands.

Got this from Anatomical Chart Co. I know the Bucky skull is different from the fingers you are using but if it will work on the skull it should also on the hand. Like I said I never tried it so I don't really know.
http://anatomicaldealer.com/article.asp?ai=32

Mmm... Boiled skull soup! My favorite!

It's worth a try. Just remember that Barney uses softer plastic than Bucky.
Keep an ice cold pot of water (with a few bottles of pumpkin beers inside) nearby to plunge the hands into after shaping. Just don't be surprised if the Barney hand naturally forms itself around the bottle of beer!

Originally Posted by Haunter

Keep an ice cold pot of water (with a few bottles of pumpkin beers inside) nearby to plunge the hands into after shaping.

Safety first, right Haunter? Although after potentially burning my fingers on hot water and/or Barney plastic, it may be my hand plunging into the cold water (and reaching for a beer to deaden the pain).

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, folks. I'm going to await the results of ollieee's experiment with hot glue before moving on to madmax's boiling technique. But swapping an articulated Bucky hand for Barney's claw might be the best outside-the-box recommendation (and the quickest to implement). I have a spare Bucky arm. I just wish I wasn't so diligent in aging all my Buckys with Minwax Woodsheen. The Windsor Oak stain color isn't a good match for Barney's grayish white coloration.