Joint Types Custom Tutorial
A guide covering the various types of joints found in action figures.
Please wait...
Action figures are small wonders of engineering, they've come a long way in terms of sculpt and articulation since their creation in, um, ancient...Greece? Good enough.
There are a few basic joints that can be mixed together to create variants that are useful in many different situations.
These are the four Primary Joints:
SWIVEL
This joint is used for parts that need to rotate (in other words, to swivel). Usually only two parts are involved, with one plugging into the other via a mushroom-shaped peg.
HINGE
This joint is used for parts that need to bend. Usually this involves a separate rod that slips through the parts involved, similar to a door's hinge.
BALL-SOCKET (or Bocket)
This joint is used for parts that need to tilt in all directions. It's exactly what it sounds like, a ball that pops into a socket (usually with something attached to the ball). By nature of their construction, Ball-Sockets can function as a Swivel and a Hinge, but the "hinging" range is very limited.
PIVOT
This joint is used when a part needs to pivot at a fixed point, and along a single axis. Technically it works like a Swivel, but I consider it a standalone joint because the construction tends to be unique and the point of rotation tends to be off-center from the pieces involved.
===============
Nightmare's Note:
I should point out that while this is the way I name and categorize joints, other people may use different terms. The line between these joints can get fuzzy, but I hope that by the end of this guide we can at least understand each other better when talking about them.
Also, due to how this site is set up, I can't format guides the way I'd like to, but I hope I still made this easy to follow.
===============
Below I describe the variant joints created by mixing the Primary Joints, as well as the common alternate names for them.
And if you have any pictures of weird freaky joints, feel free to post them on the forum here
figurerealm . com/topic?topicid=9836
Cut Joint
A Swivel that looks like a straight deep cut in a figure.
Cupped Swivel (Pictured)
A Swivel where one of the two parts involved will slightly engulf the other, usually to compliment or preserve the sculpt of a figure.
Clamped Swivel
A Swivel created with two halves of a figure clamped around a peg. These are commonly used at a figure's waist and shoulders.
Magnetic Swivel
A Swivel created by embedding two magnets in the parts involved. The parts are kept together by the magnets and can turn freely.
Swappable Swivel
A Swivel using a straight ribbed peg instead of a mushroom-shaped peg. There are used to make parts easily interchangeable.
Twist Joint
Another name for a Swivel.
Swivel Hinge
A joint with a Swivel on one end and a Hinge on the other.
Double Hinge
A joint made of two Hinges. It's commonly used for elbows and knees because it essentially has double the range of motion of a single Hinge.
Double Swiveled Hinge
A Hinge joint with a Swivel on both ends. It's commonly used for the shoulder pieces in modern super-articulated figures, where one Swivel pegs into the torso and the other pegs into the bicep.
Ab Crunch
A term used for a Hinge when it's found at a figure's midsection.
Ball Hinge
A joint with a Ball on one end and a Hinge at the other.
Great for necks because they allow a head to cock to the sides for more expressive poses, and also makes the head easily removable.
Barbell Joint (Pictured)
A joint made with two balls on each end of a stick, resembling a barbell. These are ideal for creating articulation in the torso because they offer excellent poseability, generally aren't as ugly as an Ab Crunch, and make (customizing) disassembly easier.
Ball Swivel
A joint with a Ball on one end and a Swivel on the other. The Swivel part may seem redundant, but it allows the Swivel to turn independently of the Ball, and usually even at a different angle.
Textured Ball-Socket
Some Ball-Sockets have a texture molded onto their surfaces to increase stiffness (friction).
Sleeved Ball Socket
Some Balls are covered in a rubbery "sleeve" before being popped into the Socket to increase stiffness.
Pivot Hinge
A joint with a Pivot at one end and a Hinge at the other.
Rocker Joint (Pictured)
Another name for a Pivot, usually when found at a figure's ankles.
Butterfly Joint
A term used for a Pivot found near a figure's pectoral muscles, allowing the shoulders to pivot laterally (flap the arms like a butterfly's wings).
Pivoting Socketed Double Cupped Swivel Hinge
Haha, this is an example of what the more complex combinations of joints can be called. I don't usually use these long names because it's simpler to refer to the individual sections of a joint than the entire assembly.
Ratchet Joint / Click Joint
This is a Swivel or Hinge that has extra stiffness introduced into it to support more weight. Usually this is done by adding ridges or "teeth" in the joint. They sometimes make a ratcheting or "click" sound when moved.
Pictured: Notice the gear-shaped peg and the ridges they would "click" into.
Y-Crotch (or Hips)
When a hip piece connects to the crotch at an upwards angle. This cause the legs to spread when swiveled at the hip. While there's nothing inherently faulty with this joint construction, some people don't like them because they can be fussy to pose.
T-Crotch (or Hips)
When a hip piece connects to the crotch perpendicularly.
(Imagine an upside-down Y or T to understand why they have these names.)
A lifetime ago, I wrote a series of articles for the ArticulatedDiscussion action figure website with in-depth coverage of the many joints found in figures. In the end, the treasured site had to be retired, but it can still be accessed with the Wayback Machine.
I think you can tell from the humor and energy in those articles that at some point in the past I had a bubbly personality, and a real passion for action figures, and I'd like to share that bright spot with you.
Please take a gander! (And try not to make fun of my obsession with Shakira lol)
First, go to:
web . archive . org/web/20110210143233/ht tp://articulateddiscussion . com/archive . aspx
(TAKE OUT ALL THE SPACES.)
Then search for "Points on Joints"
Part 1: Introduction to Joints
Part 2: The Hinge
Part 3: The Swivel
Part 4: The Ball-Socket
Part 5: The Swivel Hinge
Part 6: The Click Joint
Part 7: Pivots and The Phantom Joint
Disclaimer
Customize at your own risk!
Customizing can be a fun, but dangerous hobby. These tutorials are contributed by other customizers. Some of the things recommended in the tutorials may be dangerous, such as the use of boiling water or sharp objects. You shouldn't attempt anything mentioned without adult permission and supervision. Figure Realm and/or the authors of the tutorials are not liable for any injuries or damages occurring from any attempt to follow suggestions in these tutorials.
User Comments
Custom on eBay
Previous / Next Custom Tutorial
Update Your Tutorial
Does anyone know how to get the hinges out of them?