Loose neck bolt...

deadpringle · Post by **deadpringle** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:22 am

Hi all!

It seems that the neck bolt on May has become a bit loose. It wobbles slightly in place, where it didn't do this before. Is this normal, or expected with use over time?

It feels like if I press down on the bolt, that it springs back up into place, as if there is something putting pressure back up on the bolt.

Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:57 am

My Thera's neck, 168+, is slightly less stiff than it might be. But she can still pose happily so I haven't done anything about it. If you email Steven or John they will be very helpful in assisting you to sort the problem out and they are always very prompt. It sounds as though something has come un-done or unlocked.

Best wishes

Harem

rubherkitty · Post by **rubherkitty** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:29 pm

Have you viewed the skeleton design provided by DS? Might help you figure out what's going on.

mexdl · Post by **mexdl** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:45 pm

here is the skeleton picture, not so clear the neck area, hope this help.

regards.
Mexdl

deadpringle · Post by **deadpringle** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:17 pm

Yeah, unfortunately, they don't give you much in the way of information about the doll skeleton. I'm sure they have trade secrets etc.

I can still attach the head, and pose her, but I'm nervous about hanging her when I'm not using her. I suppose I could try using Gorilla Glue in the small space around the shaft, and hang it until it cures...oO(?)

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 4:30 am

deadpringle wrote:Yeah, unfortunately, they don't give you much in the way of information about the doll skeleton. I'm sure they have trade secrets etc.

I can still attach the head, and pose her, but I'm nervous about hanging her when I'm not using her. I suppose I could try using Gorilla Glue in the small space around the shaft, and hang it until it cures...oO(?)

Don't take preciptous action. DS are _extremely_ helpful but are probably concentrating on catching up at the moment after the Chinese new year holiday. Just write to Steven and he will help.

Best wishes

Harem

surefire · Post by **surefire** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:07 am

maybe you can re-tap it to a slightly bigger size then buy a bigger eye bolt? my 2 cents

deadpringle · Post by **deadpringle** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:17 am

haremlover wrote:
deadpringle wrote:Yeah, unfortunately, they don't give you much in the way of information about the doll skeleton. I'm sure they have trade secrets etc.

I can still attach the head, and pose her, but I'm nervous about hanging her when I'm not using her. I suppose I could try using Gorilla Glue in the small space around the shaft, and hang it until it cures...oO(?)
Don't take preciptous action. DS are _extremely_ helpful but are probably concentrating on catching up at the moment after the Chinese new year holiday. Just write to Steven and he will help.

Best wishes

Harem

Hi Harem,

Looks like it's a fractured weld point. They're going to send me a replacement piece. So I have three options:
--
Try Gorilla glue
Cut May open and try replacing the part.
Spend over $1000 shipping May back to Dalian

Option 3 is not an option for me.

I'm not sure about my capabilities when working with silicone. I'm seriously afraid of ruining the neck area. Fixing a small tear in the feet is one thing, but this is a major repair.

I'm going to experiment with the Gorilla glue and see what kind of results I get with metal objects. It's supposed to glue literally *anything* together.

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:51 am

I would take a vertical slit down the back of the neck: it will be normally hidden by hair. This should be one the easiest repairs to do, and even if you do nothing, slitting there will be easy to do and to stick back together completely invisibly, inspect and apply your glue specifically to the point. But I think you'll be able to use the replacement piece.

Make a clean slit with a very sharp knife - perhaps one just 1/2 inch deep and then under that you can be more vicious.

Buy Permatex flowable silicone windshield repair - it's great. When you want to glue it, wipe the surfaces with acetone first.

Round the neck is easy - put the surfaces together, without too much silicone, and wrap a layer of clingfilm around, or a layer of sellotape down the length of the cut. Then put rings of sellotape around the neck to keep the two gluing surfaces together. All you have to do is to ensure that at the surface they meet and then the line will be invisible. Possibly do the cut on a slant rather than 90 degrees to the surface can help too. After 24 hours take the sellotape off and see if there is any part near the surface unglued and insert glue to fill the cut again, not too much, and re-bind.

This is an easy cut and repair and the new part should be fine. DS will want to see your success in doing this and your photos too and won't want your girl to be beleagured. Recently my emails have only been answered by John - is Steven still around?

Best wishes

Harem

deadpringle · Post by **deadpringle** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 7:23 am

haremlover wrote:I would take a vertical slit down the back of the neck: it will be normally hidden by hair. This should be one the easiest repairs to do, and even if you do nothing, slitting there will be easy to do and to stick back together completely invisibly, inspect and apply your glue specifically to the point. But I think you'll be able to use the replacement piece.

Make a clean slit with a very sharp knife - perhaps one just 1/2 inch deep and then under that you can be more vicious.

Buy Permatex flowable silicone windshield repair - it's great. When you want to glue it, wipe the surfaces with acetone first.

Round the neck is easy - put the surfaces together, without too much silicone, and wrap a layer of clingfilm around, or a layer of sellotape down the length of the cut. Then put rings of sellotape around the neck to keep the two gluing surfaces together. All you have to do is to ensure that at the surface they meet and then the line will be invisible. Possibly do the cut on a slant rather than 90 degrees to the surface can help too. After 24 hours take the sellotape off and see if there is any part near the surface unglued and insert glue to fill the cut again, not too much, and re-bind.

This is an easy cut and repair and the new part should be fine. DS will want to see your success in doing this and your photos too and won't want your girl to be beleagured. Recently my emails have only been answered by John - is Steven still around?

Best wishes

Harem

Hi Harem,

John sent me some photos that have me cooking some ideas in my head about an alternative hanging system, in tandem with the repair. Thank you for your guidance, it's much appreciated. I'm going to do a bit of research, and I'll post more information about my ideas soon.

rubherkitty · Post by **rubherkitty** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:42 am

I didn't know DS dolls had a hanging system.
Are you removing the head and hanging her for the top of the neck?

deadpringle · Post by **deadpringle** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:18 pm

rubherkitty wrote:I didn't know DS dolls had a hanging system.
Are you removing the head and hanging her for the top of the neck?

Hi rubherkitty,

Yes, DS makes two different hanging bolts that can be used with the head bolt. I have the bolt for long-term storage, but I use it for short term as well. There is a smaller bolt designed for short term storage while the head is attached.

So, at this point, I've used Gorilla glue on the head bolt. DS is sending me a replacement part so that, if it comes to it, I can do some surgery on May, and replace the head bolt assembly.

I think how the bolt came loose in the first place was from the shipping. When I received her, the head bolt had punched right through the box. I think this may have slightly fractured the weld on it. Then, over time, with use, the fracture got worse, until it came undone.

The head bolt is flared underneath as far as I can tell, so even without the weld, and with the extra plate riveted to the top, it *shouldn't* come out, unless there was tremendous pressure (ie: not 44 lbs). With that said, May and Isabelle's heads wobble with the loose bolt. So, I glued it. Now, I need to let it sit for about two hours, shape it when it's still goopy if necessary, and then let it sit for another 24 hours to cure permanently. I've read reports that Gorilla glue in some cases has been known to withstand about 140lbs of pressure, so I have high hopes that this will secure the bolt properly, and that I won't have to perform surgery on my baby.

I'm also going to see if I can just sit her on some bean bags in my closet, so that I won't have to hang her all the time. It's kind of a pain in the ass to unhook her and assemble her when I want to spend time with her anyway.

I want to clarify that this breakage occurred completely independently of DS. It occurred because of the poor handling during shipping, which was NOT DS Doll's fault.

I've hung the body after applying the glue, and I have kept the bolt as straight as possible. Considering how much the glue expanded on top (which I scraped off), it must be expanding well into the broken weld underneath, and if so, I think this may do the trick.

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 5:24 am

First - if you have a photograph of the damaged box and her neck bolt protruding then you should send this to DS to take up with the shipping company as some possibility of insurance might be involved if your repair doesn't work out as planned.

Second - this is why I'm happier paying the extra for the wooden crate option.

Third, doing what you've done sounds great and it will be interesting to hear if it holds . . . but what you will have done is to block the passage of air through the neck. As she moves from standing to sitting, the internal volume changes and requries air to be expelled and inhaled - you never thought dolls breathed did you!? This can cause delamination of the silicone from the foam. This can be of no concern whatever, but with those breasts structural integrity could be important, and can be repaired by injecting Permaflex flowable silicone into the gap. You might find a cooking syringe hypodermic needle and insert in the neck as a breather hole.

Best wishes

Harem

deadpringle · Post by **deadpringle** » Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:48 pm

haremlover wrote:but what you will have done is to block the passage of air through the neck.

There's actually still a small open area just below the plate above the neck line, so no, it's not closed off.

Bad news. The Gorilla glue didn't hold. I'm not sure if it's because it didn't get down inside the head bolt, or what. At this point, the bolt, while loose, doesn't feel like it's going anywhere. I'll have to see what will be involved with regards to surgically replacing the bolt once I receive the part from DS.

While I don't hold DS responsible for this, due to the harsh shipping, I'm not sure I can justify another DS purchase, if I have to risk damage like this at $4000 a pop, and perform repairs like this myself. I'm seriously considering going with a TPE doll as my next purchase from 1am. Seems like there is less wait, and less risk there, for less money, and I'm well equipped to take good care of a TPE doll at this point, even if the material is more sensitive to staining and deformation.

I don't know. I'm going to think long and hard before my next doll purchase.