Tiffany's Hand Surgery

[Richard V]

Wow...Tiffany... That looks like some Major Surgery ! You looked rare concern as you inspected your new MF Transplant hands. I am sure my Shelby would have shared your doubts. So glad you were "put out" before djcdoll lovingly, patiently and masterfully did your Hand Transplant. Outstanding work and documentation djcdoll. Your and Tiff are an asset to TDF. Now, if only Tiffany's Fathers at Jinsan Clinic would follow the MF Hand design...but then agian, we wouldn't want MF to stop making a host of wonderful Transplant items also putting an end to another aspect of the TPE hobby...or, would we..? Congrats. !

[djcdoll]

Wow...Tiffany... That looks like some Major Surgery ! You looked rare concern as you inspected your new MF Transplant hands. I am sure my Shelby would have shared your doubts. So glad you were "put out" before djcdoll lovingly, patiently and masterfully did your Hand Transplant. Outstanding work and documentation djcdoll. Your and Tiff are an asset to TDF. Now, if only Tiffany's Fathers at Jinsan Clinic would follow the MF Hand design...but then agian, we wouldn't want MF to stop making a host of wonderful Transplant items also putting an end to another aspect of the TPE hobby...or, would we..? Congrats. !

Thanks very much for your kind comments, Richard V.
All the credit must go to MannequinFan, the designer of the 3D printed hands.

I wouldn't hold your breath on the factory re-designing the hands in the near future.
Plenty of people have been asking them to do that for ages!

[leni_adopted_2019]

I wouldn't hold your breath on the factory re-designing the hands in the near future.
Plenty of people have been asking them to do that for ages!

In fact, they already did. The new skeleton has a different hand design. But still, it is some wire somehow fitted into a hand plate. Leni has a new body with the new skeleton since Jan 14th, and she is already suffering from the floppy fingers syndrome (left thumb broken, I have no idea why). To cut a long story short, it is still rather shitty design.

I already got a set of MF's great work of arts and engineering (btw, if you order, don't forget the TIP). Just waiting for the screws and eyebolts to start.

Mark

[djcdoll]

NOTE - this is NOT a problem or complaint about MF's brilliant 3D printed hands.

Tiffany is upset!

After her successful hand surgery back in April 2020 and the installation of MF's brilliant 3D printed hands, things have gone downhill recently.
The TPE on her hands has begun to deteriorate and fall apart. It's particularly bad on her right hand.

When I originally installed her new MF hands back in April 2020, I think I made a big mistake.
To help when pushing the new 3D printed fingers into the TPE fingers, I used some baby oil on a cotton bud to lubricate the finger holes.
The already thin TPE fingers has possibly reacted with this baby oil.
With hindsight I probably should have used talcum powder as a lubricant rather than baby oil.

The TPE hand degradation was slow initially, but has started to get worse in the last 3 to 4 months.
One of Tiffany's right hand fingers has the internal finger "bones" visible, as the TPE has just crumbled away.
Her hand TPE feels very "jelly like" and horrible to touch.

I don't think this problem is repairable as the hand TPE has gone really horrible.
I think the only solution is for Tiffany to have a hand transplant, I would then reinstall the MF 3D printed hands into new TPE hands.

I think baby oil should be kept well away from the thin TPE on doll hands.

At the moment I'm just keeping an eye on the problem, while I try and think about what to do.
Anybody got any ideas?

[Arthur1960]

Hi djcdoll, poor old Tiff, she really is a trooper! Well this is pretty much how Rachel's hands got and you know what I ended up doing with hers! Whilst I've seen some very skilled folk melt fresh tpe into an open 'wound' they are doing so onto good tpe so it does bond. Sadly when it's degraded to this extent I don't think there's much to be done other than a completely new set of hands. I know of another member on here that did just that with good results. I would amputate close to the wrist joint, first removing the complete palm plate assembly with its threaded rod. Of course sourcing a new pair of hands may be a challenge, I think The Doll House got the set I mentioned earlier. You're right to caution re oil and hands, I've discovered this myself and now stop any oiling at the wrist and am also reducing my oiling too. I did Suki the other day and based on how she was prior and how long the oil took to soak in I would say I could now do her every 5 months and I suspect it will be a similar story for my latest arrivals and of course they won't get any for the first 6 months in any case. Back to Tiffany, well she has my greatest sympathy as she's done such great work for you over these past few years, I do hope you can come up with a solution.

[djcdoll]

Hi djcdoll, poor old Tiff, she really is a trooper! Well this is pretty much how Rachel's hands got and you know what I ended up doing with hers! Whilst I've seen some very skilled folk melt fresh tpe into an open 'wound' they are doing so onto good tpe so it does bond. Sadly when it's degraded to this extent I don't think there's much to be done other than a completely new set of hands. I know of another member on here that did just that with good results. I would amputate close to the wrist joint, first removing the complete palm plate assembly with its threaded rod. Of course sourcing a new pair of hands may be a challenge, I think The Doll House got the set I mentioned earlier. You're right to caution re oil and hands, I've discovered this myself and now stop any oiling at the wrist and am also reducing my oiling too. I did Suki the other day and based on how she was prior and how long the oil took to soak in I would say I could now do her every 5 months and I suspect it will be a similar story for my latest arrivals and of course they won't get any for the first 6 months in any case. Back to Tiffany, well she has my greatest sympathy as she's done such great work for you over these past few years, I do hope you can come up with a solution.

Thanks very much for commenting and passing on your advice Arthur1960, it's really appreciated.

I think it was TDF member Tyr who had a similar problem with the hands on his Ami.
Ami's hand transplant was documented here:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=127404

I think my Tiffany is probably going to have to go through the same kind of procedure. Yikes!
It's a shame, but we all learn from making mistakes.
I'll document any updates or action I take to fix Tiff's hands here in this thread.

I'm very attached to Tiffany so it's upsetting to see how her hands have deteriorated.

[Arthur1960]

Of course the other possibility is to go the new bod route. You will recall I did this for Sarah after I inadvertently damaged her original bod when I first got my hands on a hot air rework station. I was so mortified at what I had done I immediately ordered her a new bod and as it happened I was thinking of getting her a 155DD in any case so that's what she got. When I had the necessary skills I fixed that damaged bod and gave it to Liz. I agree, our first ladies in particular, always hold a special place in our hearts and I can remember being worried about how she would look and how I would feel etc but I needn't have worried as she looked great! In fact I'm toying with the idea of getting her another bod at some point, most likely another 155DD but with gel breasts and those all important articulated fingers! Good luck with whichever way you go.

[Tyr]

Ami and I had the same problems.
If you'd like to try this route, get in touch with Phil at the Doll House. That's where we got Ami's new hands from.
Tyr

[Tyr]

Oops, didn't read all of the posts!

[Jimmy_71]

Poor Tiff.

[MannequinFan]

Hey DJC I'm so sorry to see this has happened to your Tiffany.

The condition of the right hand and the dark staining has me really concerned. Does it look like there has been any reaction with the nylon parts, or is it just a surface issue on the TPE?

I can't imagine how there could be a reaction between nylon and TPE (they are both thermoplastics), but then I'm not a chemist.

[Rock13]

Does it look like there has been any reaction with the nylon parts, or is it just a surface issue on the TPE?

I can't imagine how there could be a reaction between nylon and TPE (they are both thermoplastics), but then I'm not a chemist.

If that were the case, then surely others who've installed your hand skeletons would've run into the issue as well. I haven't seen any such reactions in Hadleigh's fingers, but I gave your hands a light coat of "Navajo White" Rust Oleum paint because she's so fair skinned that I was afraid the grey would show through.

[djcdoll]

Hey DJC I'm so sorry to see this has happened to your Tiffany.

The condition of the right hand and the dark staining has me really concerned. Does it look like there has been any reaction with the nylon parts, or is it just a surface issue on the TPE?

I can't imagine how there could be a reaction between nylon and TPE (they are both thermoplastics), but then I'm not a chemist.

No, I don't think the problem has anything to do with your 3D printed hands.
I think its got more to do with too much baby oiling and general dirt getting into the porous TPE.
The hand TPE is very thin, especially on the fingers.