The Doll Forum

There is a process of wearing the joints down to loosen them. Is there any way to make the joints tighter when the joints are loose?

Can there be a way to toggle between loose and tight joints?

Also why cant the wrists be made stronger?

I've been toying with the idea. Technically a skeleton like that could be made with a mechanics similar to what ball-point pens have for their on/off mechanism. Meaning you could have a skeleton where you could "toggle" a joint to lock into place or to be completely freely moving.

Whether or not this would work inside a TPE/Silicone doll is something I don't know. There is also the issue of durability of such a switch mechanism. The more complex systems you put into the skeletons, the more things there are that can break.

have you ever seen those arm rests where you can lift them in one direction but they lock the other way. Unles you lift all the way up?
close to this. But the ones i have encounted you didnt have to lift it all the way up then slam it down.


but anyway does anyone know how to tighten a ball joint. I asked for tight joints but the 2 main parts for a doll to stand where loose. Ankle and knee. I guess the hip would be a part too but that was really tight which is what i wanted

Tybalt wrote:Can there be a way to toggle between loose and tight joints?

Yes but you'd have to pay for it and manufacturers don't do anything which adds to construction costs. Even a simple mechanism would add considerable cost to the doll. Plus the fact that pouring hot TPE will likely clog any mechanism installed.

Tybalt wrote:Also why cant the wrists be made stronger?

Same, yes they can but it's a cost thing. We had a thread to improve hands by simple effective means without too much additional re-tooling or production costs, sent it to a manufacturer. Still waiting for a reply.

Oh yeah there's always the production costs to think of as well as technical feasibility.

Despite what many thinks when they think about a doll - the skeleton is one of THE most important things. Most owners only see what is skin deep. A good skeleton helps to give a doll life, allowing her to stand .. or twist .. or hold things .. or have better sex.

Manufacturers should be spending more time on the skeleton, and less time on making massive breast sizes.

MannyCan wrote:Despite what many thinks when they think about a doll - the skeleton is one of THE most important things. Most owners only see what is skin deep. A good skeleton helps to give a doll life, allowing her to stand .. or twist .. or hold things .. or have better sex.

Manufacturers should be spending more time on the skeleton, and less time on making massive breast sizes.

You speak true words my friend. Skeleton is hugely important. Sadly it's always easier to sell the form than the function.

dullahan wrote:You speak true words my friend. Skeleton is hugely important. Sadly it's always easier to sell the form than the function.

After if they chosen to develop the breast size and form, it's cause most of the men are obsess with boobies

So it's a gold mine the boobs and every factory have the same purpose, to make money money ... easily

Personally I prefer to focus on the legs and visage :p

MannyCan wrote:Despite what many thinks when they think about a doll - the skeleton is one of THE most important things. Most owners only see what is skin deep. A good skeleton helps to give a doll life, allowing her to stand .. or twist .. or hold things .. or have better sex.

Manufacturers should be spending more time on the skeleton, and less time on making massive breast sizes.

Most manufacturers are more into artistic design than into engineering ...

Nescio50 wrote: Most manufacturers are more into artistic design than into engineering ...

Yeah, R&D cost is expensive as hell and we didn't talk about the creation of new mold, as example, the tooling cost for make a keyboard silicone shell is 5k usd.

Probably most doll factories/workshops were started by artists, not by engineers ...

well making a doll mold require engineering knowledge, like making the 3D design with CAD software, buy machinery for making a shell, prototype, testing, ect ect.

And each skeleton differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, so they need to design their owns.

So yes dolls factories have of course hired some engineers and have a department for them, but their services cost high and same as tooling.

After I talk for mass production of dolls, I am not talking about VIP factory like realdoll, because yes, they are more artist than engineer, that's why their doll cost so high by the way ^^

shaynox wrote:And each skeleton differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, so they need to design their owns.

Are you sure? Or are these semi-manufactured products for some

Yes, as example, a random manufacturer on alibaba. The skeleton from realdoll: And another random:

Adjustable tension joints.
The tension mechanism would be based on the joint style.
On a ball and socket there might be a pressure pad on the socket that could be adjusted.
On a mortise & tenon there might be a pressure pad on the mortise that could be adjusted.
The adjustment could be done via a Allen drive set screw, but you would need to have a access hole cast into the doll at each adjustable joint to use a tool.
Maybe a 1/4" hole and the doll could be provided w/a bunch of removable plugs to keep water out.
I can only see this practical w/a silicone doll.