Sleeping beauty and her 1st wrist surgery

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:29 am

Sheldor wrote:Alex,

Great work! I wish her a speedy and efficient recovery.

Sheldor

Thanks for your kind wishes. She has undergo 2 "surgery" on wrist and ankle. Consider successful!

Obin · Post by **Obin** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:01 am

alex77 wrote:
Obin wrote:
oneatatime wrote:Hi Alex, how did you do that? Is it permanent or can she open her eyes with a little effort?
I second that question, for sure. I imagine that showing the wrist surgery won't be all this thread is about.

I am happy to see you post again and have missed you.

Fantastic photos and story, as usual.
Missed me? Oh dear, if you are a beautiful lady saying so, I will sure catch the next flight to have a wonderful candle light dinner with you

Thanks for the compliment, photos of "wrist surgery" on the way. Just completed "ankle surgery" today, glad to announce its another successful too

I'm an ugly, old guy who's glad to see you here.

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:49 am

When I received my doll, I had little knowhow of handling and maintaining her. I used to simply pull her up from bed to dress or whatsoever. Not knowingly every time I lifted her, her wrist bend to a 90 degrees too. This act had somehow weaken the copper wires and the spring tubes. Lately, when she was posted in standing position with assistant of a pole, it gave way and collapsed. So, there goes with her wrist and an ankle.

I would advise, whenever you wish to lift your dearest, bend her arm to waist.

The following is the process of her wrist repair:

Choose the correct spot to cut that would not affect its appearance after the repair

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Knife could not cut through TPE but can poke an opening for scissors. Cut an opening @15mm

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Once cut open, unfold the palm, expose main frame ready to remove broken wires

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Use pressure pliers to reshape frame to its original round shape slowly in 3 stages. Stage 1, pressured to reshape to a slightly rounder oval

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Readjust pliers tightness to make it rounder

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And finally to a perfect round shape, closes to its original

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alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:00 am

Sorry, the previous last photo was repeated. Should be as this.

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While clamping by the pliers, hold into desire position, use something sharp poke onto harden glue, forced to break it into tiny pieces

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Once broken, remove as shown

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Since frame has changed its shape to round where harden glue remains as oval, gaps can be seen at top and bottom. It’s much easier to break glue at these points.

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Continue to remove small pieces of harden glue until most wires are loosen. At this point, all wires still tightly hold by inner glue which is rather difficult to be removed.

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But with the help of pliers, you can force to pull out each and everyone of it in no time. If you do not have new springy tubes, advise not to damage it since you need to reuse. Do it slowly and you sure can salvage most of it.

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alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:20 am

Once all wires been pulled out, clear all internal harden glue and this is what you can expect

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Pull out the springy tube from palm section, exposed the copper wires. Its starting point is near the finger, so you need to unfold the palm to expose it. Don’t worry, TPE elasticity is great and no harm of doing so

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Drip Weicon VA100 glue into new springy tube and also onto copper wires. Slot spring onto copper wires all the way to the point where you pulled out previously. Since copper wires broken at wrist, you have to extend it by gluing new or wires that removed from frame. Rest for 10 minutes or more.

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Or, if you do not have new springy tube, use the tubes that pulled out from frame. First, carefully cut out @15-20mm length of springy tube (As shown) from palm section to expose copper wires instead of pulling the whole section out. Use the old springy tube to connect, the rest as illustrated above.

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Exposed copper wires, ready to be connected to another springy tube

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Pic shows tube and copper wires been extended (left), only tube been extended (2nd from right)

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Toruf · Post by **Toruf** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:34 am

Fantastic detailed surgery (repair) pics, you've done a tremendous service for the community by sharing these.

Where did you get the replacement "springy" tubes?

Obin · Post by **Obin** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:46 am

Toruf wrote:Fantastic detailed surgery (repair) pics, you've done a tremendous service for the community by sharing these.

Where did you get the replacement "springy" tubes?

Heck! I've never heard of "springy" tubes. Ditto on the instructional details.

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:49 am

All set and ready to be inserted back into the frame. While reposition back to frame, calibrate to make sure skin cutting opening is not in stress as per original. And, remember to hold its position by clamping frame tight to tubes with pressure pliers. Drip in VA100 glue for better holding.

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This is how it looks like. Final check to make sure opening is not in stress. If it is, you have to loosen frame to reposition wires

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As can be seen surrounding and opening is rather dirty, so, use make-up removal to clean thoroughly before gluing. If not, probably you will have a greyish black line

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This is how it looks after cleaning. Ready for finishing job - sealing.
Apply glue provided by mfr (the white cap bottle of transparent liquid) to inner palm and frame to hold the new spring tubes as well as frame to TPE with syringe.

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Finally, apply same glue to opening, slight pressure for a minute with fingers and rest for 24 hours to dry.

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My dearest's palm is back to motion again!

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I had chosen Weicon medium viscosity VA100 cos I know its characteristic. It has very good and strong bonding. You may use Loctite or any other glue. Low viscosity glue is not recommended.

Hope this illustration help.

I had repaired her ankle today. Will put up later.

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:59 am

Toruf wrote:Fantastic detailed surgery (repair) pics, you've done a tremendous service for the community by sharing these.

Where did you get the replacement "springy" tubes?

Well, I had a spoiled handset previously and simply cut out from it, haha. Mfr had promised to send more for me to repair the other wrist. I had both broken

Probably can obtain from hardware shop or ebay. Its internal diameter is 3mm. Consist of two flat metal, one soft and another is extremely hard. Its combination allow it to be able to bend, twist and turn.

Obin · Post by **Obin** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:02 am

Wow! The mended cut area looks like a natural crease. Excellent!

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:04 am

Obin wrote:
Toruf wrote:Fantastic detailed surgery (repair) pics, you've done a tremendous service for the community by sharing these.

Where did you get the replacement "springy" tubes?
Heck! I've never heard of "springy" tubes. Ditto on the instructional details.

Haha, so am I! I don't know its actual terminology. Somehow this bi-metal tube allowed it to be twist and hold in position where normal spring can't

Toruf · Post by **Toruf** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:09 am

Sounds a little like Flexicore....that springy wire you use with pipe cleaner augers. But thinner and softer.

Quick...to the Google Machine!

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:23 am

Toruf wrote:Sounds a little like Flexicore....that springy wire you use with pipe cleaner augers. But thinner and softer.

Quick...to the Google Machine!

pipe cleaner augers is extremely soft and could not hold in position. This one can bend and stay at any position .

alex77 · Post by **alex77** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 9:22 am

Toruf wrote:Sounds a little like Flexicore....that springy wire you use with pipe cleaner augers. But thinner and softer.

Quick...to the Google Machine!

Asked the mfr, it's called goose neck pipe. Same as those used for LED table lamp with bendable pipe.