TPE doll joint do's and don'ts - recommendations?

[CF]

I've noticed people running into trouble when they pose their TPE dolls in certain positions. This isn't WM-specific, but judging by the number of posts on this board, I figured sharing advice here might help the greatest number of owners.

Which poses are UNSAFE for TPE dolls, and likely to cause damage? The thread at http://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtopi ... 94#p953794 describes a doll with a locked shoulder joint caused by rotating an arm above the head. Now, the arm swings loose.

Any recommended fixes for that problem, and any other warnings to avoid similar issues?

[haremlover]

To be honest, the nature of that injury suggests possibly that the wrong hinge might have been expected to achieve that pose and that possibly force might have been applied causing something to jam and possibly to break upon release.

Understanding a doll's hinges is crucial to their welfare and when a doll is new with rather tight hinges it's really rather difficult to know what's merely tight and what's not intended to move. For someone new to dolls this can be really difficult. I was so fortunate in buying a doll second hand and her former man coming with her to show me how she worked. And even that didn't stop me having an accident with her within half hour after he left leaving her with a jarred elbow rotation joint which has come looser ever since (not WM).

However, WM does need to look at joint stiffness as a matter of production quality. Hinged wrists have been adopted which is really great but in one of my ladies made in May this year her wrist hinges are so very stiff they're hard to move. Likewise her mid-back bending hinge. If I forced it then it might break and as I bought this lady to interview her bedroom talents rather than for posing, it's a hinge that doesn't very greatly matter. She's exceptional in that arena and for which frequent moving of hinges isn't vital. But for a posing doll hinge tension becomes more critical.

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=53612 gives an insight into joint safety.

A reality is that TPE material is exceptionally stretchy. Many silicone dolls include foam in order to reduce weight. I've done my own experiments in casting foam, actually for mounting components for loudspeaker cones . . . and found that foam is great in compression but breaks or tears in tension. This means that there are some extreme poses which are much more dangerous for silicone dolls than equivalent poses with TPE which can handle them with ease.

DSCF4574.JPG (1.07 MiB) Viewed 1460 times

au naturelle

But it's really vital to understand how one works the doll to that position.

Best wishes

Harem

[RagingBullTheo]

That is a really great wig on that doll. WHere did you find it?

[haremlover]

great wig on that doll.

Hi RBTheo and WELCOME

I'm not really sure. I think it might have come with her from WM but really don't remember.

Best wishes

Harem

[windave]

Don't force or jerk your doll's joints - do be patient, they will loosen with time. Don't overspread or put her arms and legs into unnatural positions - do be careful with the TPE, it is stretchy but will fail if there is a nick or abrasion.