Ok, guys - broken back!

[The Messenger]

Well I plan to try what Oscar DeBarataria describes with Steelstik and hose clamps.
Though I plan to attach a new half pipe to the upper piece to give me more landscape to work with.
It'll have to attach with a bolt since I don't weld.
Wish me luck.

[seagull]

Stainless steel hose clamps are good for attaching a half pipe, no drilling

[RevJack]

If you guys are hell bent on hose clamps, at least do and get the better clamps. Ditch those shitty worm-gear clamps and get T‑bolt clamps, sometimes called "Racing Clamps," they are far stronger and more reliable.

[Oscar DeBarataria]

Well, Stage 2 is done.

Took pics, they're worthless. You can't see anything. Between the tight work space, blocking my light while working and not having enough hands to hold the camera, photography is hopeless.

Couldn't sit her up to do the operation, so it was done while she was on her side. Used a whole Steelstik and put it all around the connection, then began screwing down the hose clamp.

Which ratcheted itself into the U-joint. So I had to unscrew it to pull it out of there.

But when I rotated the screw housing down toward the hip bar, I had a hell of a time getting a proper angle to use the screwdriver.

So I ended up having to wedge my U-bolt in there to keep the screw housing for the hose clamp from ratcheting into the U-joint.

And I got it screwed down.

But the connection isn't sitting exactly as it did the way it was welded. It's about a quarter of an inch forward. The hose clamp pulled it that way because of that screw housing on the front of the hip crossbar.

So that meant an enormous amount of Steelstik packed in all around the connection.

And I have my U-bolt sitting in there but it's turned to the side. I'm going to have to fish it out before the next stage.

I have her sitting up and the connection is as stable as I can get it. We'll see what it looks like when the metal epoxy cures.

RevJack is correct that the ideal fix here is a clevis joint. But I just don't think there's enough workspace to adequately address something like this once the doll is put together.

It needs to be a standard that dollmakers use a clevis joint or a bolted metal housing for back-hip connections in all future construction. A broken back like this should never happen, period. It's exceptionally bad design and construction which cuts across manufacturers that creates this not-uncommon pain in the ass.

This might end up being a halfway workable fix, though it have my doubts at this point. But even if it is, I've spent way more time and effort on this project than I wanted.

[Adam786]

How do you fix it?

Anybody ever done that kind of work before?

I was straightening Amber's back after posing her, and didn't even press that hard (I'd put more pressure on to get her back arched in the first place), and heard a Crack.

And it feels a little like the spine itself broke. Though without having cut her open yet, I can't say for sure.

Looking for a little direction here.

When I read the headline, I thought you'd broke your back... Based on the weight of these dolls, I wouldn't be surprised!!

[Oscar DeBarataria]

Went and inspected the progress.

Maybe I did a suspect job of kneading my Steelstik, because the shit got crumbly in spots.

It doesn't make sense that it would get crumbly. It's hard as a rock and crumbly.

I've definitely got her back to the point where it won't be separated from her hip. But it isn't stable enough. I can rock her back and forth a little. She doesn't fall over, but she also isn't fully stable. Because the Steelstik just doesn't seem to lock it down.

And I'm not certain the U-bolt fixes that. It attaches the joint but it doesn't stabilize it. Not if you can't count on the Steelstik to hold it in place without giving.

Now I'm thinking the final step is that I need a couple of pieces of metal that I can anchor front (resting on that screw housing on the hip bone) and back (resting on the screw housing of my hose clamp) and then wrap another hose clamp around those and screw it down and maybe that stabilizes this thing sturdily enough that she won't rock back and forth.

[PetDlr]

Thank you for the updates. I'm watching closely. Any ETA updates on her new body?

[Papasmurf1142]

Have you contacted the manufacturer to tell about your progress?? Obviously, this is a stress point in the skeleton, perhaps they could use this information to make improvements to the fabrication process of these things.. it’s really unfortunate when something like this happens, we’re stuck with all the heavy lifting for repairs. But it is what it is.. keep us posted ..

[Oscar DeBarataria]

Thank you for the updates. I'm watching closely. Any ETA updates on her new body?

Last I heard was early last week and they said the new body was in their production queue. So I wouldn't be surprised to get a tracking number in the next couple of days.

But this damn thing has now become a challenge to my ingenuity that I can't put down. I have a thousand better things to do but I'm now sucked in to trying to figure out how to stabilize that back joint.

[WadeFord3]

It is very important to apply force at the corresponding point, because if the force is not used at the joint point, it may break.

[PetDlr]

Thank you for the updates. I'm watching closely. Any ETA updates on her new body?

Last I heard was early last week and they said the new body was in their production queue. So I wouldn't be surprised to get a tracking number in the next couple of days.

But this damn thing has now become a challenge to my ingenuity that I can't put down. I have a thousand better things to do but I'm now sucked in to trying to figure out how to stabilize that back joint.

I can't help but think that this would've been me going through the exact same motions. It's funny how it becomes all about the finding a way to do it. But once done, the satisfaction of having solved the puzzle is so great. I was already started down the rabbit hole when we were talking.

Fingers crossed for a tracking number soon!

[seagull]

Papasmurf1142 This was a weak point in this particular skeleton

This design works most of the time, just once in a while something goes wrong
Manufacturers use the "If most of them 'ain't broke, don't fix" thinking

It seems the only way to have a robust doll is to do what a number of owners have done and that is to do something yourself

[Synthian]

@Oscar If you decide to DIY, check out my post: viewtopic.php?t=149269

It's a chance to really get to know your gal

06 Clear TPE and Cloth.JPG (2.14 MiB) Viewed 255 times

[RevJack]

Well I plan to try what Oscar DeBarataria describes with Steelstik and hose clamps.
Though I plan to attach a new half pipe to the upper piece to give me more landscape to work with.
It'll have to attach with a bolt since I don't weld.
Wish me luck.

Please don't. We told Oscar that epoxy wouldn't solve the problem, and it didn't. We know what causes broken backs and how to fix these broken back joints now, the information is here on TDF. I don't understand why people wont review the existing experience. Gobs of epoxy has never worked, and it never will. It's a real shame, and I feel sorry for everyone who tries and fails, especially since we now know how to fix them.
SMH
Rev Jack

[TChris]

Yea, epoxy will not hold the leverage placed through these joints. It sucks because I could weld that in about 5 minutes and it would never break again (If I was local I'd offer).. I wouldn't even bother with a bunch of clamps and joints or extra hardware.