Dr. Madshagger performs back surgury on poor Eva

madshagger · Post by **madshagger** » Sat Jul 23, 2016 11:01 pm

So... she broke again.

This time where the new spine attaches to the hip. Maybe I didn't notice fractures while it was apart, or maybe I tightened the nut too much putting it back together. I only lifter her by the torso and 1 leg and it broke. The plastic material is just rubbish.

To all: Don't bother with the repair. Get a replacement or a refund!

DarkOne · Post by **DarkOne** » Sat Jul 23, 2016 11:58 pm

madshagger wrote:So... she broke again.

This time where the new spine attaches to the hip. Maybe I didn't notice fractures while it was apart, or maybe I tightened the nut too much putting it back together. I only lifter her by the torso and 1 leg and it broke. The plastic material is just rubbish.

To all: Don't bother with the repair. Get a replacement or a refund!

yea this is my fear too, that if it was a bad enough impact to damage the spine joint, it was bad enough to damage others as well..

4biddenartist · Post by **4biddenartist** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 12:07 am

Well you definitely went above and beyond the call of any normal person to try and fix her. It is sad that this is the result and I hope DS pays attention to the lengths you went to to remedy this and compensates you accordingly. I will be making calculating judgments about DS based on this thread and a few others. As of now it seems that they are in need of some serious R&D and reconfiguration IMO.

Pumpster · Post by **Pumpster** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 3:46 am

DarkOne wrote:yea this is my fear too, that if it was a bad enough impact to damage the spine joint, it was bad enough to damage others as well..

I think plastic like this will fail eventually even if there's no shipment damage. Constant flexing and weight of silicone weakens it and one day it'll just snap. I'm thinking more and more about selling her if/when I get the spine repaired, I don't like to worry all the time if some part of her body suddenly goes limp and maybe it's irreparable next time.

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 4:19 am

I think you're right DarkOne, this was the problem with my Eva1. The impact damage went beyond just one joint. The top of her torso has cracks which couldn't have been done with any movement of the limbs. The plastic is so hard it will shatter on impact.
I'm not sure if we have any choice now 4biddenartist, given that not many of us knew this was a widespread problem until we discussed it in these forums. When we first contacted DS after arrival of the doll, they were very helpful and said they'd send the parts for free (some of us plus shipping charges) and it seemed like bad luck and a good offer. I suppose in hindsight we could have all said this is not good enough and we want a full refund. The trouble is, when you enter the contract it does say you have to pay shipping charges if you want to return the doll so I for one was reluctant to fork out another $140-160! I ordered my first Eva1 on 21st March so I had no idea whether there were any problems because they hadn't even started making them yet!
madshagger, I'm really sorry you've had all this trouble! Can I suggest you don't give up hope just yet? Are you sure it's the joint below the one you've replaced? That is a strange joint and it has three lugs top and bottom at right angles to each other. The the one you've replaced has two lugs to mesh into this but so does the pelvis on the other end! The attached isn't very clear as I had a job taking the photo and holding the cut open at the same time but you can just see the top of the pelvis which has the two lugs. That pelvis seems to have caused the problem of loose legs on both my Eva dolls but it may also be your problem if there had been impact damage!
I wonder how many of these minis they've sold? We are probably just the tip of an iceberg given the number of 'guests' that view these topics and only a handful actually commenting. I hope our comments can encourage more to join TDF!

madshagger · Post by **madshagger** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 2:14 pm

4biddenartist wrote:Well you definitely went above and beyond the call of any normal person to try and fix her. It is sad that this is the result and I hope DS pays attention to the lengths you went to to remedy this and compensates you accordingly. I will be making calculating judgments about DS based on this thread and a few others. As of now it seems that they are in need of some serious R&D and reconfiguration IMO.

Thanks mate, I did my best, and was pretty happy with my amateur repair result, but I barely handled her after the repair, and then the second break... I think I've had 2-3 days with her intact since she arrived 3-4 weeks ago. I'll just say I'm so glad I dealt with an authorized re-seller who handled all the headaches and additional costs. If I'd had to deal and negotiate with DS I think I'd be stressed and very angry right now. A new Eva will be here in a week or so but I'm not entirely sure I'll keep her yet, and try to recover some costs instead. This was my 1st doll and I'm a bit put off by the whole idea now if i'm honest.

If DS's idea of an upgrade is that 1 metal pin and not a serious re-think of both skeletal materials and shipping packaging I wouldn't give the 2nd generation Eva much better hope of surviving intact for very long

hollows+fentiman wrote:madshagger, I'm really sorry you've had all this trouble! Can I suggest you don't give up hope just yet? Are you sure it's the joint below the one you've replaced? That is a strange joint and it has three lugs top and bottom at right angles to each other. The the one you've replaced has two lugs to mesh into this but so does the pelvis on the other end! The attached isn't very clear as I had a job taking the photo and holding the cut open at the same time but you can just see the top of the pelvis which has the two lugs. That pelvis seems to have caused the problem of loose legs on both my Eva dolls but it may also be your problem if there had been impact damage!

DS provided both spine joints, the screw section and the middle bit that links it to the hip. The new break is at the spines "fingers" directly attached to the pelvis joint, so repair isn't viable, as I'd literally have to cut her in half to unbolt both legs, and up the back again and pull the whole pelvis out - NOT worth it given how fiddly the back repair was.

I honestly don't know what to do with the broken Eva. Shes an adorable little doll, but being limp in the middle shes really not able to even sit propped up somewhere and looking cute, and I don't fancy even epoxying the break. I'm loathed to just throw her away though, seems almost cruel!

I'll see how I feel when EVA2 arrives, but there may be a lot of these dolls for sale soon I think, unless DS really fixes this on the new models.

Again, i'd say to anyone contemplating a repair, not to bother with the expense (if you are paying for part and shipping etc.) time of frustration, as it's not likely to last. I hope everyone who's had issues is getting a replacement or at least a partial refund.

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 2:57 pm

Hi madshagger! I've been saying pelvis when you're saying hip but I've got the problem on both my Eva dolls at the other end of this bit of the skeleton where the legs join. I'm going to have to replace the hip/pelvis on both my dolls when I get the parts! I've emailed DS then I resent the email and still hadn't heard so I sent a different email and they said they didn't receive the email "perhaps system error" but when I looked down the email they sent me back it had the info I'd previously sent underneath! I'm not sure what they're playing at but they're not winning many friends here!
I've ordered a candy8teen Taffy doll now which is a foam filled doll and NO SKELETON! It's not a patch on an Eva/Eve doll but I'm not going to break anything!
If you're willing to wait for a while until I get my parts I'll let you know how easy or difficult it is to replace the hip/pelvis part but I can understand your viewpoint!

Pumpster · Post by **Pumpster** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 3:33 pm

hollows+fentiman wrote:I've emailed DS then I resent the email and still hadn't heard so I sent a different email and they said they didn't receive the email "perhaps system error" but when I looked down the email they sent me back it had the info I'd previously sent underneath! I'm not sure what they're playing at but they're not winning many friends here!

Seems like some kind of "ignoring the unpleasant customer"-tactic, maybe they hope that minidoll customers asking for free repair parts/refund would give up that easily if they don't reply. Fat chance...

madshagger wrote:A new Eva will be here in a week or so but I'm not entirely sure I'll keep her yet, and try to recover some costs instead. This was my 1st doll and I'm a bit put off by the whole idea now if i'm honest.

Same here but unfortunately for me I bought the doll second hand (should have waited and read more of these experiences) and even if DS sent me repair parts "free" (I suspect they take their share from that majestic $70 shipping cost) I doubt that they will send me new Eva or give any refund so I'm seriously considering selling my Eva1 after I get the joint fixed. This was rather unpleasant experience to say the least and I'm hesitant of buying doll from DS again even if their other dolls may be OK.

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 3:48 pm

I hope you're not right Pumpster but it seems those who've had an intermediary contact have got a better deal so far! I had to fight a bit to get a free replacement and only pay shipping!
They have told me the parts will be free and I only need to pay shipping (probably about $60 at most). I wonder if they're playing for time so they can send better modified parts. I hope that's the case but, judging by others who've said the parts don't look that different, I don't really think they've solved the problem yet!

mahoro · Post by **mahoro** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 4:40 pm

Pumpster wrote:
mahoro wrote:I dear your photo has just confirmed to me that this joint may inevitably be weaker than the original joint they were using as after looking at my joint which I received earlier today it has the identical defect to yours which is that the hole that is drilled into the plastic to accommodate the metal rod isn't drilled parallel to the thread as you can see its off centre as it comes out at the hinged end which means one side of the joint is significantly weaker than the other and on the original joint this part wasn't drilled through so the top of the joint was solid and since I replaced the joint in my first doll with the all plastic one I've had no problems and she gets played with a lot
Yes I was looking at that pin not being centered but I don't think it weakens it that much as pin stiffens it and it can't flex that much anyway (It'll propably break at the bolt section). I understand you had your doll with this improved pin spine joint broken when you received her? You haven't opened her up to see how it's broken? As you said that original all-plastic joint has been ok since you replaced it, to me it seems that these dolls simply can't handle shipment too well (pin or not). I think this pin version is going to be ok too as long as she doesn't need to go traveling inside the box

I haven't had a chance to open my Eve up yet but when I bend her back it feels like the joint has snapped in the torso like on my first Eve but won't know for sure till I get the scalpel out. I had a box of repair parts arrive Friday comprising of a spine joint, pelvis and thigh as it feels like the leg has broken at the thigh to pelvis joint which won't be easy to repair if I have to replace the pelvis as it means opening her up on both sides.

Mahoro

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 4:50 pm

Good luck Mahoro! I'm not sure if you can replace the pelvis from the side so 'when' I get my parts I think I'm going in across the back. You might be best to see what DS recommend first.

madshagger · Post by **madshagger** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 6:33 am

hollows+fentiman wrote:Hi madshagger! I've been saying pelvis when you're saying hip but I've got the problem on both my Eva dolls at the other end of this bit of the skeleton where the legs join. I'm going to have to replace the hip/pelvis on both my dolls when I get the parts! I've emailed DS then I resent the email and still hadn't heard so I sent a different email and they said they didn't receive the email "perhaps system error" but when I looked down the email they sent me back it had the info I'd previously sent underneath! I'm not sure what they're playing at but they're not winning many friends here!
I've ordered a candy8teen Taffy doll now which is a foam filled doll and NO SKELETON! It's not a patch on an Eva/Eve doll but I'm not going to break anything!
If you're willing to wait for a while until I get my parts I'll let you know how easy or difficult it is to replace the hip/pelvis part but I can understand your viewpoint!

I did mean the pelvis/hip as one piece would need to be replaced, and to me that is WAY To intrusive a surgery to even attempt. It would mean cuting into both sides to unbolt the legs, and pulling the whole thing out.

Your mention of foam is something that struck me an interesting - for the sake of having a solid torso again that doesn't flop around, it light be worth removing the spline and juts filling eva with expanding foam of silicone!

I may give that some thought...

madshagger · Post by **madshagger** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 6:35 am

hollows+fentiman wrote:Good luck Mahoro! I'm not sure if you can replace the pelvis from the side so 'when' I get my parts I think I'm going in across the back. You might be best to see what DS recommend first.

You wont get at the legs bolts form the back, so you will have to cut into both sides.

Elfie · Post by **Elfie** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 7:04 am

This thread is very informative. Thank you!

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:45 am

You're probably all reading the broken spine repair topic as well as we may be duplicating some replies in each. However, I did cut across the back of my Eva1 last night as she already had a cut right down her back. She needs a new torso as well as the pelvis because the top of the torso was cracked and the bottom part has the broken thread of course. The end of the pelvis has broken on one side so that will have to be replaced but it means I have to undo both legs anyway.
I cut across the back about an inch above her bum crack so it was about half an inch below the top edge of the pelvis. From there I can get to all the silicone in the grooves of the pelvis and work my fingers under it to loosen the silicone on her belly side. If I continue the cut curving it down the side of the legs I can see what I'm doing to get to the bolts at the top of the legs and then remove the pelvis.
I don't want to do this yet until I get the parts but I can't see any difficulty at this stage. My biggest problem of course, like any surgeon, is the closing up after replacing large major skeleton parts. They may locate in a slightly different position and wrapping the silicone around might mean the original cuts don't fit together as well as they should.