Phoebe's shoulder and elbow surgury.

[mahtek]

Tonight I performed the surgury on her right arm to tighten the joints so that she can resume her career in photography.

All indications are that the surgury was a success. Aside from the anxiety of the first cut, it wasn't too difficult. Tomorrow I'll do the left arm.

While she's recuperating on the bed, I get to sleep on the floor.

I took a few breaks to photograph the procedure. I hope I covered enough to be of help. If you have any questions, just ask.

http://www.dollalbum.com/gallery/album797

Mahtek & Phoebe

[Mannequin]

Excellent pix and good imagination coming up with the homemade spreaders.

I wonder if we can start a running "sticky" thread with links to pix of repairs??

I know that there are a couple of sites (Slades, of course)... but this could be something that is right here in the forum.

[larryb22]

Nice job.
Looked to me the rotation bolt in the third photo was stripped, or at least something on the threads. Did you find any bolts or parts that needed replacing?
IMO, if you replace bolts with new ones and want to lock-tite them, they & the mating parts should be degreased with something before installing and using the lock-tite.
Cool spreaders.
Larry

[Perry]

Truly excellent work, Mahtek!

I am very impressed by the quality of your homemade tools, your work, and your photo records of the process.

Thanks for taking the time to show us how you did it. You might have a small market interested in purchasing those spreaders.

[mahtek]

Morning is here, the tape held, and her arm will hold a pose again. Success! I just touched up the incisions with the Abyss matching repair silicone. Not much touching up to do. Just a paper thin gap in a few spots that needed a drop to fill in. As I managed to stay on the seam when cutting, the repair will be unnoticeable.

Larry,

Yes, the one bolt was partialy stripped. I degreased it and the hole(which had metal shavings in it! ) and reassembled with Loctite. It held so good that I had to loosen the bolt so that the arm could move at all! If it had been stripped any worse, I would have got a new one.

Perry,

Thanks. I am hoping that the pictures and text will be adequate for anyone to produce the spreaders themselves. No special tools, $5 materials. Besides, I don't think my liver could handle drinking enough wine to provide corks for mass production!

Mahtek & Phoebe

[midnight]

Very good pics and informative narration, mahtek Those "spreader" tools you fashioned are great.

...I'm not sure that I knew Phoebe needed surgury What is / was wrong

[mahtek]

Midnight,

Phoebe's joints had become so loose that posing had become impossible, and her left wrist never would rotate from day one. Actualy, the whole forearm rotates at the elbow. I can say had now, because I just finished her left arm.

This is why I haven't posted any photosets since May. I had to tighten her neck joint for the Spy Girl shoot, but after that was done posing had just become impossible. I've had everything to do it for months except the guts to make the first cut.

Now her legs, on the other hand, I like loose and floppy!

Mahtek & Phoebe

[DaveC]

Hi Mahtek,

It’s great to hear that Phoebe will soon be posing for us again. The pictures are excellent, very clear. The spreader tool is also inspired.

I’m glad to hear that the cuts have closed without being noticeable. What type of knife did you use?

Regards,

Dave.

[Keithallen]

Mahtek,
Thanks for the photos of the surgery. Those spreaders are a stroke of genius! Very well done

[mahtek]

I've just inspected the left arm repair, and the seam at the elbow didn't quite line up as nice as the others, and I know why. When I made that cut, I wasn't perfectly perpendicular to the bone. As a result, if the arm wasn't in exactly the same position as when it was cut, the two sides wouldn't line up exactly. Much as I tried to realign it, it still shifted while curing.

It's on the seam, 1/32" of misalignment over 1". Barely noticable. But a disappointment after the three before it sealed perfectly.

Dave,

I used one of those cheap disposable razor knives with a locking blade. Brand new, never used. Make the first cut slowly but deliberately in one motion. Then spread the silicone for subsequent cuts to the bone. This will ensure a single clean line on the surface that will be hard to detect. I think I included the knife in the picture of the tools that I used.

KA,

Thanks! It's info that I hope no one will need to use!

Mahtek & Phoebe

[pygmalion2]

Mahtek
Nice work! Mark and the Synthetiks

[dwhite601]

Very impressive, Mahtek. I can see Phoebe's in good hands.

With steady hands like that, you could have been a surgeon! With tool making skills like that, you could have been a TV craftsman host ... I can see it now ...

"Hi, I'm Mahtek. Welcome to another episode of This Old Body."

David

[mahtek]

Davecat,

Those calipers worked OK. As prototypes, they were able to show where the design could be improved. I suppose I could produce a set or two of an improved design on a limited basis. If someone needed them, that's one thing. But a zillion people wanting them "just in case", that's another.

David,

Great concept, but "This Old Body", EEEEeeewwww! How about "This Old Doll"? Where I take a wasted RD and do a step by step restoration to her original beauty? Now that's a video series that would sell! Surely someone has a old doll, decrepit in an attic they could donate......

Mahtek & Phoebe(OK Mahtek, you're gettin' weird on me!)

[Largo2032]

Wow! It really interesting to see ppl that repair the ladies. Thanks for showing us how you did it!

Maybe PBS is looking for a show idea! "As you can see, this lady needs alot of work, but if you come over here, we'll show you a completed project"

Or E! on cable!