Building a doll from scratch

MIKE238 · Post by **MIKE238** » Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:57 pm

You're quite right, MF, but I'm already committed and I don't want to go through the whole thing again which means I would have to re-print the arm. I needed to have flat ends on the arms anyway to print upright and by cutting off the arm as suggested would have caused even more problems! Sorry, I don't mean to be critical and I sincerely appreciate your help, my man.

I hope to have the right side completely assembled later this week or early next week and then when I print the left-hand torso I'll be be finished with printing. Then the hard part of getting the body completely smoothed is NOT going to be an easy task. But the printer really did a great job so I'm off to the races!

MannequinFan · Post by **MannequinFan** » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:56 pm

What I meant was to just print the small upper arm piece separate, not change the joint you already have - you wouldn't need to reprint the arm.
But carry on, you're doing just fine.

rubherkitty · Post by **rubherkitty** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:04 am

I assume the solution would be a small curved shoulder piece that would attach to the torso on the vertical plane and the other end attaching to the top of the upper arm on a horizontal plane?

ETA: Guess I guessed right!

ETA 2: Do they make supports of various heights that can be placed on the print table to support overhanging printed parts?

MIKE238 · Post by **MIKE238** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:36 am

Yep. I use a very good software package (not free) to run the printer. It does a super job of conjuring up supports for overhangs and the operator (me) has many options that can optimize the supports. Really works extremely well!

MannequinFan · Post by **MannequinFan** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:36 am

rubherkitty wrote: Do they make supports of various heights that can be placed on the print table to support overhanging printed parts?

The supports have to be printed as it goes, otherwise the print head would run into anything taller than the current layer.

Would be neat though if that was possible.

Post by **Slew** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 1:12 am

Hi Mike, very inspiring and completely thrilling, can't wait to see the rest of the process unfold. Thank you for your fantastic documentation.

Merck Foehurt · Post by **Merck Foehurt** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:11 am

Very fascinating stuff Mike! I will definitely be following this thread.

If you turned the torso 90 degrees so that the largest flat area would be on the table, wouldn't that cut down on the support material needed? Especially considering how you removed the arm already.

Also, I'm wondering if you could post a running tally of how much this project costs as you go. I'm curious how much a 3D printed gal is.

rubherkitty · Post by **rubherkitty** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:15 am

MannequinFan wrote:
rubherkitty wrote: Do they make supports of various heights that can be placed on the print table to support overhanging printed parts?
The supports have to be printed as it goes, otherwise the print head would run into anything taller than the current layer.
Would be neat though if that was possible.

Guess you can't open the door and stick a upside down plastic cup in there at the last second before it spits a dab of ABS out onto nothing!

Or the computer says " Hey dummy, I'm not printing a thing until you do something about a support".

samara78 · Post by **samara78** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:25 am

Incredible torso you have made there.

MIKE238 · Post by **MIKE238** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:21 am

Hey Seattle. This is definitely an ongoing project so there will be much more coming. I'll have more pics soon.

Hi Merck. Thanks for the suggestion but my printer isn't big enough for that plus the flat bottom of the torso needs to be on the printing bed for the best orientation during the printing process. Thanks anyway, though, as I'm always open for ideas!

Yep! Gotta have supports.

Thanks Samara, I should have the breast glued to the torso soon.

rubherkitty · Post by **rubherkitty** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:53 am

Merck Foehurt wrote: Also, I'm wondering if you could post a running tally of how much this project costs as you go. I'm curious how much a 3D printed gal is.

I know you didn't ask me, but I see Mike maybe missed this question.

The 3D printed doll is just a "plug" or model for making a mold for casting a silicone doll.
Mike may be able to guestimate the print time and material cost for just this phase.
And as far as what it will takes in time and cost to make a complete OOAK silicone doll > If you have to ask...
This type of project is done for the fun, challenge and desire of having a custom doll, not to save $$.
I have done a little research into mfg'ring dolls and I figure 10K just to get the 1st one out of the mold. This does not include a workshop building or space and having the fabrication tools already. By the time Mike gets to the actual casting of the doll, I hope to have a vacuum chamber built to degass the silicone that he can borrow.

MIKE238 · Post by **MIKE238** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:15 pm

You got it Rubherkitty. This is just for me and the challenge of producing something like this - and, of course, the fun of it. I'm also posting my progress with this project for anyone who wants to make their own doll as well. Questions are always accepted!

BigBurrito · Post by **BigBurrito** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 2:47 pm

Thats probably how the pro's do make them, gives me insight, were i on the other hand do 'ol school' sculpturing, and brother is hard to get it right, but i can make my "dream face" getting it smooth is the hard part

rubherkitty · Post by **rubherkitty** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 4:19 pm

The nice thing about 3D printing is you can get the doll body 99% of the shape you want. You just need to apply a finish coat to the model. I plan to use a fiberglass mannequin, but with quite a few mods so the MQ will only provide about 85% of what I need. The other 15% will be bondo or Apoxy sculpting.

MIKE238 · Post by **MIKE238** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 5:30 pm

True enough but it still won't be easy. The parts are fitting together well but I still have to fill in all the gaps between the parts because of certain printing issues that occur during the printing process. It's not a big deal but it does take work to get a perfectly smooth result so there are no signs of the joints. I saw a video on YouTube recently where a guy used a certain type of grey primer paint in a typical spray can available at any hardware store. This particular primer can be sanded when dry and it fills in all the layers on the printed piece. It's something I'm going to experiment with.