New video - TPE repairs, a comprehensive tutorial

[mala78]

TDF admins...
Make this post a sticky!!

+1

[Mr Franz]

Thanks! Saved that one to my PC...

[r363b]

same for Fleshlight repairs also .. very good instructions

[RGC_0767]

Wow! Thanks a bunch mishka! maybe I can do this on my dolls shoulder scrape from where she fell.. I do have a question though.

For the skin shine dulling do you think a foam stippler brush would work?Or do you think the heat would melt the foam?

51m245ixS5L._SX425_.jpg

I use those on sculpts done with monster clay after using isopropyl miristat to smooth the surface of the clay. Doing dab motions like you did in the video it creates softened microsurface texture similar to sand paper.

Moisten the foam with baby oil, and it may be alright. 600 grit wet/dry oil drenched sandpaper is an even better texture.

Cool! Thanks for the tip RGC

Thanks for the foam idea. Hey if something works ok, it's definitely not wrong. I'm gonna test the foam right now, and see if it is viable. Every idea is worth a shot!!
EDIT: Zippy81 and his foam idea are cool. The foam I had was not real tight in texture, but coated in mineral oil it works just fine. Cleaned up the cut in this toy rather nicely!!

Sponge-Test.jpg

Hats off to Mishka, for his video and for making it look easy.

[Zippy81]

Awesome! Good to know! thanks for braving the unknown on your toy!

[RGC_0767]

Awesome! Good to know! thanks for braving the unknown on your toy!

It's my test toy... it's how I've been learning solder iron / hot air techniques. That photo is the toy's good side. It'll never look new again.
It pays to buy a couple of cheap TPE toys to get a feel for what Mishka posted. For practice.
I used 150c on hot air gun.
150c seems to work well for me mostly

[Zippy81]

nice so is that two different toys in the same picture? or is that a before left side and after picture right side?

[RGC_0767]

nice so is that two different toys in the same picture? or is that a before left side and after picture right side?

Same toy. Colors look different. Camera app on phone has been a bit wacky lately. One on right is the sponged finish up. For abrasions, scuffs, etc.
Hot air works well. Really bad cuts are more tricky to get like new, but it can be done. Best thing is having the same TPE if filling a void.
I've used different TPE melted into this test toy, and it does not mix as well with it. It sticks, but not as good if using same TPE.
As long as there is no material loss most cuts can be repaired like Mishka did in the video. Great jobs he did!!

[Babel99]

Very strong video! I also vote for a sticky ... I have few Mishka's video in my own bookmarks !

Mishka, were you able to fix the common tear between the tight and the vagina that way?

[mala78]

Very strong video! I also vote for a sticky ... I have few Mishka's video in my own bookmarks !

Mishka, were you able to fix the common tear between the tight and the vagina that way?

I fixed mine with TPE glue + added TPE material

Only TPE glue didn't hold when i ve tried.
Do not apply oil or anything before the repair.The area must be completely dry or the glue won't work.

When i find time i will smooth with a heat gun the area between vagina and butt hole

TPE glue is very very very very powerful but can work only if applied in deep tears, if the tear is swallow for a reason i cannot expain it does not work.

On the other hand heat gun is perfect for all the other repairs, smoothing, small holes, shallow tears etc.

[secretagentman]

Outstanding Mishka!
While George's vids are informative, yours is on another level.
Using an IR temperature gun is GENIUS

[Mishka1965]

Outstanding Mishka!
While George's vids are informative, yours is on another level.
Using an IR temperature gun is GENIUS

Thanks!
The reason I needed to figure that out is each TPE formula melts at different temps, and you really need to practice on the actual insert spare and get the working temp and times really down. So the first time I used this heat gun, I got to the melting part and melted the doll badly. I also had smoke belching out and the resulting experience made me put the heat gun away for months in disgust. Also I ended up using metal spoons and that sticky mess resulted in ugly results.

Things learned were - monitor temps, and stay within a safe range so no accidents happen, and also never tough the TPE with your finger to check for consistency (I have done this!)
also I never used the oil before melting and that also caused uneven melting and burning. I recon it works like solder flux to distribute heat better. This method will fail without the oil wetting and cleaning step.

Hence the IR gun was needed. And I admit I use it a lot now! It made all those repairs so easy I could not believe it!
I recon it's like driving a car with no oil in it and no temperature gauge! - failure will occur sooner than later!

Mishka

[Mishka1965]

Very strong video! I also vote for a sticky ... I have few Mishka's video in my own bookmarks !

Mishka, were you able to fix the common tear between the tight and the vagina that way?

Actually that is one method I have not figured out. None of my dolls are torn there so I cannot do this repair. I have them for photos and static "figures" around the house to keep us company. One thing that will work is the tearing or stretching in the groin. Give it some heat to reset the stress area.

I do find is strange that people have dolls a few weeks old with that stress damage. I do have some dolls with little damage there.

One doll, my YL155 suffered bad damage to her knee - just from sitting! and her TOES are wrecked - from god knows what. Cracks everywhere!

If I knew about this repair then, I could have repaired her well!

Mishka

[Mishka1965]

Wow! Thanks a bunch mishka! maybe I can do this on my dolls shoulder scrape from where she fell.. I do have a question though.

For the skin shine dulling do you think a foam stippler brush would work?Or do you think the heat would melt the foam?

51m245ixS5L._SX425_.jpg

I use those on sculpts done with monster clay after using isopropyl miristat to smooth the surface of the clay. Doing dab motions like you did in the video it creates softened microsurface texture similar to sand paper.

Moisten the foam with baby oil, and it may be alright. 600 grit wet/dry oil drenched sandpaper is an even better texture.

Cool! Thanks for the tip RGC

Thanks for the foam idea. Hey if something works ok, it's definitely not wrong. I'm gonna test the foam right now, and see if it is viable. Every idea is worth a shot!!
EDIT: Zippy81 and his foam idea are cool. The foam I had was not real tight in texture, but coated in mineral oil it works just fine. Cleaned up the cut in this toy rather nicely!!

Sponge-Test.jpg

Hats off to Mishka, for his video and for making it look easy.

Great idea about the foam brush. I'l need to test it out. The only thing one would need to be careful is not to impregnate the molten area with small bits of old foam.

Mishka

[Anung Un Rama]

That is a great video and a spectacular contribution Mishka

I have stickied it accordingly. This is exactly how I do these repairs so it is great to see that others have also read my how to's that are very well presented in this video.

Mishka uses a raytek type IR gun for the temp on the tpe itself. I will definitely look at one of these my self, as the temps I quote in my posts are the heat gun temp settings for my device, rather than the tpe surface temp. It is great how Mishka has shown this and the cooling rates as well. Remember in winter time you got to work faster as less semi molten time (mirror gloss for tpe flow) so this means more short time blending and smoothing than in summer time, as the tpe cools a lot faster .

For example if doing a repair on a 100 degree F day you may need 3 to 5 heat then smooth techniques where you get 30 seconds to work the tpe but on a 30 degree F day, you may only get 5 to 10 seconds shape and smooth time, so need to repeat the reheat many more times.

So this video captures exactly what I am explaining in these posts

Plastruct cement will work for regular cut healing, use the white label bottle.
But in this case you would do much more damage than good.
The first thing to remember is the TPE has to be in a totally relaxed state (as molded) condition.
It's going to be impossible to smooth it over with solvent glue.
And a soldering iron isn't going to be much better.
A mini heat gun might work, but again it will have to be in a relaxed position and those areas are usually a crease with not much access.
If you apply solvent or heat to TPE while it's in a stretched condition it will tear very rapidly and deeply, causing much more damage than it was before.

FP

Spot On the money, however it looks like I am too late to rescue her

The only way to fix these is with a heat gun at 170 degrees Celsius (gun temp setting not tpe surface temp) or there about with fan on low. I would not go near that with a solvent repair as you will end up with a crater, and at best the repair site will be hard and razor sharp . It will likely fail in short order once the tpe is stretched.

A tpe gel repair may do for filling, but will not hold a stress area.

I would add one amendment to FP post.

Nothing that when you get the tpe semi molten you can not effectively pinch it to form the bond without burning yourself or distorting the shape of the tpe.

So, you heat the tpe until shiny, rapid back and forth feathering of the gun to keep the heat on the area even, and the goal is to maintain the original mould shape of the tpe.

So you do the heating in the half stressed position with the damage partially open. It is important to ensure the area is also dry and contaminent such as powder free.

Once the heat is applied and the area is sticky and shiny, you then use the limb leverage to return the doll to the neutral unstressed position then feather the surface with the heat gun (rapidly) to smooth the repair and blend it in. By returning the doll to the unstressed position the two tacky semi molten sections of the repair site should then press together natural and start reforming the bond. Once you see this, you can start the blend and smoothing heat application.

I also use a very light sheen of mineral oil during the process, and then on blending, but if you use too much or if the gun is two hot, you will get bubbling and air pockets. Once the area is back in the unstressed position (you got to be quick for that part so be ready and prepared, as you need the deeper heated tacky areas that where not in contact but now are to bond together) blending and smoothing with the gun assists the tpe reform the bond.

The gun should be no closer than 5 cm and you need to ensure great ventilation or use a positive air supply respirator as tpe fumes are toxic.

So this is how I have successfully done this, and how the factories do it as well, so know you all know.

A similar method can be done by soldering iron, but it is done in layers, about 1-2 mm of depth repair at a time, repeating the open (semi stressed position) and close (unstressed position) technique once the earlier repair layer has cured.

Hope this can help others.

Anung

Sure,

I have the oil sitting in a small open container like the top of vitamin jar lid, so about 10 cm across. The spoon is immersed into the small oil bath.

I then preheat a ultra clean teaspoon and lightly apply the oil, that I again preheat with the gun before any contact with the tpe.

Heat matching the oil and the spoon is important, as if you have shakey hands, or contact the tpe too firmly with the spoon, when tpe is in a semi molten state, you can inadvertently drag and tare the surface. Try not to let the spoon actually touch the tpe, unless you are reblending or shape filling (and if so be ultra gentle with it using the bottom base of the spoon, not the edges), so, you are drizzling the oil layer (not the steel) onto the tpe.

An atomiser spray bottle can also be used, but not on semi molten tpe (you will include oil blisters if you do this with cold oil onto semi molten and molten tpe), you have to squirt that onto cold tpe, then gradually apply the heat.

You can tell when the temp is getting correct to work with as very light smoke fumes come off the tpe surface, if the smoke is heavy and darkening you are too hot or too close with the gun, and the tpe is about to go fully molten and can blister and distort rapidly.

Does this describe this process sufficiently. I have tried to keep it Simples.

So, get a test piece of tpe to master the process through practice first, but remember the test piece, heats up a lot faster than the doll area, so this should help you develop heat gun feathering techniques, without melting the test piece, but keeping it semi molten

Anung

Hi JiT,

Crazy Cajun (RIP) when he was still with us did a very good neck retrofit instructional topic on his site here http://missatleur.com/Retrofit.htm

I trust this assists and his legacy can help you.

I would recommend the melting repair method if the incision will be significant. Tpe glue can work fine on smaller incision, but for larger incisions, the melt technique afford the most resilient repair, but it takes tools, practice and patience to master, as demonstrated in this topic.

These topics provide additional information of tpe hotwork

https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 1#p1285810

https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 9#p1279899

https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 7#p1281557





and this one for use of tpe glue

https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... =7&t=89001





Anung

Sure, I do not use it my self with hot work, but there are two techniques, one involves mineral oil and wet and dry 800 grain and 1200 grain for finishing to remove a shiny tpe area that has been heat effected by hot work, so a form of blending, and the other technique is more like using sand paper for pore imprinting. The first is done, once heated tpe has cured and cooled.

So with this second technique, you would use a 600 grain sand paper, over an oiled and semi molten tpe repair area, and press the paper onto the area then remove. This is an alternate form of blending used to simulate skin pores.

I discuss tpe hot work repairs here https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 9#p1279899 and here https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 7#p1281557 but I have not detailed the use of sanpaper, as I use a cotton sheet material of 200 plus thread count soaked in mineral oil, like the Chinese factories do, for blend finishing and smoothing.

Trust this assists.

Anung

Cheers and a great video.


Anung