Caroline's right elbow has come apart

[dwhite601]

I wonder, what is that black stuff?? Is it some kind of iron...?

Ewww! RealDoll guts!

I'm sorry to hear, Everhard, that Caroline needed surgery. Your girls are in good hands, though. Nice repair.

David

[ChikkinNoodul]

And in this heat, 30 degrees C., these dolls feel like they're fresh from splashing about in the pool. Or maybe tired out from doing some strenuous lengths, judging by their fit-looking bodies... Too tired to put up much resistance to the advances of their overheated owner.

You're lucky... here in Cologne, we expect temperatures of about 37°C tomorrow, and today, it's already 34°C...

[red_dragon]

I'm sorry to hear this has happened.

[Mr_Gasket]

Too tired to put up much resistance to the advances of their overheated owner.

I think that's the way we all like them... heh heh heh!

Maybe it emanates from the wearing of the surfaces of
the joint, which are indeed visibly worn; shiny and scored in a circlular fashion. If it is iron powder, that would account for why it is so difficult to clean off: The slightest pressure would force the tiny hard particles into the surface.

I noticed this when I did Vicki's hip repair, even though she was less than a month old at the time... Fortunately I did not get any on the OUTSIDE of her skin. I believe it is from the wearing of the joint as well... On Vicki's joint, the stacked steel plates did show a slight wear pattern.

Next time I will try wrapping the part concerned with cling-film, and cutting through that. That way, you can move the doll or limb, as necesary, without touching its surface. Just an idea.

That sounds like a plan, but you may have a problem getting the film to stick in place on her skin well enough. But, it's worth a try! Maybe I'll try that when I repair Vicki's floppy wrists this weekend.

[URASmeghead]

...will MOSTLY see the 271 series (RED) because this is what most stores sell. This type is PERMANENT, and boy do they mean it! Once cured, it can ONLY be removed by heating the parts to 250 degrees C (400 deg F) with a torch! If you can find it, use the 242 series (BLUE) also marketed as REMOVABLE type...

Sorry, I beg to differ about the red locktite...I have pulled nuts off that have had red applyed, without the need for a torch. Granted they were hell to get but I did get them without heating.

Case in point about 1-year ago I added 2-aux Trans-cooler to my 95-Ranger, I had to pull my entire front end just to get them in infront of thr orininal cooler, every bult was coated with red locktite, and every bolt came off without exception, with nothing but a wrinch.

On this subject I would recumend that the parts include as follows
* Harden Steel bolt
* Harded steel lock-washer (the ones that look like they have been cut)
* Harden Steel standerd nut
* Harden steel lock-nut with the nylon insert
* Lastly Blue or red locktite

1) install the bolt in this order the bolt it self
2) the lock-washer on the nut end (should be up on the elbow)
2) locktite on the threds
3) the standered nut
4) finally the lock-nut

by putting nuts back to back, it insures that the first has not where to go, thus can't loosen. I have seen this in rare applications but it does work very well.

this is all a bit over kill but I have never had this combo come apart in other applications, should work execptionally well for doll joints (Better to go over board then under...)


This should enshure that the joint will not fail again.
Using harden steel will prevent stree and torqu brakage.

Sorry, I really went long on this post, I'll try to keep it shorter in the future...

[Britti_Lover]

Generally - early doll pics can be really nice because the owner does not know how easily damaged a Realdoll is.

After a while, after performing lots of repairs they may stop photographing the doll altogether.

I myself just take simple pictures now that don't stress the doll in any way:

http://www.dollalbum.com/dollgallery/di ... ?pos=-5204

When the dolls get lighter and more durable I'll get more daring with photographs at that time.

[Mr_Gasket]

In a previous post I may have misstated a fact, and I would like to correct this misstatement.

You will MOSTLY see the 271 series (RED) because this is what most stores sell. This type is PERMANENT, and boy do they mean it! Once cured, it can ONLY be removed by heating the parts to 250 degrees C (400 deg F) with a torch!

Type 271 IS classified as permanent, but I found out there is another RED type loctite (didn't get the number), which is classified as HIGH STRENGTH (otherwise removable). I had not seen this particular one before, I discovered it when I went to buy blue loctite (medium strength) for the repair of Vicki's floppy wrists. Strangely, I don't find any mention of this high strength red on loctite's website, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place...