Successful Advanced Finger Repair!

[samara78]

Bumping for a friend

[terabyte]

Bumping for a friend

You and I spoke about this on the phone, I may attempt it.

I am curious about the use of 10-12ga stereo speaker wire in its own sheath for each finger and then using thick paper clips inside the white insulation for fingers to hold position when you bend them.

[RGC_0767]

Bumping for a friend

You and I spoke about this on the phone, I may attempt it.

I am curious about the use of 10-12ga stereo speaker wire in its own sheath for each finger and then using thick paper clips inside the white insulation for fingers to hold position when you bend them.

I need to repair my lady and her busted digits. For wire, I've decided to try and use telephone wire (the kind that runs through the house) It has 4 individual wires,all copper and all have individual sheathing. Plus the white outer sheathing. Be able to twist these like a pretzel and will hold up.
My girl has small, slender fingers. If I go too thick of wire, she may end up with man hands. Tree trunks for fingers

The stranded wire seems a good idea as well. But paper clips may cause more grief than it will help? I do not know. We are doll owners and researchers
The palm plate pictured in the start of this thread. I do not feel any sort of plate in palm. My lady has hers in the wrist from the feel of it.
I've not cut yet. Chicken!!! LOL. Once I get going on it. all will be fine.
My concern is sealing the wound up nice. I've even been working at a TPE paste. It definitely molds to any shape you want, but getting it to blend with existing TPE is challenging. ALL IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE!!! GO FORTH MEN!!!! FEAR NOT!!!

EDIT: I re-read CinnamonLover's post again. A mental note: measure length of each finger and record before surgery. He mentioned the finger(s) may be stretched some with the elasticity of TPE.

[windave]

Very interesting. How is the repair holding up?

[terabyte]

Bumping for a friend

You and I spoke about this on the phone, I may attempt it.

I am curious about the use of 10-12ga stereo speaker wire in its own sheath for each finger and then using thick paper clips inside the white insulation for fingers to hold position when you bend them.

I need to repair my lady and her busted digits. For wire, I've decided to try and use telephone wire (the kind that runs through the house) It has 4 individual wires,all copper and all have individual sheathing. Plus the white outer sheathing. Be able to twist these like a pretzel and will hold up.
My girl has small, slender fingers. If I go too thick of wire, she may end up with man hands. Tree trunks for fingers

The stranded wire seems a good idea as well. But paper clips may cause more grief than it will help? I do not know. We are doll owners and researchers
The palm plate pictured in the start of this thread. I do not feel any sort of plate in palm. My lady has hers in the wrist from the feel of it.
I've not cut yet. Chicken!!! LOL. Once I get going on it. all will be fine.
My concern is sealing the wound up nice. I've even been working at a TPE paste. It definitely molds to any shape you want, but getting it to blend with existing TPE is challenging. ALL IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE!!! GO FORTH MEN!!!! FEAR NOT!!!

EDIT: I re-read CinnamonLover's post again. A mental note: measure length of each finger and record before surgery. He mentioned the finger(s) may be stretched some with the elasticity of TPE.

Never thought of phone wire that could work as well! The paper clip idea I had would give the fingers the ability to hold a bended position if needed. Very interested in the TPE paste you mention.

[RGC_0767]

Bumping for a friend

You and I spoke about this on the phone, I may attempt it.

I am curious about the use of 10-12ga stereo speaker wire in its own sheath for each finger and then using thick paper clips inside the white insulation for fingers to hold position when you bend them.

I need to repair my lady and her busted digits. For wire, I've decided to try and use telephone wire (the kind that runs through the house) It has 4 individual wires,all copper and all have individual sheathing. Plus the white outer sheathing. Be able to twist these like a pretzel and will hold up.
My girl has small, slender fingers. If I go too thick of wire, she may end up with man hands. Tree trunks for fingers

The stranded wire seems a good idea as well. But paper clips may cause more grief than it will help? I do not know. We are doll owners and researchers
The palm plate pictured in the start of this thread. I do not feel any sort of plate in palm. My lady has hers in the wrist from the feel of it.
I've not cut yet. Chicken!!! LOL. Once I get going on it. all will be fine.
My concern is sealing the wound up nice. I've even been working at a TPE paste. It definitely molds to any shape you want, but getting it to blend with existing TPE is challenging. ALL IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE!!! GO FORTH MEN!!!! FEAR NOT!!!

EDIT: I re-read CinnamonLover's post again. A mental note: measure length of each finger and record before surgery. He mentioned the finger(s) may be stretched some with the elasticity of TPE.

Never thought of phone wire that could work as well! The paper clip idea I had would give the fingers the ability to hold a bended position if needed. Very interested in the TPE paste you mention.

When I first saw your paper clip idea, I was thinking just a paper clip as it is. You are thinking straighten out and insert into the sheathing of wire. If something works, it is not wrong. The paste? it's more damaging than helpful. It's just a solvent and TPE mixed into mush. Xylene and TPE. it's not a great idea. Very corrosive the Xylene is. will burn holes in her skin in seconds.
If I've left the outer sheathing on the phone wire, it'd thicken her fingers some. she has fairly thin little fingers. I'm going to try it next week I think. I've started a thread of preparation of the surgery. If anything I will try to make it as entertaining as I can I watched Crazycajun's video. the look on his girls face before surgery was classic!! cute too!! These dolls are entertaining for sure!!

[winterwarBo]

I like Romex NM UF or THHN. Yes it will work harden, however with CrazyCajun's Plate you could make a really small incision to replace the wire replacing the wire would be literally <10 minutes and cost would be maybe 20 cents of wire. I have over 1K feet of romex in various gauges, 12 NM feels a little firmer than original and 10 is a lot stiffer. I was thinking about using 10 gauge for the Thumb and 12 gauge for the fingers. I like the loop idea for the the end but I filled the loop with solder sanded the burr from cutting off and hit it on the buffer really lightly. The 10 gauge I put a blob of solder on the thumb tip end. 10 is pretty heavy stuff. I have some 8 gauge but that is almost as thick as her fingers and bending that is not easy without having a layer of squishy TPE on the outside for added slipperiness.

Sorry I took these with my beat up samsung camera.

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[RGC_0767]

I like Romex NM UF or THHN. Yes it will work harden, however with CrazyCajun's Plate you could make a really small incision to replace the wire replacing the wire would be literally <10 minutes and cost would be maybe 20 cents of wire. I have over 1K feet of romex in various gauges, 12 NM feels a little firmer than original and 10 is a lot stiffer. I was thinking about using 10 gauge for the Thumb and 12 gauge for the fingers. I like the loop idea for the the end but I filled the loop with solder sanded the burr from cutting off and hit it on the buffer really lightly. The 10 gauge I put a blob of solder on the thumb tip end. 10 is pretty heavy stuff. I have some 8 gauge but that is almost as thick as her fingers and bending that is not easy without having a layer of squishy TPE on the outside for added slipperiness.

Sorry I took these with my beat up samsung camera.

SAM_0476.JPG

SAM_0477.JPG

Crazycajun's plate will not work with my LuLu I'm afraid. I don't think there is a bolt in the wrist. Anything thicker than 14 she would then be the Incredible Hulk Doll LOL I will not know what I face until I make the incision... Wires are just pinched into a tube and most likely held in with a resin. Have looked into heavier wire, Once in there will see what is best. Good strong fingers good for holding things for sure.
Your pictures look ok to me
Another idea I've been pondering is fiberglass mesh. Glue wires to it. Use it in palm area to hold wires a little better. Once I cut her open more will be revealed....
That is a good idea of yours the more I look at it. loops etc...

[winterwarBo]

Trust me I don't want to cut into Janie or Kat at all but both of their hand are now pretty floppy. I can mess with them to get the photos I want but not all..

I had another idea involving 12 or 10g wire and brass or stainless rod. Brazing the solid rod to copper wire at the joint locations. So the bones would stay straight but the joints would have motion. The close proximity of the joints would be the issue when brazing. You run the risk of heating the other joints up and the object you're making falling apart. I have had to make from scratch missing saxophone keys. It is always a pain in the ass.

I have been trying to think up a sturdy solution to the problem. Romex is a cheap quick fix for the time being. Sitting on the shitter at work looking in the jewelry makers catalog I haven't figured out what would be the perfect fix yet. I could braze them up in the Chuck of my lathe and let the chuck of the lathe be the heatsink......

You want the joint to be stiff enough to hold the pose or at least a cup or baseball, but loose enough to be positioned easy without quickly work hardening. It is a pretty stout order and that's why the manufacturers aren't addressing it because they don't know how to fix it either.

I will say the Jinsan palm and fingers are very overthought and engineered. That wasn't cheap or fast to make, they fail because the small scale of the materials cannot handle that kind of stresses.

[RGC_0767]

Trust me I don't want to cut into Janie or Kat at all but both of their hand are now pretty floppy. I can mess with them to get the photos I want but not all..

I had another idea involving 12 or 10g wire and brass or stainless rod. Brazing the solid rod to copper wire at the joint locations. So the bones would stay straight but the joints would have motion. The close proximity of the joints would be the issue when brazing. You run the risk of heating the other joints up and the object you're making falling apart. I have had to make from scratch missing saxophone keys. It is always a pain in the ass.

I have been trying to think up a sturdy solution to the problem. Romex is a cheap quick fix for the time being. Sitting on the shitter at work looking in the jewelry makers catalog I haven't figured out what would be the perfect fix yet. I could braze them up in the Chuck of my lathe and let the chuck of the lathe be the heatsink......

You want the joint to be stiff enough to hold the pose or at least a cup or baseball, but loose enough to be positioned easy without quickly work hardening. It is a pretty stout order and that's why the manufacturers aren't addressing it because they don't know how to fix it either.

I will say the Jinsan palm and fingers are very overthought and engineered. That wasn't cheap or fast to make, they fail because the small scale of the materials cannot handle that kind of stresses.

Great post! Many metallic objects do not stick to TPE. I've been melting it in Solvent and seeing what sticks. Making little molds, etc. Even fabric does not stick for long. Any stress it pulls off.
I've worked for circuit board company. I have plates of copper (Small ones) Could solder wires to it and insert into wrist. Sort of pre-fab something.
I think my lady has tubing for a wrist. Feel it all the way up to her elbow. Flat hollow tubing.
Have you felt any sort of thing like what Crazycajun was doing in your girl? Feel a bolt or anything? You could take your idea, and make something similar to what he designed and tweak it. Even if there is no little bolt. still could work.
One thought I had and it really isnt a big deal, but thick wire, once it kinks good it is quite hard to get straight. always a little warp in it. I don't think that is a big deal in this case. I think too much
I guess the only thing we can do is get them under the knife and progress from there. it all works out once we get going on it

[winterwarBo]

Great post! Many metallic objects do not stick to TPE. I've been melting it in Solvent and seeing what sticks. Making little molds, etc. Even fabric does not stick for long. Any stress it pulls off.
I've worked for circuit board company. I have plates of copper (Small ones) Could solder wires to it and insert into wrist. Sort of pre-fab something.
I think my lady has tubing for a wrist. Feel it all the way up to her elbow. Flat hollow tubing.
Have you felt any sort of thing like what Crazycajun was doing in your girl? Feel a bolt or anything? You could take your idea, and make something similar to what he designed and tweak it. Even if there is no little bolt. still could work.
One thought I had and it really isnt a big deal, but thick wire, once it kinks good it is quite hard to get straight. always a little warp in it. I don't think that is a big deal in this case. I think too much
I guess the only thing we can do is get them under the knife and progress from there. it all works out once we get going on it

Tix Solder would be ideal for your repair. Make your wires and plate up with regular temp solder and solder it to the original handplate. if you can get enough access you could do it without removing the original handplate. It's used for jewelry repair super strong but melts at only 275 degrees F.

I was playing with some at work. Neat product.

[RGC_0767]

Great post! Many metallic objects do not stick to TPE. I've been melting it in Solvent and seeing what sticks. Making little molds, etc. Even fabric does not stick for long. Any stress it pulls off.
I've worked for circuit board company. I have plates of copper (Small ones) Could solder wires to it and insert into wrist. Sort of pre-fab something.
I think my lady has tubing for a wrist. Feel it all the way up to her elbow. Flat hollow tubing.
Have you felt any sort of thing like what Crazycajun was doing in your girl? Feel a bolt or anything? You could take your idea, and make something similar to what he designed and tweak it. Even if there is no little bolt. still could work.
One thought I had and it really isnt a big deal, but thick wire, once it kinks good it is quite hard to get straight. always a little warp in it. I don't think that is a big deal in this case. I think too much
I guess the only thing we can do is get them under the knife and progress from there. it all works out once we get going on it

Tix Solder would be ideal for your repair. Make your wires and plate up with regular temp solder and solder it to the original handplate. if you can get enough access you could do it without removing the original handplate. It's used for jewelry repair super strong but melts at only 275 degrees F.

I was playing with some at work. Neat product.

Here is her CRUDE "mechanical hand" a bit more work to do. I labeled the digits. Me and my ADD will forget which one is which. I put one in a finger for a fit test and when pulling it out the shrink tube stayed in there. LOL
It's all gonna be cool!!!
Now I just have to crash course in Plastic surgery to be prepared!!! LOL

newfingers.jpg

[winterwarBo]

Ok! Big thanks to all involved for the information on this repair.

BIG SHOUTOUT to CrazyCajun for the beautifully made hand plates.

I did the left hand on Janie tonight. Took 3 hours. Cutting the mesh away carefully was a pain in the balls. Pulling the old wire out of the fingers wasn't too difficult.

This was the best. Must have been the new kid welding this one up they welded the head of the Machine Screw instead of the nut.. I was like What the FFFFFUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!! I was not expecting that or prepared for it. I was beyond pissed off. Like snapping a bolt off deep inside the block doing a waterpump on a Ford Truck....

There was a BIG gap that I just couldn't get to seal so I cut up one of my other toys for a piece of TPE to fill in the gap. I need to get a versa tool and smooth it out a little better. The point on my soldering iron is only so good. I can order one this week and clean it up whenever. The worst of her problem is corrected. The wires in her fingers originally are pretty heavy. It's like they corroded at the junction with the handplate or its a weak spot and snap.

Of course after its together I didn't torque the thumb down enough I took my 1/16" allen wrench poked around in the palm until I found the set screw and gave it a little extra ugga dugga. You can't even see where I poked the hole it sealed up when I pulled the wrench out. This is how it should be. I used 12 gauge wire on them all since the 10 would not fit in the hand plate. It is a little on the firm side but I wanted that. I wanted to see if I can get a little more realistic dexterity out of these girls.

The minor damage being limited to the palm is more than acceptable. the only digit left connect on her left hand was the thumb to start with they were all broken at the palm plate and flopping like limp spaghetti.

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[CrazyCajun]

I am really happy to hear that it went well and the plates worked ok, and yea; it seems that every surgery is in fact a learning experience, some not too good. But it is because we love our ladies that we do the very best that we can for them! Even dolls from the same manufacturer that are only a few months apart can have very different internal arrangements and connection methods. This makes it very difficult to fabricate replacement parts and be sure that they will work as intended!

[winterwarBo]

I am really happy to hear that it went well and the plates worked ok, and yea; it seems that every surgery is in fact a learning experience, some not too good. But it is because we love our ladies that we do the very best that we can for them! Even dolls from the same manufacturer that are only a few months apart can have very different internal arrangements and connection methods. This makes it very difficult to fabricate replacement parts and be sure that they will work as intended!

They worked perfectly. These are a great idea! I can't thank you enough for developing them. I will work on a better solution then the wires. something has to exist.

I understand that this is a learning experience. I never worked with Thermo Plastics like this before. So I was way out of my element. These dolls are well thought out. Once the mesh crap is out of the way its pretty easy work to get at everything. I think I spent an hour alone sealing up the wound. I just wasn't expecting that hinge to have the head of the Machine screw tack welded.

With the loop at the end of the wire soldered and the insulation still on. a light coating of Vaseline slide them right in. Jinsan made these really well. They honestly tried. Better than most of the stuff I see made anymore.

Now I have one under my belt I can do the right hand next. I was glad after having to grind and making her hands look like she was helping me work on my 1966 Chevy Panel truck that she cleaned up good.