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Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

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RGC_0767
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Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

Ordered and received some sculpting balls from Ebay.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/4X-Modelling-Ba ... 2749.l2649
sculptor-balls.jpg
Have been messing with them a bit. Seem to work very well for smoothing out areas. The thing I have noticed is they hold heat longer than a spoon.
Probably nothing new for the veterans working with TPE, but once the smoothing you wish to do is complete, then you can add a bit of texture as the ball cools down. Gives it that "skin" texture, and gets rid of that shiny look.
I just used an ordinary propane torch used for plumbing on very low flame.
May work to smooth some rough areas on the ladies, lady parts. :) All experimental.
Only paid a few dollars for them, so they may come in handy.

An artist's work only pays real well long after his/her death :)

I'd rather screw around with this sort of stuff, than screw the doll. Yep I'm weird.... who cares!! :)

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Anung Un Rama
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by Anung Un Rama »

:thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:

Nice.

I like, great contribution, but remember peeps, practice on a test piece first to master the technique, and use a respirator, or at least forced ventilation, as tpe fumes can be toxic if inhaled.

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RGC_0767
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

Anung Un Rama wrote::thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:

Nice.

I like, great contribution, but remember peeps, practice on a test piece first to master the technique, and use a respirator, or at least forced ventilation, as tpe fumes can be toxic if inhaled.

Anung
My reason mainly for getting these is to "refresh" the area where the thigh meets the groin. It is not real bad on the doll. But as time goes by it probably will get worse. It looks more dried than torn. Does not look like there is much material loss anyway.
I am thinking how I could emulate the damage on a practice toy. Not easy to figure that one out! :)
My idea is to run one of the smaller balls along the area, just to see if I can smooth it out, without having an obvious stripe as a result LOL
baby steps again!!

Yeah the respirator I use is for painting. Thing I hate about that thing is my glasses fog up quick!! Real fun when painting base/clear....

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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

An update: for those who may be interested and/or wish to help :)
I used the smallest ball to try and clean up the mess. Thankfully a bigger mess was not made "Phew" The small ball must lose it's heat rapidly, because by the time I get it from torch to the area it does not melt it too well. LOL. having the area relaxed, the space is limited so... the smaller the tool, the better.
The bigger sculpting balls work awesome for sealing a cut, etc...
I'll post some pics of what I'm trying to do shortly...

RGC_0767
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

The area I am trying to replenish:
dried-up-etc.jpg
Steady hands?? Hardly!
Frustration.jpg
Have not spent much time with it. If I try too hard I'll make it worse!!
Let it flow...
Have a small collection of tools to try to master all this...
sculpt-tools.jpg
Getting the right temps. and very delicate application I know is key.
I've read somewhere on here that baby oil may help with this sort of thing? Have read that relating to the spoon trick.
Maybe that would scorch surface??

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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by samara78 »

Nice equipment you have there! Always nice to see people coming up with stuff. I use similar tools to work with sculpy
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by Fantastic Plastic »

A heat gun will effectively reflow the surface, just be sure it’s clean and powder free, and the area is under absolutely zero stress.
I reflowed Maxine’s entire butt from all the abrasions, works perfectly, like new.
I notice some TPE’s reflow easier than others though.
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by Indigo20 »

Such tools are for clay / ceramic modelling.
You can use the tools with different ball size on the tip and other tools with different tips.
Modellierwerkzeuge.jpg
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SMD Station und Werkzeuge.jpg
SMD Station und Werkzeuge.jpg (65.17 KiB) Viewed 4411 times

But please do not use open flames to heat up tools.
That is uncontrolled.

Something like this can happen with TPE under tension very quickly if the tool was too hot:
Verbrennung.jpg
Verbrennung.jpg (7.84 KiB) Viewed 4411 times

Here you see the difference of open flames:
Feuerzeugflamme.jpg
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Kerzenflamme.jpg
Kerzenflamme.jpg (11.25 KiB) Viewed 4411 times

Use a heat gun, control the temperature of the TPE and work with your tools on the surface.

If you are good at metalworking, you can create your own hot air nozzle attachments.
Therewith you are able to bring the heat concentrated to every spot you need.
Düsenaufsätze.JPG
Düsenaufsätze.JPG (44.16 KiB) Viewed 4407 times


Apply mineral oil (not baby oil, that has thickening agent inside) on the TPE surface.
Mineral oil transfers the heat inside the TPE structure and your tools are sliding on the surface.

Use fine sandpaper or a cotton towel with mineral oil and dap on the heated TPE surface, that brings back the surface structure.

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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by shotdot »

Wouldn't heat gun work better than torch? Also why not to use infrared thermometer to check what temperature your tool tip has? For example something like "I found tooltip temperature 175C to be optimal" would have been an invaluable hint.

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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by justintime »

Good reference stuff here, those tips are for a heat gun, I would guess.
never seen those.
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RGC_0767
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

Fantastic Plastic wrote:A heat gun will effectively reflow the surface, just be sure it’s clean and powder free, and the area is under absolutely zero stress.
I reflowed Maxine’s entire butt from all the abrasions, works perfectly, like new.
I notice some TPE’s reflow easier than others though.
The heat gun I have will destroy that area I'm betting :) Yes the heat for this doll's TPE requires more than the test toys I've tested with. They melt much easier than dolly does... she's a tough chick! :) The ball worked great for fixing up her cut when I was fixing fingers. A little more forgiving an area the palm is then curved groin section
Just having fun anyway.

RGC_0767
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

Great ideas those tips for heat gun. Yes I do understand welding, have done all sorts of metalworking, A job which is not really my thing. Understand basics.
I'm just trying to be a "backwoods doctor" I've not really had much problems with open flame heat so far. done more damage with solder iron, since have been playing with this.
I've messed up a toy big time with testing, but it's composition is WAY different than the doll. Thinner material as well.
The look on her face?? she trusts me :)

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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by Anung Un Rama »

I am with Indigo here, this is what I do, and I use the tools to sculpt the semi molten tpe accordingly, but you need a very light touch and the oil is important less the tool bites and grabs the tpe causing more work to repair. (so again practice on test pieces to master the touch and oil application technique).

The other trick is feathering the heat form the gun to ensure even heat transfer as well, and as shot does suggests, a digital laser thermometer is great if you got an extra set of hands.

I discuss the heat repair technique here https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 9#p1279899 and elaborate further in a few posts after that one.

Anung
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Lilith Un Rama - RD She Devil Custom Bod 10 (DOLLMILF and TDF Doll Queen)
Natasha-RD Classic - Bod 6
Lexi-BT 3 (C) Star Bod 3 Gel butt & boob implants
Lorelei-SANHUI 165R cup my custom elf head 007
Emerald-R13 custom
Tammy-PIB IG -Bella Head
Ayla-WM dolls - 155cm DD cup model
Jessica Jade-PD - 163cm, Penelope fitness version .
Mazzy M-JY/AS Doll 166cm fitness model
Pearl-JY150cm Fantasy Fitness my design
BaBs-PD 158cm Mega Boobs doll
Jessie-TB Deluxe-Jessica Model
Danny-YL Dolls-128cm Kylie model
Gypsy Kate-WM 140cm D cup head #36
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RGC_0767
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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by RGC_0767 »

Anung Un Rama wrote:I am with Indigo here, this is what I do, and I use the tools to sculpt the semi molten tpe accordingly, but you need a very light touch and the oil is important less the tool bites and grabs the tpe causing more work to repair. (so again practice on test pieces to master the touch and oil application technique).

The other trick is feathering the heat form the gun to ensure even heat transfer as well, and as shot does suggests, a digital laser thermometer is great if you got an extra set of hands.

I discuss the heat repair technique here https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 9#p1279899 and elaborate further in a few posts after that one.

Anung
Yes, it was a post you did a while back, I copied and pasted that to a text file. It's easy to get info mixed up on forums this size :) That is sort of what goes with this doll. It grabs the TPE in tiny little blots. That temp is the key there. I'd rather be cautious than jump in like a fool :)
That's the difference between my test TPE and this doll. The test TPE is so easy to work with, this doll is more stubborn. WoW the doll and I have something in common. Stubbornness :)

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Re: Handy tools for smoothing and shaping

Post by Anung Un Rama »

RGC_0767 wrote:
Anung Un Rama wrote:I am with Indigo here, this is what I do, and I use the tools to sculpt the semi molten tpe accordingly, but you need a very light touch and the oil is important less the tool bites and grabs the tpe causing more work to repair. (so again practice on test pieces to master the touch and oil application technique).

The other trick is feathering the heat form the gun to ensure even heat transfer as well, and as shot does suggests, a digital laser thermometer is great if you got an extra set of hands.

I discuss the heat repair technique here https://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtop ... 9#p1279899 and elaborate further in a few posts after that one.

Anung
Yes, it was a post you did a while back, I copied and pasted that to a text file. It's easy to get info mixed up on forums this size :) That is sort of what goes with this doll. It grabs the TPE in tiny little blots. That temp is the key there. I'd rather be cautious than jump in like a fool :)
That's the difference between my test TPE and this doll. The test TPE is so easy to work with, this doll is more stubborn. WoW the doll and I have something in common. Stubbornness :)
That's is due to the fact that the dolly is far larger and has far more material for thermal conduction than a tpe test piece, thus her body mass forms a heat sink, hence we hot gun feather back and forth to normalise the higher temp over a greater area and mass. :thumbs_up:

So why use a test piece at all then?

Sure, it is about the repairer getting to know how the tpe reacts, and gaining experience of what the matrial does in it solid, semi molten and molten forms, as well as training the repairer to master the amount and type of required touch and pressure required, without catastrophic blunders on their valuable dolly.

the proceedure is the same for both, just slower and more hands on with heat regulation with the heat gun for dolly.

Anung
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THE UN RAMA'S

Lilith Un Rama - RD She Devil Custom Bod 10 (DOLLMILF and TDF Doll Queen)
Natasha-RD Classic - Bod 6
Lexi-BT 3 (C) Star Bod 3 Gel butt & boob implants
Lorelei-SANHUI 165R cup my custom elf head 007
Emerald-R13 custom
Tammy-PIB IG -Bella Head
Ayla-WM dolls - 155cm DD cup model
Jessica Jade-PD - 163cm, Penelope fitness version .
Mazzy M-JY/AS Doll 166cm fitness model
Pearl-JY150cm Fantasy Fitness my design
BaBs-PD 158cm Mega Boobs doll
Jessie-TB Deluxe-Jessica Model
Danny-YL Dolls-128cm Kylie model
Gypsy Kate-WM 140cm D cup head #36
Dommy-SANHUI 65cm Mini silicone doll
Mini Dolls lots!
My designs: PD 160 cm FBB Motoko Kusinagi GITS, She Demon Agony & 150cm Fantasy fitness Pearl

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