Permanently attached connector?

mwaasp · Post by **mwaasp** » Fri Oct 27, 2023 7:53 pm

Just got my new doll and it appears one of the heads has a permanently attached connector? Does anyone else have one of these and knows if there is some way to get it off? Even if I can break it off and use JB weld or something to put a M16 nut...

Makes it hard to store, and sometimes I want to use an actual threaded connector to prevent the risk of the head popping off.

nicvncnt · Post by **nicvncnt** » Sun Oct 29, 2023 3:26 pm

mwaasp wrote: ↑Fri Oct 27, 2023 7:53 pm Just got my new doll and it appears one of the heads has a permanently attached connector? Does anyone else have one of these and knows if there is some way to get it off? Even if I can break it off and use JB weld or something to put a M16 nut...

Makes it hard to store, and sometimes I want to use an actual threaded connector to prevent the risk of the head popping off.

This can happen with any brand unfortunately. Some members have resorted to drilling out the stuck connector, which could be tricky.

You might try putting the head in your freezer overnight, then using pliers to try and turn the connector.

b33 · Post by **b33** » Sun Oct 29, 2023 6:00 pm

If this is a head with a movable jaw, then yes the connector is permanently attached and is actually spot welded to the metal plate, and there is a wire Armature that runs embedded in the resin skull so it can be removed and replaced but it is a very complex procedure. I don't have pictures of when I did it but basically you have to break the connector off which may or may not be very easy, (for me it was easy because it just kind of fell off) but you can't just thread in a different connector you're going to have to drill into the resin skull. Now the tricky part about this is whatever material this is made out of on the inside does not drill very easily and it's going to throw a ton of dust everywhere so you're going to have to constantly vacuum it up. The wire Armature that is inside the skull is also spot welded to the back of the connector you will have to kind of cut it apart with some diagonal cutters to make room to get the drill through and you can't drill very far because it will go right into the mouth cavity don't feel bad if you crack or break pieces of it off it can easily be fixed with some JB Weld plastic weld but whatever connector you want to use you're going to have to JD weld it in place also the metal plate that is underneath it in this picture is going to just peel off which will give you better access but you're going to glue that back on too and that will help stabilize whatever new connector you put into it now the hole that the connector goes through is actually much smaller in diameter than what you're seeing in that picture also so you may have to drill it out so if you want to switch it out to a screw on type connector you would just get a piece of M16 threaded rod that is roughly 2 to 3 times the length of the connector you see sticking out there and you're going to glue it in place but there's no way to unscrew that and simply screw another connector into it that is all assuming that this is a head with a movable jaw.

mwaasp · Post by **mwaasp** » Sun Oct 29, 2023 6:40 pm

This is just a standard hard head. Thanks for the tips, I was a bit afraid to just try to break it off having no idea what was underneath.

75 mechanic · Post by **75 mechanic** » Sun Oct 29, 2023 8:03 pm

So, I'm actually a mechanic. And I have run into my fair share of stubborn fasteners and bolts. Nick has a pretty good idea with sticking the head in the freezer. Hopefully that would create some expansion and contraction to ease the loosening of the threads. If that doesn't work, perhaps try a pair of pliers or channel locks if you have them. I had the same problem with a M16 bolt. I wanted to replace it with a quick connect. I wrapped the head in a towel and placed it between my legs for leverage. Got a pair of pliers on the bolt and got it loose. It will damage the connector but if you're going to replace it with something else then it should be okay. And it looks like the base of the head where the connector is screwed into is some sort of metal. If that's so it should hold up and not break. Hope it works.