Replacement hand skeleton parts now available from Shapeways!
This hand skeleton is designed to replace the factory palm plate and finger wires used in TPE dolls.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ!
Hand skeletons are now available in two sizes - large (6-1/2" hands), and small (5-1/2" hands).
Hand length is measured from tip of middle finger to wrist joint.
Doll must also have the clevis wrist joint and palm plate design as shown below.
This skeleton will not work for mini dolls or dolls with wire wrists.
This modification requires extensive surgery so please review the tutorial and YouTube videos below so you know what you are getting into.
Installation Part 1 - Tools needed, making the incision and removing the old finger wires.
Installation Part 2 - Removing the old palm plate, inserting the new fingers and installing new plate.
Installation Part 3 - Sealing up the incision and some final thoughts on the finished result.
Here are a couple of installation threads on the Doll Forum that may also be of help...
Additional hardware items needed
Please note that Shapeways only makes the printed parts so you will need the proper hardware and wire to complete the skeleton. Please make sure you can obtain the hardware items listed below before you order the parts from Shapeways.
Eye Bolt Options
There are three eye bolt options - the U.S. standard #204 and the metric M6 x 30mm or 35mm.
The longer M6 x 35mm is for use with the nylok nut palm plate option.
For U.S. the #204 is inexpensive and is available at hardware stores. The M6 is less common and more expensive, but offers a smaller eye that will fit the M6 wrist bolt without an insert. The smaller size may also make the TPE repair at the wrist a little easier.
Where to buy the eye bolts:
Recommended hardware for the Nylok nut palm plate option:
M6 x 35mm eye bolt - ACCU (UK based) M6 x 35mm - McMaster Carr
Note: Use standard height nylok nuts (6mm tall):
M6 nylok nuts - ACCU (UK based) M6 nylok nuts - Home Depot
Note: Use standard height nylok nuts (6mm tall):
M6 nylok nuts - ACCU (UK based) M6 nylok nuts - Home Depot
Where to buy the small sheet metal screws:
You'll need a minimum of 50 small screws to do both hands.
Also, it's recommended to paint the gray parts with a flesh color acrylic paint so the color doesn't show through thin TPE. The fingers fit snug in the palm plate, so you'll want to paint it while it's assembled. Just apply a thin coat to change the color and avoid getting paint in the joint areas.
Also, it's recommended to paint the gray parts with a flesh color acrylic paint so the color doesn't show through thin TPE. The fingers fit snug in the palm plate, so you'll want to paint it while it's assembled. Just apply a thin coat to change the color and avoid getting paint in the joint areas.
Recommended wire: 14-AWG stranded copper THHN
You can usually buy this by the foot at places like Home Depot or Lowes in the U.S. Common brand names are Cerrowire and Southwire. You will need at least 25"(63.5cm) of wire for 10 fingers (ten 2.5" long pieces). Please note that the automotive type "primary wire" will not work for this design - it needs to be THHN which is commonly known as "building wire".
Where to buy (U.S.): Lowes McMaster Carr
Here is an eBay seller that ships worldwide and sells in small 5' and 10' lengths.
Ennis Electronics: 5' length 10' length eBay store
For those in Europe, 6491X 1.5mm conduit wire (1.5mm strand size) works very nicely for posing, but has not been tested for durability. It has fewer thicker strands and no nylon outer sheath so I'm not sure how long it will last with lots of bending.
Dollyman25442 from tdf here. I unequivocally recommend this to be the very best solution for WM doll hand replacement surgery for the well known problem of "floppy hands". Look no further, you have found a way to fix this problem, have your dolls hands back and even improve them from the original design. And I'm not blowing smoke. I actually did the install on one of my dolls. Fairly easy to do and inexpensive to boot! See the entire discussion, development and build vids here-
ReplyDeletehttps://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=110832
Is there a way you could reduce the dimensions for a doll whose hand is exactly 6" wrist to middle finger? I have an akira and would love to be able to replace her hands when her fingers break
ReplyDeleteHi Zangatti,
DeleteI may take a look at doing a couple of smaller sizes - 6" and 5.5" for the smaller dolls.
What size doll is your Akira? TPE or silicone? FYI, not sure this will work for silicone.
Hello, I would like to know what the difference is between the three different palms (Palm plate-204, Palm plate-M6x30, Palm plate-nylok).
ReplyDeleteI have an IT-163, which palm should I choose?
Thank you very much in advance for the help
Hi There!
DeleteThe palm plates are all basically the same, just use different eye bolts.
If you are in EU, you'll probably want to use the metric M6 eye bolts, so you'll need the palm plate for that eye bolt. The #204 eye bolt is for those in U.S. who just want to pick some up at a hardware store. The Nylok palm plate is for using a Nylok nut instead of permanently epoxying the eye bolt in place. This gives you an extra wrist turn feature that Dollyman mentioned in his install video. The Nylok plate requires the longer M6 x 35 eye bolt.
ReplyDeleteAnother question: I live in Spain, can I order a sculpture from Europe for faster shipping?
Sculpteo is based in Paris France so your items will ship from there.
DeleteThey use UPS Express shipping so delivery will only take a couple of days.
Production times are shown when the item loads on the Sculpteo order page.
Since you are in the EU, I highly recommend ordering all the hardware from the ACCU.UK site. They also use Express shipping (see links in post above).
DeleteHi there. I have tried to get a password to order some hands for my doll but it says the page doesn’t exist. Is there a new way to order these parts?
ReplyDeleteHi Stu,
DeleteI'm working on an update for the hand skeleton. When it is ready I will make it available to order. I posted about the update on the Doll Forum here...
https://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1820270#p1820270
Is there an option like this for the foot too? The feet are most important to me so my doll will be mostly on my bed and not standing but I want flexible toes. I am thinking of making an incision in each toe to around maybe mid sole and inserting a wire before flying back together. I won’t be moving the toes a lot but I want them to stay together nice and tidy so they will look good in stockings. Do you have any advice?
ReplyDelete*before gluing back together that should say 😅
DeleteI'm sorry but I don't have anything for the feet.
DeleteWhere can I ordered the hand skelaton and foot screw covers please ?
DeleteI have an OR Doll which I received the first week of
ReplyDeleteSeptember 2019 will this replacement skeleton work for my lady ?
As long as your doll has the clevis wrist design it should work.
DeleteYou should be able to feel if it has the wrist bolt and palm plate.
hi there i am trying to order the skeleton hand and i couldnt get the product to the shopping card please help
ReplyDeleteHi, did you purchase a catalog for the hand skeleton?
DeletePlease watch the video on ordering from Sculpteo...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHkojNhxW2c
If you still have questions please contact me at mf.creations.shop@gmail.com
Hey, I want to purchase these hands but I need to purchase a password to view the sculpteo store. Where can I do so?
ReplyDeleteHi MoKG,
DeleteSorry the buy now button in the Sculpteo Catalog page was down for a while today. It's back up now - you can purchase the password there.
Hi there. Just wondering if armature wire will work for hands? I have a bunch left from other doll hand repairs and figured why not ask? Love the products you designed. All of the girls have the foot bolt caps and eyelids. Thanks for the response.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike, thanks for the kind words!
DeleteThe only wire I can recommend are the two types listed on the product info page.
I don't know the specs of the armature wire. The holes in the parts are 3mm diam. so the wire O.D. can't be any bigger than that, and the wire needs to be stranded, not solid.