BJD "Starter Kit"?

In my time since I got my first there are things I have now I wish I had had when I had first gotten Rhiannon back in 2007....

~silicone ear plugs CLEAR (for eye changes)
~extra face cover (cause her first one got it good within a couple months)
~several shoes in "main" colors (black and white, gym and dress shoes)
~3 outfits [Should include 2 tops and 2 bottoms and 1 pair of white socks at least] (she had 2 when she came home, 1 I had bought and the other I had made)
~extra set of hands bought at the EXACT same time (her left hand broke a year after I got her and the resin colors had drastically changed)
~doll stand (even cheap $4 from Hobby Lobby is better than nothing!)
~carrier or be prepared to carry the doll in the box
~small "toys" for photoshoots
~a chair for them to sit on at meets and such if you opt out of a stand
~Magic eraser for sure

I think that would be it for me. It's why I hesitate to go up to the SD size now cause I'd have to do the bulk of that for an SD doll where I MSD and smaller right now.

 

hmmm, interesting thread!
Things I have to have..

-stickytac/kneaded eraser/silicone earplugs/etc (to keep eyes and wigs in/on)
-rubberbands (to keep wigs on)
-magic eraser (for cleaning and also to get wet and dap your finger on to get enough water to fix fly aways and stuff )
-a brush that's only for doll use
-something to carry the doll in if you plan to take it places (I honestly just use my backpack [Very nice Pegasus laptop Backpack by Swiss])
-mini sewing kit if you don't have any sewing materials (to fix minor sewing problems, or to fix them on the go, like at meets :p)
-a shoe string, to use when restringing
-money :p because dolls tend to start sucking it the second they move in.

 

Thinking about getting a "first doll" and what you would need ...

I echo the sentiment of getting the factory faceup if you like it. Much easier, especially for a first. After buying pastels and brushes and eyelashes and MSC and going crazy and inhaling fumes, that $50 looks better and better.

1. A good re-stringing tool is a good thing to have. Sometimes stuff ... pops off. Flies off. Ummm ... yeah. I don't take my dolls apart ever, but dolls with resin hooks can be tricky and sometimes taking the S hook holding on the head off requires a really big yank for a tightly strung doll. So make sure you get a very well-made tool.

2. Extra elastic is good just in case. If the doll is too tight and you can't untie the elastic, you need to cut it and then there isn't enough string to redo it. This happened with my first doll.

3. Eye putty is nice to have on hand. My last doll came with no eyes and I luckily had a bit of putty left from the doll prior. In theory a doll with eyes will come with them installed, so this may not be necessary if you don't plan to change eyes.

4. One pair of shoes, one outfit, and a wig are nice to have so you can enjoy your doll straight from the beginning.

5. Even if you get one wig at first, a vinyl cap or some kind of wig slippage stopper would be good to get, especially if your doll has a smaller than average head. Two of my guys have really small heads and it's frustrating to get a new wig and have it be so absurdly large. Even though the size is "correct." If you plan on buying multiple wigs, a cap will make sure that the wigs can almost always be worn. Ditto for socks, just in case your doll has oddly tiny feet.


In five years I have never used or needed a magic eraser. Soooooo ... not sure it's necessary, but it might be nice to have. A carrier is also not necessary unless you plan on lugging your doll everywhere, but almost essential if you do. I would say the need for a carrier is proportional to the expense of your doll. If I were carrying a small, cheaper doll around I might just use a normal padded bag. But an LE or something ... yeah, a proper carrier is a must.

 

- Seconds all the magic eraser votes!

- A couple of cheap makeup brushes, the big puffy kind.

Seriously, I wish I'd had them from the start. They are useful in getting rid of excess pastel dust when faceupping, and if you google the Unoa paintbrush eyelash tutorial, you can make lots of eyelashes from a makeup brush.

- A microfibre cloth. It lifts dust and other debris from wigs, resin and clothes, gently.

- Also - velcro. I hate knocking wigs out of place. Felicity came with velcro on her headcap, and it converted me.

 

I use a crochet hook (small metal ones, acrylic might snap) when restringing my doll, as the hook part can be useful in retrieving a lost elastic or s-hook as well as being a place-holder for the hand/foot/head/etc.

Velcro never really worked for me in keep my dolls' wigs on, so I use a double-sided foam tape: http://www.duckbrand.com/Products/c...ounting-products/removable-mounting-tape.aspx Place the already sticky side on the head, remove the backing and put the wig on where you want it to sit. No damage to the resin so far (it's been almost six months), though occasionally there's residue that needs removing, which leads to my next bit of advice...

First, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Essential! Remember to rinse with water after using it though. But, in place of the acetone, I use Winsor Newton Brush Cleaner and Restorer: http://www.winsornewton.com/product...hes/artists-care-range/brush-cleaner-restorer It's much safer and gentler on the resin (again, rinse with water!). This stuff is for wiping the doll completely, however, so don't use it unless you're willing to redo the faceup/blushing. Remember, no solvent (soap, acetone, Mr. Clean eraser, brush cleaner) should ever be left to sit on a doll for any long period of time. If you're actively using it, fine, but once done, rinse Rinse RINSE! Never give solvents a chance to burn/melt/damage the resin, even if no one has reported any damage (with all the mentioned solvents and cleaners, I've experienced no damage, even in the face of multiple wipes in a row, because I rinsed immediately).

And the most essential part of a BJD Starter Kit: Attitude. Be prepared to restring your doll right away (unless it doesn't need it) and to clean your doll every few months, especially if you wish to be hands on or play with it at all. Number one rule is not to be afraid to work on it. Restringing needs to be redone, sueding and wiring are not that difficult, even though they may take a few tries, but then they also need to be redone after some time. It took me almost six months to learn how to do these things, but trial and error are your friends. Don't get frustrated.

 

I would really recommend this! I was a little tentative for the first few weeks of owning my doll... the first time I re-strung I got so nervous thinking I was going to break or damage her, I was sweating Ahaha. I got over and and felt much more confident and felt much better about the hobby and my dolls! Not everyone has worries of course, your milage may vary!

Other stuff:
- Extra elastic. I got mine off eBay by searching for bungee or elastic cord in the width in mm I needed it at. Got metres of the stuff for a fraction of the price of getting a small amount from a doll company. Make sure it's white/pale if you're getting it off eBay or somewhere else, or there's a chance it could stain the resin.

- Some form of stringing tool. Some people use ribbons and a piece of wire or a crochet hook. Some people have stringing tools from Volks or Luts or Dollmore or somewhere.

- Magic eraser is useful

 

This, and the stickies in the Customizing and Esthetics Subforum.
I cannot say enough how useful they are. Almost everything you could want to know about doll care is in there already.

 

An addition for those who have Dollfie Dreams or Obitsus: (Vinyl, not resin) a must-get is a protective suit. This will be your bottom layer when you have clothing that is not either white or pastel. Volks has a nice body stocking that looks like hosiery when it's under clothes, and for other dolls that would look weird with such a feminine item, like my Obitsu boy, people like BeachGirlNikita here in the Marketplace can hook you up with one. She made me one that looks like a long sleeved white t-shirt and socks under clothes, and she'll be making another one for my soon-come Mini Dollfie Dream, because the Volks variety would also not be appropriate for her.

 

Yes, that's the same thing. I couldn't think of the proper name for it. The one I have isn't an official one, it's just a rod with a hook at the top that my dad made me lol. Forceps work just as well, but I find the head puller to be easier to use, personally. Hope that helps!

 

i actually sell doll clothes starter packs XDD so i had no problem with that
Other things i found useful were:
-Magic eraser
-MSC
-dictionary of doll abbreviations >>;;

 

Thanks so much for all of the fab suggestions...they are really useful for me, as a newbie to BJDs (not to dolls, though)

 

Haven't seen this mentioned yet, but maybe I missed it. XD

As an alternative to putty for putting in eyes (or silicone ear plugs), I also use eraser putty. I really like the Sanrio ones (since you live on O'ahu, totally got to Shirokiya in Ala Moana~ it's in the toy section! ) because it does an awesome job AND it's scented. For example, Akio's head currently smells like pineapple. XD

 

I don't have a lot of this stuff

My essentials?

- A doll with eyes in and face-up done. Get to know the doll and then invest the time and money into a good face-up.
- Wigs. At least one. Who wants a bald doll? Not me
- Shoes. I ~hate~ my dolls being incomplete. If I'm going to spend hundreds on a doll I'm going to spend that extra $20 for shoes.
- Socks. I love socks very much! A great pair of socks can transform an outfit.
- Underwear. This is for the girls when they're wearing skirts. Pants aren't a big deal but my dolls almost always wear skirts and dresses.
- Clothes. At least one complete outfit. Naked dolls are great to see but it's difficult to fully enjoy the doll, for me, without an outfit to change the doll into.
- White Cleaning Sponge. The magic eraser. It really does help maintain a nice clean body. It can also be used to clean items like white shoes that get black streaks.
- Wig Spray (to tame fly-aways). But, sometimes fly-aways suit the look. But I highly recommend wig spray.
- Comb for Wigs. Fingers are great for curls, but for straight looks? A comb is needed.
- Clips for Wigs. This is a "nice to have". One never knows what a wig will be like until it's there and then... what if you don't like it? Clips can create an extra opportunity for play as well.
- Wig Cap for darker colored wigs. Wigs stain. It's happened to me. Now, I buy light colored wigs only
- Something for the doll to sit on. It sounds stupid, but one of the best purchases I ever made was a cheap MSD sofa from Dollmore for my dolls.
- Eye Putty. I use Volks because it's easily available, but anything to keep eyes in is great.
- A teddy bear. Every doll should have one. But, I love bears.

As for the strings, restringing tools and all that other stuff? I don't think it's always necessary depending on which company you order from. I played with my first BJD for a year and never restrung her and never felt I had to.

But, I'm not so interested in the technical aspects. I only want to play.

 

I don't have forceps/hemostats or whatever to hold the string, I use needle-nose pliers that have a lock ability. I find it's essential to have something to hold the string tightly enough for you to tie it off or otherwise you may wind up with a loosely strung doll. Only thing I don't like about my pliers is that, though they are decent size (and have a tapering that allows to hold thicker strings without breaking them) they are pretty "heavy". Well, not seriously heavy, but I can't leave them dangling off the doll without the potential of it scratching or yanking the doll off an edge somehow. So I just carefully keep the doll supported. Sometimes, you'd be surprised at what you can find around your area to substitute for the "official" tools

 

Another essential is enough white cloth to make a toga in case you cannot yet find or afford clothes for your first doll. Cheap basic white cotton or an old shirt / blouse from a charity store would do that you can just cut up, seam, and affix as needed. Also, good for your doll to lounge around in when not wearing fancy outfits that may stain if worn for too long.

A safe place out of direct sunlight to put your doll when not doing anything with it. For those without space for a doll room this is essential. Even a devoted shelf on your bookcase will do. Just somewhere that is safe to leave the doll away from siblings, pets, or whatever other hazards you might have.

Phil.

 

This was very helpful! I'll make sure to bookmark this thread

 

Great information, and as someone who is saving up for her first BJD I really appreciate the information here.

Question, what are the "face covers." A quick google visit to check this out didn't really net any information for me.