Garage Kit Dolls?

BJD garage kits are quite rare, although I do love the idea. It used to be possible to get Alchemic Labo Unoas as kits that you had to sand, glue and finish yourself, which they still technically sell, but it seems like they come already strung these days. Some older Volks MSDs came as kits, Myu/Sakura/Maggie and I think a couple of other models - I sometimes see them pop up second hand still unassembled but Volks doesn't sell any super dollfies like this for a long time already.

Some companies are willing to send dolls unstrung but I don't think that constitutes as a garage kit as the pieces will still be finished and it will cost the same as an assembled doll. Other than that, I can't say I've seen anything like a kit offered these days.

 

I have seen garage kits for bjd's, but they've primarily been for off topic, 3d printed dolls. I personally don't have a good space or the wrist capabilities to do all the sanding and finishing work, so they wouldn't be for me. Customizing a blank bjd with a faceup and clothes and accessories is close enough for me!

 

I have bought several for off topic tiny 3D printed dolls, and let me say, all that sanding was rough!! Rough on my hands/wrists, made a mess with all the dust (even though I did wet sanding to have less dust) and took forever...on a tiny. Every time I thought I was done, I'd find another spot that was unfinished. I feel like kits like this could help save a lot of money on on-topic BJDs, but it would be a real project with the larger/more complicated ones! Gluing in the magnets was somewhat of a challenge for me, just making sure they were facing the right way also not popping them back out while checking. So while I don't enjoy doing it, it could be a fun thing for the right person who likes being that involved.

 

It used to be an option waaaay back in the old days, where you could request dollmakers to sell a garage kit for a discounted price. The majority of people preferred to buy finished/assembled dolls, so it fell out of fashion over time.

I've done a few kits (Volks, Unoa, SoulDoll) and really enjoyed it, but it did take a long time to sand all the seam lines nicely.

I think Alice In Labyrinth also offered kits regularly.

 

I helped a friend with finishing hers and while love the idea of garage kit dolls, in practice the sanding is such a pain on my wrist and also when doing the clean up. Once was enough for me to decide it's not my cup of tea, but more power to people who do love it!

 

I haven't built a doll from a BJD kit since ca 2006 (Unoa, Happy Doll, Soom I think). That was when dolls were still mostly made in Japan and Korea, and especially dolls from Korea had to be sanded anyway if you wanted smooth seams, kit or no kit. So nobody really thought anything of it back then.
We all had hurting wrists and chafed fingers, most of the time

Well, the thinking on that changed when China took over as the main producer, even for doll companies from other countries, because labour is way too cheap there. I admit I got used to the comfort of ready sanded dolls quick, though

Anyway, I do miss the kit option for resin dolls because it has provided me with some of the strongest bonding experiences with dolls I ever had!