"Hand-made" doll flaws

Yes, indeed I agree that big companies can definitely afford higher quality resin than a backyard-brew ^_^;; What I meant was that an individual producing 10 dolls a month, for example, would be able to make sure each doll is in really good condition. I'm not intending it as a slur on the companies - these dolls are of amazing quality. What I mean is, when you're producing in vast numbers, there's the off chance that one might slip the quality control. ^_^;; I.e. BC has been having trouble with its quality a great deal lately. High demand + Small staff = Disaster.

I really admire doll-makers, so I hope you didn't think I was being negative

 

Interesting how people's opinion of what is considered a flaw is more or less the consistant.
Nothing handmade is 100% perfect and some imperfections lend themselves to the character of the product. They are the quirk that can make it unique!

I have yet to have the pleasure of owning one of these dolls but to me the fact you can personalise and alter them is the whole reason for their popularity and why I have become enamoured by them.
Like most of you I would not consider minor seams or under surface tiny bubbles a flaw. More obvious seams are not really a flaw either and shouldn't affect the doll, they just mean the sides of the mold didn't quite meet in that instance. Huge bubbles or uneven casting however I would consider a flaw as they can affect the stabilty of the finished product, making the thin areas more prone to damage. If these seem a constant problem with a particular company then their production needs to be addressed, either the staff are sloppy or the materials they use aren't quite what they should be.
I've not personally worked with resin but I did work for a local porcelain company on the casting and production side of things so I know that molds can only be used so many times before they become useless, I know that depending on temperature and humidity bubbles will appear in some cases, I know you get seams, and I know that getting an even cast can be tricky at times. I dread to think of the wastage these companies must have!

 

Well, I would rather NOT pay extra or wait longer to have the seams sanded and since it's not a case of them selling the same doll for the same price and having sanded seams then I strongly prefer the current system of choosing if you want the service and only then paying extra for it. I'd be a bit dismayed if all dolls suddenly cost $50 more but came with sanded seams default.

The argument that 'these dolls cost so much the seams should be sanded' just doesn't work, IMHO. If the seams were sanded, they would just cost more to cover the cost of the work (it's a time-consuming if not particularly difficult task).

My question to the people who think seams should be included in the price already: how would you feel if faceups were included in the price and it weren't an option to get one without a faceup (which adds $50-$100 to the cost of the doll)? That's pretty much the way I feel about seams. I am equally glad that neither one is default but both are generally available for an added price.

H

 

I as well agree with most of what's been said. Some companies may have less workers or pay less attention to steps along the way leading to imperfect pieces being used. As a buyer I would expect the general integrity of contruction to be standard and even between lots, and certainly the surface esthetics to be smooth and even. Pre-customized dolls are available from most doll-makers as LE, and each buyer always has the option to pay either the company or an individual a customizing fee if they want the face-up or seaming esthetics.

Problems arise when there's not enough workers to inspect pieces or when molds are over-used to cut costs. Just like with any other purchased item in the world, the buyer must beware. When dealing with a new company, try and research their products and service, and decide for yourself whether the want is great enough to risk a new item. If you're less willing to invest time and/or money to make modifications on a new item, wait to buy one until you can get more information. Lots of doll and toy manufacturers over the years have discovered problems with their manufacturing processes and have varied reactions to solving them for their customers. (ie greening wires is older vinyl dolls, disintigrating rubber, acrylic eyes changing colour)

Because of the costs and sheer enjoyment, I'd far rather pay less for a doll and input more work into it myself. That being said, I expect even resin quality without surface or structural bubbles, balanced sculpting (internal and external) and sturdy construction. Each company is trying to create unique sculptures, so the features and body construction are certainly going to vary, especially with the various claims of counterfeit and copyright violation that inevitably crop up. It is up to the buyer to decide what styles they prefer.

 

Actually, it does cost a company money to sand seams. It takes their workers extra hours (time) to sand the seams and the company has to pay the workers to do this. I don't think they are just going to volunteer to sand seams for free. It comes back to an old truism, TIME = MONEY. This is why some companies charge to have dolls sanded. It's a fairly lengthy process, so it's definitely not cost effective to sand the dolls unless requested (read, PAID) to do so. I like having it as an option - the same way face ups are an option.

As far as flaws, I think everyone here has pretty much covered what constitutes a flaw. Bad casting that results in weak spots, abnormally large air bubbles, bubbles in the face itself, really extensive marbling (where your doll looks like a piece of Stripes gum) pieces drilled at a bad angle - those to me are fairly standard flaws. Seams and very small bubbles under the surface are part of casting in resin and don't bother me. If I got an amazingly bad face up - like 4 year old with mom's makeup - I'd be annoyed if I paid extra for the face up. However, if it was included in the overall price I'd just wipe it and not call it flaw. I guess some of my thoughts on what and what isn't a flaw depends on what exactly I'm being charged/paying for.

 

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I kind of like the unsanded seams. As real as the dolls look, it's almost like those seams keep them doll-like. I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone...

 

As stated before, for the amount I'm paying I want a perfect product. I'm not ok with noticable bubbles or flaws.

 

One or two tiny flaws are OK for a resin doll. They are like birthmarks on a human. For instance, my Cherry Boy has a bit of hair from the person who cast him embedded in one of his fingers. I think it's charming. Maybe if it was on his face I wouldn't. Besides, hands can be replaced if I changed my mind.

Seamlines are sort of a comes with the territory thing for BJDs. Companies take such different views of them! Personally I don't mind unless I have trouble removing them- if the mark is very deep or high due to the molds not being fitted together quite right. Say what happened with my Arashi's leg. I'm sure another owner could have been very upset about his poor shin, and they would have a right to be. Me, I just consulted with a few friends regarding any instability in the resin this sub-par seamline could have caused, put on my respirator and went to town.

A doll that is covered with flaws or who has so many flaws they are hard to enjoy is not acceptable. So are flaws which can cause breakage down the road, such as thin spots associated with joints.

The BJD community seems to be fairly forgiving with regards to companies which graciously admit fault in the case of major flaws, and that's a good thing. Civility will never go out of style.

 

My Isao came with a wart on his fingertip, where they left a big blob. This, I find charming. I have no idea why.

My Namu just arrived with a black speck embedded in an odd spot on his cheek. I don't find this charming, because I didn't want a Namu with a birthmark. If I left a speck under the sealant of my own faceup, I'd bother to remove it. But, I am not sufficiently upset about this particular speck to do anything about it.

Imperfections are bound to happen from time to time, so I'm OK rolling with the impurities on a case-by-case basis. No big bubbles or chips or broken fingers yet *knocks firmly on wood*.

But re seams: They only "come with the territory" if you buy from a company that believes this! I see plenty companies that make affordable dolls & DO sand the seams for you. I don't buy the argument that sanding the seams costs SO much time & labor that it warrants raising the cost to the end-user. I've carved & sanded off seams myself... and if Cavegirl here can do it (in less than 1 evening), than Volks can surely do it. It's not rocket science, and it's not an all-day project. What I don't get is that they pour in so much time & effort & attention & perfection into crafting each doll... but then they suddenly tired & pull that last punch, and give you seams. On the other hand, my Namu, half the price of a Shiro, came perfectly smooth all over. If you're gonna do something, then do it.

(That said, I've only finished sanding 2 out of all my Volks boys, so I guess I'd better shut up debating, & go buy more sandpaper! )

 

I don't know if I'm the best to pipe up about this, seeing as I don't have a doll yet, but I've seen some posts from people who don't like sanded seams or wish they hadn't sanded, because it makes the texture of the sanded seamline different and attracts more dirt... I don't know if this is true or just true for some dolls or.. what. But it's interesting to think that not everyone may want a sanded doll.

I guess the other thing is that minor flaws, when combined, can constitute a major flaw. If a doll has lots of minor problems you'd probably get pretty annoyed with it!

 

I think that I expect there to be no obvious flaws in the doll, yes they are expensive to make and by hand however large or obvious bubbles in the face and hands, or a bad body to the point of not being able to sit or pose at all, is just bad quality control. Those features are what makes a bjd better than most dolls. I expect a company to have good standards to what they send out. I expect the seams to be sanded if it's a limited doll, the buyer is paying more for a more special doll and they should get at least seam sanding for the higher price. Some limited are hundreds of dollars higher than a regular doll.

This is different when it's a Artist one person business such as Don @Bishonen or batchix at Dark castle or or Kaye from Kaye Kidz. Allowances should be made for the one person shop artist.

 

I guess what is a charming birth mark is an individual opinion. I expect no obvious unmentioned flaws when I get my doll. If I found some that negativly colored my experience with the doll I would try at least to get free replacements parts at least from the company.

I think that there is probably alot of wastage and that the companies do suffer higher costs than most manufacturing businesses. Plus there is no way I know of to reclaim resin once it is cast and hardened. Unforunately as far I know they will just have to deal with the extra cost.

 

Thought you might like an artists point of view ......

It's not an easy job making resin dolls .. and some artists are a one woman or man "show" so it's definately a LOT of work and you have to be dedicated to continue to do it despite the resin toxins and allergic reactions etc.

As for flaws in the resin .. small bubbles happen frequently although pressure casting helps a lot with this problem. Pressure casting brings the bubbles to the top of the resin and bursts them so any bubbles that remain are usually very small and can be sanded out. Having said that, for one reason or another, not everyone can pressure cast .. I do ... but than again I live a long way from neighbours so have no problems with noise pollution etc.

Seam lines are unavoidable so they should not be considered a flaw unless they are large and unsightly.
I would consider it sloppy work if the pour gates and/or large or unsightly seams were not removed and sanded down on the parts!

I've noticed some have said they got dolls with flaws but didn't mention it to the artist. No one is infallable!! Things slip past us for one reason or another but, speaking for myself, I would want to know if someone got a doll from me that they were not happy with .. please DO mention to me anything you are not happy with so I can make it right!

Something else I should mention .. sometimes the resin can be more brittle than usual etc .. so there's no way the artist will know this until someone reports breakages etc .. so it's always a good idea to tell the artist of breakages .. I am sure most of us would be more than happy to replace broken parts.

Hope this helps shed some light from the artist perspective

 

I would imagine making a resin doll would be very difficult on an individual basis. So, some flaws should be considered part of the learning curve for casting, etc.

 

There is no excuse for the bubbles found in cast resin in the manufacturing environment when you consider the tools available. The bubbles can only come from the mixing phase of resin and binder [hardener] or from pouring into the mold.

Most of the bubbles can be removed simply by placing the mix in a vacuum. Bubbles from pouring could be reduced or eliminated by using wetting agents and /or drawing the mix into the mold using vacuum. Not exactly garage tools and techniques, but it's out there.

:P

 

Not every artist can afford vacuum chambers. If the only way for me to get the mold I fell in love with is to deal with a few bubbles... I'll deal with the bubbles.

 

When something has been hand made you have to except that it will not be 100% perfect. Minor flaws are part of the charm of hand made goods.

 

A flaw is something that was not represented when the item was advertised. If the artist advises that they are backyard or whatever and this is represented in the quality they can produce then it is not really a flaw if bubbles etc are expected and appear. If they represent themself as an artisan and their work as hand crafted, I would expect high quality.
If we are talking about a company that represents themselves as professional and their goods as perfect, I expect perfect. Sellers should always disclose exactly what they are offering. Most are clear about where they stand on seam sanding so it's not a flaw if it's not expected.
Then again there is hand made and Hand Made. There is a difference between hand made on a stall, a haute couture gown and something off the rack. This is of course reflected in the price charged.

 

I agree that certain things need to be represented when they are marketing a doll. If something has very big seams that won't be sanded it would be better of them to say it upfront rather than have buyers realize it later and have negative feelings toward the company. BJD owners do go by word of mouth where it concerns companies most of the time. We may hear things negative and decide to go with the certain company anyway, but not a lot of us just seem to buy a doll without researching it pretty well and looking at owner pics.

Things like a certain amount of bubbles, some seam lines, slightly asymmetrical features, and other small aesthetic flaws aren't a big deal to me, but joints that are weak when they shouldn't be and break, a lack of available replacement parts, heads and bodies that are bought together but have very different resin shadings, and major structural flaws are deal breakers. I probably won't buy a doll that is like that, or I would immediately try and send one back if problems like that occurred. Not everybody may feel the same way, but I don't think it's unreasonable to feel poorly about dolls with major flaws either. :-)

 

If you really want a vacuum system, then I can point to several affordable sources where they can be found. I was really referring to manufacturing having the flaws in their castings and not applying the capital available to them.