Volks Mini Super Dollfie discussion (old version)

Volks has some string and tools to help the process when doing it alone for sale on their site here, and that page also has a sueding kit, but I don't know how easy it'd be to do by yourself. My boy is sueded by Volks and he poses very well, so if it's the same materials I imagine they'll help a lot.

With wigs, I misplaced my Volks brush but I just use a toothbrush now and it's actually more useful than the old brush, because it's small enough to fix little tangles.

Pureskin vs. oldskin really is just the owner's opinion, each have their good and bad points. Volks switched to Pureskin now and has slightly redesigned the bodies, but they used oldskin successfully for a number of years

 

This is just for information's sake. Mika only became a standard edition after pureskin was introduced. So if you have an oldskin Mika, it either really is the original LE Mika girl, or a Ken boy head on a girl's body. Like you say, it doesn't really matter. ^_^

Ordinary, good quality elastic would work fine.

It definitely sounds like old, dried hot glue from putting the eyes in. The usual tip for hot glue is to warm it with a hair dryer, which makes it pliable and easier to remove. If it's so old, though, I'm not sure that would help. Maybe try using a paint remover such as Mr. Tool Cleaner, but be sure not to remove her face-up with it, and wash well afterwards.

This is a point of contention amongst fervent fans of both oldskin and pureskin. Amongst most people, I think the general opinion is that pureskin is "better" for the redesigned posing aids, the resin texture, and the optional parts system. It's a bit long, but if you are interested, I have a more detailed comparison here: http://smallwonder.micah68.net/talk.html#03
I have two pureskin MSDs, one oldskin head on a pureskin body, and one original oldskin, and I like them all. The oldskin body definitely has its own charms.

 

shan, thanks for the Mika info.

I've decided that she definitely needs to be restrung, which I'm pretty confident I can do on my own, and could probably benifit from sueding which I'm pretty confident I CANNOT do on my own lol. I'm kinda broke right now, but hopefully I'll get enough money for christmas that I'll be able to commision people to do a new faceup, blushing, sanding, and sueding for me.

The other problem I've discovered in the last 24 hours is that I have to keep her hidden. My 18 month daughter thinks that Mika is her new baby doll! That kinda sucks since she's spent most of her first day with me hidden in my dresser, but hopefully soon my daughter will see her enough that she gets bored of her, and then I can leave her sitting out.

 

You could actually do all of those on your own. There are a lot of tutorials to be found here or on other sites, and you wouldn't need much to do them with.

For example, I sueded my Val without even taking her apart. I cut small pieces out of some flesh-colored suede style fabric and used Aileens (don't have bottle here) Tacky Glue to glue the pieces inside the joints (just on one side). I sueded her knees by pulling on the lower leg and pulling it back to let me see the ball and socket, and an old hair tie kept it from snapping together until I wanted it. It took me less than an hour to do, and most of the time was giving the glue time to dry. You don't need much suede either.

 

I own both oldskin and pureskin MSDs as well, and while I prefer the look of the pureskin, though not TOO greatly, the posing issues are just not that big a deal.

Yes, it takes a little bit more fussing to get an oldskin to stand, particularly a loosely strung oldskin mini, but once you do they stand as rock solidly as any other mini. It's not impossible to achieve one legged poses on an oldskin mini either, should you be so inclined and have lots of patience. And really, what idiot leaves any rezin!kid standing unsupervised for long? Any doll can flop and face plant and that's never a good thing. Besides that, if you're like most collectors, your dolls are sitting or lying down most of the time that you're not actively playing or photographing them.

Don't set yourself up for failure being intimidated by little projects like re-stringing, sueding and wiring. Even doing a pretty face-up is possible with a little research, patience and practice. ABJD collecting is a hobby perfect for learning new skills and there are many tutorials on DoA, as well as members who'd happy advise and help you get started. You're going to want to learn these skills anyway, because these dolls require maintenance, especially the well loved and played with ones!

 

I use to own a Dolpa LE MSD Ken.

He had the old peg system for the head just like my Jinny (old skin MSD Sakura.) Her head cap is just not as flush as some of my newer dolls, particularly those who have the magnet caps.

More than likely your Mika is from the After Event, since I am pretty sure the original release was December 2002. I want to say that was Dolpa 8?

Originally, she came with 14mm glass blue eyes, but many people now prefer the Ken/Mika mold with 16 (their current default) or even 18.

I like old skin, I just find my older old skin doll, Jinny, does have a few posing issues. I brought her to the Volks doll doctor at the NY event, but she still has a few minor issues and doesn't like to sit. lol (Sort of the opposite problem as yours, though her head also had a tendency to tilt down)

I find old skin and pureskin look really similar, and I more notice the differences in the doll design than in the resin, but that is probably just me.

Congrats on your new girl! I am sure you will enjoy her.

 

Lol...that would be me. ^_^;; I plonk 'em on my desk for hours at a time. They stand like champions! (NB. don't try this with the bigger dolls, or outdoors!)

Also, I agree with Myriamel that sueding can be done at home if you need it...also look in the Workshop forums on DoA for advice on alternative sueding methods and materials (like pliver, hot glue, etc.). All the best with the re-stringing...I find stringing really is of major importance for the oldskin dolls (the pureskin are more forgiving in that respect).

 

The first time I restrung her I did it wrong, I don't have internet at my house, so I was trying to work off memory. I looked over the tutorial again and so I'm going to fix it this afternoon when my daughter takes a nap.

Remember in like 1st grade gluing things together and getting glue all over your fingers and ending up with a big mess? Well, yeah, that's still me....even though I'm in my 20's now, which is why I'm hesitant to do the sueding on my own. Also, I've sanded things like old tables before, and I tend to get overly agressive with the sand paper. The seams aren't that bad though. And, I'm a mess with paints, not to mention I've blown all my spending money for the next 6 months on her, and have no money for supplies really. I'm just hesitant to do anything to damage her or make her ugly since she's my first doll. What I'm fairly good at is sewing, so at least I wont have to buy most of her cloths once I get the hang of resizing patterns. I already know I'm getting a FCS just as soon as I save up the money and can get down to LA. Once I get that doll, mika will probably be the doll I expiriment on with faceups and such.

Also, I don't intend on calling her Mika forever, but Mika is such a sweet name, and it does suit her appearance, I'm still just contemplating something just as sweet that would suit her well. Knowing me it will probably be a Victorian name. She just looks like a little Victorian girl to me.

 

I've heard that a lot of the Volks MSD heads will fit on the SDC body, which is a little bit more mature. I know Wee_Little_Faerie's Hewitt is a hybrid. (Here's a post of her crew in the gallery, I hope it's okay to link ^^:http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86342)

and I think there are a few other SDC hybrids around... their hands especially look more grown up to me!

 

The only other company that matches Volks resin is Domuya, you would be best going with a Super Dollfie Cute body for him.

 

i was wondering about those. i saw the body on arashi. are the sd cute bodies shorter orthe same size?

 

Just for lolz I put Sen's head on Masa's body...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a296/Gekkouka/Random/ManabuSD13.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a296/Gekkouka/Random/ManabuSD13a.jpg

...and one of Masa's hands on Sen's body.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a296/Gekkouka/Random/MSDSD13Bhands.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a296/Gekkouka/Random/MSDSD13hands2.jpg

 

The SDC bodies are taller, actually. The boys are quite large.

 

good lord that is hilarious. sucks though... i supose i will just have to find my f09 head (Calix) some where and then a sdc bod. ive been looking at the msd hands and they just bug the crap outta me.(they are cute but will not work for Calix)
thanks tons everyone *big group hugs*

 

Hey all,

I was putting together my dolls today (first time to put them completely together) and my Myu head doesn't seem to fit snug and will be able to wobble loose.

The instructions look like I'm supposed to take my rubber band and put it through the loop and over the hook in the headcap and then attach the S-hook to the rubber band (rather than put the hook on the loop in the headcap which it can't fit into anyway).

Is this right? Maybe I"m not doing something right? She's the Myu Pure Skin model, if that makes any difference.

Laura

 

She might be strung to loose. The pureskin heads have a tendancy to flop if the doll isn't tight enough.

The instructions for the head cap are correct: the S hook is supposed to sit in the grooves in the bottom of her head and then the cap hooks onto that with the rubber band.

If you're still having problems, when she gets her faceup, be sure she gets a squirt of MSC in her neck joint. That should give you some friction and help her hold head poses.

 

Chiming in involving Kurara's Myu:

I finished Marie's face up yesterday, but should I spray the neck when she brings the doll over next? I'm not sure where I should spray. Inside the head, or the neck itself?

Thanks a lot!

~Anrui

 

Just a light coating where the head sits atop the neck, not on the inside of the head. ^_^ You COULD spray the actuall neck, but unless she has a full body coat, I don't find that to be too practical. Let me know if you're still unsure what I mean, I'll take a picture for you.

 

Hi,
I hope this is the right place to ask,
Does anyone know what size eyes fit Shinsiya best? I tried the volks site but it doesn't say.
thanks so much,
April

 

Shinsiya comes with 20mm eyes default.