Modification Doll Piercings: How to pierce ears, lips, bellybuttons etc.

I pierced my BJDs ears using a make-shift tool that I received at the Super Dollfie Convention in Texas last July. It is a drill bit that was glued into what looked like the top of a nailpolish bottle (the part the brush would normally be attached to)... let me scan it in...

Please do not try using an electric drill, you won't be able to control it. Also when piercing the ear, be aware of the angle of the bit so that it goes through to the back of the ear and not into the head. Here's some pics of Daprima with my hoop earings on.
-Am

 

Most professionals use pin vise to make the earing hole.
Pin vise is a tool that holds variety sizes of drills.(looks like a mechanical pencil)
I think most pin vise comes with some drills.

 

Hiya I pierced both my kids ears with the nail tool that I get from my beauty wholesaler (Im a nail Tec aswell) and its brilliant for doing ears, as you do the pressure and that means you can control the drill and stop it going into the head. there pics in gallery under Katsuros hidden tats if you wanna see or on my site.

 

Fake piercings can be achieved in the following way. (My boy now has five)

Find some suitably small rings. I use 3mm chainmail rings in silver, but you're free to use whatever. We open them out using a small pair of pliers. I then put a coating of PVA on his ear (or wherever) and I apply the ring. You may need to hold it til the PVA goes tacky, but I find the rings are light enough not to need to. If you discover you've put too much PVA on there, wait til it's dry, then blunt a cocktail stick and scrape it off gently

Best thing about this method is that I can place rings in areas that would be too difficult or fiddly for ordinary peircings. I tend to favour the top of the ear for example, and it wrks just fine

 

I'd pierce the ears but not with a power drill, Setsuna's link shows the tool I used to do my SD13's ears, it was very easy.
Good Luck,
-Am

 

All this about ear piercing.. mm.. what about lip? ^_^

I have a lip-pierce myself, and I'd love for Kae (my Jerome that just came today =DD!!) to have one too.

I attached two pictures of Shin from Synchronicity because I'm very inspired by him ;; He's wearing my favourite lip jewellary! *o*;;; (he's based off Shin from the manga, NANA xD

Any clues as to how to do it? Do you think it's just a hook, or a hole right through the head? I really need to gather up some courage to email Synchro's webmistress with my crappy Japanese to ask one of these days...... >o<;;;

 

I don't know how the lip pierce is done, but I have seen eyebrow piercing which turned out to be an illusion as the ring was glued onto the doll - it looked great, but I don't remember who did it and what type of glue was used. Sorry,
Am

 

I spent an age working this out, because I want one of my boys to have one. Using the fake/glue method I posted in the other thread (thank you meep!) works fine, but you're going to have problms with finding rings that will fit a mini, or not look overbearing. I would suggest seeing if you can find tiny chain mail rings near you, as they'll be already cut and coated, and all you have to do is seperate them out to the required width. Because a lip piercing doesn't go full circle (like an ear piercing) you might have to trim the ring with wire cutters. It's fiddly job, I'll warn you now!

I think it also depends on the type of headmould. The old F09, Michael, Syo, etc., have those deeper, pouty lips, which lend themselves to that kind of piercing.

If you're wanting the below-lip stud type piercing, the best thing I found for those was bathplug chain - the type that looks like little silver beads on a silver wire? If you're planning on buying new clothes for yourself, they sometimes attach tags to coats and the like. I got the perfect sized ones when I bought a coat recently, but you can buy larger sizes in hardware stores. You can simply attach them with PVA, which makes them removable should you change your mind later on.

I hope that helped in some way. I'm forever messing about and I'm sure people must think I'm a nutcase when I go into shops looking for SD sized chain, rings and the like!

 

Those chainmail rings are also called "Jump Rings". Jump rings are extremely easy to make in any size you need.

You need:
O) Wire in a small Gauge
Wire is measured in Gauges, I'd check the craft store or the hardware store. It needs to be fairly soft and maluable- but not too much.

O) A good pair of pliers/wire snips
Get those from the hardware store! The ones from the craft store tend to just get dented by wire. Finger nail clippers you plan to never use on your finger nails again also work.

O) A cylindrical object about the size of ring you'll need.
We used just about anything handy in metalsmithing. Anything from pens to embroidery needles. Just so long as it's fairly strong and cylindrical.

STEPS:
1) Take the end of the wire and grab it with those pliers! Now wrap it around the pen(or whatever you're using) at least five times TIGHTLY. Remember when you used to make "springs" as a kid that way? Cut the end of the wire from it's spool.

2) Now take your pliers and snip once on every coil. If you look at it as a row(like: |||||||) just make one cut in each. It's hard to explain. If you don't get it and really want to know just tell me and I"ll post a photo. n.n;

3) Now you can slide them off, and viola! Jump rings. :3 You can further pull them apart with the wire cutter/pliers or cut out a bite to make your partials for lip/eyebrow/navel peircings.

 

I have quite a thing for lip piercings, too. Don't have any myself so I blame a certain someone in a certain j-rock band for making me think pierced boys are sexy. XD

I have a stupid question though, since I'm considering piercings for my boy as well - what exactly is PVA glue? ^^;;; Is that the same as white glue? The only fake piercings I've done were on a puppet, so I was using sewing and hot glue to hold those on . . .

 

PVA glue is the white glue you'd use in school as a kid. It's sometimes called White or Paper Glue. When it dries, you can peel it away easily, should you choose to do so. It's washable and suitable for kids. I bought a £2 bottle from a hardware store, and I use it for everything, from piercings to eyelashes, and it's not even half-way gone yet.

 

Hi

I pierced 2 of my kids ears, and also pierced (drilled) my Kumiko's belly so could put belly rings in...

have wondered at times wether to pierce my Chiwoo's lip... and they way I was thinking of doing it is....

drill at a angle down the lip > this sort of idea so that they met and then with point plyers angle the ring to slot in... also I have my nails pierced and I get tiny little ring in either gold or silver with the ball attached at one end of the ring and they are brilliant size for a lip piercing.....

just an idea......

You can get nail drills from ebay... I did have some but I sold them... but try Ebay.. thats how I pierced both my kids ears, kumiko and katsuro with nail drills, and he will be fine dont worry..... but pop your finger behind his ear when doing it to make sure you dont scratch his head....

 

Hi,

I did find a nail drill on Ebay--it's coming from Australia! Do I make a little start with an exacto knife, like is shown on the website, or just starting drilling away

Good idea to hold your finger behind his ear. The newer resin like Isao is made of seems to be thinner and more brittle. I'll be very careful!

Thanks for all your help!

Susan

 

It's a good idea to make a start with the extracto knife... that way the nail-drill has a little dent to sit in, and won't slip and scratch the resin.

 

I saw one on ebay a while back, it looked like a screwdriver type thing, I thing you just twisted it instead of using a drill to pierce the dolls ears. It was from japan, Volks maybe? Does anyone know where I can find/buy one?

 

You can either get a Pin Vice- ask for it by name at a hardware store or hobby store. Or you can get a hand drill... and either of those you'll need a bit for it. Take the earring in with you and ask someone there to help you find a bit that small.

Someone else said that there are drills you can get for putting holes in fingernails when you peirce long nails. I think I'll be going out to find that shortly. :3

 

so, is it a good idea to try and pierce dollfie ears? is it like almost like error free? im getting a really expensive one and i wanted her to have earrings so yeah, i dont wnna mess up or ruin her ears.

 

I know what you mean - I'm terrified of shattering my Lishe's ears! Is this process really safe? Anyone have any ear-breaking experiences? I'm very nervous about this, but I really want her to have pierced ears!

 

Hi Steph

LeeAnn pierced Rikku's ears :grin: You may want to send her an email to ask her about it.

Thanks
Christina

 

I have successfully pierced 3 of my SDs' ears using a handmade drill bit/hot glued into a nail polish type cap. It was very easy, and the resin is very plyable and I don't think it would shatter, it's too 'plasticy'. Don't use an electric drill cause you can't control it!
Good Luck!
-Am

 

so all I relly need is a small drill bit and something the use as a handle? Resin is that easy to "hand drill" through? you have to push hard?

 

That's about it.
First I used that scew-thing with the hole on top, it has a a nice sharp point, after the indentation is made (so that you can feel it and barely see it), then stick the drill bit on the spot and gently sway it back and forth, after about 4 rotations it will move through as if the resin were butter.

Sorry I don't know the bit size, I got mine at the SD Convention.

Pieces of advice:
1. be aware of the angle of the hole - you want to be sure it will come out the back of the ear and not go into the head.
2. remember, you want to have some room back there to put a post on the back of the earing. My Daprima wears hoop earings, but my Grace & Mez wear posts only. I use a piece of an eraser to hold their posts in.
Also, Daprima's hole angles are a little off (she was the first one I did) so one earing is more parallel to her head - so watch the angle that you drill.

Good Luck!
-Am

PS too bad you don't live near me, cause I'd just lend the piercer to you.

 

I finally did it! Here's how he looks now =3



Glued.. because I have no idea how to drill into his lip o_O;

 

Apologies for thread necromancy...but I had fine luck using a cordless drill to do my boys ears. 5 piercings with no problems

It's a little smaller than a regular electric hand drill, and it can be set to a very slow speed so that it's easy to control. I did find that when it cuts through the back of the ear, the drill may slip forward quickly and strike the doll's face, but this was solved by covering any vulnerable part of the face with a towel or other piece of cloth to cushion it.

But otherwise, it's light enough that controlling it is very easy.

 

I was scairt to do it, but I finally pierced Kyan's ears a few weeks ago. I bought my pin vise on Ebay and it came with a bunch of drill bits. It was easy to use...the previous comments are right...you have to be careful to go thru the ear straight and not slanted. It was not hard to do at all and with a pin vise, I don't think it would harm the ear at all...it goes slow and just drills out the perfect size hole right where you put it.


Az

 

I have a nail drill, too. Though I have yet to try it on either of my girls, I have actually drilled fingernails with it several times. Though, based on my luck sawing Portia's fingers apart, I doubt there would be any problems with it.

I got my nail drill at Sally Beauty Supply, in the section with all the nail art supplies. I think it was $6 or $7, and it looked kind of like a pre-made version of Am's piercer, except it was longer, skinner and has a little round cap on the end that rests on your palm so you can rotate it easier. It also has a little screw-on cap for storage.

 

What about lip, nose, and eyebrow piercings? Can you use the same tools?

 

I was wondering if anyone had tried to pierce an MSD sized doll's ears? I know their was a thread on doll ear piercing but everyone on it seemed to have SD sized dolls...I wonder if it would be to risky to pierce a mini's ears..Im afraid to risk it myself..help!

 

Tacky Glue works fairly well. I use the kind in a gold bottle.... ops:

 

I haven't pierced my mini's ears, but I did do several pinhole piercings on my Paris that were fairly close together, so probably just as risky. They aren't big enough for human earings, of course, but more than enough for doll-sized jewlery-wire hoops. ^^

I started the hole by twirling a brand-new pointy exatoknife blade in the resin, then with a pair of pliers, I heated a pin red-hot on the stove and pushed it through the ear. It took a couple of goes to get it all the way through, but it worked very well in the end. ^_^

 

I finally got up the nerve to pierce Saskia's ears a month or so ago.

Some people suggested buying a jewellery drill. But I didn't want to spend $35 for just a one time use. So I went to my husbands tool box and found a 1/16th drill bit. I first took an exacto knife (craft knife) and made a tiny indent where I wanted the holes to be. I then carefully and slowly, by hand turned the drill bit until it went all the way through. It took over 20 minutes each ear. I really like the effect and am GLAD I did it.

Some people also said that some of the companies will do it for you for a fee. But you have to send the head back obviously.

Lastly, I think some people just use a super glue to put stud type earrings on.

Here's Saskia with her earrings.

 

i know a few people who have got an earring stud and cut of the bit that goes into the ear so you just have a ball, then its glued on. otherwise i dont really know - i wouldnt trust myself with a tiny drill of any sort, i dont even trust myself with the ketchup ops:

 

Not facial, but I did 7 piercings in Kika's ears all together.

The bottom two I used a drillbit... or rather, I hand turned the first hole, and it was SO PAINFULLY TEDIOUS that I had my father very carefully drill the other side with his low power battery operated drill.... while I wasn't looking. ^^;;
The other holes were done by starting them with the tip of a hobby exato knife, then pushing a red-hot pin through them. Took a couple tries to get it all the way through.



The biggest problem with facial piercings is that resin isn't elastic like skin, so they likely wouldn't stay in unless you glued them. So, if you're going to be using glue anyway, why bother drilling and worry about doing something unremovable at a later date? ^^;

 

No - it's white glue, the stuff kids use at school? It will come off with water, or you can peel it.

 

but with white glue, doesnt it stay wet for ages? do you have to hold the piercing part on there for ages or something otherwise wouldnt it fall?

 

I usually find that the piercings are light enough to stay put once they're glued - it's just a matter of tilting his head the right way until the glue has dried. Patience is the key here

 

Ias the glue called pva or somthing?

 

That's the one Although I think PVA is a little stronger than the stuff they give to primary school kids, which is what I have XD I just walked into a hardware store and bought a £3 bottle - but you can buy it at stationary stores too.

 

Is there an alternative to dremel?

how would u do it? In the most economical and safe way?

 

To be honest, the safest and cheapest way to pierce your dolls ears is to not, and use an alternative. I hightly reccomend white gluing beads or gems to your dolls ears. This will not harm the resin, won't leave holes in the ears, and will come off with no trouble at all.

From what I hear about actually piercing ears, you take the earing you want to use to the hardware store, and get a dremmel bit the same size as it. I don't believe there is another way other than using at least a dremmel bit, if not the full dremmel.

 

I've pierced all of my girls ears and found the tiny dremel bit works the best for me. I hand turn it though- I'd be scared to break the ear with anything more powerful.

I know Zoi uses a heated pin, but I tried this and didn't like that my pin kept "blackening". Zoi probably has a better method- she has pierced a lot of more holes in her boys's ears.

 

I've now done 10-15 ear piercings with a standard $20 cordless power drill and have had no mishaps (knock on wood)

I use the tiniest drill bit available and keep it on a slow setting. I place a big wad of eye putty or kneaded rubber eraser behind the ear before I start drilling - this acts a buffer to catch the drill as it breaks through the back side of the ear and keeps it from slipping to far forward and gouging the back of the head.

It's really not difficult to do if you have a steady hand, and the drill bit will go through the resin very easily.

 

I use a nail piercing tool... I do or did dont get time now... nail extentions, and art work.. so also often pierced my own and clients nails.. its a fab tool and cheap... I had a few I sold on Ebay and when go wholesalers I get more.. but you can prob get off Ebay and beauty places around...

 

I used the same. :3 I don't wear earrings, I'm allergic to metal, so I tend to forget to change my boy's earrings too. XD BTW- Hot Topic has a bunch of teeeny tiny skeleton earings for $5. that's what Ghaleon's got on right now.

 

a small hand turned pindrill works, also (I have a feeling its the same nail peircing tool?)

 

I was thinking about getting Kiatou's ear(s) pierced, and wanted to know if the hole looked noticable without earrings in? (I was planing on having DoD do it for me)

 

I don't know about DOD, but I had Luts pierce my Bella's ears, and I honestly don't notice the holes when she hasn't got earrings in, but her hair does tend to cover them anyway. ops:

 

Yeah, I agree...if the hair normally covers the ears it's fine...I DO notice the hole when Kyan isn't wearing earrings...but I did the piercing myself so maybe I made the holes too big??? ops:


Az

 

is like...white elmers glue that school kids use the right thing for gluing rhinestones (or whatever) to ears/faces? Can you just pick the jewel off and rinse away the residue with water when you get tired of it, without it harming anything (assuming the faceup is sealed, of course)? I'd like to try it sometime, but I have no artistic talent (at least not in the area of painting) so if I screw up my dolls face-up, I can't repair it myself.

 

Yeah or tacky glue like you use for eyelashes

 

Okay so Im getting my DOD Tender Bee-A in a few weeks... T_T But yea... shes coming with her ears pierced, but I want to get some more piercings for her. Specifially, a couple more holes in her ears, nipples, and lip. I know you can glue things on, but I want them to be permanant. So yeah - is there anyway to do those? @_@ Ill commission someone to do them cause I couldnt... but I just wanted to know if it *could* be done...

 

hmm I think its possible. I just pierced my Ulara's (serendipty sharmin) ears. I took a sharp pick or something like a drill bit and hammered it in and then screwed it till it went through..it takes some time lol. I imagine that the lip would be easy as well.. I'm not sure about nipples...I don't know how the DoD bodies look like..as far as having breasts and all. I imagine the bigger the breast shape the easier.

 

I don't know about nipples... that doesn't sound like it would work, mainly because dream of dolls have teeny mosquito bite chests. I think the lip would be best done with the glueing method, because since the mouth doesn't open, there isn't a lot of... "meat" to hold a piece of body jewelry. I think a doll like estella would be better for this, because with her there is actually an inside and an outside of the mouth. The ear piercing can usually be done with a dremel bit, but since dreamofdoll ears aren't actually disconnected from the head, it might be pretty hard.

 

I pierced my dolls tummy and ears.. drilled above the belly button just as I did ears.. then. with a cocktail stick popped a tiny bit of blue tac.. and then went out bought loads of studd earing and dangly stud earing from a cheappy shop.. cut down the stem a bit with my jewellery snips and pushed into the hole... they stay in and she can wear loads and loads of types...

 

*drags this back up*

How hard is the resin? What kind of drill bit would you need? @@; Don't suppose you could pierce the ear with the earring, huh?

 

You would be a VERY small drill bit... and no, resin is too hard to piece with just an earring~ even ifyou had a piercing earing I would be afraid its too... "sudden" and would break the ear.

 

http://www.off-switch.com/hartsilapset/viewtopic.php?t=119
I need to translate this into english... uhm... but yeah... the pics are pretty self-explaining.

Resin is SOFT really. You wouldn't think so but it really is. I pierced my Kyril's ear with 1mm drill bit ( i reckon such are available in any hardware stores ) that I just rolled with my fingers, VERY CAREFULLY but still. No strenght or forcing is needed, once the ear has a small dent in it, the drill will go through like the resin was butter.

 

Ok just about all my boys are going to have some type of piercings, ear piercings I can do, but lip piercings.....MSD lips are so small, can someone please give me the steps to piercing a MSD boys lip? Or tell me what tools I need or anything else that may help? ; _ ;
What I really want to do is pierce my boys lip and then pierce his ear and have a chain going from the lip ring to the ear ring.....can this be done with a MSD?