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How do hands and feet joints work?

Nov 8, 2011

    1. Sorry, this isn't exactly "materials", but I couldn't find a better place to ask this.

      I keep getting into the difficult task of trying to make a BJD without actually having one as reference.
      When I see drawings and photos of dolls' hands and feet, all I see is the spherical hollow for the ball joint. But how does the hand hold the elastic? How does it work?
       
    2. Sometimes hands and feet are connected to the joint by magnets. Sometimes the ball joint and the hands/feet are connected and there is a wire going horizontally through the foot and hands ball joint. An s-hook would be attached to the wire and the elastic. I think sometimes the hands and feet are separate from the ball joint, but there is a small hook in the hand or foot and the hallow ball joint covers the hook so you can't see it.

      I hope this helps.
       
    3. I've seen four methods:
      1. Hand attaches to separate wrist ball via magnet; wrist ball has eyehook+S-hook on top that hooks onto arm elastic.
      2. Hand has wrist ball molded directly onto hand. Wrist ball has eyehook+S-hook as above.
      3. Hand has molded wrist ball with bar across top of wrist ball (resin or metal). S-hook hooks onto bar.
      4. Wrist ball is separate. Hand has wrist socket with eye hook; wrist ball has large hole to accommodate S-hook which hooks onto arm elastic.

      Hope it helps!
       
    4. It does help, a lot. Thank you both! :D
       
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