Wigs Wigs making mold (ball on the stove) suggestion

I don't quite understand what you mean by "ball on the stove" but if you want to use something that is more in the shape of a doll's head without being their actual head, it is possible to buy styrofoam or vinyl wigmaking stands from Taobao - they are basically like blank eyeless doll heads. Round styrofoam balls you can get from the craft store can also work for soft-cap wigs as the shape doesn't need to be so accurate as with hard-caps.

 

Hardcaps made on something that is not the specific doll's head might have some fit issues depending on how different they are but it's worth trying of course!

Here's an example of styrofoam heads: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=848428266492
and here's one of soft vinyl ones that also have some markings and measurements on them: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=811155732888

There are more options across Taobao if you search bjd软头桌 for example.

 

I always make my hardcap wigs just on the doll’s head, with a layer of Saran Wrap to protect the face up (two layers if I’m extra worried about damaging the face up, because it’s one of the faces I didn’t paint and can’t get replaced). Doing hardcap wigs on the doll head doesn’t do any damage, it’s just a tad risky to the faceup, if any glue gets onto the face.

A low-tech solution would be to measure your doll’s head, wad up some tinfoil until it’s a little smaller than the head measurement, and then layer some apoxie on top, let it dry, and then give it a quick sand smooth, and measure to make sure it’s close to the head size. A little bigger would be fine, if it’s smaller, just add more apoxie. You could also do the same thing with styrofoam, if you bought a styrofoam ball, and then pared it down with a hot knife to get it to match head measurements. Higher tech solution might be to find someone who does 3d printing, give them the measurements, and ask them to just make a hollow orb with those measurements.

You could also buy a cheap head with similar measurements to the dolls you want to make wigs for, if resinsoul, or impldoll, or I think it’s DFA that does practice heads has one in around the same size. Another option could be to put a WTB ad up for damaged heads of around the same size—any damage, or yellowing, or unfinished mods won’t make a difference as long as it’s still head-shaped.

 

You can shape aluminum foil as close to your dolls head, and create the wig on that. I usually make head shapes/forms that way, for my smaller dolls, because I have to heat set the fiber, into the style I want. By deeping the whole wig in boiling water. You'd probably want to use a Styrofoam ball as a base, if you are making a wig for a larger doll. To keep the aluminum wasted to a minimum . Hope that helps. (:

 

Some good advice. Not sure why I was dreaming about making wigs last night, but I woke up thinking about the process and the fibers to use. I just received a Yuka Tan doll that needs a wig and I guess that is what prompted the thought.