Tonight I would like to interrupt your regular programming with another special edition of Otaku Project, this time we going to make a DIY Dollfie Dream saddle stand. Why do I want to make my own Dollfie Dream stand when I can just buy one off the shelf? For one, good quality doll stand cost a bomb! For the budget conscious dollfie papa or mama, it’s a huge burden. Secondly, the good stand is always out of stock! So even if you want to buy one, it’s easier said than done!
For far too long, the bended type C saddle stand that I wanted is constantly out of stock!
And for far too many times, poor Nanoha has fallen on her face.
And my patience wore thin. I can no longer allow this situation to go on much longer. So I decided to make good on my promise and make a DIY Dollfie Dream saddle stand. The basic objective of the version 1 DIY Dollfie stand is to prevent the situation like the above image to happen again without my consent! (It’s ok to happen if I allow it! Like an artificial faceplant that will eventually lead to a yuri scene!).
So I began to assess what I could do to make a dollfie stand myself, the Volks design involves a complicated wire form that will require complex tooling to make, but looking at Selen saddle stand (which cost a bomb btw) gave me an idea that I could do on my own. I search around the office and found some 0.023″ Feeler stainless steel stock that I have ordered sometime ago but never used them up. It’s got a consistent thickness and smooth edge finish, since they are mass produced, so they are very cheap, about $2 USD a piece. Stainless steel is a rather tough material but since it’s very thin, it can be formed by hand relatively easily.
Actually, I used a table vice to form them.
Now I can form the saddle part but I still need something strong to hold the saddle up so I went to the hardware store after work to pick up some hardware to finish the job.
At the hardware store, I picked up a 1/4″ threaded rod (enough to make 3 stands), a 1/4″ X 1″ hex standoff, a 1/4″ hex nut and some flat washers (not shown here), the cable ties is just some stuff I have laying around the house. The main idea is to use the 1/4″ thread rod as the backbone to the saddle and to use the rest of the hardware to attach the threaded rod to a base.
And here is the finish product.
The base is again something I have laying around the house, I knew it in my heart that I have a use of it someday and that day is now (it’s probably been around for 6 years without a single use)! I use the cable tie to attach the saddle to the threaded rod, eventually I am going to permanently glue them together using hot melt glue, but this is just a mock up for now and it does the job well.
The threaded rod is already push against the saddle so it’s really not going anywhere!
Here is a comparison shot against the Volks saddle stand.
Ok, good enough!
Here is a look of it from the front side.
A closer look at the base attachment.
And now to put Nanoha to the test!
Look, Nanoha is happy because she got to try Papa’s custom made stand!
And the obligatory pantsu shot…. wait no, I am just checking how the saddle is fitting, really :3
And finally, group photo in Hikari Photo Studio No.2
Mission accomplished! I know it’s not the prettiest stand out there, some may even argue it’s plain ugly, it’s not height adjustable like the Volks or Selen’s stand but it’s dirt cheap! Since I am saving up for a trip to Japan, a dirt cheap DIY dollfie stand is just what the doctor’s ordered! This is just the version 1, hopefully in future version I would be able to make a version with easy height adjustment option!
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oh this might help if I got problem with my dollfie ^^
^^; glad you find it helpful
Nice tutorial bro!
Seriously, we’ve got to put together these DIY’s for Dollfie mum’s and dad’s as well as aspiring ones. I’m gonna make a DIY on how to make my “Cling wrap” Wig cap soon as I get home.^^
Long live to the Dollfie Dream Liberation Army!
i think i will be going all out on these DIY ghetto mods. here a cling wrap tutorial i found: http://tyodai.blog47.fc2.com/blog-entry-342.html
Ahhh, I think I have been to this site before but I hadn’t notice this post. I thought about the use of cling wrap but I hadn’t thought about using masking tape to help hold them together! Good link!
ohh i will try to prep one of these for when my Dollfie arrives! very nice project, DIY ftw ^^
I don’t like getting rip off by the manufacturers when it is obvious they are making a ton of money off these stands and they don’t even have it in stock to boot, they left with little choice but to go the DIY route! Now that I am confident that my stand work quite well, going to try to make a new version with improved features!
I might need to look into a stand. Specially since Nanoha appears to be a little…unstable.
Righto Miette chan, both Feito and Nanoha would have trouble standing on their own, you should prepare to get a stand from the stores or try to follow my direction and make your own if you are comfortable with handy work.
I did manage to get my hands on the straight stand type from Volks, though the side angle one is always OOS.
I really needed the bended saddle stand for Feito because it will work well with the wire skeleton dresses >.>; I might even attempt at making that with my DIY approach since the first version has been quite successful. I can save $100 this way lol.
That’s pretty inventive. So far I have pretty lucky with the dollfies not really needing stands, must have the two of years of practice getting 1/6 dolls with 1/3 heads to stand without stands ^^;
Most of my dollfie do ok standing up, but Feena’s high heel make her slightly prone to fall. Fate and Nanoha both have their standard feet replaced by the costume feet and I guess their wire skeleton clothing does not help balance the center of gravity much if not make it worst.
Nicely done! ^^
Well, it might not be the prettiest or most professional, but it’s a well done DIY job and what matters most is that the expensive Dollfie won’t always topple over which will one day risk causing damage to it.
From what I notice, it’s not the price of the Dollfie that kills you but the price for all the accessories. Kind of like a PS3/XBox and its games… sure the console costs a lot, but when you add up the prices of the games you get, those end up costing more.
Quite rightly so, Dollfie is a one time cost, but new clothing and wig will add up. I am just having a difficult time accepting that $60 USD a stand plus shipping EMS will put it somewhere in the $80 USD region. A couple of those stands will equate to a new Dollfie almost! Guess what would I rather have? A couple doll stand or a new dollfie? Given of course I have a finite amount of money to spend.
That’s real innovative of you. Maybe you can start selling your custom stand.
Thanks for stopping by LEon
and thank you for your kind words! These are not really finish article but they are pretty cheap to make, I have considered making kits for people to assemble at a reasonable price.
Hmm… but the base seems like something random you found around the house ^^; But I guess it won’t be too hard to find something like that at a cheaper price, right? Tis a very good cheap solution for your lack of stands. Nanoha must be happy to finally have a piece of metal pinching her crot… Hmmm, let’s not finish that sentence unless it’s something yuri-related XD
Good job! Hope you can make some more in the future to save money
And go spend it on clothes for your Dollfie instead of buying stands in Japan, ok? ^_^