Bionic Barbie a.k.a. "shoulder replacement surgery"

Let's face it. Barbie is getting up there. As she got older at our house, being passed from my wife to our daughter, her age really began to show. Today my daughter was playing with Barbie and the arm broke off in her hand; she started crying as she stared at the dismembered doll.

This Instructable is for removal and replacement of the small plastic joint holding Barbie's arms on.

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Parts & Stuff

1 long machine screw with nut

Pliers

Tweezers

Dental pick

Grinder

Thread lock or solder + iron

Armless Barbie

StoryAddict says: Feb 16, 2012. 1:11 PM

I have a couple of dolls I've been meaning to resell (Derek Jeter/Babe Ruth) but I had one or both have the arm break in the same place (I wonder if my Eric from The Little Mermaid was every repaired or if his leg just continued to swim in his pantleg from many years ago). This looks like a good solution (particular for something meant just to be a piece of memorabilia/decor anyway, but I guess I don't understand how having a single screw as the "axle" of the joint allows both arms to be articulated independently. Maybe if you had had more pictures inbetween stages (although I know it's hard to do when you're in the middle of things).

bigern00 (author) in reply to StoryAddictFeb 16, 2012. 5:03 PM

Barbie's shoulder is just a slip joint. Independent movement doesn't seem to be a problem and it has withstood 24 hours (so far) of 3 year old toddler field testing.

CatTrampoline says: Feb 16, 2012. 11:03 AM

Are you going to enter this in the Toys2 challenge? I think repairing a favorite toy is as good as making a new toy.

CatTrampoline says: Feb 16, 2012. 10:56 AM

10 super-dad points for you!

I did a shoulder replacement in about 1972 on the GI Joe handed down from my brother. Joe had been subjected to firecrackers. :(
I threaded elastic through his torso and tied it to the ball joints. It worked pretty well, and Joe went on to ride Breyer horses for several more years.

omnibot says: Feb 16, 2012. 12:36 AM

I used to protest against Barbie back in the nineties.

245

Phil B says: Feb 15, 2012. 8:01 PM

I remember doing hip surgery on Barbie back in the 1970s when our daughters were in their Barbie phase. I did not have a Dremel at the time. I do not remember what I had to do to attach a wandering leg. It seems like ti worked.