Tap Bolt & Disk Joints: Tools needed are a box or open end wrench and a ratchet wrench. With this method, you must joint the whole bear before stuffing and then stuff all at once in order to have access to the bolt heads for tightening. Follow the instructions for the setscrew method, but omit the reference to the first locking hex nut. The head of the bolt is held by a box end wrench and a ratchet wrench is used to tighten the locking hex nut. The head is typically jointed with the cotter pin method because there is no access to the bolt head after the head is stuffed and closed. The head can also be stationary and simply hand sewn in place.
Setscrew & Disk Joints: Tools needed are a hex or "Allen" wrench and a ratchet wrench. One end of the setscrew has a hole for the hex wrench and one end is blank. Prepare the setscrew by placing a locking hex nut on the blank end. Screw the nut firmly down onto the setscrew so at least 3 or 4 threads of the screw protrude from the top of the nut.
For the limb placement, poke a hole from the inside out at the mark in the top of the limb. Assemble a prepared setscrew with a washer and a disk. Insert the setscrew thru the hole from the inside of the bear/doll's limb out, so the screw is sticking out of the top of the bear/doll's limb to the outside. Trim away any excess material and fur that rides up onto the setscrew.
To join the limb to the body, poke a hole in the body from the outside to the inside at the joint limb mark located on the body. Attach the limb to the body by poking the setscrew protruding thru the top of the limb into the hole. Add a washer, disk and locking hex nut onto the setscrew that is sticking thru to the inside of the body. Make sure there are no folds of material between the disks. Finger tighten the hex nut. Place a ratchet wrench on the nut and a hex wrench in the hole in the end of the screw. Ratchet the nut down tightly onto the washer. Test the movement of the joint; it should barely move. It will loosen as the body is stuffed.
Disk Jointing Components
Disks (or Discs): These are hardboard or wooden circles with holes in the center used to joint bears and dolls so the head, arms and legs with rotate. Disks come in common sizes ranging from ¼" in diameter all the way to 3" in diameter. The inside dimension (or ID) is the size of the hole in the center and it is usually 1/8" to 1/4" on larger disks, 1/16" on small disks. You can buy them from any teddy bear supply in sets or bulk. The sets have 10 disks of the same size, 10 washers and 5 fastening hardware which are all sized to fit the disks. Bulk disks are the disks only; you purchase the washers and jointing hardware separately. They are generally sold in packs of 100 for the smaller sizes and 50 for the larger ones. If you have access to a power drill, you can make your own disks from 1/8" hardboard or plywood purchased from the hardware store by using a hole saw attachment and a drill bit.
Washers: The purpose of washers is to prevent the fastening hardware from pulling thru the softer disk material. They are sometimes used alone with no disks on small mini bears. The outside diameter of the washer should be smaller than the disk with the inside dimension the same as the disk. They should be large enough to allow the fastening hardware plenty of room to rest on.
Cotter Pins: These are the cheapest, easiest and require the least amount of tools of all the fastening hardware. They come in two different types: the rounded head and the "T" head. Either will work for jointing a bear. You can purchase the round heads in any hardware store as well as the teddy bear supply, but the "T" head, designed for use in jointing bears/dolls, is sold only at the supply stores. Cotter pins come in a wide range of sizes from ¾" long and 1/16" diameter to large 3" long by ¼" diameter. They will loosen in time and you have little control over how tight the joint will be. Buy them to fit the disks you will be using.
Tap Bolts: These are bolts that have a hex shaped head on one end and a lock nut screwed onto the other end. They come in sizes of ½" to 1 ¼" long by 1/8" to ¼" diameter. The bolt is held with a box or open end wrench on the hex head end and the lock nut is tightened with a ratchet wrench on the other end. The tap bolt method is preferred by many because you can control the tightness of the joints and they are sturdy and long wearing. The drawback is that you must have access to both ends of the bolt in order to tighten them, so you will need to use a different method to joint the head and the bear/doll must be completely assembled before stuffing. The most common solution to the head problem is to joint the head with a cotter pin. The tap bolts can be purchased thru the teddy bear supply stores; I have not tried to purchase them from the hardware stores.
Set Screws: These are screws with no heads, just threads the whole length of the screw. They are flat on one end and have a hole in the other that is used to tighten them. They are used with lock nuts, one on each end of the screw. The lock nuts are purchased separately. The screws come in lengths of ¾" to 1 ¾ " and diameters of 1/8" to ¼". You will need a hex or "Allen" wrench that holds the screw and stops it from spinning around when tightened and a ratchet wrench to tighten the nut. Both the hex wrench and the ratchet wrench are used on the same end with the hole, so you don't need access to each end of the screw as with the tap bolt. This is my favorite method of jointing; the screws are as easy to use as cotter pins, but you can control the joint tightness, they will not loosen and they are as long lasting as the tap bolts. The head can also be jointed with the set screw method. I have not been successful in locating these in hardware stores, as the stores generally carry much larger sizes. I buy mine from the bear supply stores.
