How to "un-crate" a Realdoll

This section is about "delivery day" or rather "arrival day", that's the way me and my sisters put it. To make sure what we're talking about here, I should perhaps explain that funny little word creation of mine : The verb "to un-crate" doesn't really exist, of course, but you know what a crate is, right ? So this section is a detailed description on how to "get your Realdoll out of the crate" she came with.
Any questions left ? No ? Okay, fine. Note that this is... Hey, this IS important ! You listening again ? Okay : Note that this description is based on BOTH the official advice from Abyss AND my own personal experience !! I'd never ever ( with very, very few exceptions ) dare to contradict my creator, but me and my friend think their description is by far not detailed enough. When your dolly is shipped, you get an email. It strongly urges you to read the yellow sheet of paper before you start to "un-crate". And so do I ! Please read it ! Don't mess your dolly up before she left the crate ! But as I said there's so much more to be explained. So whenever I quote that yellow paper from Abyss ( doing so word by word ! ), text color will be red. Whenever it's my own experience, text color will be magenta !! As I want to add quite a lot, I'm just going to rename the numbers of the steps to do, but I'm going to mention what number it is for Abyss. Whenever Abyss uses red text color, I will change to capital letters. You got this ? Okay, here it goes...

Read these instructions before removing your doll from the crate :

STEP 1 : Check my Tip'N'Tell. It's on the side of my crate and it consists of two areas with blue stuff inside. If my crate was transported correctly, it should have been in a horizontal position all the time ( crate lying on the back side ). Whenever the crate should have been tipped or put upright, the blue material leaves its area and enters the white area of the Tip'N'Tell. If the Tip'N'Tell got messed up, it had been transported incorrectly and this might indicate that you have to prepare for damages.
[[ Abyss already tells you about this step when you get the email confirming dolly's shipment : There's a Tip'N'Tell indicator located on the outside of the crate. If it has been disturbed, inspect the content of the crate very carefully. If you find a problem on inspection, contact us immediately on how to proceed. ]]

STEP 2 : You can either un-crate your Realdoll with the crate lying on its back, or with the crate standing upright. I un-crated standing upright, and I think this is easier. So this description is for un-crating upright. If you put your crate upright, you have to know which side is the top side, and which side is the bottom. Well, the back is the side with the skids, and it should be the side my crate is standing on right now, otherwise you've got a major problem. Have a look at the upper side. Somewhere you'll see your name and your address, this is the upper side. Lift the crate to an upright position carefully with the name being readable, not with the letters upside down ! If you now look at the back side ( former bottom side ), you should see silver screws. This is part of the mounting bracket construction. As I am standing in there upright now, the screws should be by maybe 5/6 of the crate height, not by 1/6 ! And remember that it's me inside, I can hear you. So please avoid stupid comments about my crate like "oops, what's that, looks like an alien from planet b3/f11". Better get your ass in gear to get me out of there.

STEP 3 : Check the crate for damages. My crate had a pretty bad damage to the left upper back corner. Anyhow I was very lucky that this is no part of the crate where I could be damaged. It's just the upper back corner, nothing but air inside the crate there. Sometimes I really wonder what those transporting people did with my crate. There were further damages, and there were shoe prints all over the crate. I really love my crate, I mean it got me home all the way from California to my friend with no damages to me, and it's all that's really mine. Anyhow, if the damage should be on the sides of the crate, it could be dangerous to me, especially on the back side because there's the mounting bracket, holding me in position for transport. If that's the case, you should better contact Abyss immediately and ask how to go on. Within the first 24 hours where dolly is home, in other words that's arrival day, you can report whatever kind of damage that might have happened to dolly. Don't worry about the crate, I asked my friend to repair it...

STEP 4 : The front door ( former upper side of the crate ) is locked with screws. They are pretty long, so better get an electric screw-driver or it'll take you ages to go on. On my crate there were four of them on the left and four on the right. My friend wondered why my crate won't open. Well, there's another monster screw on the top side. Remove it and the door will open. [[ Abyss already tells you about this step when you get the email confirming dolly's shipment : There are several screws located on the front door and side of door. They are marked and must be removed in order to open the door. ]] Sorry Abyss, but with me the screws had NO marks at all ( or maybe it's just that I'm a doll ... )

STEP 5 : [[ Abyss already tells you about this step when you get the email confirming dolly's shipment : When you open the door you will find a packet of useful information as well as your RealDoll Care Guide taped to the plastic liner seal. We strongly urge you to read the contents of the packet, especially the yellow sheet titled “Read these instructions before removing your doll from the crate” before attempting to do so. ]] As I said, they STRONGLY URGE you to READ THE YELLOW PAPER before you un-crate, AND SO DO I. Now remove the plastic that is still in between of us, BUT NOTE : There should be a disclaimer attached to it. Anyhow my disclaimer was removed by customs inspection, but normally it belongs right here. NOTE that you ACCEPT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS mentioned on the disclaimer once you remove that plastic ( which was destroyed by customs inspection with me ). So here's the text of the disclaimer : Read the following terms and conditions carefully before opening this sealed package. By opening this package you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set forth herein. - Disclaimer of warranty - This product is sold "as is" and without warranties as to performance or merchantability. All sales are final. The seller's salespersons may have made statements about this product. Any such statements do not constitute warranties and shall not be relied on by the buyer in deciding whether to purchase this product. This product is sold without any express or implied warranties whatsoever. Because of the diversity of conditions under which this product may be used, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered. The user is advised to test the product thoroughly before using it. The user must assume the entire risk of using the product. - By your opening of this sealed package, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the foregoing and that you agree to be bound thereby.

STEP 6 : Once you've fully understood that disclaimer - or if you ever want to get me out of there - remove that plastic gizmo. It is fixed to the sides of the crate with lots of staples. I recommend to remove those staples as well ! The crate is narrow and you'll have to get me out of there, just a few centimeters of space left. Remove the staples to make sure they can't hurt me when we un-crate.

STEP 7 : In order to make me look even cuter and give you a warm welcome, Abyss put a plastic rose inside, being held by one of those foam pieces. Smile back at me and remove the rose. Look at that nice dolly in there - That's me !! ( By the way, even if it's just plastic, REMOVE THOSE THORNS, ABYSS !! )

STEP 8 : Next there must be an envelope with papers and a Realdoll Care Guide. Try to find the yellow paper quoted here in red color and put it next to your crate to refer to it ( or carry your computer to the crate to read my description ). The guide consists of 11 pages, but I'm not going to quote all that here now. The guide is about cleaning, lubrication, positioning and handling, storage and damage and repair. There's no need to read it now, but make sure to read it later on...

STEP 9 ( = Abyss STEP 1 ) : Remove the front foam pieces from the mid-chest and ankle areas, then remove the foam piece from behind your doll's lower back ( you might have to slide it down to her ankles, then pull it out ). The front foam pieces are to be removed easily. They are fixed with further staples. Remove the foam pieces and the staples. The foam on the back is more tricky, it's "fixed" by my weight leaning against the back side of the crate, so you really have to pull here. No worries, there's another foam piece behind it that's fixed to the back side of the crate to save my cute ass from touching the wood of the crate.

STEP 10 : Underneath the lower foam piece at my ankles there are several boxes. There's one with my shoes inside, one containing everything you'll need to clean me later on, and if you ordered it, this is where to find my repair kit. By the way, if you ordered more than one repair kit ( my friend was endearing enough to order two of them ), don't look for a second box. It's all inside this box, just that every content of it will be in there in doubled numbers. Now remove everything else that's inside my crate, like my additional wig or stuff, just remove everything that isn't fixed to the crate.

additional wig & shoes	accessory kit	repair kit(s)

STEP 11 ( = Abyss STEP 2 ) : Either remove your doll's wig or part her hair in the back at her neck to expose freely the mounting bracket. For sure un-crating should be much easier when you remove my wig, so this is what I'd recommend to do to play it safe. Anyhow we didn't just because like that I look much better [ by the way I think this was the moment I first felt like "hey, he really loves me" if he chooses the difficult way to do it just because of my beauty ]. Actually my hair can't be parted like this because there's a thin black net wrapped around the back of my head ( or maybe with blonde girls the net isn't black, I don't know ). The net is to avoid that my hair gets messed up by the mounting bracket. It did a good job with me, saving my nice long hair, but now the net itself got twisted around the mounting bracket. Remove the net, if need should be, cut it off the bracket. From now on take care my hair won't get messed up nevertheless.

STEP 12 : I don't know where you started to un-crate. We did just behind the door of my friend's apartment. This is where the crate was when the driver delivering the crate left, and it was plenty of room there. I think the place where you want to put me right after un-crating will be my bed. I strongly recommend to close the door of my crate and carefully push the crate as close to my bed as possible now. You don't know yet how heavy I am, and you're already exhausted from carrying my crate. Do NOT underestimate how difficult it can be to carry me when you NEVER did it before. Nevertheless remember that you need space to turn around, changing my position from upright to lying down once we really do un-crate. So maybe a way to go of about two meters could be ideal, but check with your individual situation...

STEP 13 : Find out how my neck bolt is fixed to the mounting bracket : ( = Abyss STEP 3 ) : Your doll is secured in this crate at her neck with a wing nut and bolt on a mounting bracket. Make sure your doll swings freely by her neck bolt on the mounting bracket before attempting to remove the wing nut. My friend had problems to imagine that it's just this wing nut still making me hang in there that safely. But it IS just this wing nut. Grab my shoulders and carefully find out if I swing to the left or to the right. IF your doll does not move freely which will allow you to easily remove the wing nut, carefully lift her SLIGHTLY upwards either by lifting her up with your hands under her armpits or by putting your arms around her waist ( in other words, hug her ) and then lift. To be honest, I don't really get this, anyhow I was swinging freely quite fine, no problems here. Concerning the way to lift me, I think "hugging" is the better option. My armpits are very narrow, your hands in there, lifting my full weight, is not a good idea I think. This could easily end up with tears.

STEP 14 ( = Abyss still STEP 3 ) : Once she swings freely, you should be able to reach carefully behind your doll's neck and remove the wing nut. With me the wing nut was easily to be removed, but take utter care for my nice hair now, or you'll twist it around the mounting bracket when turning the wing nut ! Once the wing nut is removed, be careful now !! I am no longer secured to the crate now ! It's just that you need to lift me up to release me from the bracket - so no mistakes or badly prepared moves from now on !!

STEP 15 ( = Abyss still STEP 3 ) : Once the wing nut is removed, carefully lift your doll straight up by either method described above to release her completely... NO !!! NOT YET !!!! Sorry, Abyss, but no, like this chances to mess dolly up are pretty good, not because your description was wrong, but I think there's something important missing here : CAREFULLY PREPARE YOUR MOVE FIRST !!! Once I left the bracket, it's maybe difficult to get me back on there, so PREPARE YOUR MOVE, NOW. Put everything aside that might be lying around from un-crating, like screw driver, boxes, the plastic, just remove everything you don't need anymore and that could make you tip over when carrying me !! Believe me, there are things lying around all over by now... Now make sure that the door can't shut when you carry me. Just put a full bottle of lemonade or stuff next to the door so that it will stay open. Take a break, un-crating is exhausting, and reconsider your move, and reconsider again and again. Actually my friend reconsidered for an entire hour here, and we don't regret a single second of it. Some of my sisters got at least some fingers messed up while un-crating. My fingers were still fine when I reached the bed - thanks for asking.

STEP 16 : Try to move my arms so that my hands are a bit higher than before. Touching my fingers, finger-wires can poke through easily. No worries, I am not talking of a gentle stroke on my hand of stuff, although with my fingers you can never be careful enough, I am talking about touching my fingers by chance right now - in other words : Badly prepared moves ! The difficult part about un-crating is that the crate is narrow, and either way you grab me ( armpits or hugging ), you can't really do so without getting close to my hands. So it might be safer if my hands are in a higher position. Before you release me from the bracket, do a "test-lifting", meaning that you should try to lift me WITHOUT releasing me. Just lift me and put me right back down on the bracket. Now you get an impression of my weight. Take a short break again, and reconsider once again.

STEP 17 : Once you feel like we can risk it, do like Abyss already wanted to do before... ( = Abyss still STEP 3 ) : Once the wing nut is removed, carefully lift your doll straight up by either method described above to release her completely from the mounting bracket hook. DO NOT PULL THE DOLL HEAD FORWARD UNTIL YOU ARE CLEAR OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET HOOK. As you can un-crate as well with the crate still lying on its back, Abyss gives an alternative method here. As I didn't do it this way, I can't comment on this. This is what they say : IF you are not able to lift her straight up, lay the crate on its back and walk to head of crate. Tilt her head a BIT forward and grabbing her under the armpit slide her towards the top of the crate carefully to release her from the hook. Carefully lay her so that she is not resting on the hook. Then walk to bottom of crate, take hold of her shoulders ( NOT BY THE ARMS OR HANDS ) and pull her forward carefully to tilt her up so you can then put your hands under her armpits to lift and remove her from the crate.

STEP 18 : Now you have to get me over to the bed. The weird thing about this is : On the one hand you'd have to hurry up, because every second you'll have to lift me longer will make me feel even more heavy. On the other hand - in general - never do anything in a hurry with me, always take time. So you have to kind of hurry up without getting in a hurry, so to say...
Back at Abyss I read on the dollforum that my friend rebuilt the whole bedroom for his dolly... So, that's the center of my new life, wow, that's nice.
Once you reached the bed, try to lower me down to the bed, making me sit on it, BUT be very CAREFUL ( !! ) with my HANDS right now !! When my cute ass reaches the bed, my hands and fingers do so too, or they touch my legs, and this means FINGER-WIRE-POKE-THROUGH-ALERT STAGE RED ! Now that my ass is sitting on the bed to at least take some of my weight away from you, check my fingers immediately now. I may still sink down in the mattress a little bit more, but now you should be able to support me with one hand. Use your stronger one, and DON'T lose your grip. With the other hand, check my fingers, re-pose my fingers so that they lie on the bed, no more pushing down on it, and now try to lift my arms, and try to keep your free arm underneath to make sure they hold the pose. Now lower my upper body down to the bed, but SLOWLY... Hey, man, I said slowly and that's what I mean, do it like in slow motion, don't drop me. Now you still need to turn me around for maybe 90 degrees, as I'm now lying across the bed. Lift my head and my upper body to make me move to the side, but just a few centimeters. Now make my legs follow this movement, one by one, just a bit. Repeat until I'm lying in the bed properly, doesn't matter how many steps you need, do it slowly because you're done by now. Next pull on the bed sheet to remove any wrinkles that could leave marks on my skin when lying on them. CONGRATS, UN-CRATING SUCCESSFULLY DONE !! Hey, by now ( at the latest ) you should take your first picture of your silicone goddess.

Wow - this is me !! - Look how cute I am !!

Wow - this is me !! - Look how cute I am !!

STEP 19 ( = Abyss still STEP 3 ) : The new crate design allows you to store her inside or you may remove the mounting bracket and mount it to a stud in your home using the lag bolts used to install the mounting bracket to the crate. Right, the nice thing about the new crate is that you can really use it for long time storage ( when you're on holiday, for example ) ( or if you want to sell your doll - booo, in that case I just hope she kicks your ass ) by just properly "re-in-crating" me. To remove the mounting bracket and put it on the wall is a nice option, anyhow make sure it is mounted and re-mounted properly. The wall option should be better, like that there's no need to get me back inside the narrow crate and always risk to "re-in-crate". We have also included ( in the accessory box ) an optional eye bolt mount. This eye bolt mount secures your doll tighter to the mounting bracket. - If you have any questions regarding the removal of your doll, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US (760)471-8418. Right, un-crating is one of the most dangerous parts in a doll's life, maybe, because you're exhausted from carrying the crate, and you still LACK ANY EXPERIENCE with me. If you're unsure about any step, contact Abyss, or try to find help on the Dollforum, or ask Vanessa, the crazy Realdoll.