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FAQ 2

Info is still being added to this new FAQ. Last updated March 2017.

How to Order

I want to order some eyes, but everything says "Sold Out"? Help!

DollBakery eyes sell out quickly! It is normal for most of the eyes on the site to be sold out.

This is because each pair of eyes is an artist-made, unique, handmade product; DollBakery eyes are NOT mass-produced or created in bulk.

Eyes are added to stock as I finish them. When you want to buy some eyes, it's best to check the website at these times:

  • Friday evenings (Friday Night Eyes): Every week on Friday evening, a few pairs of eyes are added to stock. Color and size selection will be limited.
  • Semi-monthly order events: Multiple times a year, the entire site opens up for orders. At this time, you can preorder any size and color you want, and those eyes will be made specially for you! If you want to be alerted about this, please subscribe to the newsletter so you can be warned in advance. 
What's it like when orders are open?

When the order period is open, you will see an "add to cart" button that replaces the "out of stock" button on the product page. Select the size you want, add it to the cart (more than once, if you want more than one pair), and then simply checkout with any credit card or Paypal.

During each order period, I only can accept a certain amount of orders. Sometimes all the spots get filled in hours, or even minutes! So if you want to get a spot in the order batch, I encourage you to subscribe to the newsletter so you can be warned in advance. 

Why can't you accept more orders?

Because it takes a certain amount of time to make each eye, if I accept too many orders, people will end up having to wait for too long to receive their items.

Is there any limit to the number of eyes I can order at one time?

No there is not! Please just be aware that larger orders usually mean a longer production wait time.

Sizing Information

What are the iris sizes on DollBakery eyes?

Here's a helpful chart!

Size Name Overall Eye Diameter  Iris Diameter
10mm SI 10mm 4.8mm
10mm 10mm 5.5mm
12mm SI 12mm 5.5mm
12mm  12mm 6.5mm
14mm SI 14mm 6.5mm
14mm 14mm 8mm
16mm 16mm 9mm
18mm 18mm 10mm
20mm 20mm 11mm

 

What size should I buy for my doll?

I'm sorry, but since there are sooo many dolls that I have not yet had personal/hands-on experience with, I can rarely or never give you advice on what size of DollBakery eye to buy for your particular doll sculpt. :( 

I recommend consulting the size chart above, and of course, if you need help determining what eye size your doll needs, please contact the company or artist that produced your doll, as they would probably know exactly what to tell you!

Why isn't 16mm, 18mm and 20mm available in low dome or small iris?

Adding the low dome and small iris options has been a gradual process, and it requires a bit of funding. These sizes simply haven't been modified to allow for this option yet. I hope that they will be available some day.

For more info on this, you can read "Can you make a [special size not currently listed on the site]?", below.

Special requests and customizing

Can I order eyes with heterochromia? (example: one eye blue, one eye green)

I occasionally have people ask if I could sell them one pair consisting of two different colors. Yes, I'd be happy to do that for you. 

It's easy, here's how: 

  1. Decide what two colors you want. 
  2. Pick one of these colors, add it to the cart, and proceed to checkout as normal. 
  3. During checkout, there will be a special comments box. There you can type special instructions. Just let me know what color you want the OTHER eye to be.
  4. I'll receive your special instructions when your order comes in, but feel free to email me after placing your order if you want confirmation that I received your instructions. :)
  5. Both eyes must be the same size.
Can you make a [special size not currently listed on the site]? Can you make 9mm, 6mm eyes, etc.? 

It's possible, but first, a group of people need to pledge to buy the new size. For more info, please see the Custom Size Program page.

Unfortunately, prototyping a new size is expensive, so I can only do it if there is enough market demand to offset the upfront expense of new size production.

Can you make a special color for me?

Sorry, at this time, no. I currently can't accept orders for unique colors.

But I do certainly accept recommendations for the types of colors you want to see DollBakery make! Feel free to contact me with your suggestions.

 
Does DollBakery make black sclera eyes?

    Sort of. I find that only some colors work with the black sclera. I'm still experimenting with this, and when a color turns out great, I'll add it to the DollBakery shop.

    Can you make an eye with a special pupil color?

    Sometimes I make eyes with unique pupil colors and add them to the shop, but the option to order unusual pupil colors is not currently available during normal orders. I'm working on more options for pupil customization; they will be available eventually.

     

    Production time and waiting time

    How long does it take to make my eyes? (coming soon)
    When will my order ship? (coming soon)

    I need to change some details about my order! Is that possible?

    Yes! As long as your order is still open (unshipped), you can make any changes you like. However, making a change late in the production process will cause delays, as I will have to start on your order from the beginning. So if you want to make changes, please let us know as soon as you can! And please be aware that any changes will probably cause your order to ship later.

    Can I add more eyes to my order?

      Yes, you can. However we ask that you please not abuse this ability, because if you add a lot of eyes to your order later in the production, it may cause delays for yourself and others. But if you do need to add items, then please feel free to contact us and let me know you want to add some items to your order. 

       

      Payment

      Do you accept credit card payments? Do you accept Paypal balance payments?

      Yes! Paypal and every major credit card is accepted. 

      Do you accept layaway?

      Yes, please contact me and I'll be happy to help.

      Shipping

      Do you ship to my country?

      Yes! DollBakery ships anywhere in the world. 

      How much does shipping to my country cost?

      USA: Standard shipping in the USA is about $3.00. You can also switch to USPS Priority Mail (which is typically 2 or 3 days) for a total of $6.40.

      International: It depends, but the price is normally about $9.00 USD - $13.00 USD. You will receive a tracking number. xxx

      And you always get free shipping when you order 3 or more pairs of eyes.

      Will I receive a tracking number after my order ships?

      Yes, you will.

      Help! I think my package got lost.

      In my experience, most packages that seem to be lost eventually do arrive. This is especially true with international packages, which can get stuck in international customs for weeks, but then will suddenly be released and arrive in a few days or less.

      My best advice here is to be patient and wait; every international package that this happened to in my experience was eventually released and received safely.

      If you really do think your package is lost, and it has been several weeks without tracking updates, please contact us for help.

       

      Receiving your eyes

      What is that blue film on my eyes?

      The blue film is a special protective film for optical devices, designed to not leave any residue or "sticky stuff" on your eyes. It's there to prevent vibration-related abrasions to your eye during shipping. 

      It's easy to remove, just peel it away and discard it.

      Please don't attempt to save or re-apply the film later; it should not be re-used.

      My order arrived damaged.

      Please contact us, you will be taken care of!

      I noticed some flaws with my eyes.

      DollBakery goes to extreme lengths to make sure that all the eyes that ship out pass inspection. In fact, each eye passes three or more inspections before shipping. However, it's possible that an eye got damaged during shipping. It's also always possible that an error was made, and we simply missed a flaw during inspection -- it's rare, but it's possible!

      In any case, we will be happy to help you if you contact us. Please get in touch.

      The color is different than what I expected.

      There will always be color variations between the product shown on the monitor and the product you receive; it's unavoidable. Because every eye is handmade, every eye is unique. Please understand this when purchasing. 

      Having said that, we do go to great lengths to ensure that these photos accurately reflect colors, and we feel that they're pretty darn accurate. So if you think that the color you received is really different from what you ordered, a mistake may have been made. In this case we will be happy to help you, so please contact us!

       

      Lifetime and durability

      How fragile are urethane eyes?

      Urethane eyes are extremely resistant to breaking and chipping. The biggest threat to your urethane eyes is abrasives coming into contact with the clear dome of the eye; this could cause scratches and dulling.

      The worst "everyday threat" I see comes when people are struggling to install the eyes, they apply too much pressure when forcing the eye into the eyewell. The front part of the eye grinds into the back part of the doll's eyewell (which is on the inside of the head, so it can often be a more rough, unfinished resin). That can ultimately create a dull mark on the dome, where it has been ground against a hard surface.

      The best way to avoid this is to have a light touch. Be careful and gentle while installing the eyes, and don't be thrifty with the eye putty if using more of it makes it easier to install the eye!

      Other than these specific examples, I actually find urethane eyes to be surprisingly durable!

      Will urethane eyes yellow?

      Technically, all resins are negatively affected by sunlight. Whites will yellow, and clears will lose clarity. (contrary to popular belief, clears typically do not yellow, unless a very cheap resin is used)

      The ability to stay white/clear in sunlight is known as "UV Resistance."

      100% "UV Proof" doesn't exist. The best we can do is UV resistance. 

      To that end, all materials used in DollBakery eyes are highly UV resistant.

      I use some of the most expensive water-clear resin in the world to make DollBakery eyes. This offers the best UV resistance available, and gives DollBakery eyes a big advantage over eyes made with cheap resins or plastics. 

      The eyes also receive several topcoats of sprayed, catalytically cured resin topcoat. This topcoat adds even more UV resistance.

      The pigments used inside the eyes are also UV resistant.

      In short, although it's impossible to make a resin object that is 100% UV proof, DollBakery eyes are made from materials that are all highly resistant to UV damage. I think it's safe to say that you will not notice any significant yellowing unless you leave your eyes directly in the sunlight for an extended time.

      Anecdotally, I have eyes that I made for my own dolls over 5 years ago and they display no yellowing or loss of clarity at all. 

       

      I plan to run some more extensive tests to see what would happen if DollBakery eyes are continuously exposed to sunlight. In the meantime, I would have to conclude that the eyes are VERY resistant to yellowing and clarity loss. 

       

      Installing your DollBakery eyes

      (coming soon)

       

      Cleaning your DollBakery eyes

      I use non ammonia glass cleaner* and a soft, clean microfiber cloth. Pure isopropyl alcohol would also work. The non ammonia glass cleaner is especially great for cutting and cleaning off the minor oils(such as finger oils) that can make your eyes look dull.

      *The exact cleaning product that I use is: Sprayaway glass cleaner. It comes out as a fluffy white foam. I coat the eye with the foam, then rub it lightly with the microfiber cloth. I have used this product to clean thousands of eyes and never had an issue, so I always recommend it.

      If the eyes are already installed and you notice a smudge, I like to spray the Sprayaway foam onto a Q-tip (AWAY form the doll's face), then carefully dab at the smudge with the Q-tip.

      Please always keep cleaning products away from your doll's faceup -- the effects of glass cleaner on faceups is currently unknown.

       

      Misc. Questions

      I heard that DollBakery eyes have really long stems on the back?

      Nope, they do not. :)

      This "urban legend" began years ago when I personally found it easier to install eyes with long, easy to hold stems in my 60cm - 75cm dolls. I thought I was on to something revolutionary, and announced that I would start selling eyes with long stems.

      BUT, my friends with smaller dolls were quick to point out that the long stems made it really difficult or impossible to install in their doll's smaller heads.

      So I quickly ended the practice, and stopped selling eyes with long stems.

      In conclusion: DollBakery eyes do not have long stems. They are flat on the back. :) 

      If you somehow have one of the few pairs that was distributed with the long stems, it's easy to remove. You can use a wire cutter (made for heavy gauge wire), or even a medium stem/branch pruner. Or you can contact me and I'll help you. :)

      Why do I see long stems on the eyes in some pictures?

      These stems are purely an artifact of the production process. They give me something to hold onto while painting and detailing the eye :) After production ends, the stems are cut off and sanded flat. Your eyes will not arrive with stems.

      Can you help me or teach me to make my own urethane eyes? Can you do a tutorial on how to make urethane eyes? Can you answer my questions or solve some problems I encountered while making DIY urethane eyes?

      I'm sorry but if I helped everyone who wanted help, I would spend more time helping other people to make eyes than actually making eyes myself! :( I wish I could help you, but I can't.

      But, I do have some answers to the most common questions I got:

      • tips will be added soon xxx
      You said my order will be late because it's been raining a lot??? Can you explain how rain effects the wait time?

      Humidity in the air (like rain, or summer mugginess) is the enemy of urethane resins. It causes bubbles inside the resin, and other problems. And this is universally true of every company's resin, not just DollBakery's. 

      If there is a prolonged period of high humidity, it can slow down or halt the eye production process until the air becomes dry again.

      I'm not receiving email updates from you.

      AOL addresses are having problems with my email list. So if you have a different (non-AOL) email, please try that. 

      Please also check your Spam or Promotions folder for emails, and if you see any DollBakery messages marked as Spam, please help by marking them as "Not Spam!" 

      Beyond that, I don't send emails very often, so if you haven't heard from me in a while, it might be because I haven't sent anything recently :)

      Can DollBakery eyes be baked? (as part of a polymer clay doll, for example)

      Although I always bake parts of the eye during production for maximum UV resistance and hardness, I do not recommend baking the completed, finished eye. 

      I have baked complete eyes at over 150 degrees F and the eyes did not have any problems with melting, or deforming -- however, randomly, some eyes will delaminate. This seems to happen at random. So your eyes *might* be okay if you bake them, but they also might be permanently ruined. Therefore I strongly recommend that you do not expose them to temperatures above 80 degrees F. If you ruin the eyes by exposing them to unusual temperatures, there is nothing I can do to fix it, so I won't be able to help you. :(

      Does DollBakery do wholesale orders?

      Yes. Please contact me if you are a distributor of doll eyes. If you'd like to order a large number of eyes, there is a quantity discount available.

       

       Tax note for USA customers:

      DollBakery is based in Idaho, USA.

      Unfortunately I'm legally obligated to add a 6% sales tax to every order shipped to Idaho. Sorry about that, fellow Idahoans!

       

      I still have questions!

      Please feel free to contact me!