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Jimmy DiResta’s doll was a 10-inch resin-cast reward from a 2016 ToyBacker campaign for a planned makerspace on DiResta’s upstate New York farm. Its lasting interest is not the collectible itself, but what recipients did next: they treated the miniature figure as a starting point for modification, humor, fabrication and display.
What the Jimmy DiResta doll was
Make: reported on May 17, 2016, that ToyBacker backers could receive a 10-inch resin-cast figure of maker and designer Jimmy DiResta. The reward was connected to DiResta’s proposed makerspace, and the finished figure was intended to sit on a shop bench or desktop.
The available reporting documents the figure as a historical crowdfunding reward. It does not establish that ToyBacker, DiResta or another seller still has stock, has produced a second run, or currently offers the figure for sale.
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Why makers modified it instead of leaving it untouched
The doll worked as a miniature maker’s blank: recognizable enough to carry DiResta’s visual identity, but small and simple enough to combine with other materials. The documented alterations turned a static resin collectible into a personal object, a joke, a moving accessory and a miniature fabrication exercise.
#1 Best Overall
Three documented DiResta doll projects
| Maker | Modification | Primary character | Materials and methods introduced | How much of the original remains legible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Jackman of Jackman Works | Combined the ToyBacker figure with one of DiResta’s handmade, DiResta-stamped ice picks. | Decorative and symbolic; it extends DiResta’s ice-pick imagery. | Resin figure paired with a full-size handmade metal tool. | High: the figure remains the central recognizable element. |
| Tim Sway | Made a hula-dancing version, added a grass skirt and magnetized the figure so it could ride in his truck or attach to the pickup hood. | Humorous, mobile and portable. | Textile accessory and magnets; the figure becomes a movable vehicle companion. | High: the pose and accessories change the joke without hiding the character. |
| Kevin Lizotte | Made miniature DiResta ice picks from brass rod stock and soldered needles for the doll. | Functional-looking miniature fabrication and material detail. | Brass rod, needles and soldering. | High: the figure stays recognizable while gaining handmade tools. |
Paul Jackman: turning the figure into DiResta iconography
Jackman’s combination uses an actual DiResta-stamped ice pick, so the modification links the miniature person to a tool associated with DiResta’s work. The result is less a costume than a compact visual statement: the figure and the tool read as one maker-themed object.
Tim Sway: a hula dancer that can travel
Sway added a grass skirt and magnets, allowing the figure to ride in his truck or attach to the pickup hood. The magnets change the doll from a stationary bench ornament into something that can be repositioned and displayed during ordinary travel. The humor comes from the contrast between a recognizable craft figure and an exuberant hula-dance presentation.
Rank #2
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Kevin Lizotte: miniature tools as a materials study
Lizotte made tiny DiResta ice picks from brass rod stock and soldered needles. The project concentrates on scale, proportion and material contrast: small pieces of metal become a recognizable tool through shaping and joining rather than through a purchased accessory.
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What these projects reveal about DiResta’s maker culture
DiResta’s official site states, “My goal is to educate, entertain and inspire.” His public identity combines design, building and hands-on making. A This Old House profile describes how he grew up working alongside his Long Island handyman father, who encouraged experimentation and learning; it also presents his shop philosophy as learning broadly so that knowledge becomes a problem-solving arsenal.
Rank #3
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Make48 described DiResta in 2023 as a master craftsman and maker inspiration, citing nearly 2M+ YouTube subscribers and more than 40 years of experience designing, building and solving problems. Those figures are Make48’s 2023 description, not a current independent subscriber count.
The doll projects express that philosophy in miniature. Each maker starts with the same base and asks a different question: How can the object carry DiResta’s tool identity? How can it move? How can a few pieces of stock become a convincing miniature? The answer is not a single correct finish but a chain of experiments.
Rank #4
- Barbie honors It Girl, Miley Cyrus, with a doll that pays homage to her transformative sound and celebrates the cultural footprint she has made as a musician, actress, and advocate for self-expression.
- Inspired by her look in the “Golden Burning Sun” music video, Miley is serving superstar chic in a faux-leather two-piece pant set by Alaia, complete with a hooded jacket and black pumps.
- Sculpted to her likeness, Miley Cyrus Barbie doll turns heads from the stage to your display shelf with a microphone accessory and articulated features.
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Painting and finishing ideas for an inspired project
The documented examples do not prescribe a particular paint scheme or finishing schedule. If you make a similar project, treat the figure as a small mixed-material model and plan the finish around the modification you choose.
For a tool-themed figure
- Keep the resin figure visually dominant and use a contrasting finish on the miniature tool so its shape reads at a glance.
- Separate paint stages from metalwork: complete drilling, soldering or fitting before applying the final color coat.
- Use thin, controlled layers rather than flooding small details with paint.
For a mobile or humorous figure
- Test magnet placement before permanently attaching a skirt, base or vehicle mount.
- Leave moving or removable parts accessible for repair and repainting.
- Choose a durable clear finish if the object will be handled or displayed in a vehicle.
For a miniature fabrication study
- Mock up proportions with inexpensive wire or scrap before cutting brass rod or needles.
- Protect the resin from heat while soldering nearby parts; fit and join the metal components separately whenever possible.
- Photograph the unfinished assembly before painting so the construction remains visible as part of the finished piece.
Where to continue the project today
The strongest current physical-product follow-on is Make: Workshop Mastery with Jimmy DiResta, a book by Jimmy DiResta and John Baichtal. Its projects cover mold-making, CNC routing, wood, metal, plastic and leather, making it a useful bridge from a small customized figure to broader shop work. The official DiResta site provides an Amazon purchase option; availability and price can change.
Best Value
Make With DiResta also offers official project plans. The End Cabinet plan lists a table saw, box-joint jig, drill/driver, router, flush-trim bit, flush-trim saw and orbital sander, along with final dimensions. Dracula’s Coffin is another woodworking and finishing plan with stated dimensions and tool requirements. These are project-plan options, not evidence that the original doll is currently sold.
For shop footwear, Carolina Shoe’s DiResta maker page features an Amp 8-inch steel-toe wedge work boot. That page supports treating the boot as a shop-safety category option; it does not establish a continuing affiliate relationship or a blanket DiResta endorsement.
Can you still buy the original figure?
Current availability is not established. The documented evidence supports calling it a limited historical crowdfunding reward unless a seller independently verifies new inventory or a rerelease. The book and official project plans are the supported present-day ways to continue exploring DiResta’s methods.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
