I also find it easier to get a good clean ladderstitch to close the seam because I can work on the arm or leg without having to manuver the body and other limbs to get at the seam. This saves an awful lot of figiting and frustration with the screwdriver, then you can place the joint in the arm/leg, stuff it and sew it up then joint it into the body.
I usually order my joints in sets that already have the disks, washers nuts and bolts so I'm not too sure about the sizes but I can say that I glue all of my washers to each disk and all of the bolts to the 5 disks that are going into the head and legs and arms.
