Cable operated puppet question

[MascotMatt]

Hello out there!

This is my 1st post to this forum & it's a plea for info. Is anyone here familiar with spring return push cable mechanisms? I've a full-body dog puppet http://www.mascot.org/ShaggyD.html that was made years ago in Japan & the cable I control the eyes with has failed. Three photos of the cable can be seen here: http://mascot.org/puppetry/

I seem to recall a similar hand actuator in a photography application (as a mechanical trigger for an old manual shutter camera. Has anyone any experience in this area or know of a parts resource?

Thanks in advance for the hardware help!

Regards,
"Mascot Matt" Brady

 

[Jinx]

Welcome, Matt!

The device you show is known in the photographic world as a "cable release". I just did a quick search on ebay for this and it came up with many, many items. Of course you would need a manual one, not an electronic one, but there appeared to be many of varying lengths available.

If for some reason this does not pan out for you, you might be able to modify a bicycle brake cable to fit the bill, although the cable release does seem to be the best option.

Hope this helps!

Jinx

 

[MascotMatt]

Thank You Jinx!

for the research! I found something very close by searching for "Camera Shutter Cable" on eBay. This is a great resource- I hope I can contribute to a solution sometime! ...Matt

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Ebay will definately work but any decent camera shop - not a photomat, but a real photography store - carries these, often for $15 or less. Longer ones might be more expensive. I'd imagine there are several places you can get these in Philly.

I'm curious Matt - how is the mech used to control the eyes? Any chance you can post photos?

 

[Iokitek]

Right...

That was my question aswell.

 

[Infinity Sirius]

I want to know is the dog puppet. Where did you purchase it in Japan and what sort of performing do you do with it?