Contact cement

[MIKEB97]

Today, I just bought a tin of contact cement. How do I use it properly when I build a puppet?

 

[BryanS]

Hi Mike,
I am not sure as to what materials you are trying to glue together, when I glue foam together I just paint a thin layer of contact cement on both pieces of foam and wait a few seconds for the cement to get tacky or sticky then lightly press the two pieces together. If they are big pieces. You have to be careful and make sure the pieces are right where you want them before you really press them together that stuff sticks together fast.

Hope that helps.

 

[MIKEB97]

I'm trying to glue half ping pong balls on fabric. Should I use a stick to dab the cement on the fabric?

 

[BryanS]

The contact cement I use has a stick with a brush on the end of it made onto the lid. I would try to find a small craft brush like a small stiff brissel flat paint brush so you can brush it on evenly.

as to glueing half ping pong balls onto material I am trying to figure that one out myself LOL. are you using them as the eyes of the puppet

What type of puppet are you building?

 

[MIKEB97]

I haven't purchased ping pong balls yet however, I'm planning to cut one in half and draw pupils on them. I'm thinking of building a Monster puppet. What do I need to make the monster look fuzzy and What can I use for teeth?

 

[Treelo]

The neat thing about contact cement (or Barge - which is what we use) is that you can correct mistakes. Just heat the glue with a hair dryer and the pieces will come apart.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

One important thing to remember about contact cement is you must use it in a well-ventilated area and wear a respirator mask when working with it as the fumes are very toxic and can make you ill. You should also wear thin latex gloves gloves if possible because it is very unhealthy to get the contact cement on to your skin.

Go to a good hardware or art supply store where they really know what they are talking about (not Michaels or Home Depot!) and they should be able to tell you which type of respirator mask you need - always remember - safety first!

 

[Puppetplanet]

I wanted to bring this thread back to life because I had two cents to put in the pot.


For the application of contact cement when constructing the foam of my puppets I have found that the suggestion offered by Grey Seal in the Foam Book Video is fantastic...... buy a ketchup or mustard sqeeze bottle with those small openings and squeeze out and spread where you need it. I bought a set of three from Walmart for $0.97, which came in red, yellow, and clear. I used the colored ones for the ketchup and mustard in my fridge and the clear for the glue.

I still suggest the brush method if your covering larger areas, but the bottle methods works great when your attaching ends, and seams of pieces and such.

Thats all I had to say for now!

 

[Ryan]

I don't suggest contact cement. It's dangerous, it's messy, and it's not fun at all to work with. Hot glue does the job much faster and easier.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I haven't purchased ping pong balls yet however, I'm planning to cut one in half and draw pupils on them. I'm thinking of building a Monster puppet. What do I need to make the monster look fuzzy and What can I use for teeth?

I'd suggest doing a bit of research before beginning your project. Your first puppet will be a test as to whether or not you enjoy doing it, and the research you will do on getting it done will be invaluable!

You'll want to get an idea, sketch, or pattern of what you want to make. From there, you'll need to get your materials, likely from a fabric shop or hobby shop.

The first pattern I used was from Puppets With Personality (they're in Texas, and Bible Bookstores carry their patterns), and I made a regular people puppet pattern. That gave me the basic idea I needed to create other styles of puppets, and I think something simple like that would be beneficial to you, too.

http://www.wmresources.com/Shopping/Toys_and_Games/Puppets