How do you attach 'Elmo style' eyes?

[practicecactus]

Specifically for something like Elmo, who has fur and buldgey-full eyeballs on the head.
I've never really done one like that before and am considering how to secure them on. I'm thinking of having a small opening in the bottom of the eye, filling the eyeball with a foam piece, cutting a small opening in the fur and gluing together both the foam in the eye and the foam under the fur [foam-skull] together. I can't think of any other way that wouldn't make the eyes wobble but wanted to ask you guys any thoughts, tips or tricks on the subject.

 

[Melonpool]

I would epoxy the two eyes together, then paint them white. Then, I'd put a screw up through the inside of the fur into each eye to secure them.

Just the way I'd do it.

 

[rickly]

There are a million ways to attach spherical eyes. Mostly depends on what kind of structure there is underneath, and how heavy the eyes are.

Elmo's eyes are actually quite complicated because they're removable, but the idea is pretty simple. There's a thin wooden plate inside his head, with rods running up through the foam and fur from the plate. Then the rods are secured to inside his eyes. It's a bit hard to explain in words - I wish I could attach a picture here. A simple version I've used is a thin plywood plate inside the head with two wooden dowels epoxied into it running up through the foam and fur of the head, then the eyes, which have holes drilled in the bottom to accommodate the dowels, are epoxied on top of the dowels. The two hardest things are: placing the dowels the perfect width apart in the plate so that the eyes end up where you want them once they're glued on; and, making the dowels exactly the right length so the eyes sit perfectly on the surface of the head.

Hope that explanation was helpful.

Rick

 

[practicecactus]

I don't think I would have ever come up with that as a solution but has certainly got me thinking.
Many thanks to you both Sir.

 

[Gerbert]

Use plastic holiday ornaments. Paint them white, cut the pegs off and use Teddy bear eye plugs on the bottom. That's pretty Much it.

 

[unheard]

Use plastic holiday ornaments. Paint them white, cut the pegs off and use Teddy bear eye plugs on the bottom. That's pretty Much it.

do you have any links please ?

 

[Gerbert]

http://www.displayit-info.com/christmas/trim_orn.html Go to Matte Ornaments Order Size Size: 50mm = 2" . Then Get Mendell's red Shag Fur! Get a Styrofoam Egg cut It in half and Cover it In Orange Antron Fleece. Order the Project Puppet Mostro Pattern. That's all A fellow Puppet builder like Me can do! Bye. Hope I helped!

 

[unheard]

thank you so much for your detailed info.
I know this will help me and many others.

sorruy please can you tell me, what size Styrofoam Egg please ?

thank you again

http://www.displayit-info.com/christmas/trim_orn.html Go to Matte Ornaments Order Size Size: 50mm = 2" . Then Get Mendell's red Shag Fur! Get a Styrofoam Egg cut It in half and Cover it In Orange Antron Fleece. Order the Project Puppet Mostro Pattern. That's all A fellow Puppet builder like Me can do! Bye. Hope I helped!

 

[Gerbert]

They sell in the original size as elmos.

 

[MuppetLabsBoy]

I agree with Rickly. It really DOES depend on what the eyes are made of and how heavy they are. For example, if your eyes are made out of ping-pong balls, you can secure them with glue and they will stay. But if you use something heavier like Christmas ornaments, you might have to use a stronger type of glue ( ex:gorilla glue), or use the bolting method that is also said in this thread.
Hope that helps.
-MLB

There are a million ways to attach spherical eyes. Mostly depends on what kind of structure there is underneath, and how heavy the eyes are.

Elmo's eyes are actually quite complicated because they're removable, but the idea is pretty simple. There's a thin wooden plate inside his head, with rods running up through the foam and fur from the plate. Then the rods are secured to inside his eyes. It's a bit hard to explain in words - I wish I could attach a picture here. A simple version I've used is a thin plywood plate inside the head with two wooden dowels epoxied into it running up through the foam and fur of the head, then the eyes, which have holes drilled in the bottom to accommodate the dowels, are epoxied on top of the dowels. The two hardest things are: placing the dowels the perfect width apart in the plate so that the eyes end up where you want them once they're glued on; and, making the dowels exactly the right length so the eyes sit perfectly on the surface of the head.

Hope that explanation was helpful.

Rick