How to start making puppets?

[staceyrebecca]

Patience, I get my foam at an upholstry shop...

Funny story about carpet foam...

So one day my friend shows up at my apartment with a huge roll of multi-colored, speckled foam.
"umm what's that?"
"It's carpet padding! I thought we could use it to make puppets!"
"It looks ratty & smells bad! Where did you get it?"
"It was on the side of the freeway! Isn't it great? It must have fallen out of a carpet-guy's truck! But don't worry, I don't think he'll bother to go back to find it."

It smelled like pee & I made him throw it away.

THE END.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Question about fabrics to use: The foam I was going to use (and the reason I started my journey into making Puppets) it turns out is of no use! It is 1" thick and too stiff to use! I tried! It didn't work! They also have it thicker but nothing I can use. (Any suggestions? )

As a result, I went to the fabric store looking for 1/2" foam. Their's was very expensive! ($3.99/foot) I had the idea to go to the Dollar store and buy a couple of chair pads. But on the way I saw a carpet store! hummmm! I bought a yard of underpad for $13, it is 1/2" thick and has a nice smooth coating on one side. Anybody else try this?

I've never personally liked working with underpadding, but there are variety of different kinds out there so it's worth experimenting. In the Greater Toronto Area there are a number of shops that specialize in foam, check the Yellow Pages and you'll find lots of places that will sell you what you need. You can try going to Canadian Tire and buying a foam sleeping pad (for camping) too.

 

[Patience]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I've never personally liked working with underpadding, but there are variety of different kinds out there so it's worth experimenting. In the Greater Toronto Area there are a number of shops that specialize in foam, check the Yellow Pages and you'll find lots of places that will sell you what you need. You can try going to Canadian Tire and buying a foam sleeping pad (for camping) too.

Buck-Beaver,

(Sorry, I didn't know how to include a quote). Thank you for the suggestions. I'll be making calls at NapTime tomorrow. I've been thinking about the Yoga Mat somebody gave me. I wonder if that would work? But I would likely insult whoever it was that gave it to me, if I turn it into a puppet. I'm sure if I had the time I could find exactly what I want on Queen St too. I'll have to make that trek one of these days!

For now, during my trial and error stage, I'm satisfied with the Underpadding. It's working so far! I made 2 heads (different shapes) a foot (which fits into a size 3 baby/toddler shoe) a hand that came out too big (have to re-design that tomorrow) . I can't believe how exciting this is! The thing is coming to life before me!

Gotta go, it is very late again,
Patience

 

[Patience]

Buck-Beaver,

I took your advice and invested some time looking for foam. The first place I called wanted approximate $60.00 for a piece of foam 24" x 96". That just seemed too much for my trial and error stage of puppet making. I turned on the Automatic Mesmerizer (TV for the little ones) and tried again, found the same stuff for $5.00 (and closer to home) I still can't believe the difference in price or my luck in finding it so cheap.

But I do have a couple more questions:
1. What do you use for glue? (I've been using hot glue) likely a good time to rob a bank, because I have no finger prints left! even with the water trick!

2. What do you use to cut out the pieces? I tried a carpet cutter, but that seems to pull rather than cut. In the end I had to resort to scissors.

Thanks so much,

Patience

 

[Buck-Beaver]

What do you use for glue? (I've been using hot glue) likely a good time to rob a bank, because I have no finger prints left! even with the water trick!

I use LePage's "Green" Pres-Tite Contact Cement, because it is relatively non-toxic. Home Hardware, Canadian Tire and Home Dept should all sell it. It takes sometime to get "tacky" so you can glue the foam together - I use a heat gun to speed up the process drying process and a hair dryer might work well too.

You can use regular contact cement too (again, LePage is a good brand). It is faster to work with, but is highly toxic. You have to work in well-ventilated area and wear a respirator mask with organic vapour cartridges. This is a real pain in northern climates (like Ontario) in the winter, because you can't work outdoors - contact cement usually won't dry properly in temperatures below 8 or 10 degrees Celsius. A heated garage is your best bet to work in if you have one. Do not use the contact cement inside your house, especially if you have kids. The toxic fumes will accumulate and can cause temporary or even long term damage to your immune system.

Hi-temp Hot Glue is actually very dangerous to use with foam (this is something I only recently learned and was very surprised by), especially if you have little ones. The problem is that the hot glue dissolves the surface of the foam, which releases toxic chemicals. Low-temp hot glue is supposedly safer, but I do not know that for an absolute fact.

What do you use to cut out the pieces? I tried a carpet cutter, but that seems to pull rather than cut. In the end I had to resort to scissors.

I use snap-off box cutter blades (different widths, depending on the cut I am making). Other people use X-Acto knives, rotary cutters and even special blades that are used to cut hair. I think it really just depends on what's available to you and what you like to work with.

 

[Teenager's]

Whoa....that's an interesting fact about hot glue....it's kind of one of those annoying facts you find out only after a long time of doing it.....bother.....well, I know I've never liked the sweet/tangy smell of the glue on the foam...sheesh...

I also use scissors for cutting foam--but it also depends on the foam as I hear just a razor is best for scott foam.

 

[staceyrebecca]

At the foam store they use an electric carving knife for cutting. I have scissors set aside for foam (since, like paper, it will dull your scissors over time).

Andrew, do you know if that not-as-toxic contact cement can be used inside a home?

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Supposedly it can. It does have a mild odor and has to be used with some kind of ventilation, but unlike regular contact cement you don't have to use a respirator, although I usually do.

If you do want to use a respirator, you need one approved for use with latex...regular organic vapour respirators (which you use with regular contact cement) are not designed to protect you from any harmful vapours from latex. The best thing is to always check the Material Data Safety Sheet for any adhesive (you can usually download these from the manufacturer's website).

It does take a lot longer to dry than regular contact cement. I have heard people say that it can't be used on foam, but I've used it for years and it works just fine if you are patient and/or have access to a heat gun.

One other thing worth mentioning is that any latex-based contact cement cannot be allowed to freeze, otherwise it's useless.

 

[Patience]

I found the not-as-toxic contact cement at Home Depot Here is the link: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

I know my Monster-in-law (I could write a book on how she obtained that title!) used her electric knife to cut foam for Upholstery. I didn't think that would work for the 1/2" foam I have. I tried my rotary cutter, the blade from a carpet cutter (box cutter) and an exact knife (it came from Dollarama, probably why it didn't work), then I tried a real scapel and when none of them seemed to do the job well, I resorted to scissors.

I think I appreciate the video I first watched about puppet building, with the weird looking contraption they used. Some sort of hot wire, anybody made one of them yet? It cut without leaving a jagged edge! My husband tells me I am still too much of a perfectionist at heart, because I don't like look of the jagged edges even if it is going on the inside where I am the only one who will ever see it. Which says if I want one of those Hot Wire contraptions, I will have to build it myself.

Gotta go,

Patience

 

[Patience]

A whole new problem!

I made the hands and feet last night and I am reasonably happy with the results!

I used the carpet underpad for the body, as I think it gives the clothes a more lived in look.

My biggest problem is the mouth! It didn't go so well. I used the bend in a cereal box for the bend in the mouth. (hope this is clearer than mud). But still wasn't satisfied with my results. How do ya'll measure of figure out the mouth?

Patience,