Polyfoam Puppet Help!

[olneyprops]

Hello all,

I am currently working on masks and puppets for "Fiddler on the Roof" and the designer would like me to use polyfoam for them. They will be for the Fruma-Sarah nightmare scene. I've made many puppets in the past but never out of polyfoam. Though I understand the basics of it, I am trying to figure out how to carve the polyfoam. Hot knife? Mat knife? It needs to be something relatively quick because I have sooo many to make and no assistance in a short amount of time.

On a side note: I do A LOT of upholstery for my job and have found a GREAT foam vendor in Minnesota http://www.rochfordsupply.com/index.asp they are inexpensive and have great deals. It is so much cheaper to have it shipped to you (I'm in Maryland) than going to JoAnn's or the like.

Anyway, I would appreciate any knowledge you guys have on this!

Thanks!

 

[TheCreatureWork]

Check this out:
http://www.nicodemus.org/fursuit/carvedfoam.php

 

[staceyrebecca]

I get the sheet foam and then use staples and hot-glue. But my polyfoam puppets never turn out to be terribly amazing.

I'd recommend a dremel tool bit with a sander on it to make things smooth after they're cut. John Kennedy did that for me in a workshop and my life has never been the same.

 

[olneyprops]

Thank you, both, for the great advice! I will give it a try!

 

[SurfPark]

Why would someone suggest this method? Is it really easier? This looks like it would make the puppets heavier than if you used a foam sheet with a pattern and a mouthplate?

 

[olneyprops]

Electric knife didn't work

I tried the electric knife on a scrap of foam and the foam is just too soft for it to cut. It really just shreads the foam. Is there another way? I do have a hot knife but I'm worried about using it on upholstry foam. I've used it on blue insulation foam but would it catch on fire using the hot knife on the soft foam?

Thanks!

 

[TheCreatureWork]

the hot knife melts the insulation foam- Try it outside first- remember that foam is an insulator and hold heat in- The insulation foam (styrofoam) tends to melt so watch for the reside- it still maybe hot and if touches your skin can burn ya. Upholstry foam dulls knifes quickly and an electric knife will need new blades- I recommend using a band saw.

 

[ravagefrackle]

I suggest you look at the Puppet tutorials on http://swazzle.com/blogs/puppet101.html

 

[Kevin the Frog]

You might be using the wrong kind of foam if the electric knife (turkey cutter) didn't work. John Kennedy uses that to get the general shape of the puppet, and then uses the dremel tool with sandpaper to get the details and smooth it down as staceyrebecca the pirate mentioned.

 

[staceyrebecca]

YARRR matey.