Quick fixes to broken Grips

[Melonpool]

The puppet in my avatar -- Mayberry -- is due for a rebuild, but that most likely will be a month or so away. The main reason for the rebuild is that the grip broke about ten minutes after I put him together two years ago, and I've had to make due with weaving my fingers over and under the broken strap to make him even somewhat usable...

Well, last night, the strap broke and I was going to do some tests with him this weekend. Any suggestions of a temporary fix (even if it involves going in through the back of his head)? Or should I just bite the bullet and rebuild him this week?

EDIT: And construction-wise, He's made of 1/2 inch foam with a hollow space about 6 inches in diameter inside the head. The Mouth pallette is thick gasket rubber, meaning there's no resistance at all against the fingers. There used to be a foam rubber "Strap" that covered the mouth palette, which tore loose on one side two years ago. That piece, almost entirely intact, now sits on my couch.

Steve

 

[ravagefrackle]

cant you just lossen the glue around the mouth and remove the plate , fix it then put it back?

 

[Jinx]

A quick-fix that I have used in the past is to stuff the upper cavity of the head with polyester fiberfill which then acts to wedge my fingers between the mouthplate and the head. It does add a little bit of weight, not much (I know this is an issue with MM's eyes and all) but it at least renders the puppet useable for the short-haul.

On another one of my puppets I took a cheap brown jersey work glove, put it on and slathered the palm & fingers in glue. I then put the puppet on and held my hand against the mouthplate until the glue set up enough to remove my hand. This makes it a little bit slow to get on and off, but it makes manipulation very easy.

I actually used a left-hand glove turned inside-out for my right hand. This gives my fingers a bit more "breathing room" without the seam allowances getting in the way.

 

[Melonpool]

Well, so far so good. I managed to remove the original mouth palette without destroying too much of the foam or the fabric. I'll build a new one tomorrow and hopefully be able to re-install it. I should be able to retrofit a little more flexibility into the design with the thinner gasket rubber and better foam on the lower jaw, too. I may not have to rebuild this puppet entirely, after all.

Steve

 

[Melonpool]

Well, it's fixed. I think I can get a few more uses out of this puppet now. Aside from a small tear in his lip, it's hard to tell I had to do anything to the puppet, even though I replaced the entire mouth palette as well as his lower jaw foam.

Thanks, guys! I was convinced I'd either have to go in through the back of his head or completely rebuild this thing.

Steve

 

[Jinx]

Does this mean that you'll have to start drawing him with a scarred lip?

 

[Melonpool]

It just makes him look more like Harrison Ford.

Actually, it's not that noticable unless you're right up next him... or at least, that's what I tell myself.

Steve

 

[wes]

this maybe off subject But steve What did you use for eyes on your puppet there Unusally hugh i like that, It's Cool!

 

[Melonpool]

There are these plastic globes that people can use to replace the big yard like fixtures (they're usually made of glass, but they do make a plastic version). It's like the one at the top of the Sesame Street sign. They're about 10 inches around and come molded in smoky white.

I cut out the shape I want for the eyes with my Dremel, sand the edges and then paint it white from the back. Whenever possible, I paint eyes from the back, because I hate it when I get a huge scratch on the eye (which always seems to happen).

Then, I take that self-adhesive black felt and cut off a 1/2 inch strip I carefully but the edge of the strip along the edge of the cut plastic (it's about 1/8 inch thick) and follow the contour of the eye. I fold the excess over the back so that the white eye pops off the face.

Then, I glue and sew the whole thing to the head. You can actually sew into the black felt to secure it -- it's not really going anywhere.

The one drawback -- and the reason I'm trying to find an alternative -- is that it adds a bit more weight than I'd like it to. I'd also like some division between the eyes. I think I'm looking for something that can be vacuformed into a shallow "butt shape" -- sort of like a ball with a groove running down the middle -- that I could then cut with scissors based on what character I'm making. I'll have to look into that.

Steve

 

[Buck-Beaver]

There's some cool stuff that's pretty light a fellow on the puptcrit mailing list is often promoting that might do the trick. I don't have the name handy, but I'll try to find it and post it.