I'd really like to see bell peas...

Bell Beans. Close enough? ;D

If you think you might want to build your own, here's some stuff I'd change for the next one:

Trim down the tops of the nails. We used 1 1/2" finish nails, so while the tops are small, sometimes I still have issues pulling the finished hand off the jig.

Keep in mind the width of the wire you're using. We had to move some nails to get the shape right.

This is a modification of the standard Project Puppet patterns, so i still use a cardboard palm support in the hand. The wire E shape is designed to go lower than the fingers to reinforce the palm and give more support to the hand. The rest of the hand construction is the same as the pattern directions.

I'd probably use a smaller piece of wood for the base, but it's what I had on hand. We put a hook on the back so when not in use, the whole thing hands on the wall to keep it out of the way.

The whole project took maybe 20 minutes, and has already saved me a bunch of time in The Lab. If you build your own, please let me know! I'd love to see pictures!

Thanks, Dr. Megan, you made my day. I really feel cured now. But tell you what- you really spilled the beans now...

After I saw your post I remembered that I made something similar, although I haven't used it in a while. Let me go see if I can find it and add a picture...

Well, I ran out to the shop, and found it, but embarrassingly, it looks nothing like yours!  It made more of a chicken foot shape.  It's been a while since I've used it and I used small brad nails and now that you mention it, it was hard getting the wire off.  So thanks for your ideas!  I'm going to modify mine now!

Here's one more thing I made with bolts and wing nuts.  It's used to hold the controller for the final stringing of my marionettes:

And here it is at work:

As you can see, the benefit of this over just a string or a hook is that it suspends the controller at an angle, giving the marionette a more comfortable grip.  The diamond pieces of wood prevent the free side of the grip from rotating.  This may be the last tool that I build, seeing as my 8 marionettes are almost complete.  Hurray!

Your tools are so nice and Finnish. Mine are always thrown together.

You mean no more marionettes after this 8!    Seems a shame.

Puppetry just doesn't pay the bills.  At all.  Maybe I'll reconsider my position once I'm reliably paying my rent, but until then puppetry is nothing but a big expense that I can't handle.  And I'm bored of working in isolation.  I wanna get out and see the world, you know?

Wishing you the best!

Puppetry just doesn't pay the bills.  At all.  Maybe I'll reconsider my position once I'm reliably paying my rent, but until then puppetry is nothing but a big expense that I can't handle.  And I'm bored of working in isolation.  I wanna get out and see the world, you know?

I know just how you feel!

Abdolos I can relate completely!  It is actually why I don't do as much puppetry as I used to. Hopefully you can find a job in a similar field. I work in wardrobe now and I am able to use my skills I learned from puppet building in it.  Actually they come in handy more often then not. Do a lot of work on shows that have body characters. Actually at the moment I am helping out on the build of the Audry puppets for the Kansas City Reps production of 'Little Shop of Horrors'.

Which ever direction you go I hope you'll drop in from time to time and keep in touch with us. 

This is not one of my tools but I just had to post this video by Philip Stevens over at YouTube. He also has a cool puppet building video.

http://youtu.be/4jZ3NMEo3bs

I love the fact that he uses for the most part hand tools and the wood is nothing fancy. I really wish I knew more about this Philip Stevens. I could not find anything on his YT profile. Anyone know who he is?  He has some really great tutorials.

Here is another jig he rigged up to drill holes. Kind of a sideways drill press.

http://youtu.be/IuYaC43ElNE

And one more that shows a few of his jigs in use.

http://youtu.be/Wi-XdpYJ8QM

I don't know who he is either but I've watched some of his videos. He's very good. He's a definite re-purposer. Love it!

The one where he builds a puppet from start to finish was one of the first videos I watched when I started. He's a talented guy.

The one where he builds a puppet from start to finish was one of the first videos I watched when I started. He's a talented guy.

He mentioned in the video that the puppet pattern he uses is from a missionary pattern and he revised it. That is true.......... It was owned by a lady in Florida and was used in the mission field,the pattern was later purchased by Jo Ann West of Roanoke, Texas and was called " Puppets with personality" I have all three versions of this pattern(Sm,Med,and large). He did revise the pattern by adding the inside liner and attaching it to the mouth plate. I even have her original video demonstrating how to sew it up however his video explains in more detail. I have since lost touch with Jo Ann West and do not know what she did with the copyrights to the pattern. This is a bit off topic but thought it was worth mentioning.
If anyone knows how to get in touch with her I would appreciate it!