Rivets and Brads, Brivets and Rads...

This one goes out to Billy. You can smash the rivets together with a pair of pliers.  If you're using this method, you may want to cover the smooth part of the rivet with a cloth to prevent it from getting too badly dinged up.  It takes a fair bit of hand strenth to get the rivets to seat properly, but it's doable (especially if the rivets are not exposed, then you can disregard that bit about the cloth, as it won't matter how they look). 

I think I want to say 'rivets' a few more times...rivets rivets rivets.

Cheers

Hi all,
I'm trying something a little different, I was in the process of making a mouth for my puppet when I came across some plastic canvas and thought I would give it a try. It's pertty flexiable, but not like foamies and it's very easy to cut.  Since it has holes in it I coverd it with felt like I do foam board.  So far I like the feel of it, not stiff and I added finger tubes to it. I posted a picture just incase someone doesn't know what I talking about.  If anyone has ever use this before let me know what you think. 

Just started making puppets and the pattern I have called for plastic for the mouth plates ,but it had to be plastic that could be sewed to the felt that would be the inside of the mouth. I was finally recommended to use milk jugs. Since making my first puppet I found that a craft store near me (JoAnns) has a material found in the quilting section called template plastic. I haven't used it because I already have mouth pieces made for several more puppets. Buy the way, for my second puppet the plastic was one of those thin plastic cutting sheets used in the kitchen. It is soft and flexible enough to sew. Then the pattern suggested using formica to stiffen the plastic mouth plate. Finding formica without buying a whole sheet proved to be a challenge, so my husband cut lightweight sheetmetal for that. We used contact cement to bond the plastic and sheetmetal together. Then another layer of felt makes the inside comfortable for the hand. 

If I'm on the wrong thread please direct me to the right area!!!

Hello everyone!  As you can see I am brand new to the site and to puppet making!  I am very crafty and I love making things.  I am a Drama Teacher in California and my next production is "Willy Wonka."  We would like to make "Oompa Loompa" puppets like the ones Oakwood High School used in their production.

They were made by The Zoot Theatre Company (there are pictures of the "Oompa Loompas" on their homepage, there is a drawing and an "in progress" shot) What I am struggling with is the mouth mechanism, I don't even know what it is called!  It looks like a trigger that controls the mouth of the puppet.  Can some one help me with terminology and point me in the right direction to create/buy this controller?

Hard to tell from the pictures they have what type of mechanism they are using for the mouth.  It could be as simple as the claws on a handle that you can sometimes find at the toy store.  It is the same concept as the crabbers that you can get at a medical supply company that people use to pick things up if they are in a wheel chair. 

It it was me I would most likely keep things simple and build a standard puppet head with a mouthplate like we are talking about here and then have a hole in the back of the lower head or neck where the puppeteer reaches in and manipulates the puppet head.  You could even use one of the Puppet Project patterns enlarged some to do this.

Welcome Kellann! You should drop by the Introduce Yourself board so everyone can properly welcome you to Puppets and Stuff! I agree with what Shawn said. It's pretty hard to tell from the photos exactly what sort of mouth plate or mechanism they used. Best to design your own to suit your needs and the Project Puppet patterns could serve you well in that capacity!

Thank you so much for the idea! That is exactly what I'm going to do! I will keep you guys posted along my crazy "Willy Wonka" puppet journey!  I'll go over to the "Introduce yourself" thead and introduce myself!!!

Kellann

Welcome!

Oh man, Kellann said Willy Wonka. Song sticks in my head.

LOL! Same here!