They use 1 inch foam for both the body and the head!  These puppets can take abuse better than mine.  After repairing about a dozen puppets at my church I came to respect the Puppet Production brand.  They held up well over time.  I'm wondering if 1 inch foam has better memory and better stability.  Those old Puppet Production heads kept their shape well!

They used sentra (plastic sign material) for the mouth plate. 

They made an arm tube (for the puppeteer's arm not the puppet) out of a material similar to swimsuit or dance skirt material.  It was that cheap, non shiny, polyester type material.  It was like a simple sock puppet that is inside the main puppet and guides the hand into the mouthplate.  It was firmly attached with contact cement to the mouthplate.  The bottom edge of the arm tube is sewed to the bottom edge of the puppet exterior, so the whole puppet looks clean and professional from the exterior and feel slick and soft inside, no foam innards showing. 

There is also a piece of foam just above the mouthplate to stabilize the head and create an upper hand hold.  It was cemented to the upper head foam, inside and flush to the bottom edge.

There are a few things about 1 inch foam unless you are making a big floppy mouth puppet like most of oneway street and puppet productions the 1 inch is actual very difficult to use. Apart from the added weight the one inch restricts movement on small mouths. Plus a lot of professionals like to use flexable mouths with with 1 inch make it difficult to open and close the mouth and get that rubber like expression. Not saying its impossible just more challenging. I use 1/2 to 3/4 for my heads and bodies. The bodies are always 3/4 very rarely half inch.

As for the arm sleeve going to the mouth let me caution you there although you will see for yourself after you perform one for a lengthy period of time. It absorbs sweet. And it stays wet for a while. So when you put your arm back in going from puppet to puppet its like slipping on a cold fish. plus this restricks movement for mechanics too. Just my opinion I put liners on the bodies but not the heads. Remember how good can a wet head be when its left you dry out but since its internal has no access to fresh air. In my opinion over time that could mildew.

The plastic is cool sentra is light and can be shape easily but you loose your flexability that way. would not mind knowing a good provider of sentra if anyone has one. I use it for removable face parts and arms.

I'm going to start supplying the plastic for the mouths on my website, a rectangle shape for two puppets as it's so difficult to source in the UK. I've cut the plastic using a Jigsaw and as Daryl says with a fine blade - don't know the difference between a Jigsaw and a Bandsaw!

I have a Dremel at last! I've wanted one for ages and happen to mention this to my husband who said he's sure his mum gave him one for Christmas a few years ago but he didn't have anything to use it for - true enough it was in among his tools. How cool is that?

Looked into using it to cut the shape for my own puppet mouths and discovered I need a spiral bit for cutting - this will cut curves - the cutting wheels only cut straight. Looks like I need a cutting attachment too though and the spiral bits with the attachment cost £20 so think I'll be waiting till Christmas.

Good bargain confused monkey!

Helen

The plastic is cool sentra is light and can be shape easily but you loose your flexability that way. would not mind knowing a good provider of sentra if anyone has one. I use it for removable face parts and arms.

The only supplier that would be closest to you and myself Jay would be Piedmont Plastics
http://www.piedmontplastics.com/prodtype.asp?ID=4&TYPE=188

Type in your zip code to find a location near you or the second link for locations in NC
http://www.piedmontplastics.com/contactus.asp

http://www.piedmontplastics.com/locations.asp

Billy D.

This is where I ordered the .060 styrene..................... What size sintra would you order about 3/8" or 1/4"

What size sintra would you order about 3/8" or 1/4"

I use 1/8 " I would not think that you would need to go any thicker for a mouth plate.  This stuff is very hefty/strong even at that thickness.

Daryl H

Thanks Daryl............... I've never used it so I did know. I still think it would work better than what I was using. two pieces of .060 styrene glued together with a heavy corrugated cardboad sandwiched in between. It certainly would save time not sure about the cost difference.

Billy D.

Thanks for the info Billy...I love sentra and it has the advantage of having a low heat point so it can be shaped into custom bent mouth shapes like curved bird beaks and such with a simple heat gun. Its cool stuff.

Now Helen about cutting sentra I don't rember but if its like styrene it can be skored and then snaped off. Then you can just clean up the edge with a dremel sanding drumb

Dr Puppet:
I'm not so much of a puppeteer as a puppet builder so your perspective on the body sleeve is helpful.  I hadn't thought of the sweaty hand issue.

Dr Puppet:
Will 1/2 and 3/4 foam keep it's shape well enough even after traveling in a hot car?  I like the thinner foams better from a building standpoint, but do these thinner foams perform well enough for puppeteers like yourself or do they need to be treated with care?

I also want to know if sintra can be scored and snapped, my cutting skills with the bandsaw are not good.