While participating in a recycle program, I have started recycling stuff that I use to throw away. I was rinsing out some plastic bottles when I noticed that some of these items could be used for puppet eyes, mouth plates, and even puppet bodies. I now have started a collection of bleach bottles, soda bottles, plastic baby food containers, bottle caps, anything that had shape or textures to use in puppet building.


Here is a list I'm starting............. feel free to share what you use around the house to build puppets with.

(1.) Large Bleach containers....rinsed and clean. Cut the top and bottom off. Use the top part to keep water in while painting, while using the bottom as a mixing tray for paint or mouth plates. Cut the middle in to until flat and cut puppet eyes out or use in your homemade vacuum forming machine

Here is a good book for building your own.
http://www.build-stuff.com/001book_vacuum_forming.htm

(2) Soda Bottles can be vacuum formed into clear eyes or made into puppet bodies. use the tops for eyes.
(3) Gerber plastic baby food containers...good for keeping unused powdered dyes. or small building supplies
(4) Cardboard paper towel roll.... I use this to help stuff puppet arms and legs. Pull arm or leg over cardboard tube and place fiber fill inside. Once full remove tube and arms or legs are stuffed.
(5) Measuring scoops in laundry detergent or powdered baby formula used for eyes or nose.
(6) old sweaters unraveled into a ball of yarn to be used for puppet hair.
(7) Empty thread spools can be used to make spool dolls or marionettes.  

The list goes on and on.................... Let us all go green and share with others how you recycle your items to use in puppetry. Trash will never be the same.

Billy D.

I use the foam trays that you get packaged fresh meat in from the grocery store for paint pallets.  I also save the plastic containers that you get pre-made food in from the deli section for paint and other things that may dry out if not covered.

Vacuum forming! Cool! A new hobby! I had no idea it was so easy. A quick search on instructables.com brought up a couple of homemade vacuum forming tutorials:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-good%2c-cheap%2c-upgradeable-sheet-plastic-vacu/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-Own-Prototypes-%3a-How-to-make-your/

Soda bottles and bleach containers... Any other kinds of plastics that can be repurposed for this?

J.

Hi Billy,

I collect dryer lint to make stuffing for my puppets. Very useful!

I tell ya, the recycling bin is my treasure hunt each time I need to do a new project.

Large five gallon plastic tubs of ice cream when empty make excellent mouth plate material.

Billy D.

Great tips and ideas here. Recycle everything!

Soda bottles and bleach containers... Any other kinds of plastics that can be re purposed for this?J.

These are some common plastic used in vacuum forming...... .o60 thickness

ABS-(Acrylonnitrile Butadien Styrene)
PVC Type 2- (Poly Vinyl Chloride)
Styrene- (High Impact Type)
CAB- (Cellulose Acetate Butyrate)
Polycarbonate
Pet- G

Billy D.

Wao, great ideas. I'm gonna use my shampoo white bottle to cut it out for puppets eyes( different sizes)

Here is my vacuum form machine using the Do it yourself book listed above.



Billy D.

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