Hi everyone.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for how to go about building a fake arm that you would attach to your elbow so that when operating a puppet like a bird or similar creature it looks like it's sitting on your arm, even though your arm is inside the puppet.

Thanks!
Jeff

I was browsing the gallery and puppetlady, I think it was, had some photos like what you are talking about...maybe she'll see this or you could message her.
Nynah

hey there, i think i might be able to help, i am quite a professional at making these after many years of perfecting my own third arm for such a reason.

                                                                                 

im going to draw up a diagram for you and also post up a picture of the arm i use now, i made it about 4 years ago and it has lasted me ages, its about the 4th arm i have made and improved upon and i think its great (not to blow my own trumpet or anything)

give me a while to take some pix of the arm and ill see what i can do to help, other than making one, axtel expressions make a half decent one, but if you want something a little more quality, then im sure i can teach you how!!

Ben.

Here are a few rather sketchy pictures that i took to hopefully show how the arm is made.

im going to describe it very simply, but there is a bit more involved, i just didint want to overload you, so there are small steps and details that im leaving out,. bvut if you have skype, i would be more than happy to talk you thru it all!!my skype name is jeezbo23@hotmail.co.uk.

the arm is made out of a plastic that is primarily used for making arm and hand supports in hospitals, but you can use anything that is rather strong, but light and flexible (after all it does need to be light if you are going to wear it for a performance and not get cramp or fatigue in your arm and shoulder) it is really strong, and the best bit is when you put it into hot water/boiling water it becomes really soft and flexible (like those cheese squares that you put on your burger) then i used a sheet of styrene to create the shape of my forearm and to house the fixings, i made a light foam hand with wire poseable fingers and attached a tube to the wrist, then put that into the arm i had made and secired it by putting a long plastic nut and bolt thru it (i use long white wing bolts from a hobby shop, they are for attaching wings onto planes) there was also a slot running width ways on the wrist tube, so that i could turn the hand and pose it differently at times.




i created out of the heat mouldable plastic a loop that would extend around my arm when it was bent to keep the fake arm up, and also a 'elbow cup' to support the entire arm and for confort, the arm loop was attached to the arm via some aliminium screws and bolts (to keep the weight at a min) and also so that the arms angle could be adjusted for different puppets (for example, the bird needs to sit on my outstretched arm, but when using a monkey puppet, it needs to look like im holdong him against my hip, like a small child in my arms)

i covered the entire unit in a long black glove and made some elbow length gloves out of welders gloves and arm protectors and cut a small round hole for my arm to stick out of, and the illusion is awesome, i still get people asking how the bird is controlled, alot of people assume that it is animatronics!!

I hope i havent totally confused you, its really not at all hard to make one of these third arms, i used to make them out of old pringles tubes when i was younger, but if you want to make one that will last a long time, then it simply takes a little time, effort and thinking.

if you need a bit more info and more detail then email me or skype me.

the arm design is protected by copyright law, but im giving you permission to use the design if you need to, im more than happy to share my ideas and designs with anyone, i have built these arms for people and they have lasted the test of time and punishement, hope you have fun making one!!

Ben.

Jeezbo, thanks for your responses.

I am at work now and don't have time to read them in great detail...I will do so on my break, however, and respond with any questions.

Thanks a bunch man!!

Jeff

Brilliant Jeezbo........................ thanks for sharing.

Excellent design. I may be interested in building one of these for myself if that is allowable.

Thanks for sharing Jeezbo, I'll have to keep this in mind in case I ever need to sprout a third arm

we purchased one from Axtell and it works well.