Hi Guys! Generally do you have detachable rods or permanently stuck in rods? If they're detachable how do you secure them enough so they wont come out during performance? I'm using single 3/4" foam hands by the way not sandwiching two 1/2" foam hands together. Any help as always would be greatly appreciated.

hey,

I don't have an answer to your question, but i would also like to know what is the preferred method. I#m half way through some experiments on this very topic. I just moved house now and half my stuff had to go into storage, so it'll take me a little time to take over the dining table and get back to my experimenting!

Another option is no rods at all, however i guess this takes you into a different type of performing when the puppeteer is in view instead of being out of sight...?

anyways, i look forward to reading what other peoples think.

Personally I like to be able to remove the rods from the hands, as I sometimes have my puppets holding instruments, and sometimes I pose them for set photos. My hands are only fleece stuffed with fluff. This isn't very secure, but then I only need the puppets on screen for a few mins at a time, I'm not performing 'Live' so it's not a gigantic issue for me. I cheated like this as I ran out of foam to make everyone's hands properly! I will eventually do the sandwich method you mention, but at the moment it's just doing the job with a cheap fix! (guilty face emoticon - whatever that looks like!)

I use removable rods, but I hate them are not what I would prefer and I am looking at making my own rods form piano wire in the future to help me make a more authentic arm rod, I'll make these removable too by using elastic bands on the end that I tie round the hands...

Daryl of Stiqpuppets has a video where he shows how to use an interlocking key chain to make arms that can go on and off the puppet. I would bet you could do the same for rods. Embed the one side into the the hand and then attach the other to the top of your rod. That way you could click the rods on and off and they would be very secure.

You can bend a small loop in the end of your arm rod then embed a loop in the palm of the hand. Then just link the two loops together. To take on and off you need to open the loop in the rod up a bit then close it back.

Ahh, Thanks Shawn, that maybe the best idea.. Will get my thinking cap on and have a go...