Anyone know of any books or maybe web sites that show how to make different working mouths for a marionette..I know there are various ways to do it but some diagrams would be helpful..thanks

David currell's book on marionettes has some info on them. You might also try looking at the free book on trick marionettes - have no link handy but it has been posted here before

Well the partial Trick Marionettes book is located here: http://puppetnet.com/trick_marionettes  Unfortunately it does not cover mechs for the mouth. I don't have the following book myself but it has a chapter on moveable mouths.
Link no longer available.

There is the book published over at The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry. http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~wwwsfa/library_publications_buxton_howto_howtomake.htm#07 It has a very short section on the subject with diagrams.  This really is the basic way I've always done it except that I don't have the rod stick out the back of the head. I keep it all inside the head and the string comes up and out of the top of the head.

thanks Shawn,I've seen the article at Ballard... I know I have seen a book that has the information in it,but for the life of me I can't recall the name..lol

Thanks Na ! which Currell book were you talking about?

Thanks Na ! which Currell book were you talking about?

This one:
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Manipulating-Marionettes-David-Currell/dp/1861266634/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405836054&sr=8-3&keywords=david+currell

I can't recall if it covered a lot of different techniques for moving mouths, but it definitely does have an explanation on how to do at least one.

There maybe something here that could help...

http://www.puppetsandprops.com/TheFredProject.html

There maybe something here that could help...

http://www.puppetsandprops.com/TheFredProject.html

Would that actually help? It's for a ventriloquist dummy, which means the method of operating the mouth will be entirely different than for a marionette. Hinging the jaw will be roughly the saw, but actually controlling it would be different - I assume the jaw for the vent runs through the control stick at the hand, whereas a marionette will require stringing to go through the handle and deal with various issues of strings vs gravity.

... I thought it wouldn't be much use, but on second thoughts I don't know. Shawn, would it be approximately similar enough to use TFP for ideas?

Na, I have that Currell book...but its in storage..I'll dig it out thanks.And thanks Krafty...that article will help some. Na, the technique for the vent dummy will work with a few minor modifications..thank you both for your help

Yes the vent figure diagram could be useful. The big difference is that instead of running the control string down you run it up. I will say that you have to be careful using springs and such inside of marionette heads. If you get something to tight and it takes to much pull to open the mouth then the entire head moves with each mouth open.  Same on the eyes if you use any type of springs to hold them in neutral.  Very small springs with very little tension are the best, or in the case of the mouth you can counter weight it so that it always stays closed.