Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:07:06 -0400
From: "Dan McGuire" <dandmcguire-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] shadow puppet joints


The film on Chinese shadow puppet making was excellent - it looks a lot like
the video I posted on youtube showing Javanese shadow puppet making. Main
difference is that the Chinese use thinner parchment that they cut with
knives, the Javanese use sets of small chisels.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqB2zEvUQYY>

As for hinges: I haven't found the perfect hinge yet. Weed wacker line
melted on both ends is the best so far, but it is impossible to use in
workshops with kids. In Indonesia they use what look like two headed brass
or bone nails, the heads separated by a 1/8th or so shank. Works fine in
leather, but matt board eventually falls apart.

Brass paper fasteners are pretty useless - the flat shafts prevent free
movement of the arms.

I've been working with some fastex products that are pretty good, the only
problem is that the shafts are too long - usually 1/4 or 3/8 or 1/2 inch.

The snap rivet models have holes that are a bit too big in diameter.
<http://www.itw-fastex.com/catalog/index.php/dw/op/a/6/c/14/p/27?m=no>

the rachet rivet style:
<http://www.itw-fastex.com/catalog/index.php/dw/op/a/6/c/14/p/26?m=no>
work a bit better for me - but you trim both shafts with wire clippers and
smush them together if you trim them too much you won't have any teeth to
grab.

Neither of these are perfect - shafts too long or too wide in diameter. If
anyone find something better, please let me know.

They give out free samples on this site, so you can try a few. If you want
to order them, unfortunately, they only do industrial sized orders. Perhaps
we could share an order.

This problem is the bane of the modern shadow puppeteer's existence!

Cheers,
DMCG
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