Subject: PUPT: Neoprene Bending
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2002 21:19:04 -0800


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Another way to forn neoprene into the shape you want, is to allow it to partially dry after coming out of the mold and then using rubber bands to shape the fingers where you want them to be and let the neoprene dry before removing the rubber bands.
You can see a picture of this technique at http://www.puppetmuseum.com/FREECOLL/WORKSHOP/Workshop14.htm in the top center picture. T-pins are holding the wrist and the rubber bands, and a scrap piece of 1/2 inch foamcore board works nicely to hold the pins while the hand is drying. (All of the hands in the picture were cast in two-part molds.)
I take them out of the mold and toss them into a ziplock bag along with a small quantity of water (or a drenched paper towel) and leave them for a couple of hours. This keeps the fingers and hand still loose and rubbery, but hard enough to hold up to the bending. You can get fairly severe bends in hands and fingers this way, eliminating the need for more than a two-part mold in casting hands.
Also, Hot Melt Glue is my glue of choice for anything involving neoprene. I use the FPC high strength glue. It sticks like **** to a blanket and really grabs hold of the neoprene. I usually fill the fingers with it after they are fully dry, which helps (albeit not completely) avoid their breaking off. If you are still buying hot-melt glue at the craft store, great economy can be achieved by ordering the FPC glue (and Guns) directly from the source. They sell it by the five-pound box. If you want their contact info, e-mail me at owpt-AT-att.net and I'll let you know.
I also prime every piece of neoprene with two coats of Gesso, either white, black or "flesh colored", which both protects the neoprene, and causes paint to really stick to the piece.
Sorry if I'm sounding like a one-trick pony, but I really like neoprene, and if more of us had been using it, Mydrin/R&D would probably still be making it.

Marty

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