Yesterday I mentioned the Storyteller figure currently undergoing restoration in my shop. Restoration includes conversion of the base of the neck so it has the "ball/socket" feature. That work has been completed. See "before" photo at left, and "after" photo above. A PVC end cap provided the perfect ball base to the neck.
so looks like Clinton is a "plumber" as well....
ReplyDeleteA PVC endcap! Brilliant! That's why you're Clinton Detweiler and I'm not. Hm. I converted my Lovik "living mouth" to slot-jaw recently and thought seriously of trying to change the drop-through neck, but it seemed daunting. This is the perfect answer. Thank you, Clinton.
ReplyDeleteThe associate in Home Depot plumbing department commented that nearly half the people shopping for PVC items are using them for NON-plumbing purposes. Puppet stage builders have been there from day one!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it! NEVER would have thought of that!! LOL!! COOL!! Have to remember that if i ever actually get around to making a figure. Thanks! Bill Smith
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, this application is not original with me - our son Kevin, who with his staff does all the doll upgrades for Throw Things, purchases PVC end caps by the gross to be used for ventriloquist doll headposts.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious Clinton, did you actually end up replacing the whole neck then, or did you cut the end cap at what looks like a seam, where the rounding starts, & attach it to the existing neck? Great job either way {as usual!}.
ReplyDeleteSo, looking at the photo, you chop off some of the neck in order to use the end cap. Then it would seem that the conversion of the neck hole in the body would be easy...though I might use a Brose body for the figure, as the Lovik body seems really heavy. I need to check into that. With just one little comment, Clinton, you've gotten me all excited about this figure again!
ReplyDeleteI cut the cap near where the rounding begins for this figure. I also cut off the end of the neck to even all the edges. I save the cutoff portion of the cap because I sometimes use a portion of the PVC ring as a neck "extender" on a figure.
ReplyDeleteYes, converting the neck base is just half the job - now the body neck opening needs to be modified. I'll take the easy way out with this figure and just replace the entire body with one that was designed and built for a "ball/socket" neck.
ReplyDeleteahhhh, oh nooooo.....I have a long standing puppet upgrade project(started 3 years ago now stopped because of injury). For the neck socket, I glued layers of compressed timber together then filed it into a rounded shape, had to fill the holes in my "shape" with a type of "putty", then filed it into shape again, sanded it smooth, then I had to glue a curtain ring onto to that because it dropped to low into the neck hole.........ahhhhh, Geoffrey, Australia
ReplyDeletePS great idea with that end cap!
a question....how do you stop the control stick from moving around in the hollow neck of a doll when using the PVC endcap? It would seem there is nothing to stop the control stick from wobbling around. It looks like there would be nothing to glue the control stick to but a thin piece of PVC where the stick goes through the endcap. Geoffrey, Australia.
ReplyDeleteThere are several ways to make the headpost solid, but I generally use one of two:
ReplyDelete1) Extend the headstick about 1" into the PVC cap and fill the inside of the cap around the headpost with auto body filler. Or ...
2) If there is some "neck" on the cap, I glue a round wooden "plug" (1/2 plywood cut into a circle for instance) into the inside of the cap and drill both PVC and the Plug for the headpost which extends through the PVC into the wooden plug. I glue in both areas. Very Secure.
With this figure pictured here, I extended the headpost into the neck area where there was an existing neck support I could anchor the headpost to. So the PVC cap in this instance adds shape to the neck base, but does not have to fully support the headstick.
What size cap was used on this figure ?
ReplyDeleteI have a figure that I want to shorten the neck on and This may be a way to do it.
Just wondering if I could find the larger size locally.
Curtis Jones
Thanks Clinton, you fixed my curiosity - and - if I ever get back to my project maybe? I will replace my wooden "work of art" with a PVC endcap. Great idea and one I won't forget!
ReplyDeleteI believe it was 2" - I purchased it at Home Depot. One of the standard sizes.
ReplyDeleteFound 'em at Home Depot last night. Bought two, just in case I screw up the first one.
ReplyDelete