Braylu Blog

New Kenny Croes 3T head now available

2012-01-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

If you have been reading Kenny's blog, Vent into the Mic, he has been working on a new figure. We are now offering the casts of that head for sale on our site.

This figure, named KC2, has different eyes compared to the KC1 model we offer.

If interested, you can check out the details and purchase on our site at http://www.braylu.com/copy-of-head-3t-kc2/.

Elmore to retire

2011-12-29T20:54:00.000-08:00

As the end of 2011 comes to an end so does the Elmore 2T head.

Yes, the 2T Elmore head will officially be retired as soon as we sell out the final 3 heads in stock. If you have an interest in making a figure using the Elmore head, my suggestion is to order now. Once they are sold out, the mold will be retired.

You can purchase Elmore on our website at http://www.braylu.com/head-2t-elmore/

Partnership? What do you mean?

2011-12-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

After our last blog entry about the redirection of Braylu, I received many emails wanting further clarification.

Many questions I received were wanting to know what we mean by "partnering" with figure builders.

To give a little background, Braylu has worked with most of the top figure makers in the world in one way or another. Some of these builders like us to keep their names private so we honor their request. Others are very generous and will post on their blogs that they are working closely with us to help them in their efforts. Regardless of their requests, we will continue to partner with these builders to supply them "custom" and sometimes proprietary parts. These parts may include custom legs, arms, hands and even custom molds and cast heads. We will continue to supply these builders for the coming years.

Others have asked, "I am a beginning builder and I depend on your parts to help me out with my hobby".

We feel we have played a major role in getting a large number of beginning figure makers into this craft. We enjoy this segment as well but we needed to come up with a strategy that works well for what we want to do and for those wanting to pursue this craft.

The best response we have is that we will continue to sell SOME of the parts on our website to hobby or beginning figure makers. These will be more of the common parts that we continue to keep in stock for some of the professional builders. If you don't see a part you need, then you should contact us. This may lead to developing one of the "partnerships" we are looking to establish with figure makers. We can discuss some of your needs and make the decision to develop traditional or custom parts for you.

This focus we call partnerships, will allow us to focus on some of the other things we have not had time to do in the past. These include; developing new innovative parts to help streamline figure building. Getting back to making finished figures for sale and to continue building relationships with figure makers throughout the world.

Thanks for all the support and the questions. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Winding down

2011-12-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

We have made a significant decision last week. The decision is to re-focus Braylu Creations as we know it today.

Beginning in January of 2012, we will be winding down our part sales to the open public. The sales of parts will continue until we sell off existing inventory of specific items. Once we sell of specific items, they will no longer be available.

Our focus will change to the following.
1. Continue to service exisiting repeat customers and builders
2. Continue to do custom parts for the many builders we already service.
3. Focus on partnering with new and existing builders with special prodcuts and programs
4. Continue with our upgrade figures and get back to making professional, full size figures.
5. Expand the architectural restoration segment of our business.

As a result of this change, we will be closed from December 23rd 2011 through January 3rd 2012 for restructuring, inventory and shop maintenance.

If you are a builder and are interested in developing a partnership, I am open to discussing your ideas.

Thanks to all current and past customers and I look forward to the change.

3T head on sale

2011-11-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

For a limited time, we are placing the new Kenny Croes 3T head on sale on our web site.
To purchase the head go to http://www.braylu.com/head-3t-kc1/

This is a hollow cast head that is perfect for all our 3T accessories.

Shown is a photo of the cast head and a sample of a finished head.

Catching up during busy times

2011-11-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is a very busy time of the year in the shop. Not only is there work to be done making parts and upgrades but the higher volume of sales puts me behind the computer more with invoicing and handling customer emails.

As a result, I have not posted anything on the blog for awhile.

So some of the other things I am working that you can look for in the future include;

2 to 3 new 3T heads.

New internal mechanic parts

Remaking of 2-3 hand molds

New eye design

New body design

and many custom parts for builders.

Thanks for the input on Uncle Earl. As a result of your feedback, we are moving to retire the 2T mold and come out with a new 3T Uncle Earl.

Uncle Earl is getting old

2011-10-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

I have come to a milestone with the Uncle Earl Head. The mold is getting old and starting to tear. The big decision is should I retire the mold or make a new mold and keep selling the head.

If I make a new mold, I will redo the model and take out many of the imperfections. Kenny Croes, the designer of the head, said he has also redesigned the jaw to make for a better appearance and function.

On the right is a photo of a finished Uncle Earl made by Kenny.

In the meantime, we still have some heads in stock on our website. The question is will those be the last ones ever sold?

Eye Clip now available

2011-10-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

EYE CLIP (6 per pack)

The eye clip is now available on our web store at http://www.braylu.com.

The Eye Clip can be used with your cast or wood eyes. The clip allows you to mount your eyes within the head of your figure. The adjustment slot gives you the opportunity to make fine adjustments when positioning your eye.

Use for individual eye mounting for easier placement than using an eye tray. Perfect for figures with offset eye placement.

Shown below are some ideas on how to use the eye clip. The first 2 shows how to mount use the clip for individual eye placement.

As an optional use can place the clips on the inside - sides of the head as a shelf for your eye tray. This will allow you the option of slightly moving your eye tray for better positioning. See below

New 3T now available

2011-10-07T20:07:00.001-07:00

The new 3T head designed by Kenny Croes is now on sale.

Go to our store at http://www.braylu.com/. The item is Head 3T - KC1

New Website

2011-09-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

We have upgraded our website to a more traditional shopping cart site.

The advantages will allow us to feature products, display new products, provide gift certificates, provide coupons and allow for bulk pricing discounts on items.

Check back on the site as we continue the updates to the products.

More hands?

2011-09-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

We have added another style of hands to our 2T collection. This is another cast item so the hands are hollow. Urethane plastic and white in color so you can paint to the color of your choice. Minimal sanding required. 2.5” wide x 4” long from finger tips to the wrist or 6” from finger tips to attachment.

You can find the hands for sale on our website. We will be keep a smaller inventory on this item to start so it may require up to a 10 day lead time.

New 3T Head - Soon available

2011-08-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

A new 3T cast head will be available soon through our website. This design comes from Kenny Croes and is the first 3T size head from Kenny.

A nice standard cheeky boy style that comes with a separate jaw. Total height is 11 inches with a width of 6 inches (9 inches from ear to ear.)

This head will fit perfectly with our 3T bodies, 3T arms and 3T legs along with 1.5" eyes.

We are taking reservations for the head at this time through our website. The heads will be available October 1 for shipping. Click here to go to our 3T head page for more details.

Creative Paperclay modeling clay now available

2011-08-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

We are now offering Creative Paperclay through our website.

Creative Paperclay® is a unique air hardening modeling material that requires no firing in a kiln or baking in an oven. It is clean, odorless and easy to use. It feels similar to an earthen clay; however, it contains no clay in it at all! It can be sculpted, molded or shaped while it's moist and it accepts and retains fine details.

It adheres easily to wood, canvas, and most surfaces without glue! Best of all Creative Paperclay® air dries hard. No hassling with a kiln. When dried, it's similar to a soft wood. It is very lightweight and durable. It may even be carved or sanded after it has hardened.

Dried Creative Paperclay® can be painted with any kind of paint; it's just like painting on wood or paper. If you prefer, water based paint may be kneaded into the Paperclay® while it's still moist. We recommend protecting your finished projects by sealing them with a coat of lacquer or varnish.

The best part of Creative Paperclay is that it is easy to work with (no mixing of 2 components) and easy to sand resulting in a smooth model finish.

To purchase 16oz bars of the clay go to http://braylu.com/VentClay.html

2T legs now available

2011-08-13T16:19:00.001-07:00

We have had many requests to offer cast legs. We now have cast legs available on our website (Click here).

Lightweight and hollow and can easily paint to your desired color.

Foot length is 4.5" while the width is 1.75". The height from the heel to the top is 6". These feet are suggested for use with 2T size figures.

Specials added to website

2011-08-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

We have added some specials to our website. The specials will be located on the homepage of our website at http://www.braylu.com/ (Click here).

We will try and update frequently with volume discounts, discontinued items and some items that we just want to discount. Check back often to view the specials.

New 2T Hands Available

2011-08-04T15:12:00.001-07:00

We have introduced a new line of 2T hands. These hands are hollow and lightweight and do not require any sanding. Hard plastic, Caucasian color that can be painted if desired.

The hands size are 2" wide x 3" long from finger tips to wrist with a 5" overall length.

The best news of all is that they are priced lower than our other 2T hands. If you are building many figures, ask about our volume pricing for additional savings.

For more information go to our website’s hands page by clicking here.

A little dental work

2011-07-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of making another head mold. This one will be a full size figure from Kenny Croes.

No matter how well the figure comes to me, I always have to do a little bit of prep work to prepare it for the mold.

I will be making a core mold of the jaw on the right. In order to do so, I needed to hollow out the jaw. This will allow for the second half of the mold to fill into the mouth. This will enable the piece to be somewhat hollow, use less chemical and lighten the weight of the mouth. This was done with a rounded rasp and a Dremel.

The next process will be to fill any undercuts, do some light sanding if needed and seal the model. Once that is complete, it is off to constructing a pouring chamber and pouring the new mold.

Creating Sgt Focker

2011-07-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

Dick Buechler created a Sgt. Focker character using the Uncle Earl head from the Kenny Croes Collection.

Check out this short video on the steps he took making this character.
Click Here to go to the video

He also makes the hat and shoes along with PVC limbs.

This is worth the viewing.

Here are some comments from Dick..
"I'm an old USMC Drill Instructor, and I made my last dummy for this years DI Reunion at Parris Island. I'm certainly no ventriloquist, but I sure enjoyed making the dummy. You've got good products Buzz and GREAT service."

Need some help?

2011-07-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

Periodically I get emails asking for more information on making ventriloquist figures. Most of the time it is very difficult to explain via email.

One of the ways you can get information is to check out our FAQ page at http://braylu.com/VenFAQ.html. This page has links to other resource pages of vent builders and some download instructions.

Check it out. If you can't find the answer then we will try and direct you in the right direction.

Casting down

2011-06-25T09:53:00.001-07:00

One of the main pieces of equipment in the shop is our rotocast machine. This machine allows us to cast our hollow parts including our heads and hands.

Unfortunately for us, we believe the circuit board blew so we are unable to cast more parts until the board gets fixed. We sent the board to the manufacturer for repair but we will probably be down for a couple of weeks.

Fortunatley, we have built some inventory so we should be able to continue to supply parts while the board is out for repair.

Limited supply of Elmore

2011-06-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

One of the next items we will be discontinuing in 2011 is Elmore. Once we have sold through the inventory, we will retire this mold and character. This is a character designed by Kenny Croes. On the right is a photo of a finsihed Elmore from Kenny. You can see some more finished characters that Kenny has made on his blog or in his store.

If you are interested in making a figure with this head we are selling him on our web site and on Ebay. We have less that 10 in stock.

Thank you to everyone who has purchased an Elmore head in the past.

Chipping away with inventory reduction

2011-06-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

We are currently going through an evaluation of some of the items we sell and make decisions on whether we will continue to sell the items or discontinue them.

First on the chopping block are some of our hands. We will be discontinuing the solid hands for 24" and 30" figures. These items will be discontinued once all inventory is sold.

If you are interested in any of these items, you can check them out on our hands portion of our website. We also plan on selling some on Ebay in the near future.

Check back to see what other items we will be discontinuing from our selection.

An annual discussion

2011-06-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

A couple times every year I find myself contemplating whether I should cut back on Braylu or continue to expand and move forward. Usually when I have these thoughts it is because I typically find myself at the mercy of filling orders and building more inventory. (A good problem right?).

As much as we get enjoyment on selling parts to builders all over the world and the excitement of working with new builders every day, it leaves little time to do other things.

I personally would like to get back to building dummies. I can't remember the last time I did that. I would also like to develop more items that I have on the "invent" list for years.

I have come up with about 50 solutions to this situation but none ever seem to be the right answer. I don't want to close Braylu. Should I cut back on some of thie items we make and sell? If so, which ones? Should I focus on working on special projects with other builders? Do I source out some of the items?

I'm sure I will figure something out. The right answers seem to to find their way. I will probably continue on the same path. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for the therapy session.

Finding Braylu website from your phone

2011-05-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

As technology continues to grow, they make it easier to find our Brayu web site. Shown on the right is the QR code (quick response) that can be scanned with your Iphone or other barcode reading device. This specific code, when scanned, will take you directly to the Braylu web site.

This code can be placed on marketing materials, including business cards to other web sites. To create a code it is easy.

1. go to http://qrcode.kaywa.com
2. Enter the specific web site and click generate.

The site will give you a QR graphic that you can use for marketing materials along with HTML code to place on your website.

For Iphone users, there is a free ap called QRReader that you can download and use to read all QR Codes.

Give it a shot. Scan the graphic we have shown to the right or create one for you.

Finished 3T Head from Steve Barry

2011-04-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

Steve Barry finished one of the 3T heads we sell (SB1). The head was his original design. He received a couple of the cast heads and sent us a photo of one finished.

To check out some of Steve's work go to his blog.

To purchase the unifnished head, click here.

Price increase coming for cast products

2011-03-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

The company that we use to purchase our mold and cast chemicals will be raising their prices on their entire product line.

As a result we will be reviewing the pricing on our cast products and possibly implementing a price increase over the next month.

Pricing for the chemicals have not increased since 2008 and the raw material suppliers say the turmoil in the Middle East and recent price increases on petroleum products have put too much pressure on them so they need to raise their prices.

Our hope is not to raise prices more than 5%.

Payes figure for sale on our web site

2011-03-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

We now have a Dan Payes figure for sale on our website.

This figure has side to side eye movement (non self centering) and mouth controls. This is in excellent, working condition. The figure is 36" tall and wears 3T clothes.

Check out this and other figures at http://braylu.com/VentDollsPro.html. If you are interested in selling your figure view this page for more details.

Sell your ventriloquist figures on Braylu

2011-03-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

If you have a ventriloquist figure that you want to sell, you can advertise your figure for sale on our web site.

It is easy. All you do is click on the link and send us your information about your figure including photos. Next, click on the PayPal button to pay the low $5.00 advertising rate.

When a person views the item and is interested, they can click on the link below your item and they will send you an email stating they are interested in purchasing your figure.

To view the site, go to http://braylu.com/VentDollsPro.html

A man of different faces

2011-03-12T07:11:00.001-08:00

As I have discussed before, the nice thing about vent making is that the amount of characters you can create is limited by imagination. (okay and time)

Recently Clinton Detweiler has mad a few characters from the Uncle Earl head that we sell on our web site. (See photos below). He has taken the Kenny Croes head and made some slight modifications from nose alterations to hair.

Below is a photo of the original Uncle Earl from Kenny.

As you can see, the same head but different characters. If you are interested in purchasing a head to put your spin on the character go to our 2T head web page by clicking here.

For more information on Clinton's work, check out his blog by clicking here.

For more information on Kenny's work, click here for his blog site.

Bosworth

2011-03-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Phil Nichol's sent me some photos of his latest character - Bosworth. He used some of our parts in creating this character.

The photos show Bosworth at the model and finished stage.

Phil writes "Here's the finished sculpture of my new character BOSWORTH a talking crow along the lines of Bob Trent's Roscoe. I am making his head on resin, but will probably make one in celluclay as well. I am looking at all the versions of the crazy brids as much as I can for the guide to the mechanics. I'll also sculpt out detailed feet and legs for him to stand on."

Below is a photo of Phil and Bosworth.

Revised web site

2011-02-26T15:51:00.001-08:00

Over the past couple months we have been revising our website. We have added a new look and feel to the site and we feel have made it easier to navigate around the site.

During this process, we have discontinued some items as well.

Check out the new site at http://www.braylu.com

NEW PRODUCT: Lightweight shoes

2011-02-20T17:13:00.000-08:00

A project we have had on our list for over a year is now completed. We have lightweight hollow cast shoes now available on our web site.

Fits most 2T and 3T legs. Just slip the foot into the shoe. The shoes come in white urethane so you can sand and paint to your desired color.

McElroy Limbs

2011-02-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

We recently had a request to make some McElroy limbs. Shown on the right are the limbs we made for this customer. They are similar in dimension to classic McElroy figures. The only difference is that McElroy limbs have wooden shoes and wood knee caps attached to the legs. This customer chose not to have these added.

To see other legs we make or to request custom legs go to our leg page on our web site.

Pigging Out

2011-02-19T07:51:00.001-08:00

Shown on the right is a photo of the a finished pig made by Steve Barry. The figure is made from our pig head sold on our site.

To check out some of Steve's work, including the details behind making this figure, go to his blog by clicking here.

New 3T size head available

2011-02-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

Well the first of many new 3T heads is now available on our web site. This design is from Steve Barry of Geppetto's Workshop.

The height is 10" with a front and side width of 8". The jaw is separate so with a little work you can position it in the opening. We found you need to place the jaw from inside the head to ensure the best fit.

Use with our other 3T parts and 1.5" eyes.

For more of Steve's work, check out his blog - click here.

Covering bodies

2011-02-12T09:27:00.001-08:00

We get quite a few questions on covering the wood insert bodies. Covering can get very complex or can be as simple as attaching a piece of fabric to the body frame.

The more complex bodies will have some sort of padding and can take some time to put together. We have developed a quick and easy body pad kit for our 2T inserts.

The body pad kit consists of one stomach pad and two shoulder pads. They are easily installed by stapling or gluing the pads into place on the wood frame. Designed to fit our frames, the pads install quickly and provide both a cover and some padding.

These pad kits are now available on our website next to the 2T body inserts.

Mr. Winkle Head now Available

2011-01-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

We are now offering Mr. Winkle on a full time basis. We have listed him on Ebay and on our website at our dummy heads page. Mr. Winkle comes from the Kenny Croes Collection and is perfect for 2T size bodies and accessories.

The head is 8.5" tall snd 7" wide.

For finished models of Mr. Winkle, check out Kenny Croes' website at Kenny's website

Custom Control sticks

2010-12-05T13:03:00.001-08:00

I recently had a customer that wanted some custom control sticks. They wanted to have different colored transitions to mix well with the heads of their characters. They also wanted a deeper rounded transition as well.

Shown to the right are the transitions.

Getting Creative

2010-12-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

Lately, a few of the dummy builders out there are taking the cast heads we sell and making alterations. These changes allow them to make completely new characters and expand their product line.

Some of the changes include cutting facial parts. All of the changes include adding altering facial characteristics with epoxy clays such as Magic Sculp.

Shown below is a transition that was made by Dan Leighly. This is his butler head that we cast for customers. The next photo is the original character and the last photo is a new character he has created from the same cast head.

Below is another character designed by Kenny Croes. The original character is Kenny's Mr. Winkle character. His alterations produced a completely different character as well.

If you are looking to create a new character, start with an original cast head from our web site and add your own creative touch.

Body Variations

2010-11-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

There are many body types and techniques when constructing a ventriloquist dummy body. The main objective of a body is to have a hollow body with a large opening in the back so your hand can maneuver the controls. Listed below are a few styles.

STYLE 1 – Insert frame:
The most common type of body is some sort of frame that that adds structure to the body but allows for an open cavity. The frame is typically made out of wood, but other materials such as plastic and wire can be used.

Shown to the right is a typical wood frame. This frame can be painted, covered and padded to give more comfort and a realistic shape if desired.

STYLE 2 – Form covers:
This is more of a hybrid type of body. It uses an insert frame with a formed cover. The example shown utilizes a formed styrene cover. Lightweight and “ready to use”, this style gives you the potential for detail body forms at a reasonable price.

STYLE 3 – Cast body:
The cast body is a more expensive route. This style is typically used for premium dummies. It allows you to add more detail to the body especially if the body needs to be exposed during a performance.

The cast muscle body on the left is an example where the detail of the body is important. The body is cast using a rotocast machine to allow for a hollow cavity. Made form urethane, this material allows you to paint the body.

MODIFYING YOUR BODY
Once you choose your style of body you can apply the final details. This can include painting, padding and adding arms and legs.

Some additions include adding shoulder padding to give more realistic form to inserts.

Legs and arms can be stapled, glued or screwed in the bodies. The photo shows the use of grommets, which is typically used on premium figures.

OTHER STYLES:
Once again, these are only a few of many styles of bodies. Other styles such as carved bodies, jointed bodies and flexible latex bodies are in the trade as well.

To see an example of an insert style body being sold on ebay – click here.

Grommets - An Upgraded Feature

2010-10-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

Adding grommets to your stuffed arms or legs adds a nice touch for your dummies.

For construction, it allows for easy installation with a clean look. Installing with screws, allows you to easily remove the limbs if you want to change for different parts or for maintenance. (See photo on left)

If you are selling your dummy, this subtle feature displays signs that the dummy was made by a professional builder.

We can easily add the grommets to your order. Visit our web store at http://braylu.com/VentFeetLegs.html . Download our custom leg order form or email us for more details.

Marcelo Melison

2010-10-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Marcelo Melison, ventriloquist and now beginning dummy maker sent us some comments about he recent dummy making experience. Check out his website at www.miotravoz.com . Here is what he had to say.

I just finished to install the new eyes and eyelids I got for you recently in my home made figure. Wow! I'm so happy! Even with the very basic tools I have, I was able to install them successfully! Now I'm going for raising eyebrows (Marshall style). You can see photos of my figure, Napoleon, in my website, www.miotravoz.com He looks way too "homemade", so I'm changing his face and animations. I got a matte clear varnish now, it will make him look a little more professionally made. Once the whole thing is ready, I will send you photos. Napoleon has the eyes, eyelids, hands and body I bought from you.
Thanks again!
Marcelo.

The eyes have it

2010-07-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

Now on special, we are offering 1.5" cast eyes. This offer is buy one set and get the other for 50% off. Check out this latest special and others on our home page at http://braylu.com/index.html

The pricing is already adjusted. Click on the buy now button and select your iris color.

It's always something new

2010-07-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of years we have developed and introduced many new items for sale. Some are creations that have been contributed buy others and some of the items are our own ideas.

We list these items on a special page on our website. You can view all new introductions at http://braylu.com/NewItems.html

We are always interested in new ideas and love making new products that help dummy builders. If you have any ideas, drop us an email.

James Tucker's dummy with rocker controller

2010-07-02T08:38:00.001-07:00

James Tucker submitted some photos of his recent dummy using our rocker controller for eye movements. Here is what he had to say.

"Here are the photos of my new project. His name is Leon. He is made of water putty, plastic wood and spackle for smoothing. He has moving eyes (which is where I am using the rocker arm control). I found this new product very easy to work with. very smooth to drill and sand. large enough for quiet smooth control. I love it.. Leon also has a leather living mouth which I had never attempted before and a basic stick out tongue feature. let me know what you think. Thanks for the opportunity of experimenting with your poduct."

Thanks James

New head offering - The Butler

2010-06-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that we are now offering another head for sale. This head is sculpted by dummy maker Dan Leighly. Many of you have seen this head completed as a butler type of character on Dan's blog and web site.

The head is is a hollow cast and comes with a separate jaw for easier installation and time savings.

9" tall, 6" wide and 8" deep this head can be used for both 2T and 3T parts along with 1.5" eyes and blinkers.

To purchase the head, go to our website at htt p://braylu.com/VentHeads.html

Rocker control in use

2010-06-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Dan Leighly submitted these photos showing the rocker control in use. Dan is using it for eye control.

You can check out more of Dan's work on his blog. Click here to view his blog.

Improved blinkers

2010-06-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of discussion with blinkers lately. These discussions reminded us that we forgot to announce that we made an important change to our blinker shells.

For our 1.25" and 1.5" diameter shells, we have added a wider lip. This small improvement makes it simpler to accept the wire frames. The previous shells had little room making it difficult to mount and for use with larger gauge wires.

As before, our package includes only the shells and general instructions. No other parts are included as every builder has their own preferences.

You can find our blinkers and other eye components at http://braylu.com/VentEyes.html

Winners of the Rocker arm promo

2010-05-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

As listed in a previous blog entry, we offered a free rocker arm to the first 3 people who responded to this offer.

The hope is to have them use them on one of their dummies and send us the photo.

The winners are:

James Tucker

Dan Leighly

John Rumsey

Looking forward to your photos and feedback.

Winkle Cast head available for limited time

2010-05-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

Now for sale on ebay is a Mr. Winkle cast head. This model is not sold on our web site and is being sold by special permission from Kenny Croes. Kenny has exclusive rights to this model and is allowing me to sell only a few heads per year. Take advantage of this limited sale by bidding on this item. For the ebay page click here.

This is a light weight hollow urethane cast. The hollow head allows for you to install mechanics. The mouth is separate for easy installation. All you need to do is add an axle rod (not included) and other mechanics.

Make your own dummy or puppet using this hollow urethane cast head. Add your personal touches including hair, eyes, mechanics and if you are creative, you can sculpt epoxy to the head to make a completely unique puppet.

The head measures 8 1/2” tall from the bottom of the neck to the top of the head. The width is 5” across from ear to ear and 7 inch profile from the back of the head to the tip of the nose.

This head is perfect for our 2T bodies and other accessories. This head was designed to use 1.25” eyes and blinkers. See the example of a finished head to the right.

Visit our website for additional parts. Some sanding is required. White in color so you can paint to any skin color.

The latest change - No color

2010-05-02T19:23:00.001-07:00

As we mentioned before, we will be making some changes this year. The latest change is that we will be discontinuing colored hands. We have offered white hands that you can paint to your desired color and caucasian colored hands. In order to simplify things, we will only offer white hands.

This change will take effect June 1, 2010.

Body Building

2010-05-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

A couple times of year we concentrate on building inventory for our body inserts. We like to make a 1 to 2 hundred inserts at a time and typically focus on 1 size. to keep up with the demand, I have brought in extra labor to help with production.

Cutting, sanding, shaping, gluing and nailing are among the tasks to make a body insert. This week our focus was on inserts for conversion figures.

The next step is to box them up and put into inventory until sold or used. In a couple of months, we will start all over again.

Braylu on Facebook

2010-04-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are on Facebook, you can stay linked with Braylu Creations. Click here to see our facebook page. We will post new items, discontinued items, specials and helpful dummy making tips.

Another First Time Builder

2010-04-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

James Tucker sent in a photo of his first attempt at building a dummy. He used our 30" conversion kit in the construction. Here is what he has to say about his experience.

"I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you that several months ago I ordered a conversion kit for a 30" vent figure and installed it in a Charlie McCarthy doll. I had to upgrade his eyes with things that I could afford right now. His eyes are made of fishing bobbers and his irises are printed and glued on. His eyes move side to side to side with full movement. What I wanted to concentratrate on for you is that I used your kit to make Charlie what he is today. I am 51 years old and started ventriloquism less than a year ago. and Charlie is my first hard figure. I hope to upgrade his body and post again to the 2t size. Thanks for making these parts available."

We are looking forward to more projects from James.

Large Cast Head for pro size dummy

2010-04-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Now on Ebay, we are offering a pro size head for dummy makers. This head is a hollow cast head so you can add all the mechanics you choose. Lightweight and paintable. Add the wig of your choice.

The mouth needs to be cut out of the head. This is not a kit so sanding, filing, patching and standard dummy making tasks will need to made. No instructions are included but you can see a list of resources on our web site.

The head measure 10" tall. 8" across for ear to ear and 6" across from cheek to cheek. The profile measures 8"

Click here for the Ebay link.

At this time, this item will not be sold on our web site as we are limiting sales.

Jigger and Rocker now available

2010-04-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

Two new controls are now available for sale on our web site.

The "Jigger", is a control knob that is used to control side to side movements of eyes with a rod. Click here to see how Kenny Croes has used it on his latest controls.

The "Rocker" is also used for side to side eye movements. This is used for those who use string instead of brass rod. The string is attached to each side of the rocker.

As a promotion, We will give a free rocker to the first 3 people who email us at sales@braylu.com and are willing to send us a photo of the Rocker on their control stick.

Both are sold in packs of 10 for $7.50 and can be found on our site at http://www.braylu.com/VentControls.html

Changing Times

2010-03-14T09:12:00.001-07:00

Braylu will be making some significant changes this year. We are planning on reducing and eliminating many items to allow focus on other areas. It is not an easy task to identify what to cut out of the product mix but we are in the process of re-evaluating every product.

Some positive changes will come from it including re-designing some of our items. For an example, the 3T body inserts will now have a wider base. We have re-designed the blinker shells to allow for more room for wire mechanics. And we are in the process of expanding our line of heads to include head sizes for 38"-45" size dummies.

Earlier this year we discontinued our line of puppets and our retrofitting services. Next, we will be discontinuing our line of clothes. We will be phasing out the clothes hopefully over the next 6 months.

Other changes under consideration is reducing sales through Ebay and limiting other parts.

We will update you on future changes.

Montana Dan: Making headway with our heads

2010-02-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

Dan Leighly aka "Montana Dan" has made a couple of characters using some of our heads from the Kenny Croes Collection.

The first character was made from the Uncle Earl head and the second from our Cheeky Boy head.

Dan also lists on his blog site the steps he took to make the character from Cheeky. You can visit his blog at http://montanadan.blogspot.com/

Improved 3T hands

2010-02-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

We now have for sale our improved 3T hands. Before the hands were made out of vinyl. Even though they were hollow, they were heavier than I liked and people had difficulty painting them.

We now cast these hands in urethane. Much lighter, sandable and easier to paint.

The best news is that the price has dropped as well. Go to our website to buy at http://www.braylu.com/VentArms.html

Winkle completed

2010-02-27T07:39:00.001-08:00

Mr. Winkle is now completed. Another head from the Kenny Croes Collection.

Like the others, lightweight hollow cast head from urethane. Easy to sand and easy to paint.

What is different about Winkle is that he will not be sold at this time. Kenny is going to use him for his personal collection.

Cheeky now available

2010-01-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Cheeky is now available for sale from the Kenny Croes Collection.

This head is lightweight and hollow to allow for mechanics to be installed. 8 1/2" tall and 6" wide, this head is suited for all of our 2T parts and 1.25" eyes and blinkers.

The mouth is separate with detailed teeth and tongue.

For more details and where to purchase go to http://www.braylu.com/VentHeads.html

More creations using Braylu parts

2010-01-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

Phil nichols of SPFX make-up lab sent us some photos showing us some of his work usisng braylu parts.

He recently made a character he calls Charlene Peckerwood. He used Braylu head stick controller, eyes, hands and body insert.

It happens a couple times a year

2010-01-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

After the holiday season, we spend a lot of time in the shop rebuilding inventory and filling some custom orders. Pouring molds, cutting out body parts and sewing away. A couple times of year we run into a few "bumps in the road" as either equipment breaks or supplies run short or molds run their life.

After finishing a large order of 2T hands, the mold ran its course. After hundreds of pours, the mold is no longer usable. The fortunate thing was that we were able to fill all backorders. The unfortunate thing is that we were not able to build extra inventory.

So..... We will have to make new molds for this style of hands and place a SOLD OUT sign on our website. With the back log of projects, we are going to have to look to reprioritize some projects in order to fit this in.

Heading in the right direction

2010-01-08T07:18:00.000-08:00

I have been receiving a lot of e-mails asking when the next couple of heads will be ready for sale. I appreciate all the interest and want to keep everyone updated.

Now that the busy Christmas season is over, our main focus is to complete the molds and casts for the latest heads from Kenny Croes. During January, you should see the introduction of Elmore, Cheeky boy and Mr. Winkle. I will keep you updated on the progress along with notifying Kenny when completed.

Other upcoming projects include an exclusive project for Kyle Scrivner and another line of heads from another popular dummy builder.

If you have or plan on buying any of the heads, we would like to see a photo of your completed dummy.

Look what you can do

2009-12-06T18:32:00.000-08:00

Here is an excellent example of what can be made out of one of our cast heads. Here Kenny Croes made a custom ventriloquist figure out of our standard 2T head. Shown here is a before and after photo.

To view some of Kenny's work, view his blog.

For information on some of our heads, click here.

2009-12-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

Trey Chatham upgraded his Charlie McCarthy using a Braylu conversion kit. Trey says his next project is to make an older guy.

Good luck Trey and keep us updated on your next project.

Start to finish

2009-11-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

Kenny Croes has completed the casting of Uncle Earl. Seen here, is a picture of the original cast and a finished product of Earl made by Kenny.

Kenny says, "I’m amazed at how fast working with a cast head is over a Charlie. I started earlier today and I’m ready to paint. The head is fully prepared for installation of mechanics. This would normally be week or two before I could begin these steps. Very cool."

For information on purchasing some of our heads including this head go to http://braylu.com/VentHeads.html

You can check out more information on Kenny and his work, including a video of the finished Earl at http://ventintothemic.blogspot.com/

Not just another head

2009-10-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

We are introducing another head to our line of cast heads. Like the others, this head is a hollow cast head that is light weight.

Easy to cut and paint and you can add Magic Sculpt to modify the look. This head can fit both 2T and 3T bodies but may look better with the 2T series of accessories. We suggest 1.5" eyes or larger.

The head measures 8" tall and 5" wide. The profile is 8" from chin to the back of the head. Get creative with this head and add to your collection.

For more details go to http://braylu.com/VentHeads.html

This little pig

2009-10-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Added to our line of cast heads is this pig head.

This unusual head is lightweight and hollow so mechanics can be added to the builder's choice. The head is 10" tall from the bottom of the neck to the top of the head and 8" across from ear to ear. The profile is 9" from the back of the head to the tip of the nose.

This head is perfect for either our 2T or 3T accessories and can use either 1.25" or 1.5" eyes.

Your imagination can make this head into an unusual character. For more information on this item or our other heads, go to http://braylu.com/VentHeads.html

Another custom body

2009-10-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Nathan Ihnen of South Dakota asked us to make a custom body for him. He completed the custom request form from our website and we went to work.

On all of our custom bodies, we draw the templates on CAD and use them as patterns. This also allows us to keep a copy on file for future orders. The customer then signs off on the drawings before we proceed. This was one of the larger bodies we have made.

This body has dowel posts in the front and outside padding. He also purchased the arms and legs and we installed them for him. The joints include grommets for easy attachment.

For more information on our bodies go to http://braylu.com/VentBodies.html

Paper mache dummies

2009-10-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Phil Nichols of facadesfx.com recently purchased some parts from us to rebuild some dummies that were destroyed during hurricane Ike. Says building ventriloquist dummies is a hobby, he uses cast paper mache with a flexible mold for his original dolls.

Shown in the photo are two paper mache dummies; Charlene and Mr. Wiggles. If you want to check out his site, here is the link. http://home.flash.net/~monsters/facades/creature_design.html

New body for Elite Series

2009-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

We are introducing a new cast body to our Elite Series of bodies. This body is a standard form and can be used for professional dolls 38"-42" tall and wears 3T clothes.

Lightweight, hollow and a large opening in the back for ample room for your hand and controls. The body measures 13" tall and 10" wide at the shoulders and 8" at the base.

For more details, visit our website at http://braylu.com/VentBodies.html

Eye tray demand - what to do?

2009-10-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

Many times when we sell a set of eyes, we get a request for the hardware and eye tray to go with the eyes. As we explain to the buyer, there are many different ways of installing the eyes and due to the size head and eye openings, it is near impossible to sell a "snap in" eye tray. The builder will have to do some modifications to fit their specific head.

With that said, we will be posting over the next couple of months a couple of different examples of eye set ups. This may provide some answers for customers.

This first set up is a very basic set. A standard eye tray, and a synchro bar attached to 2 stems coming from the back of the eyes. This allows for the eyes to be synchronized when moved. This system also allows for a rod control or string control. To become self-centering, a spring is attached to the eye stem or synchro bar.

If you want to contribute some other ideas, please contatct us. We will post your comments.

New 1.25" Cast eyes for smaller conversion figures

2009-09-17T22:04:00.001-07:00

We have been getting many requests for 1.25" cast eyes for those who make conversion figures. Now we have them available.

The smaller eye balls still carry the 16mm iris. All holes are pre-drilled and the top of the eye has a recessed hole to allow for a blinker shell. White solid urethane plastic eliminates the need for painting.

You can also flip the eye upside down if you prefer to have the oval portion against the eye base.

Visit our VENT EYES page of our web site for purchase information.

New heads - new partnership

2009-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce the introduction of the Kenny Croes collection of heads to our site. We have partnered with Kenny to make molds of some of his more popular characters and offer the heads on our site for you to purchase. Read more on Kenny by visiting his blog.

The first model, Uncle earl is now on our site for sale. You can see a photo of Earl to the left. This head fits all of our 2T size accessories and 1.5" eyes and blinkers. Click here for more details.

More models will be listed throughout the year so continue to check back.

Other projects

2009-09-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I worked on a project with local artist Cath Posehn. She does fantastic paintings and other art work including sculpting. Her latest project is to make a mosaic mermaid. She came to me for help with designing and constructing the frame for her project.

The frame had to support the torso and the weight of the concrete and tile cover. Since this will be placed outdoors, we also needed to design internal achors to support the model.

The frame will be wrapped in paper and wire mesh and then a scratch coat will be applied. Later, the mosaic tile will be placed on the outside of the body.

Shown on the right is the basic frame for the mermaid project. I asked her to send me photos when the project is completed so I can post them on the blog.

Updating the web site

2009-08-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Over the past month, we have been slowly updating our web site. We have tried making it more "user friendly" and we are adding more detailed information.

We have added more graphics and many new items. If you haven't been to our web site lately, check it out. http://www.braylu.com.

Cast eyes

2009-08-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

We have received many emails over the past year asking for cast eyes. Well, they are now available. At this time we only have the standard 1.5" diameter eyes but plan to have the 1.25" diameter eyes as well for those of you that like to make conversion dummies.

Our eyes come with your choice of iris. No drilling necessary and we have a recessed crown to the main axle screw will not interfere with blinkers.

No painting. No scratching paint during installation. No drilling. Go to our web site at http://braylu.com/VentEyes.html to view this item and other eye products.

Muscle body

2009-08-23T20:14:00.001-07:00

Finally, the muscular body is here. This body is casted in our rotocast machine to allow for the hollow body and to make it light weight.

3T clothes fit the body, that is if you don't want to show off the 6-pack. 14" tall and 10" wide at the shoulders. The open back is has plenty of room for your hand.

Look for it to be listed on EBay and sold on our website.

Trying to make things easier

2009-08-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

If you are a follower of Kenny Croes' blog - Vent into the mic, http://ventintothemic.blogspot.com/ then you know that we are working on some different options for a control sticks. Currently, we are working on a PVC control stick.

What is fun about working on new projects is the amount of ideas that come to mind. When you have 2 people involved then more ideas are passed back and forth.

Once you come up with the ideas, I like trying to develop methods of producing things more efficiently. The best way to do this is to make some jigs. Here is a jig that was created to cut slots in the pipe. The jig allows me to cut straight slots in the same location in an efficient manner.

The Dremel with an attached guide, fits snugly in the jig to prevent movement from side to side. I add stops to the jig to restrict the Dremel to the desired length and position.

Busy body

2009-08-16T19:58:00.001-07:00

Over the past couple of months we have been spending most of our time keeping up with orders and replenishing inventory. The unfortunate thing is it doesn't allow much time to develop new products. I have convinced myself that I need to make more time for the many ideas I have for new items.

Pictured on the right is a mold we are making of a muscular body. Hopefully we will have it available soon.

New hollow control stick

2009-08-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

There has been some talk of using hollow control sticks over the traditional wood sticks. The advantage of a hollow stick is that it allows you to place the strings and rods inside the stick without boring slots and wood patching the slots.

The simplest way is to use PVC pipe as the stick. We have developed our version of the controller by placing our newly designed neck transition on the stick. Our control packet includes

a screw, 2 washers, eye hook and custom trigger.

View our website http://braylu.com/VentControls.html for purchasing.

Q&A: Buying an pre-cut head

2009-07-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

QUESTION: Hi. If i made a special order could I get the 2t head open at the back because I am under 15 and have no idea how, I could open the mouth.
------
ANSWER: Your best bet may be to purchase a used ventriloquist doll on Ebay such as a Charlie McCarthy. For a beginner, these dolls already have the jaw "cut out" and fitted to the head. Also, the cost of the used doll would be less expensive than buying one of our casted heads.

If you want to change the appearance, you can add some Magic Sculpt to the head.

Good luck.

Cut me up

2009-07-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

We recently received a question on what tools to use when cutting open a head. This isn't the first time this question has been asked.

There are many ways and tools to use when cutting vent parts. We like to use a dremel with cutting bits. Two of the bits are pictured on the right. We also like to use the new Dremel Stylus. This Dremel is lightweight and easy to handle. Since it is rechargeable, there is no cord to get in the way.

Some people do not like to use a Dremel. They say it is too difficult to handle. If you have other methods of cutting open heads, please add your comments.

Weather pending

2009-07-21T08:29:00.001-07:00

The 100 degree weather is here in northern California. The heat is making it difficult for vent making.

Even though we have fans running in the shop, it is too uncomfortable to work. The heat also provides different challenges when it comes to making molds. Chemicals react differently. Clay models get soft, and urethane plastic set up too fast.

Sunny California does have its drawbacks.

Help from the audience

2009-07-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

We received an email from Rob Lawrence requesting some information on a puppet. We didn't have all the answers so we thought we would post here to see if anyone else could help out. Clcik on the comments below if you have any information.
------
Hi, I am looking for a puppet like this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_37uH-z2ZG4&feature=channel_page

I need something that looks realistic with moveable eyes,head and a natural looking mouth that can open and close. Do you have anything like this and where can I get one? Do you know what type of puppet is called? Is this a mask with some moveable eyes? Any help is appreciated.

Warm Regards,
Robert

P.S.-Thank you for all the wonderful information on your site!

Willie Talk conversion dummies

2009-07-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

From time to time we will retrofit some Willie Talk dolls. Since this doll is no longer in production, we will retrofit used dolls. This also allows us to sell the dolls at a lower price which is easier for buyers to purchase a lower price dummy.

Willie Talk is a smaller sized doll. The total length from head to toe is 25". From shoulder to toes, it measures 18" long. Since this is a smaller sized doll, we only recommend this for kids. Adult hands can fit, but it is a tight fit. Also, we make it a right hand thumb control, since it is easier to manipulate in the smaller opening. For those of you that want to add a hat, the head circumference is 13 1/2".

Willie has been a very popular dummy for us and is a great choice for beginning ventriloquists.

Another good blog site

2009-07-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here is another good blog site to check out for vent maker enthusiasts. Montana Dan Blog site will show you some of the things he is doing including some steps and techniques on his dummy making adventures.

You can check out his blog at http://montanadan.blogspot.com/ Enjoy!

2-tone legs

2009-04-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

Recently we have received numerous emails asking if we make 2-tone legs. 2-tone legs are common on some of the doll figures and give the illusion of socks.

The answer is yes. We have made many 2-tone socks in the past. Typically the socks are black, but we can add any color to the bottom portion of the legs. Just email us for details.

Limbs: the latest trend

2009-04-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

Every so often, there seems to be trend in buying patterns with our items. We may go weeks without selling a specific item and then all of a sudden, we get a deluge of requests for a specific item.

Recently, we have seen this with our legs and arms. Over the past couple of weeks we have sold many legs and arms but also have had numerous requests to make custom legs and arms.

Shown at the right is a request for an old Frank Marshall figure. The customer wanted to match the original legs and arms of his figure. We have a request form that he completed and made the legs and arms to his specifications.

These legs are different as the thighs are much fatter than normally requested legs and the attachment flap on the top is significantly longer than other requests.

Other recent requests have included grommets for easy attachment and heavy duty material.

If you are interested in having custom legs or arms made, complete the form and submit it to us for pricing or email us for information. You can down load the form by clicking on the link DOWNLOAD FORM

EBAY - A necessary evil

2009-03-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

For those of you that sell on EBAY, have you looked at your bill lately?

The exposure and business you get from EBAY makes it nearly impossible not to use this forum for selling your items. However, the fees have increased so much that the only one that seems to make money is EBAY and its sister company PayPal.

On a $100 item, $7 goes to Paypal and around $10 goes to EBAY. If you raise your handling fees you get market down by buyers on your freight charges. If you raise pricing, you may not sell your item and EBAY takes more money from you.

EBAY recently changed its policy. EBAY will not allow sellers to give buyers a negative feedback. As a result, we are having a record number of non payers. We have seen more non-payers in the last 3 months than we have seen since we started selling on EBAY for over 8 years. Yes, the non paying buyer gets a non-paying strike, but sellers do not see this information. It is barely a "slap on the hand". You can request immediate payment to help reduce non payers, but this is only good on "Buy it now" sales and not on auctions.

Fortunately, our sales on our web site seem to increase every month. But for now, the volume remains on EBAY. What will we do? Well, we will continue to sell on EBAY and hopefully Ebay will make some improvements to help sellers continue to sell on their site.

Fixing Mickey

2009-02-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

Due to an increasing busy schedule, we rarely take on repairs. Since this was from a current customer, we decided to work on repairing Mickey Mouse.

I wanted to show you the control stick of Mickey. This control stick is one of many variations but is found on Mickey Mouse and Tommy Talker dolls. When you pull the controller, the internal lever hits the back of the mouth causing it to open. A

simple design that works relatively well. The downside is it tends to be a little noisy and the spring action is a rubber band.

We replaced the rubber band with a spring and added some padding to help reduce the noise.

Success in Sweden

2009-02-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

Anelli Gustafsson of Sweden writes us after purchasing some parts from us.

Hello!
Do you remember me, your Swedish customer? I am very pleased to report that my dummy now has come to life. The work has been fantastic; lots of thinking and several hours of studying pictures on the Internet. It´s been a great help looking at the Fred project, for example. There is only one problem; I can´t come up with a suitable name.

Since I am very proud of my "baby", I thought I should send you a picture (see file). He can (of course) move his mouth and also look sideways and blink -or at least "flirt". Thank you very much for the great dummy parts
and also for your advice. I will most certainly be back!

Best regards,
Anneli Gustafsson
Sweden

Discontinuing Carol

2009-02-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

We will be discontinuing the Carol Channing Semi-pro doll as soon as we sell out of our remaining inventory.

Unfortunately, Carol is the only female doll we currently retrofit but her low demand and poor design is has made us decide not to continue this model.

Hat suppliers

2009-01-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

Over the years I have had many inquiries from customers wanting to know where they can find hats for their dummies. The head size ranges from Willie Talks and Simon Sez to professional sized dolls.

If you know of a supplier of hats, please let us know.

Priest outfit

2009-01-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

Kevin Ryan from Colorado contacted us asking for a priest outfit for his 2T sized doll. At the time, we did not have a pattern made for that size shirt. After a couple of trips drawing up a pattern on CAD, we have the finished product.

Kevin's comments to the outfit. "I almost spit water on the computer screen I laughed so hard. Send me an invoice immediately".

Shown is a picture of a smaller priest outfit we make for WIllie talk sized dolls.

For more information on our clothes go to http://www.braylu.com/VentClothes.html

Finished bodies

2008-03-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

Here are the finished bodies for Dr. Klock. He wanted one formal body and another more casual body for the head he has.

He sent us the measurements for his body and we drew them up on CAD and developed the body from there. Fully padded for a comfort fit.

Custom Padded Body

2008-03-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

Dr. Larry Klock, of Spokane, WA, needed a replacement body for an existing ventriloquist puppet. He requested that we make two custom bodies to replace a damaged body.

Dr. Klock completed our form to specify the specific sizes needed and submitted it for a bid. He listed options for the bodies. He requested a fully padded body along with arms, legs and fully clothed bodies.

Here is the basic padded body that meets his specific custom size. Check back to see the final product.

For more information on custom bodies including the form that you can download, go to http://www.braylu.com/VentBodies.html

Simon - before and after

2008-03-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

Rob Man sent these photos and the following message after upgrading his Simon Sez.

With my last order, I got an invitation to send you some pictures of my project. This was basically the cleaning and updating of a 70's Horsman Simon Sez ventriloquist doll, not as dramatic as some of the other projects I've seen on your site. One unseen change was replacing his rubber band with the metal spring I received from you. Simon was made with semi-pro features, so he didn't really need an upgrade in that regard. I used some craft paint formulated specifically for plastics to retouch Simon's hair. (His 'do looks better than when he was new.) Your great clothes finished Simon's makeover quite nicely. I'm quite happy with the way he turned out. From a doll of the 70's, Mr. Sez is now a 21st century guy. I did keep his old clothes for historical reasons, but they were a bit too worn out, (not to mention outdated) for everyday use.

Simple Sight Eyes offer many features

2008-03-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Simple Sight eyes is a new design that is both economical and easy to install. A 2-part system, formed out of styrene offers many benefits from the standard "wood ball" version of eyes. Each kit is sold with your choice of iris color (blue, green, amber). General instructions included and ideas on different ways to synchronize the eyes.

Advantages include:
-Lightweight design
-No painting needed
-No scratching of paint during installation
-Ability to use in a "floating eye" design
-Option for "paint-on" or "glue-on" iris or standard acrylic iris installation
-You can use with blinker kits (No protruding screw head on top)
-Use as a protective cover for traditional eye during painting or installation
-Lower cost compared to standard wood ball eyes

We now offer the eyes in 3 sizes. 1 1/4", 1 1/2" and 2" diameter eyes. For more information go to http://www.braylu.com/VentEyes.html#anchorEyeShell