Injured rubbery-faced monkey puppet needs help

September 10, 2007 3:41 PM

Please help me repair my rubbery-faced monkey puppet.

I really really like this monkey puppet, which a friend bought for me for 25 cents at a Seattle thrift store years ago. The rubbery material that makes up his face is torn (I have no idea what the material is, but it's rubbery plastic or something) and the rips are growing with each use, especially at the corners of the mouth. Small holes are appearing elsewhere as well (two more pics at top of this page). What's the best way to repair this so I get many more years of enjoyment out of this wonderful monkey puppet? Silicon? Electrical tape inside? What?

posted by mediareport to media & arts (10 comments total)

Sorry, I don't know what you should do, but I'm pretty sure that monstrous thing is made of latex.
posted by crabintheocean at 4:13 PM on September 10, 2007

Try Super Glue / Krazy Glue. It bonds rubber well. Keep it off your fingers.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 4:18 PM on September 10, 2007

Elmers makes really fine silicone adhesive called stix all I would begin coating the inside with this stuff cause it is soft and pliable but tough. it levels itself as it cures and flows into cracks .
posted by hortense at 4:25 PM on September 10, 2007

No on super glue. Super glue brittles with age. I wouldn't start with that. In addition to stix all, you might consider Shoe Goo which is made to fill cracks and gaps in rubber, and since it is also made to be walked on, you might find that the repair will outlast the monkey.
posted by plinth at 5:11 PM on September 10, 2007

No suggestions I'm afraid, but I had to tell you how great your rubbery-faced monkey is.
posted by 543DoublePlay at 6:14 PM on September 10, 2007

Thanks, y'all. I'm interested in any other options folks might have, but Shoe Goo looks about right, and even got me thinking that a shoe repairer might be a good person to farm this out to.
posted by mediareport at 6:15 PM on September 10, 2007

that monstrous thing

*holds off monkey with one arm*

I'll handle this. First, wiseass, the insult to the monkey doesn't answer the question. Second, the monkey would like me to [cough] politely inform you that you'd look far more monstrous than he in that kind of closeup, and with that lighting. Third, whatever freakiness the monkey has is more than made up for by his expressiveness, which works really well on television, apparently. He had all five phone lines lit up for a solid hour taking calls about dogfighting and gay bathroom sex when he hosted a cable access show the week before last. He's that good.

That's why I want to save him.

*far-off monkey voice screams something unintelligible about anuses and opposable thumbs*

I had to tell you how great your rubbery-faced monkey is.

The monkey just offered to pick lice off you any time you like.
posted by mediareport at 6:20 PM on September 10, 2007 [1 favorite]

I would bet 2 bananas no glue on earth will work for very long without stitching and maybe inside reinforcing. The shoe repairer sounds to be the right veterinary consultant. It's probably opposable thumbs that are the major cause of continuing trauma. Evolution is killing the monkey.
posted by peacay at 7:20 PM on September 10, 2007

You might consider reinforcing from inside the puppet with a thin layer of durable rubber-like material; glue that to the inside of the puppet, and also glue the broken edges together.

You're around the NC Triangle, yes? Why not ask the local puppet making guy? It's true that he seems to specialize in giant puppets, but even if he can't help you, he may be able to refer you to someone.

The problem spots on your monkey seem like they'd get a lot of stress, so it might make sense to consult an expert.
posted by amtho at 7:28 PM on September 10, 2007

Monkeytime!

You might want to check around for doll hospitals - if there isn't one in the triangle, I bet other doll hospitals in other towns or states might accept a fedex of your monkey so they can fix him.
posted by pinky at 8:17 PM on September 10, 2007