Photos courtesy of Soka Gakkai members.
In the 2006/07 Chingay Festival, our group was to make 40 electronic dogs (green & orange colour) and 4 bones props.
After numerous difficulties trying to find a solution, to stitch the bone props foams together, because this time we didn't use any frames to support it. It's very difficult to hold the odd- shaped foam together to glue it with the hot glue gun and wait until it set. After gluing it together, try to put some plastic frames inside to support it.
After many unsuccessful attempts to hold it together the odd shaped materials and glue it with the hot glue gun, trying various methods. We finally found a way using U-link wires to attached it to both sides and temporary hold it together, then apply the hot glue on it. After it were glued together, then removed the U-link wires.
To make forty electronic dogs for the students performers is no joke, all the different pieces ran into thousands. First I got use a blower to blow hot air onto the synthetic foams into various parts to shapes of different parts of the body and use my hands to hold it until it set into shapes. This process is too slow.
Later I found a way to increase the spe
ed of doing it. By making wire moulds. Put a few foams into the wire moulds. This methods greatly increase the speed of making the props . This way more foams set into shapes much faster.The idea of cutting a heart- shaped hole on the front cover chest foam and put heart shape translucent covers on it and put an electronic lighting device on it, initially ran into difficulties.
Later I found a way of cutting two pieces of thin synthetic foams made it into a heart shape glued it together put the electronic lighting device inside it, which able to fit into the foam (front cover of the performer) so to be able to take it out and replace it or change the batteries.
And cut a hole on it, so can switch on/off and the light, cut a hole in front so that the three little blinking light bulbs (red, yellow & blue) were able to put nearest to the translucent plastic cover, so to bring out the best possible lighting effects.
The synthetic foams were later sprayed with paint, scotch tape were use to stick on the surface to make it look glossy and prevent rain from damaging it. To tighten the tape so that, no trace of outline of the tape to be seen, a blower were use to blow hot air on it until it tighten and look glossy.
Various light reflective accessories were later stick on it.
Series of small light bulbs which blink , were then installed on it and linked to the batteries pack on the belt. The sewing group were to make the uniforms for the performance. The foams were then attached to the uniforms. Electric motor were attached behind the back to make the tail spin. So it look like robot dogs.
Many graduates are now joining the props group maybe due to the satisfactions of seeing their creations been appreciated, that attracted them to join. Some of them stayed overnight, rushing to compete the props for the grand finale
Hearing people nice commended on our props, brought me great satisfactions.
