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PUPPET THEATRE
PUPPET THEATRE Page 2
Safety First! Use eye protection, always!
Use ear protection with loud power tools
Stay with children while they work!
Follow tool manufacturers’ safety guidelines
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TOOLS Handsaw - Japanese style or traditional Clamp - 3 Irwin one-handed clamps Drill 1/8” drill bit Countersink drill/driver bit combo Scissors Tape measure Pencil Awl Staple gun Small Phillips screw driver
Jobs for kids and adults together
Adult-only jobs Page 4
SUPPLIES Wood:
Other Supplies:
Frame - poplar square doweling
Screws
6 - 1” x 1” x 36” [2.54 cm x 2.54 cm x 91.44 cm] Cut 6 pieces at 26” [66.04 cm] Cut 2 pieces at 24” [60.96 cm] Cut 1 piece at 22” [55.88 cm] Cut 4 pieces at 13” [33.02 cm] Cut 2 pieces at 11” [27.94 cm]
Plywood for marquee One piece of ¼-inch plywood measuring 24” x 48” [0.64 cm x 60.96 cm x 121.92 cm] Cut 1 piece 7” x 24” [17.78 cm x 60.96 cm]
Wooden dowel for curtain rod One piece of ½-inch diameter doweling cut to 27” [1.27 cm dia. x 91.44 cm]
Puppets: Tube socks Coloured markers Yarn for hair Double-sided carpet tape
18 - 2-inch [5.08cm] wood screws 20 - ½-inch [1.27 cm] pan-head sheet metal screws (16 for the hinges and 4 for the marquee)
Vinyl shelf liner Cut 4 pieces 2” x 2” Cut 2 pieces 27” x 12” Cut 1 piece 12” x 23”
Paint & foam paintbrushes Sandpaper or sanding sponge Unsanded white grout powder (to make chalkboard paint) Two cup hooks to fit the dowel Two LED toolbox lights
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
1. Cut the marquee Lowe's will cut plywood to size for you, but it's really easy to cut it at home using a Japanese-style hand saw, which cuts on the pull stroke so it never balks or binds. Cut the marquee to the dimensions listed in the cut list on Page 5.
2. Cut square dowels The square poplar dowels that make up the frame are even easier to cut. Just follow the cut list on Page 5 till you have all of the pieces cut to size. Don't forget to sand off any slivers!
3. Tape Next we'll give the plywood marquee a chalkboard surface so we can change the name of the show for each new puppet production. Start by taping the edges of the plywood to create a border.
4. Make chalkboard paint You can mix your own chalkboard paint in any colour by adding a little unsanded grout powder to flat or satin paint. (Ratio should be about 1 tablespoon of unsanded grout powder to 1 cup paint).
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
5. Mix Stir the paint and unsanded grout powder together thoroughly, working out all of the lumps.
6. Paint Brush on a coat or two of your homemade chalkboard paint.
7. Start the layout Line up the pieces you need to make one of the puppet theatre's 'wings' (the smaller side panels). Use the diagram on Page 2 to make sure everything is lined up properly.
8. Clamp Before drilling and screwing the first corner together, clamp the boards to your work surface.
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
9. Drill You'll need to drill pilot holes for all of the screws since poplar is quite hard.
10. Countersink Next, use a countersink bit right on top of the holes you just drilled. This bit will carve a shallow, funnel-shaped hole so the head of the screw won't split the wood.
11. Drive Fasten the four frame pieces together using 2-inch [5.08 cm] wood screws. For a beginner, the easiest way to drive a screw is to go in short bursts.
12. Mark Now measure and mark the position for the crosspiece.
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
13. Fasten Once again, drill pilot holes and countersink holes and then attach the cross piece. Then repeat the steps to build the remaining two sections of the puppet theatre.
14. Position shelf liner Once you’ve built all three sections of the theatre, it's time to add 'walls' using vinyl shelf liner.
15. Staple Place the shelf liner in position on the centre section of the puppet theatre. Fasten it using a staple gun.
16. Finish walls Finish stapling shelf liner to both of the puppet theatre's wings.
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
17. Cut and position hinges Next, cut some small squares out of tan-coloured shelf liner. These will be the hinges. Make marks for pilot holes by using an awl to pierce through the vinyl.
18. Drill Next, drill shallow pilot holes using a piece of tape on the drill bit to mark the 1/-2-inch depth (so you don’t drill too deep).
19. Fasten Drive four 1/2-inch [1.27 cm] pan-head sheet metal screws through the vinyl and into the frame edges to secure each hinge.
TIP The beauty of flexible hinges is that even if the puppet theatre is set up on an uneven surface (like the grass in the backyard), the hinges will just flex and adjust to the surface without making the theatre fall over! Page 10
Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
20. Install lighting Lighting is optional but it’s easy if you use toolbox LED lights to make snazzy footlights!
21. Install cup hooks Next, screw in one cup hook at each of the top front corners of the centre section to hold the curtain rod.
22. Make curtain You can sew a cloth curtain if you have a sewing machine, or just whip up a quick theatre curtain using landscaping fabric and duct tape! Turn over a 2-inch [5.08cm] hem and tape it in place leaving both ends open.
23. Install curtain rod Install a piece of hardwood dowel for the curtain rod, feeding it into the pocket you hemmed.
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
24. Hang curtain Now feed the curtain rod into the cup hooks.
25. Make puppets Now to make some sock puppets! You can use old socks for the puppets and attach yarn ‘hair’ using double-sided carpet tape.
26. Mount the marquee Pull the tape off the painted marquee and attach it to the back of the Puppet Theatre centre section using 1/2-inch pan-head screws.
27. Add a drapery 'scarf' Glitter up the puppet theatre with a colourful drapery 'scarf' hung over the curtain rods. We found our sparkly purple fabric in the drapery aisle at Lowe's.
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Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
Time to put on a show! Page 13
Watch the video at: www.lowes.ca/kidsvideos
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DISCLAIMER Almost any do-it-yourself project involves risk of some sort. Your tools, materials, and skill will vary, as will the conditions of your project site. Lowe’s Companies Inc., and its subsidiaries ("Lowe’s") have made every effort to be complete and accurate in the instructions and other content contained in this publication. However, neither Lowe’s nor the publisher will assume any responsibility or liability for damages or losses sustained or incurred in the course of your home improvement or repair project or in the course of your use of the item you create or repair. Always follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions in the use of tools, check and follow your local building codes, and observe all standard safety precautions. Prices and supply may vary, so check the cost of materials and labour in your area before beginning any home improvement project. We strive to be accurate, but unintentional errors may occur and we reserve the right to correct any error. See a Lowe’s store for information regarding product warranties and any available protection plans. All prices, products and promotions are limited to Canada locations only. This “Family Fun™” video is for informational purposes only. Lowe’s assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein and disclaims any liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. Lowe’s assumes no responsibility or liability for damages, losses, or injuries sustained in the course of your project or in the course of your use of any item you repair or create. Always follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions in the use of tools, and take proper safety precautions when taking on any project. It is your responsibility to ensure that participants engage in age-appropriate activities and that children are appropriately supervised. If there is any question or doubt with regard to any element of a project, please consult with a licensed professional. No part of this video may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission of Lowe’s. Lowe’s, the gable design, and Lowe’s Family Fun Projects™ and Learning Through Building are trademarks of LF, LLC. All rights reserved.
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