I've been experimenting with different methods for putting hair on puppets. Being as I have 150 to do, and I want them to be able to take a closeup well, I thought I'd try Flocking. Flocking is when you attach a positive electrode to whatever you're planning to stick the hair to, paint an adhesive where you want the hair to stick. Then use a negatively charged tube filled with the strands of hair to "shoot" the hair onto the surface. It will stand on end, only the tip sticking into the glue. When the glue is dry, you turn off the machine and comb and style the hair anyway you want.
I've done this before but now that i'm in my own little shop, I don't have the cash for one of the big industrial flocking machines. I want to try and make my own, I know it's basically just a high voltage, ultra low amp generator, does anyone know where I could get more info on building one? Does anyone know if a home made Van de Graaff generator would work? if I attached a lead from the collecting dome as a negative and get the positive from the brush wire. I don't know if a Van de Graaff changes polarity, or has enough volts to work.
Any help would be appreciated....
thanks, Tim (all flocked up) Baker
I think you'd be ok voltage wise (depending on the size of the collection dome.. bigger is better).
But I don't know if you'll get a polarity reversal.
As for building a flocking machine, you could always do a google patent search for one. That'd give you a general overview of how they work and a couple diagrams to go off of. If anything else, it's might be a decent starting point.
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I directed today for the first time. Just a low budget commercial, but it felt so good. I think I will do more of that.