Let’s talk about string. The most common question I get asked concerning building marionettes, is what type of string to use for string marionettes. And the answer is whatever string you have, but for best results, it’s often recommended that you use braided deep sea fishing line.
Deep-sea fishing lines can come in multiple strands, meaning that there are multiple fibers in one string and they’re braided so that it cuts down on fraying when you cut it a brand,
A very popular line for puppets is Hercules fishing line. Another brand that you’ll hear puppeteers talk about is Dacron. I have some Dacron, too.
Braided fishing lines come in multiple pound tests. Thirty pound test works great aand is thin, but even 100 pound test works good.
You wouldn’t necessarily use this for stringing. I use this for internal joint strings in the Dacron brand. It’s a little thicker. The string brands are different levels of strength, depending on what pound they say they are.
I found best results of buying different spools and finding which one you like the best. I’m a big believer of whatever string is right for the puppet should be the string you should use.
If it’s a lightweight puppet, you want thin small strings. If it’s a heavy puppet, of course, you want heavy, thick strings to be able to hold it up.
A school of thought is that the strings are supposed to disappear as much as possible. Puppeteers do use clear fishing wire, although it does reflect light. So sometimes it draws more attention than just the plain black does not only is deep sea fishing line used for string puppets, but you can also use it for rod puppets.
Braided fishing line comes in multiple colors. I always buy black, but you can buy neon or bright colors. And I’ve seen puppeteers use the bright-colored fishing line if there’s an internal mechanism string so that when you work on the puppet, it’s easier to see.
And then likewise, if you want the strings to disappear, the idea is to use black string. At times, you’ll want a string that can slide through the screw eyes like on your running hamstring. So you don’t want it to catch or fray over time and break.
Even though all strings are prone to get broken, this deep-sea fishing line tends to last a lot longer against fraying. The deep sea fishing line comes in multiple strands, sometimes four strands or eight strands. I don’t find a difference much between how many strands are in there. I just go for overall strength.
In addition, I always put glue on my knots with deep-sea fishing line. Sometimes by design, it’s kind of slippery. So when you glue the knots, they will hold.
I use Duco cement on my knots. The great thing about Duco cement is when you glue the knot, you can also, if you need to take, a needle and undo the knot. So it helps hold it, but it is not totally a permanent situation.
Other than deep-sea fishing line. I’ve had success using heavy-duty sewing thread. I’ve also heard of puppeteers using beading thread or upholstery thread. So it’s really just up to you as the puppeteer to decide what kind of string is best for your puppet.
There you have it. Those are the types of strings I and many others use for marionettes.
Find Hercules braided deep sea fishing line for puppet string: https://amzn.to/3lMIL57
Dacron Fishing line, 30lb: https://amzn.to/2ZoIPRa
