Here is a quick demonstration of how to carve reticulated foam with simple tools. You may have seen some puppet builders on social media, or elsewhere online, use band saws and belt sanders to shape blocks of foam into puppet heads or features. But large expensive tools are not necessary. In the video above, we use:

• 4-inch scraper blades
• A rotary tool outfitted with a mandrel bit and a 2-inch disc cut from a sheet of 120 grit sandpaper.

The lesson? A minimal investment in a few tools, access to a small workspace (like the kitchen table), and some practice is all you need to start building professional-quality puppets.