Does anyone know where to buy hair for ventilating that isn't terribly expensive? I've found a couple places where it's around $90 - $150 for an ounce of one color. It would be nice to just buy a little bit of several colors if possible (not looking to ventilate an entire piece, just patch up a small area). Anyone know if you can buy hair in smaller/cheaper quantities anywhere?

If you have any flea markets located in African American communities (or where they shop) you can probably find whatever you need for a reasonable price. I think I paid $50 for 4 ounces (standard pack) of good quality hair.

Keep in mind that it takes a lot of time to learn how to do this. It's really simple but it takes a lot of practice. I have all of the materials but haven't yet had the time to devote to becoming fast enough to do hair adds and such.

Can anybody put together a video on how to ventialate?

Basic overview of how a wig is made-

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Illustration of how a typical knot is tied-

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Doesn't go into details but add a couple of ventilating needles, a wig block, and some hair, and for under $100 you have all the materials you need. Takes a lot of practice to get tie those tiny little hairs into lace though. You have been warned!

That said, as soon as I get a couple of free days I'm going to actually sit down with it long enough to get fast enough to at least fill in thin spots when I need to. It isn't rocket science but it takes a LOT of practice.

Wow, ventilating your own hair? Now that's taking the DIY paradigm to a whole new level. What's next, growing your own hair? Oh wait...

After years of such repetitive motions, I imagine ventillators can get pretty bad arthritis.

There's been others that thought they would try their hand at ventilating--'it can't be that tough.' They quickly find that it requires a lot of patience and a steady hand. It's tedious work and demands focus both mentally and visually. You'll gain a new appreciation for the skill that goes into making a piece. Let us know how it turns out.
Regards,
John