MHS Programme of Events

I am honored to have the Museum of the History of Science, located at the University of Oxford, use a photo of my Underground Explorer helmet and gas mask to advertise their upcoming steampunk exhibiton.

Skull Respirator: The Leather Pattern

In the first picture below I have finished casting, shaping and gluing on the resin spoon handles.


This conglomeration is just about ready to mold in preparation for casting in cold cast aluminum.


Above I am working out the pattern for the leather surround in cardstock. This is the piece that will actually touch the face, and will support the two straps. At the bottom of the picture is the pattern laid out flat, with red marking where the straps will attach. A second slightly altered pattern is taped around the acrylic skull in order to check that fit.

Chet Phillips' Steampunk Monkeys

Chet Phillips has done a whole line of illustrations of steampunk simians called Steampunk Monkey Nation.


Here is me wearing one of my respirators, and below is one of Chet's characters wearing one. Check out his website for more, as Chet is a very talented illustrator.

Brigid Ashwood's Mr. Hyde

Here is Brigid Ashwood's beautiful rendition of one of my gas masks in her drawing of Mr. Hyde.

Andy Silvers Meets the Rabbit Mask...

...and this is the result!

Visit Andy's website to see more of his exquisite work. My leather rabbit mask (without the blood) is for sale on my Etsy store.

New Steampunk Leather Portfolio

I've created a new portfolio of pics of my better steampunk leatherwork. Pachydermos, Sentinel, Fire Master and Underground Explorer are all going to the University of Oxford show.

Skull Respirator: Victorian Spoon Design

It has been some time since I last blogged about this project, as life's other obligations have intruded. I've done a little more on it since then, and here you can get the gist of it. I wanted to bring in a Victorian element so that the skull respirator didn't look too futuristic.


This is an old family serving spoon that I inherited which I have molded the end of for use on the respirator.


Here you can see one casting of the spoon end in place on the skull base. Each scallop will have this same casting mounted on it (eight in total), and the leather attachment will then lie flat between them.

Animals Wearing Gas Masks

I'm currently working on two different projects that entail animals wearing gas masks.


This is my design for a hippo Vajen-Bader "smoke protector" inspired mask.


And this is a colorful red-nosed baboon, equally protected from foul stinking air.