Tauruscat: Crest Lenses

Why does the crest have lenses? you might be asking yourself, and a good question it is. While Professor Tauruscat's central processing engine is working, I felt it would be convenient to have some physical manifestation of its inner workings, and so I will be hooking up some lights which will make the lenses glow as the wearer's thoughts are processed.

From left to right above, I fabricated the lens model out of clear acrylic sheet and clay, molded it in rubber (behind) then cast it in the pinkish resin. This piece I reworked, smoothing and shaping to better fit the spaces in the crest awaiting the three lenses. I molded it yet again (behind on right), then cast the final part in a translucent amber colored resin. Sanding off the gate gave me the finished lens on the far right.

I cast three such lenses, then inserted them into the crest, as shown above. The photo shows them illuminated.

Tauruscat: Crest Casting

Here is the crest cast as one piece. I'm happy with the ornateness of it, but I may change the colors. I haven't decided yet.

Next I'll be building the lenses that fit between the crest wings.

Tauruscat: Engaving the Crest

Just to let you know I haven't been totally ignoring the Tauruscat helmet, here is a picture of the engraving that I've been doing on the crest.

These various parts make up the master, from which I will mold and cast the finished crest.

Tauruscat: Crest Design

I am now in the early stages of working out the design and construction of the helmet crest (shown here in black and white), which will serve as the central processing engine. I am staying with the general shape of the brass Bavarian helmet which served as Professor Tauruscat's starting point.

Each of the eleven sensors will connect to the processor by means of a hose. How the professor ever slept in this thing I can't imagine! He must have worn it only while dozing upright in a chair.

Defender: Attaching the Aether Collectors

The Defender steampunk helm is getting ever so much closer to completion. Today I added the ten luminiferous aether collection devices.



After riveting the devices to the neckguard trim I stitched and riveted the trim to the neckguard itself.



I then antiqued it to match the rest of the helmet. No more bright colors!



Here is a detail photo of the rear of the helm, showing the crest and the aether devices. Next I will finish and mount the front plate.

Defender: Antiquing the Helm

I went ahead and riveted the crest to the helm, and then antiqued it all black. The purple and red now remain only as highlights, just the look I was after.



I've been building the luminiferous aether collection devices that fit into the neckguard trim, and I can't assemble that until they are all cast.



Meanwhile, I have started on the headlamp. Here is a photo of the lamp as I found it at a yard sale. I will break it apart, and then the lamp will attach to the front of the helm.

Defender: Designing the Crest

I decided before I remade the crown and neck guard of the helm I would work out the crest, as it plays a prominent role in the helmet's appearance, and could affect how I should redesign the other parts.



This sketch shows my original concept. The helmet—once it was made in leather—really had a samurai feel to it, and no longer looked straight out of Star Wars. I feel that the crest simply adds to the Asian flair.

I used the green paper to work out the pattern of the interlocking leather pieces, then cut and riveted them in leather as seen here on the prototype helmet, in approximately the final position.

Underground Explorer: Lamp Comb is Finished

After focusing on the whale tooth for awhile I have returned my attentions to the Underground Explorer's helmet. Yesterday I reworked the comb pattern and remade it to fit properly, then I cut out the leather and hand-stitched it over the acrylic comb form. Today I painted it black, and antiqued it brown to give it that old look. After drying, I bolted and riveted the comb to the leather helm, and attached the lamp to the front.



I have decided on all of the design elements of the helmet, and have just two more to complete: The eyecover/goggles, and the oxygen canister which will hook up to the snout. With this equipment our intrepid explorer will be protected from extremes in pressure and temperature, as well as falling rocks. They will also have a bright light to see what lies before them, and have a fresh supply of oxygen to weather the pockets of foul air. Hopefully this will protect them from all unforseen dangers that might lurk ahead.

Underground: First Comb Attempt

I constructed the helmet comb out of leather and it has some problems, the major one being it is too small once the wet leather shrank.


Although I will have to remake it this picture gives a pretty good idea of how it will look. Of course once the lamp is mounted onto the front it will change again.

Underground Explorer: Building the Lamp Comb

Our underground explorer is certainly going to need a light to see where he's going. Last year at a yard sale I acquired an old physician's head lamp. Nowadays these head lamps have LED's for the light source, but this one has a bulb, and three multi-jointed arms which allow it to crazily point in any direction. Very mad scientist looking. I've decided to mount this lamp on a comb (also called a crest) which is on the top of the helmet.


Today I designed it and cut out the pieces of the comb in ¼" thick plastic, and then glued them all together. Above you can see the individual parts.


And here is the assembled comb bolted to the top of the plastic astronaut's helmet. I will be covering the comb in molded leather, and the lamp will attach to the front vertical surface.