It occurred to me that I had some gas mask parts that could be combined in a new and different way. If I took the Pachydermos/Olifant leather pattern and made it without the copper ears or the rubber hose trunk, it could serve as a gas mask with a snout. Not out of the question, after making the RHINO mask with the big horn.
For the canisters, almost two years ago I made some custom ones for one mask and then never used them again. That seemed like a good start, and I could easily enough make a variation of eyepieces and fabricate something for the exhaust (to fill the hole in the snout). Using these preexisting pieces would save me a ton of work and allow me to produce a new gas mask in a fairly short amount of time.
Let me explain the history of the different canisters, eyepieces and exhaust ports that I have used in my steampunk leather and resin pieces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXCRVzNpuka3YdU19VrUrCwiM89WgIVfIJVxVH-pBDYScMcyQzb_XG7HPMeUKQzDg-dlm3ISx0uT8HX04s8Mc9YA0CIQ0_nSjTGChjlhyGCNdgC3ud-mxRPpRjxfJ7dq7sBDx7XPmFAP8/s400/gasmaskangle.jpg)
The first steampunk leather piece I made (Sept 2008) was the #43 gas mask, copied from a yard sale find. For one of the eyes I molded and cast a camera lens. For the other I used the end of a flashlight. For the combination canister/exhaust I scratch built it using acrylic sheet, screws and a knob from a camera.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j49tFRhppFB6XI4Xl7-45Srh-OPKuTJK9L3ts6sIRhCHs7r3JpPl605agLR3NdfbY68_iQTRsPS-Asgq2JBmgZXSMTjUOJy6Y7gVoeEFVAU1gXGiOssVvPu1P5Gg9W3sRkNw03aBJPhH/s400/Tom+portrait+lo+res.jpg)
The next mask I made was a respirator I call the Bad Air Transmutator. It has no eyes, and I scratch built the pair of canisters. Two months later (Feb 2009) I made Pachydermos, my elephantine gas mask. It had a lot to it, and I scratch built the matching eyepiece bases and caps.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1CWt3rZaJZdEYIPTFGYB7PRTfmUFtJwlSGJ2w5nLjVj_ZaJ_zjTsKQk1ExmFpZmA5C8FqSzlEp4sXoOIFyhA5QqdSMczGKHStgLNHg2wWhVqm3kOX2IRCY1bKDXYhPiY2dixMuHpNBF3/s400/pachy+front+close+mid+res.jpg)
I made a leather covered vacuum hose, and leather trimmed copper ears, and when it came to the canisters I didn't want to scratch build them as well, so I used the Transmutator canisters. My first recycled piece.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA83tb7tLqvUh91AhR-k1-aKKxDszb_Q2oKKaVWyXnfwO-_JJgzHehSGPpPfw_SLM2Od04WoY3uVQ-mO8HN7S5-xyS4IwfI23XFR-etL9Ydzjilo3vZ2ixMhOphHSW2k6W3KcR8ibFAEjw/s400/0718+gas+mask+done.jpg)
Fast forward to July 2009 when I built the Defender gas mask. I scratchbuilt new canisters, and used a camera zoom for the right eye. For the left eye I used the Pachydermos eyepiece. Recycle #2.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8XfEU99WBnZeoDUJUP66gTZsz7neuGWFV0gVdz5q1FofTm2xyUZlgQl4vB4qSKcwLyF-y7zCI4hVNcps6PzFe9oF0O4VrbP2gm7VLwJME4SoxUckFdRPDMwE0pQn2EOvOOPbm2jVf8DX/s400/1223+packrat+new+canisters.jpg)
For the indy film After the Fall I modified the Transmutator canister design by shrinking it down and covering it with a metal grid. My first two-part canister. That is the canister I'm using on my latest gas mask.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXI5u4eT8uuu3SyBQEXRV0n3fh14t9UQKbgjRuy1wS7WpLezOnRwnFXJJk6qYDoKzNp-oRWdGfFl8SrowNHIziGKszv5DuqZXy0OEU6xlr3jv0gyg-y9yMNhJtZr5m_UH1uttRTaB2qPH/s400/0124+no+face.jpg)
In Jan 2010 I constructed the RHINO gas mask with everything newly scratch built: Eyepiece base, eyepiece cap, canister and exhaust horn.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaadi_EJAAX9bjMPzj88phJt_57AGnmdhIrLg0jY9UH-7VjTgIvpKkBGkRWkzDPgotNtpVrxegwQYfnb1lOslRGZODZeyQzs9Bl4MYuzIHwQ1Sofc0WX_Te-XO4P30ZCvttCxr_mDqufGJ/s400/Front+straight+on.jpg)
In June I made the steampunk plague doctor mask Dr. Beulenpest, using the Pachydermos eyepiece base and a new nonagonal eyepiece cap. For the other eye I used the camera eyepiece from #43.
That brings us to my lastest mask Ragnarök, a term which means the end of the cosmos in Norse mythology. For the new exhaust port I'm using the Pachydermos eyepiece base and the Beulenpest cap, along with a circle of drywall sanding mesh and scratch built screen to hold it in place. For the matching eyes I'm using the Pachydermos eye base and a new domed eyecage.
For the canisters, almost two years ago I made some custom ones for one mask and then never used them again. That seemed like a good start, and I could easily enough make a variation of eyepieces and fabricate something for the exhaust (to fill the hole in the snout). Using these preexisting pieces would save me a ton of work and allow me to produce a new gas mask in a fairly short amount of time.
Let me explain the history of the different canisters, eyepieces and exhaust ports that I have used in my steampunk leather and resin pieces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXCRVzNpuka3YdU19VrUrCwiM89WgIVfIJVxVH-pBDYScMcyQzb_XG7HPMeUKQzDg-dlm3ISx0uT8HX04s8Mc9YA0CIQ0_nSjTGChjlhyGCNdgC3ud-mxRPpRjxfJ7dq7sBDx7XPmFAP8/s400/gasmaskangle.jpg)
The first steampunk leather piece I made (Sept 2008) was the #43 gas mask, copied from a yard sale find. For one of the eyes I molded and cast a camera lens. For the other I used the end of a flashlight. For the combination canister/exhaust I scratch built it using acrylic sheet, screws and a knob from a camera.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j49tFRhppFB6XI4Xl7-45Srh-OPKuTJK9L3ts6sIRhCHs7r3JpPl605agLR3NdfbY68_iQTRsPS-Asgq2JBmgZXSMTjUOJy6Y7gVoeEFVAU1gXGiOssVvPu1P5Gg9W3sRkNw03aBJPhH/s400/Tom+portrait+lo+res.jpg)
The next mask I made was a respirator I call the Bad Air Transmutator. It has no eyes, and I scratch built the pair of canisters. Two months later (Feb 2009) I made Pachydermos, my elephantine gas mask. It had a lot to it, and I scratch built the matching eyepiece bases and caps.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1CWt3rZaJZdEYIPTFGYB7PRTfmUFtJwlSGJ2w5nLjVj_ZaJ_zjTsKQk1ExmFpZmA5C8FqSzlEp4sXoOIFyhA5QqdSMczGKHStgLNHg2wWhVqm3kOX2IRCY1bKDXYhPiY2dixMuHpNBF3/s400/pachy+front+close+mid+res.jpg)
I made a leather covered vacuum hose, and leather trimmed copper ears, and when it came to the canisters I didn't want to scratch build them as well, so I used the Transmutator canisters. My first recycled piece.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA83tb7tLqvUh91AhR-k1-aKKxDszb_Q2oKKaVWyXnfwO-_JJgzHehSGPpPfw_SLM2Od04WoY3uVQ-mO8HN7S5-xyS4IwfI23XFR-etL9Ydzjilo3vZ2ixMhOphHSW2k6W3KcR8ibFAEjw/s400/0718+gas+mask+done.jpg)
Fast forward to July 2009 when I built the Defender gas mask. I scratchbuilt new canisters, and used a camera zoom for the right eye. For the left eye I used the Pachydermos eyepiece. Recycle #2.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8XfEU99WBnZeoDUJUP66gTZsz7neuGWFV0gVdz5q1FofTm2xyUZlgQl4vB4qSKcwLyF-y7zCI4hVNcps6PzFe9oF0O4VrbP2gm7VLwJME4SoxUckFdRPDMwE0pQn2EOvOOPbm2jVf8DX/s400/1223+packrat+new+canisters.jpg)
For the indy film After the Fall I modified the Transmutator canister design by shrinking it down and covering it with a metal grid. My first two-part canister. That is the canister I'm using on my latest gas mask.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXI5u4eT8uuu3SyBQEXRV0n3fh14t9UQKbgjRuy1wS7WpLezOnRwnFXJJk6qYDoKzNp-oRWdGfFl8SrowNHIziGKszv5DuqZXy0OEU6xlr3jv0gyg-y9yMNhJtZr5m_UH1uttRTaB2qPH/s400/0124+no+face.jpg)
In Jan 2010 I constructed the RHINO gas mask with everything newly scratch built: Eyepiece base, eyepiece cap, canister and exhaust horn.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaadi_EJAAX9bjMPzj88phJt_57AGnmdhIrLg0jY9UH-7VjTgIvpKkBGkRWkzDPgotNtpVrxegwQYfnb1lOslRGZODZeyQzs9Bl4MYuzIHwQ1Sofc0WX_Te-XO4P30ZCvttCxr_mDqufGJ/s400/Front+straight+on.jpg)
In June I made the steampunk plague doctor mask Dr. Beulenpest, using the Pachydermos eyepiece base and a new nonagonal eyepiece cap. For the other eye I used the camera eyepiece from #43.
That brings us to my lastest mask Ragnarök, a term which means the end of the cosmos in Norse mythology. For the new exhaust port I'm using the Pachydermos eyepiece base and the Beulenpest cap, along with a circle of drywall sanding mesh and scratch built screen to hold it in place. For the matching eyes I'm using the Pachydermos eye base and a new domed eyecage.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJkv2lnm0LkcJ1GgS-VuNzZ8YLAkUNCyByxCS4TqCjrXm-e3LRpRGT8NhFgMyxrnLwH9qqB3aLSpAxuIx849halFA85CF-GPgmL6AuaDeIW7LsIxApXUnpxlnZivJQwG-ybamiD-tBO6Y/s400/ragnarok+brown+angle+noface.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjja3LhZE5uo6A_5uAd6QGD0fpgnkGTUxQ6LozvJhyphenhyphenIPt8zU9l8P6PjEjzT7JWX9emJE1HaHWq0a__-zvssfkXCofV2D7D74RfvEDxV14ubSGGIplz9nU5WMC2zm4-0MtpPlxymxUgPbN/s400/ragnarok+brown+angle.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCo1E1qCqa3yrVlUZWiD0OBJ49HiGoCKeJKE5oYoFCMxFDzO7X7UxpSfdGKTYLQFnA7iaIPnFUqq34G-nABN6HfnMzAH4J87ll4BkzGh3QIcIi9_DQkat5SrOU6jP_nrE7Y-QGvIyWTZM/s400/ragnarok+brown+side.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHy-1HhH7fo4l4YD3Ae7aRzxIBPgrOht7eOEEnUzUpKey1pwosn5KPkK8-QjQDhKj9j1_Ss6wpXPl1D_OubFF6AXXvFGGqMsqJ2C04HiJ5TFfXzqoUvJlor8zRV2ZFRRpMp3Qi2J2RrMWm/s400/ragnarok+brown+bottom+angle.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vzEt3ma94v6Hh7h8gm62YPCZyKfUCDF7YEmaw8GDVvo7t4tFqlOKfx8vdT0p6sn7S0I8NFojkLXNmKaPzj_xc-cE09yLoDUmTEq0QnAAhjIqXSnFkryHGshL49YSz8N6qR1t_teeQOdu/s400/ragnarok+brown+Tom+top+hat.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuLeVdWCr8IERrje8fDbpvjgDCmQ8qGux6irrbw2qnNh2du0ZTioEDUrxd3rvQ7DQDPjtZrSck2lWRJLOvtVObSL9q6DFZPtEn0SuT9g_V_6bAmh9zNQR18HmSqlMTWgIV0XD6YzsAzOQ/s400/ragnarok+brown+Tom+top+hat+side.jpg)
Amazing!
ReplyDeleteThese are really awesome and creepy. Really cool.
ReplyDelete