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.

Radio Guy: Steve Erenberg

This is the most amazing online source of steampunkish tools, equipment, masks, etc. All of it is the real deal, and museum quality.

Above is one sample page. At his website Radio-Guy.net you can click on each item to get more info and details. I recommend setting aside some time to explore it all.

If you like steampunk, you'll love this site!

Skull Respirator: One Step Backwards

As typically happens in this process of creation, I have had to take a step backwards. I realized I had mismeasured the fit of the mask to the face, and so have recut the 15 layers of acrylic to make the bottom smaller.



That's the old version in front, with the new version in the back.




And here it is with the skull sitting atop it. Next I'll make the pattern for the connecting leather.

Skull Respirator: The Base

With the skull itself nearly done, I have turned to adding a base to it.


Here I have cut out 15 layers of .06" thick acrylic, which blend from the backside of the skull to more of a face shape.




It's hard to really see it in the photos, but this will be part of the skull when it's cast in resin. The acrylic was glued together, and then I smeared Bondo™ auto body filler all over it, let it cure, and sanded it down in order to make a smooth transition between the layers.





The bottom of the base flares at the sides to accommodate the cheeks, and the top is shaped for the nose. This will attach to a strip of leather which will actually touch the face.

Skull Respirator: Chin and Nose

Remember a few weeks ago when I used alginate to reduce a Jello™ mold? I had some of those smaller forms left over, and decided that one of them would make an excellent chin. It reflects the lines of the top skull (also a Jello™ mold), plus it gives a rounded bottom, which I think is preferable to a sharp bony chin.


I just had to saw it in half, and sand it to fit. I was concerned about the overall height of the skull becoming too long, so I decided not to copy the mandible more closely. Besides the chin, I've drilled small ventilation holes in the eyes, and also created the nasal cavity. It gives the look I'm after, plus provides two more ventilation holes so that the wearer can breathe easily.

I've also added a piece of aluminum tubing to help create the cheekbone shape. There will be one on the other side as well, and they will not be part of the casting, but will be added on post-casting. My little robot face is starting to exhibit real character now!

Skull Respirator: Cheekbones

Here I've molded and cast the skull top with the screws. Additionally I've attached the gear teeth and reshaped the cheekbones.

Skull Respirator: Second Casting

The eye goggles have been cast, and separately the skull top. I've placed six white nylon screws around the crown. It's slowly starting to come together.

Skull Respirator: Fabrication

I am using the same Jello™ mold that I used for the anemone canisters to make the top part of the skull. I first cast polyester resin into the aluminum mold which had been sprayed with a mold release. Then I bandsawed the skull in half, and sanded it down somewhat more until the shape looked right sitting atop the existing skull.



After pondering how to make this respirator look less organic and more mechanical I am thinking I need to fabricate the entire skull, and not use any of the original plastic skull.

Above you can see a bunch of acrylic pieces that I've cut out with the laser, ready to assemble. As you might imagine this takes quite a bit of planning and taking measurements from the original skull, to get to this point.

Here are the same parts assembled. I will mold these and cast them in resin to modify. Then I'll add on the gear teeth, and the lower jaw.