The Rev. Marx brings us the long-delayed fifth installment in his
Steampunk diving helmet build log. The end result is quite impressive, thanks in no small part to the lighting system.
This has probably been one of the most complex builds I have done to date, and the results were well worth the effort. I am very proud of this piece. Many of the techniques I used on it were experimental, so obviously a second attempt at something like this would probably show some improvements, but over all I couldn't be happier with it.
3 comments:
I’ve got to say that this is one of the most impressive builds I’ve seen in a long time. I am also pleased that you have shared your construction step-by-step to the public. The fact that this is a light-weight wearable helmet makes it even better. Have you ever picked up an original diving helmet? Those things weight a great deal and are not for costume use at all. You can see a variety of types for sale at http://landandseacollection.com/id187.html Along with being impossibly heavy, they are also very expensive. The Miller-Dunn Type 2 pictured on this site might make a good template for a steampunk space helmet however. Also on this site the early Italian Navy frogman combat diving apparatus looks more of Jules Verne than WWII.
The only practical consideration of any type of enclosed helmet of this type for costume wear outside of weight is of getting an adequate amount of fresh air and fogging of the face piece. Remember, safety first.
Yes, fogging is a big problem, even with two vents it is not enough. If I ever wear it again as a costume piece, I will try to add a small battery powered fan to one of the vents.
This is beautiful. Utterly gorgeous.
And then I imagine the scene in "the good, the bad and the weird" where 'the weird' wears one of these through a shootout and I start giggling incoherently and wishing I had the patience/skill to build something similar.
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