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How to build your own Deadmau5 mouse head helmet!
by Intrica on November 19, 2010
Table of Contents
How to build your own Deadmau5 mouse head helmet! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intro: How to build your own Deadmau5 mouse head helmet! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 1: Marking Your Globe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Step 2: Cutting Neck & Mouth Openings and Eye Globes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 3: Building the Lip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Step 4: Creating the Ears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 5: Eye Placement and Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Step 6: Preparing and Installing Head Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 7: Preparing Metal Mesh for Mouth Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 8: Covering Ears With Fabric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Step 9: Covering the Head with Fabric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Step 10: Installing Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Step 11: Installing Mouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Step 12: YOU DID IT!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
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Intro: How to build your own Deadmau5 mouse head helmet!
So you're a HUGE Deadmau5 fan and have been aching to get your hands on one of those sweet Mau5 heads - but NOT one like some of those epic fail's you've seen
some people wear... you want a legit head that will be envied by all. Well, I'm here to help. The process is long, it takes a huge amount of determination and patience,
but I promise you, in the end, you will have the sikkest Mau5head of any you've ever seen!
Alright, LET'S GO!!!!
Materials:
14 acrylic lamp post globe with 5.5 neckless opening any color www.superiorlighting.com
6 acrylic lamp globe white www.superiorlighting.com
4x8 Dow blue extruded polystyrene Styrofoam sheet 1/2 thickness
12 fully threaded rods 8/32 diameter (4pcs)
1 fender washers (4pcs)
8/32 wing nuts
Professional grade ratcheting hard hat
Lighting for eyes, can use LEDs I use EL wire from www.coolneon.com
2yds fabric 4 way stretch is best
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Liquid Nails for foam adhesive and applicator gun
Stitch witchery
Clothes steamer
Ball end sewing pins
Dremel with bits for cutting, sanding, and drilling
Jigsaw or open ended hacksaw
Fabric measuring tape
Scissors
Single-edge razor blades
Small jaw clamps
Metal Mesh Food Cover Dome
Nylon tights or sheer chiffon for mouth
Electrical or duct tape
Poster board
Sharpie marker
Safety Glasses
Protective Gloves
Wire cutters
Rubbing Alcohol
Black Spray Paint
Getting Started:
Before you begin building your own Mau5head, there is one thing I cannot stress enough, take a great deal of time in the beginning to PLAN. Not only are the collective
materials needed an investment, but to create your head properly, it will also take a lot of time you want your final product to be worthy of all the blood, sweat, and tears
that go into its creation! Find a few reference pictures to work from for inspiration and keep those at your work desk, it will help you to visualize along the way, as the
head wont look like much until it all comes together in the end.
For the most accurate replica, a 14 acrylic globe should be used, however if you are very petite a 13 could be used, or if youre of a larger build you may consider a
16 globe, but in most cases the 14 will be ideal. My measurements are based off of a 14 diameter globe, if you should use a different size, please keep this in mind
and adjust your measurements accordingly.
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Step 1:Marking Your Globe
The first step is to mark grid lines on your sphere dividing it into quadrants. DO NOT rely on the little nipple opposite the neck opening to determine center, these are
often off by a half an inch or more and can throw off your entire layout if used as the midline. Measure 19.25 from the edge of the opening at several places to find the
center opposite the neck. Divide your globe into vertical quadrants intersecting at this point. Make a ring of poster board 44 in circumference that will fit perfectly around
the globe at its widest point, and use this ring as your guide in drawing the lines. It will help you create a very accurate, crisp line easily. After both lines are drawn
completely around the globe, measure from the center point down 11 on all 4 lines to locate the equator midline of your globe. The old phrase, measure twice, cut
once, applies here as much as it ever could! Before proceeding to the next step, recheck your measurements one last time to make sure they are all equal.
The neck opening should be angled toward the back to both look the best and have the most natural angle when worn. The easiest way to map out the circle for the
opening is to create a ring out of your poster board that measures 9 in diameter and place it on the existing opening front. The remainder of the circle will extend slightly
up the back of the globe be sure to check that the ring is equal on either side so that your opening will not be lopsided. Secure with tape, trace around ring with a
sharpie, and remove poster board ring.
The mouth opening will rise slightly above the equator line in the center. Mark a dot 5/8 above the equator on the front center line to determine the high point on the
mouth. Measure 6 down from this dot to find the lowest point of the bottom lip and mark this point. Now place a dot on the equator line in front of the side line on
each side, this will be the outer edges of the mouth. Again, strips of poster board will be incredibly helpful to create even, straight lines. Use tape strips to secure the
poster board across the globe starting with the center top point to outer edge points, draw your line with a sharpie. Then, using the same poster board strip, repeat this on
the bottom edge from the lower point up to the outer edges. This will create a perfectly curved lower lip, and perfectly straight upper lip.
Dont worry about marking the ear position yet, we will do that once the ears are built.
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Step 2:Cutting Neck & Mouth Openings and Eye Globes
Now lets move on to cutting the neck and mouth openings. The acrylic globes are thicker near the neck opening, and are tougher to cut, so this is the first thing you
need to cut out. ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHEN CUTTING. Acrylic is extremely chippy and sharp when cut, protect your eyes! I use a jigsaw with a medium
wood cutting blade on the thickest area near the front of the neck opening, and about of the way around, switch to a fine wood cutting blade as the acrylic becomes
much thinner at this point. Keep a close eye on the acrylic so that you are using a blade right for the thickness you are cutting, too coarse and you risk chipping, too fine
and it will do nothing but melt the acrylic. A little trial and error and a lot of patience go a long way here. You can also use an open ended hacksaw for this, or even a
Dremel with a cutting blade (but be prepared for a lot of time if you go the Dremel route).
The mouth opening can now be cut, but be very careful not to rest your arm or place unnecessary pressure on the globe. Cutting out these areas weakens the structure,
and you want to avoid cracking or otherwise damaging the acrylic during this phase of construction. ** do NOT cut the mouth out with the jigsaw, the acrylic is very thin
here and it will break! ** A Dremel with cutting blade works great for the mouth, and the acrylic is MUCH thinner in this area. Be patient and make 2-3 passes over the
entire area to cut through. You can also use an open ended hacksaw to cut the mouth, but again, be careful with the pressure you place on the globe and youll do just
fine. Keep the cut out piece to use as reference as you form the metal mesh for the mouth later on.
At this point you can get your head inside, go ahead, try it on and make sure the neck hole is large enough and everything is looking even and properly placed so far.
Keep in mind that the hard hat will elevate the globe up off your shoulders. You can even slip the hard hat through the neck opening at this point to try on if you would
like. After everything looks good, sand any rough edges around the areas that were just cut out.
Since youre likely covered in all kinds of acrylic bits and dust, this is a great time to cut the smaller white globe that will become the eyes. Mark out 5 1/4" circles on
either side of the white globe and cut out with a Dremel. Smooth edges with a sanding bit or sandpaper on a wood block if you prefer. Remove any remaining sharpie
marks with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.
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Step 3:Building the Lip
The foam sheet that is used for the ears and lip edge has a thin plastic sheet coating the outer edges. Remove this by gently peeling it off of both sides. Use your razor
blade to cut strips of foam to use to create the lip. Hold your razor blade perfectly straight to cut a flat 90* edge for the lip. Before placing the foam inside the lip, gently
bend it bit by bit along the length to create a gentle curve in the foam. Once it holds a nice C shape curve on its own, trim the length so that it is about 3 longer than the
mouth opening and slip inside to check fit. Using the low temperature setting on your glue gun, attach the foam to the inside of the globe, making sure to align the foam
perfectly to the cut edge of the acrylic and clamp with your small clamps until the hot glue cools and hardens. Work your way around the length of the lip until the entire
length is attached. Repeat this process on the remaining lip, trimming the end to fit snugly up against the overlap at the corner of the first lip. Glue the corner area
generously, as the junction of these two foam strips helps strengthen the mouth opening. After the glue has cooled, trim any areas that the glue squeezed out of, or sand
smooth any areas where the acrylic overlaps too far being careful to keep very straight lines on the lip edge.
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Step 4:Creating the Ears
Youll notice that there are two basic ear shapes used: more round and more oval. I prefer the more oval ears, and my dimensions are based off of that shape, simply
adjust the dimensions if you would like more round for your head. Create a template using poster board to ensure all ears pieces are identical. Create 2 cutouts inside to
mark where your threaded rods will run through the foam. Using this template, trace 4 ears on the blue foam sheet. **keep this template for future use to create additional
sets of ears** Cut outline with a jigsaw with coarse blade or hacksaw. Using the tip of your razor blade, cut two V shaped channels in TWO of the ears deep enough to
accommodate the threaded rods. You will be sandwiching two pieces of foam to make one ear, and cutting this channel allows the pieces to fit together flush after the
rods have been inserted. Test the channels for fit before moving on.
Also be aware that some fabrics are somewhat sheer, so keep that in mind when marking your foam sheets and assembling ears. Try to put the printed side on the
inside of the ear foam sandwich to avoid any see-through when covering them with fabric later.
Once the channels are cut and fit checked, use low temp hot glue to secure the rods in the channels. The rods only need to extend -1 past the bottom edge of the
ear. Draw a bead of foam safe liquid nails adhesive on the foam and then apply hot glue down the channels with the rods and around the perimeter of the ear. Quickly
sandwich the other piece of foam on top and use strips of tape to hold the two pieces firmly together until the glue has set. Repeat process for other ear.
After the glue has set, remove the tape strips that were used to hold the sandwiched pieces together so that the entire edge of the foam is exposed all the way around.
Now, take a piece of 300 grit sandpaper wrapped around a wood block to sand the edges of the ears perfectly smooth. You will want a nice flat edge with 90* angle all
the way around to have a crisp, finished look to your ears after applying the fabric covering.
Now that your ears have taken shape you can decide where you want them to rest on the head. Again, there are two main positions for the ears: wider set, and higher
perked-up ears. The spacing difference between the two is only about , so be careful when you mark your globe. Hold your ears up to the head to get a feel for where
you would like them to sit dont place them on the side marker lines, the ear holes should be cut 1 back from the side midlines. Hold them up to determine height
placement, mark, and check to make sure they are equally spaced down from the center point at the top of the head.
Now you can cut the holes for the rods to slip through. Your rods will be at an angle, so cut your holes oval to allow for slight adjustment as the rods slide into the head.
You dont want a super tight fit as this could cause the acrylic to crack as they move. Have you ever seen someone split the seat of their pants? Yeah too tight of a fit.
After youve drilled your holes for the rods, attach them to the head with washers and wing nuts. Now its really starting to look like youre getting somewhere!!
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Step 5:Eye Placement and Lighting
With the ears attached, take the white acrylic domes and place them on the front of the head to figure out how you would like them spaced. Use a loop of tape on the
inside of the domes to test out different placements and then step back and look at how it looks from the front and the side views on each side as well. Trace the outline
of the eye domes onto the head.
Depending on the type of lighting you will be using in the eyes, you may wish to mark out any holes you need to drill or cut to accommodate the lighting source. I use
electroluminescent cool neon wire from www.coolneon.com and only need to drill two small holes in each eye area to route the wires. At this point, do not yet install the
lighting; this will be done after you have covered the head in fabric.
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Step 6:Preparing and Installing Head Restraint
Next, cut sections out of the hardhat on either side to allow ease of access to the ear attachments once the hardhat is installed. The material hardhats are made of is very
glue-resistant, so drill several holes through the hardhat in the area where it contacts the globe and also roughen up the area by sanding. Once you have done a test fit of
the head with the hardhat in place, mark out where the contact areas area on the globe and secure the hardhat in place with a large amount of low temp hot glue. Make
sure that there is enough glue to ooze through the holes you drilled in the hardhat, creating a mechanical bond between the acrylic and hardhat. Hold firmly in place until
glue has completely cooled.
Step 7:Preparing Metal Mesh for Mouth Opening
Previously, in this section of the Instructable, you would have been beating a piece of flat 1/4" grid metal mesh into a curve with a rubber mallet, and probably would have
been cursing my name because it is DEFINITELY an exercise in frustration... BUT, I've gone ahead and updated this section to give you a MUCH EASIER alternative
that gives you a much, much better looking end result.
The solution: use a large (14" diameter) metal mesh screen food cover dome that is already in the proper spherical curve needed to form the mouth =) These are best
found at your local Asian market, and should cost you around $5
Using the acrylic piece left over from cutting out the mouth, trace the outline of this piece onto the mesh dome and carefully cut the wire, making sure to be on the outside
of the marked line. Always best to have a little more than you need, than not enough after you cut it out. Also, wear protective eyewear and heavy duty gloves to protect
your hands - the cut edges are extremely sharp!
Once the piece has been cut from the mesh dome, go ahead and do a test fit inside the head, pressing against the foam lip on the inside to see how it lines up with the lip
edge. When the fit is good, trim off any excessive overlap of wire (remember you will want at least overhang on the inside to attach to lip). Wrap edges of metal mesh
with electrical tape doubled over, or duct tape cut into 1 wide strips and doubled over. You should not have the tape go very far into the mesh area, just over the very
edge to seal in the raw edge of the metal. This will protect you and your sheer fabric from the sharp edge of the mesh, as well as help you attach the mouth to the inside
of the lip.
With the mouth mesh held in place, go into the head from the neck hole and mark dots where you will be placing the screws to hold the mouth in place. Remove mesh
from the head and use a punch, thick nail, or other object to open the wire mesh in the places you will be inserting your screws. This will make installing the mesh much
easier once it is covered with fabric.
Next, spray paint both sides of the mesh black. This will make the mesh disappear behind the fabric you will use to cover the mouth and because it won't interfere with
your eyes from the inside, it will greatly increase your ability to see out of the Mau5head. A white or silver mesh will be very difficult to see out of and will make you very
dizzy - do yourself a favor, spray it black!
Do not attach mouth yet, this will be the last step in creating your Mau5head.
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Step 8:Covering Ears With Fabric
Start by laying your fabric face down on the table and then placing the ear on top of it. Pin around the perimeter of the ear with fabric pins while gently stretching the fabric
so it fits nice and tight against the foam. Once youve pinned around the entire bottom edge of the ear, trim the fabric approximately an inch and a half out from the edge
of the ear, making the fabric easier to handle as you secure with glue. Go around the ear approximately 4 at a time, securing along the top outer edge with hot glue. It
doesnt take a LOT of hot glue, so just make a thin bead of glue, stretch the fabric over, and rub with the other hand to smooth and cool the glue. Continue this around
the entire perimeter of the ear. When the glue has cooled, trim off the excess fabric very closely to the foam and repeat process on other ear.
Now youre ready to do the other side (front) of the ear. The process to pin the fabric will be virtually identical, except now youll run a strip of stitch witchery fusible web
around the top edge of the ear. Pin the stitch witchery in a few places to hold until the fabric is stretched over it. Now, very carefully go around the perimeter of your ear
stretching the fabric up the edge and over the back, and pin the fabric at the back of the ear. You are doing this to give a tight fit up against the stitch witchery, but not pin
exactly to it. After youve gone around the entire ear and gotten a nice smooth fit all the way around, steam around the edge of the ear with your steamer to melt the
stitch witchery and adhere your fabric edges together. Move slowly around the edge, allowing 10 seconds or so over each area to fully adhere the fusible web. Let the
fabric cool completely, and then trim the edges. This will be your finished edge, so give a little teeny bit of stretch to the fabric as you trim it to get the smoothest even cut
along the edge.
Secure the edges bottom near the rod ends with hot glue, making sure they are very smooth this edge rests against your head and an even surface is very important!
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Step 9:Covering the Head with Fabric
In this step, be extremely patient! Youve put so much time into your Mau5head that you want the icing on this cake to be perfect!!! Some fabrics are somewhat see-
through, so before you put the fabric on, remove all sharpie markings with rubbing alcohol.
Play with your fabric a bit to get a feel for how/where it stretches. Place it on the globe in several areas and stretch it to get an idea how it will mold to the area you are
about to cover. I like to start with the bottom lip/back first. Use your C-clamps to hold the fabric in place after folding over the bottom lip, and stretch the fabric up and
around, securing with clips or pins as you go. If you have a friend who sews, bribe them with free pizza and ask for help. A seamstress experience can be invaluable if
you have one you can borrow for the afternoon.
If you need to, you can tack the fabric in place with a *tiny* dot of hot glue. Remember that the glue can seep through many fabrics, so test on an inconspicuous area first.
After the fabric has been stretched into place, you can secure with hot glue, or with stitch witchery if you will be overlapping fabric to fabric (stitch witchery between fabric
layers and steamed to adhere).
On the inside of the lips, use hot glue on the back side of the foam not on the lip itself! You want the fabric taut over the foam lip edge and secured only on the back
where the metal mesh will touch.
Repeat this process on the top half of the head, and at your seam you can either trim smooth or roll under for a finished seam like a sewn edge would look. Secure with
hot glue or, my preference, steam edges together with stitch witchery.
Secure fabric on inside of neck with hot glue after rolling fabric over cut edge of neck opening.
Cut small slits with a razor blade through holes for ear rods and any holes cut for eye lighting.
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Step 10:Installing Eyes
Now that your head is completely covered with fabric, reattach ears. This will help make sure the eyes get positioned properly. Go ahead and put in whatever lighting
source you have chosen. If possible, try to put a reflective material such as foil as a background in the entire eye area to intensify the light output from the eyes. Secure
the power source to the inside of the head with self adhesive Velcro strips.
Test fit your eye domes over the lighting and inspect for placement. When you are satisfied with placement, run a thin bead of hot glue around inner edge of the white
acrylic dome, one at a time, and place over lighting source. Be careful to not drip any glue on the fabric of the head.
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Step 11:Installing Mouth
Finally, the last piece of the puzzle is ready to go in! Cover the metal mesh mouthpiece with either a piece of nylon tights material, or sheer chiffon fabric and secure
edges with either hot glue or tape. Place the mesh inside the head, holding edges tight against inner edge of lips. You will be securing the metal mesh in place with
screws so that you can replace fabric if needed, or make other adjustments without having to battle a hot glue mess later down the road. When you have decided where
you would like the screws to attach, pierce through the tape edge of the mesh to cut through the tape and fabric, and to start a path for the screw to go through into the
foam lip edge. Screw through this slit into the foam, and repeat in several places around the mouth edge. Check from the front from time to time, and see where the
mouth needs to be screwed in, giving the proper shape to the mesh.
Step 12:YOU DID IT!!!!!!
The last step is to ROCK THAT MAU5HEAD!!!
Switch on the lights and put on that amazing Mau5head you just created, and rock it like you mean it! You deserve it ;D
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melgre2
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Nicfonfuk says: Mar 26, 2011. 6:13 PM REPLY
check out my stop motion video of making mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUqjMk3I_x8
Intrica says: Mar 28, 2011. 10:51 AM REPLY
LOVE THE VID!!!!
Saw you during Deadmau5's set at Ultra - bling bling bling was clearly visible from the stage, great work man! =D
drewloeffler29 says: Mar 29, 2011. 2:38 PM REPLY
how long does the EL wire need to be?
Intrica says: Mar 31, 2011. 9:15 AM REPLY
It depends on how much you want to put in the eyes. I usually use between 6 and 7 feet per eye. You can use more or less to your preference. To outline
the head, it will take around 9ft.
Mr. Cheese says: Apr 3, 2011. 6:48 PM REPLY
Which EL wire did you use? Angel Hair, Standard etc.
Intrica says: Apr 3, 2011. 7:49 PM REPLY
2.5mm hi-bright
Mr. Cheese says: Apr 3, 2011. 10:31 PM REPLY
Thanks! I'll send you a picture when mine is finished :)
Great guide btw!!
drewloeffler29 says: Mar 29, 2011. 2:31 PM REPLY
how much will this end up costing me?
Intrica says: Mar 31, 2011. 9:18 AM REPLY
It will depend on where you source your materials, the design you choose, and how many tools you will need to buy. If you go bare bones, probably just
under $100. If you do an elaborate design and need to purchase tools, your costs could run $400 or more.
crazy-asian says: Mar 28, 2011. 12:31 PM REPLY
When i first made a mau5 head, i used 6" rods. I noticed that you call for 12" though.
What are the dis/advantages?
Intrica says: Mar 31, 2011. 9:17 AM REPLY
You could use shorter rods, I simply prefer to use 12" rods for complete rigidity throughout the entire length of the ear. Nothing would spell FAIL more
than finishing out your party with a half-bent broken mau5 ear... I would rather overbuild and be certain they are going to be sturdy, than to risk a break
over a couple ounces of weight.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-your-own-Deadmau5-mouse-head-helmet/
cheisito says: Mar 23, 2011. 5:09 PM REPLY
i cant put the hardhat :(
kunibelt says: Mar 30, 2011. 10:48 PM REPLY
why not?
if its to big to fit in through the neck hole try the mouth opening thats what i ended up doing
Nicfonfuk says: Mar 30, 2011. 8:40 AM REPLY
ya, thanks for all the instructions, i had some problems with the hard hat, so im getting another one and drilling holes for the 3/8" rods to go directly into so
hopefully it will be stronger.
sidharthbhatia says: Feb 2, 2011. 1:02 AM REPLY
After I cut open the mouth, the globe has become kinda flimsy.. it doesnt stand in a perfect cirlcle, the part above the mouth slightly sags.. what can i do to
support it in an upright position?
crazy-asian says: Mar 28, 2011. 12:28 PM REPLY
when i did my first head, i found that taping a stick/rod/pen in the mouth added some rigidity
Intrica says: Feb 2, 2011. 5:26 PM REPLY
Cutting open the mouth area will weaken the globe, but it should not be so weak that it sags that much... did you use acrylic?
The foam strips used to create the lip will provide reinforcement to the mouth. Be sure to use a generous amount of glue to attach them, and allow them
to overlap at the corner by about an inch and a half. At the junction of the overlap, fit them so they are tight together and apply glue to seal the two strips
of foam together as one. This will strengthen the opening.
Finally, when you install your mesh in the mouth, hold the sphere to a perfect circle when you screw in the mesh (or glue if you choose to go that route)
and the attachment of the mouth mesh will provide the support to the sphere that was lost when you cut the mouth section of acrylic out.
Just be careful to not apply too much pressure to the globe prior to installing the mouth mesh, because the head really needs the support from the metal
mesh or it will crack.
Good luck!
wdaellenbach says: Mar 24, 2011. 8:39 PM REPLY
3 things
1, this guide is sweet, thanks
2, how did you cut the globe for the eyes
and 3, how much el wire did you use for each coil in the eyes
thanks
Intrica says: Mar 28, 2011. 10:57 AM REPLY
First of all, thank you!
For the eyes, I do not cut a large hole in the globe. I try to keep as much of the original sphere material in place to ensure strength of the finished head. I
use EL wire and drill two holes beneath where the eye domes will be placed. One in the center, and one near the outer edge. I coil the EL wire in a spiral
so one hole is for the wire entry, one is for the exit. If you scroll down in the comments, you will see a shot of the coiled wire in place.
I use about 7ft in each eye because the EL wire does not give off as much light as, say, LED's would. I am actually looking for a good source of sound
controlled LED's that run on a small battery power source to use on future builds, because I would like a brighter eye than the EL wire produces.
drdbandersonathotmaildotcom says: Mar 26, 2011. 12:27 PM REPLY
Also it appears that your head is already covered with fabric. I thought the fabric came after the hat was attached? Please confirm and I really appreciate the
help!! It is amazing what a parent will do for their kid!!
Intrica says: Mar 28, 2011. 10:54 AM REPLY
I forgot to take pics of just the hardhat in place, so the photo posted was taken after I had the head completed. The fabric goes on after the hard hat in in
place, but before the eyes.
drdbandersonathotmaildotcom says: Mar 26, 2011. 12:17 PM REPLY
Do you have any additional pictures of how to attach the hard hat? From your picture I can not tell where you drilled the helmet and glued it.
Intrica says: Mar 28, 2011. 10:53 AM REPLY
What you want to do is test fit the hardhat for placement within the globe and mark where the hardhat contacts the sphere. That is where you will glue or
epoxy the hardhat in place. Drill several small holes in the hardhat in that area to allow the adhesive to penetrate through the hardhat and create a
mechanical bond to keep the hard hat securely in place.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-your-own-Deadmau5-mouse-head-helmet/
cbryant1 says: Mar 23, 2011. 6:00 PM REPLY
Hey I have just about all the materials but in San Diego it's kinda hard to find the 4x8 Dow blue extruded polystyrene Styrofoam sheet 1/2 thickness, can
I use other types of styrofoam with the same dimensions that I can find at Home Depot or Lowes
menoxp says: Mar 24, 2011. 4:23 PM REPLY
I found some at home depot but pink. Its like $14.
Intrica says: Mar 23, 2011. 7:44 PM REPLY
I had the same problem because there is little supply of this foam here in Miami. First, try searching Lowes for stores maybe 10-20 miles from your usual
search area or call their customer service number for help locating stock. You could also use a similar super high strength foam that is pink. I believe
"insulpink" is the name of it. You want a very firm small cell foam so the ears are very strong and extremely light.
Good luck!
menoxp says: Mar 25, 2011. 10:22 AM REPLY
I don't know about the blue one but the pink extruded Styrofoam breaks when you try to bend it for the mouth. I put masking tape on the outside of
the C shape when bending it and that kept it from breaking.
kunibelt says: Mar 17, 2011. 5:56 PM REPLY
heres some progress pics intrica
thx for the instructable.
leonandkobe says: Mar 14, 2011. 11:02 AM REPLY
These are some of the most detailed and good instructions I have seen. Wish they were here when I made mine. I made mine with a hamster ball. Am
looking to make another and like this acrylic method. How much did you pay for your acrylic ball?
Intrica says: Mar 14, 2011. 12:27 PM REPLY
The best supplier for the 14" globes is www.superiorlighting.com
leonandkobe says: Mar 17, 2011. 3:16 PM REPLY
thanks bro. Happy St Patty's Day
avdrampage says: Mar 16, 2011. 9:34 PM REPLY
about how long will this take and how much will it cost?
shopkins-1 says: Mar 13, 2011. 6:28 AM REPLY
Can i find these eye domes at a local hardware store ora walmart or some place????
Intrica says: Mar 13, 2011. 11:26 PM REPLY
Yes, home depot carries the 6" white acrylic lamp globes.
kunibelt says: Mar 1, 2011. 10:35 PM
(removed by author or community request)
JPortnoy55 says: Feb 27, 2011. 7:34 AM REPLY
What kind of paint should I use if I am going to make the eyes black instead of white?
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-your-own-Deadmau5-mouse-head-helmet/
kunibelt says: Feb 28, 2011. 1:25 AM
(removed by author or community request)
Intrica says: Feb 28, 2011. 7:55 AM REPLY
The best paint for the job will be KRYLON fusion for plastic paint. I would recommend doing a test paint on the white scrap portion of the globe after
you have cut out the eyes to check for adhesion. If the results are not to your satisfaction, I would take a sample of the plastic scrap into the paint
store and ask for their suggestions.
Also, the smoke globe from Superior Lighting is NOT black. It is smoke, which is a transparent grey - like tinted windows on a car. Their globes are
sold for lighting, and a fully black globe would defeat the purpose of a light. If you are wanting fully black eyes, this would not be the right globe for the
job. It is better to paint your eye domes.
fattie12345 says: Feb 25, 2011. 12:11 PM REPLY
Probably when she cut out the mouth, she left the teeth as PART of the acrylic dome... just a guess. ^-^
Intrica says: Feb 25, 2011. 2:17 PM REPLY
The fangs are actually removable. I built them after the head was complete using a piece of leftover cut out globe material and hot glued pins to the back
of the teeth. The pins stick up into the foam lip and can be removed for a regular mouth look if that's what you want to have at that particular moment.
menoxp says: Feb 22, 2011. 6:29 PM REPLY
"4x8 Dow blue extruded polystyrene Styrofoam sheet 1/2 thickness"
Do you mean 4in x 8in or actually 4ft x 8ft........ and do you what store sells this? Thank You
kunibelt says: Feb 22, 2011. 11:24 PM REPLY
most likely its feet because you need 2 for 1 ear and also for the other ear and the lip so im thinking its feet. im in the process of collecting the materials
so i while post where i got them but heres a link ( they dont sell it where i live) http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=15348-46086-
201549&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3014183&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=sim&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1
menoxp says: Feb 20, 2011. 11:02 AM REPLY
For the EL wire did you have to used a driver for each eye?
Intrica says: Feb 20, 2011. 1:00 PM REPLY
No, I used a single driver and soldered a spacing wire between the two eyes so that both lengths of EL wire are powered by just one driver. Fewer
drivers and fewer batteries mean less weight in the head, which is incredibly important for comfort of wear. The guys at cool neon can offer great
suggestions for any application that needs several lengths of wire, don't hesitate to give them a call.
crAznXcluSIV3 says: Feb 19, 2011. 3:59 PM REPLY
hey, your using a 14 inch and im using a 13 inch, do you mind printing an ear for a 13 inch ball?
kunibelt says: Feb 15, 2011. 10:09 PM REPLY
what color of ELwire did you put in the eyes the orange or yellow and did you wrap the lights kind of like a spring inside? thanks
Intrica says: Feb 18, 2011. 5:02 PM REPLY
I used white EL wire on the eyes and oriented as shown in the picture below.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-your-own-Deadmau5-mouse-head-helmet/
kunibelt says: Feb 18, 2011. 8:17 PM REPLY
thanks for everything
cheers
kunibelt says: Feb 15, 2011. 10:49 PM REPLY
did you use switch witchery or hot glue to apply fabric because it looks really clean and good and if you did use hot glue did you glue the fabric in the inside
and will it hold
Intrica says: Feb 18, 2011. 4:56 PM REPLY
The key here is you don't want your head to look like "everyone elses" because most of them use hot glue and you can see it through the fabric. I use hot
glue in TINY amounts occasionally to temporarily tack the fabric here and there (where it would be impossible to see when completed) but adhere the
fabric to the globe and to the other fabric using stitch witchery. The stitch witchery will not seep through the fabric or leave ugly flat marks like hot glue
will. If you are careful with the placement of the stitch witchery, it will be completely invisible yet will hold well when bonding fabric to fabric.
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