Need a clear space helmet...
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2662
Printed Date: 7/27/25 at 1:08am
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Topic: Need a clear space helmet...
Posted By: Lynn Mc2
Subject: Need a clear space helmet...
Date Posted: 9/12/07 at 4:15pm
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Hello, I am working on this year's halloween costume and would like to make or adapt something to be a clear acrylic space helment. Simplicity patterns has an alien child's pattern with such a 12" helmet. Most anything I can find in the pet stores is a 13" mega excersize ball that you would put a hamster in... still a little small for an adult. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Lynn
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Replies:
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/13/07 at 1:41am
Lynn I just had a thought, which is not adressing your problem. With acrylic might it not be a safety issue,being a hard plastic, in as much as it tends to splinter!  ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 9/13/07 at 6:50am
| how about adopting a plastic beer ball? |
Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 9/13/07 at 8:03am
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Try a lighting fixture store......they do make fixtures that are not glass.....the only problem would be to get the neck hole big enough.
Maybe make a frame for the helmet and cover it with the clear shrink wrap plastic that people put over their windows in the winter.
Spray paint an old style football or motorcycle helmet ( without the mouth guard) and it may look enough like a space helmet with a little tweeking. ------------- "behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede" |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/13/07 at 8:15pm
Well i have had my bath, contenplated both big toes & didn't think of anything as good as your suggestions Joan! Heres me a Sparky & I never thought of Polycarbinate light fittings They are faily easy to work, drll & cut. To make the hole larger for the head & chin, also to put in cross flow air vents & mouth appatures. further tart it up with flexable vacum cleeaner hoses & space like attachments. Also a heat gun can be used carefully to smooth off the cuts & even shape to a certain extent. Bewdy Joan!  {Tristanrobins 'Beer Ball' sounds interesting?} ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 9/14/07 at 1:07am
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My thought exactly... beer ball? Please explain for the Aussies and midwesterners among us. |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/14/07 at 2:29pm
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I thought All halows eve was all about witches, goolies & weird thingameebobs?
------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: acmeactor
Date Posted: 9/14/07 at 6:26pm
| http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-MILITARY-HAZMAT-NBC-POTMC-SPACE-SUIT-HELMET_W0QQitemZ280153342481QQihZ018QQcategoryZ36071QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem - RARE MILITARY HAZMAT NBC POTMC SPACE SUIT HELMET - (eBay item 280153342481 end time Sep-21-07 14:30:35 PDT) |
Posted By: Kurt_Muller
Date Posted: 9/15/07 at 3:10am
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Try this, if you have time.
Inflate a kid's party balloon to just the right size.
Mix up a solution of epoxy resin in a big deep bowl.
Dip the ballon in it, or smear the balloon with it. Let it set. Cut neck hole to fit.
Probably won't work, but if you get really desperate... ------------- "It's only a mooovie". Alfred Hitchcock |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/15/07 at 5:27am
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G'day Kurt As this works much the same, as the inflating of a plastic membrane, to form concrete fora dome structure. Which is a great idea Kurt! How would it be if the baloon was inflated to under the size required. Then after the dipping & spreading proess, it was inflated to the full size? With a compressed & air nozzle. The size could be aproximated visualy by either shinning a light & using the shadow to fit a marked off drawing on the wall or via measuring. Would this give a smoother even finish to the resin or create too much thinging for the it? ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: Kurt_Muller
Date Posted: 9/15/07 at 6:46am
G'day Gaafa,
Yeah, good thinking! Good idea.
Have to admit I've never actually done it myself, but I know people have made papier mache spheres and helmets that way.
Only thought of it because I'm making a helmet myself at the moment, using resin and fibreglass mat. That's what gave me the brainwave.
Hope it works. If Lynne tries it, she should do it the way you suggested, I reckon.
Cheers,
Kurt ------------- "It's only a mooovie". Alfred Hitchcock |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 9/16/07 at 3:50pm
I"m sure there are plenty of beer balls in the midwest LOL. They're like beer kegs - but much smaller - and made of clear plastic. I used one as a 'crystal' ball a while back. We just turned it upside, made the whole a big larger so that it would sit level - had several small colored lights and put a tray of dry ice under it - when water hit the dry ice, it fogged and the ball filled with it...looked quite cool LOL. And it cost about ten bucks! http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thecitizenguide.com/images/party-ball.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thecitizenguide.com/definitions/party-ball.html&h=369&w=352&sz=30&hl=en&start=46&sig2=G0mWVoKfKeZov8OASQwgBw&tbnid=64T4qP7hwlwskM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=116&ei=IYjtRo_pMJ6GePTD-boG&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbeer%2Bball%26start%3D42%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN - http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thecitizenguide.com/images/party-ball.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thecitizenguide.com/definitions/party-ball.html&h=369&w=352&sz=30&hl=en&start=46&sig2=G0mWVoKfKeZov8OASQwgBw&tbnid=64T4qP7hwlwskM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=116&ei=IYjtRo_pMJ6GePTD-boG&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbeer%2Bball%26start%3D42%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/16/07 at 9:43pm
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What a beaut idea! your own beer individual dispenser! Probably more difficult to stack in the fridge. than a slab of stubbies or tinnies! I could see they would an air of sophistication for the average grogardists  ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 9/17/07 at 12:22am
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We may have them in the midwest (beerballs), but I've never seen one until now! It looks like it would work great -- very versitile, too. |
Posted By: Lynn Mc2
Date Posted: 9/18/07 at 10:35am
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Beer Ball!!! My husband has seen them, however I checked with the local distributors and no one has them. Any other sources?? I did find a decoration that looks like a large crystal ball with an ugly fortune teller's head inside that lights up and moves at my local Walmart for $35. The plastic ball is light weight enough that I should be able to cut it with a box knife. Think I'll save the ugly head for next year...
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Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 9/18/07 at 1:01pm
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I am searching for a similar item for the gas mask in little shop of horrors.. the best bet seems to be from a plastics distributor who sells the glass simulated balls for the top of fancy street light fixtures. they come in all sizes (and "neck" sizes) or they can custom cut. ------------- Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.." |