Introduction: Dress Up Your Dust Mask or Make Me a Kyuubi

About: Professional work in various electrical and mechanical fields, obscure sense of humour and typically willing to help... Currently under contract designing environmental monitoring equipment.

The simple dust mask is becoming more commonplace. You can now see people wearing them to the mall in an effort to protect their lungs. The standard mask looks boring and uninspired. It does however offer a platform for dynamic alteration of your personality...

I Chose the Kyuubi!

Step 1: You Will Need

A desire to be different... plus...

A hot glue glue gun
Several sheets of craft foam I used 2 orange, 1 white and 1 black
scissors
and a disposable dust mask. (Niosh 95 works nicely) Acklands sells 12 for $10...
Some scrap paper will help as well.

Step 2: Estimate the Materials

Using some scrap paper make a rough cone about the mask leaving a 2 inch hole at the end. This will form the snout of the fox. If you choose a different animal then adjust the scheme appropriately...

The cone is then flattened and cut in half along the propose jaw line.


Step 3: Cut the Material

using the pattern cut the foam sheets and leave extra material for the final forming...

Trim the foam to get a tight fit at the front.

Step 4: Fasten the Lower Jaw

Trim off some material from the base of the lower jaw to fit the mask. Shown is a 1/4 of an inch but I would recommend at least 1 inch of trim for a better jaw open effect.

Hot glue the center of the lower jaw tot he mask and continue to glue at the right and left sides until the lower jaw is fastened securely to the mask.



Step 5: Make the Upper Jaw

The upper jaw is formed from the remaining piece of scrap paper pattern.

Roughly form the shape then cut and fold the last 1 inch to form a snout. Glue the pieces together to make a rigid shape.

Attach the top snout to the mask as shown...

Step 6: Make the Nose.

The nose is a simple triangle of black foam with the side points cut off as shown.

Attach the nose with hot glue as shown...

Step 7: Make Some Teeth

The teeth are made by cutting a jagged pattern from the white foam material. The upper and lower teeth are made from the same cut. Be sure to leave a little space before cutting off the lower jaw line.

Fold the foam before you begin to cut to get an even line... The lower jaw front tooth will need to be cut out after the top teeth section is removed.

Step 8: Attach the Teeth

The teeth are glued in beginning at the center point and moving backwards. This is the same for the upper and lower jaws...

Step 9: Enjoy the Persona

The mask is now complete and you can enjoy being someone else for a short while...



Humana Health by Design Contest

Participated in the
Humana Health by Design Contest