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
4’x8’ Dow blue extruded polystyrene Styrofoam sheet 1/2” thickness
12” fully threaded rods 8/32” diameter (4pcs)
1 ¼” fender washers (4pcs)
8/32” wing nuts
Professional grade ratcheting hard hat
Lighting for eyes, can use LED’s – 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 won’t 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 you’re 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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Signing UpStep 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 ½” 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 ½” 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.
Don’t worry about marking the ear position yet, we will do that once the ears are built.
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 ½” 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 ½” 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.
Don’t worry about marking the ear position yet, we will do that once the ears are built.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUqjMk3I_x8
Saw you during Deadmau5's set at Ultra - bling bling bling was clearly visible from the stage, great work man! =D
Been a while since I've posted but I changed the ear template... now it's more accurate and has where the all-thread rods go marked out. When you print this make sure your printer setting aren't set to stretch to printable area... set them to none or no change. Also once this is printed you must take scissors or a straight edge cutter and trim down the inner edges where the four pages meet all the way to the black line so that where the pages meet there is no white beetween the lines. Good Luck Everybody!!!
the new one is the black one. the eyes still light up and there are speakers on the inside
Attached some images, but these albums show them off a lot better in higher res.
http://imgur.com/a/PmuQM
http://imgur.com/a/QG0EV
Go to Print and choose Custom Scale in the scaling options. Set it to 106% and the inside edge of line should be 13" across when you print it out.
Deadmau5 was doing a Halloween show at Petco Park this year, so my plan was to make a halloween inspired mau5head. I love to carve pumpkins every Halloween, but this Halloween would be different. I would be carving a Pumpkinmau5.
You wouldn't believe the "celebrity status" I had that night. I was taking pictures non-stop the whole night with mau5 fans. To really build the Pumpkinmau5 brand, I also created a website and facebook page to promote.
Check out Pumpkinmau5 at http://pumpkinmau5.com or http://facebook.com/pumpkinmau5
It took me a whole month to plan and create this design. And following in your guiding footsteps, I plan to publish some helpful instructions on my blog for other mau5 fans that want to create their own Pumpkinmau5 in the future.
Thanks for helping me create one of the most amazing and unforgettable nights of my life. Major kudos to you!!!
I've posted a public FB gallery of the progress of the costume if anyone is interested. (I don't know how to make a video of the photos for youTube). Please PM me here if you have questions.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100815450841796.2991338.2524468&type=1
I, (like alot of people below) Made a Mau5head for Halloween and got so many looks! and "What is that?" and "Where did you get it??"
Thanks a bunch! Here's mine :D Complete with EL wire lighting around the head!
Also I'm currently working on another and will take pictures soon~!
Would love to see you link back to this instructable as a reference, since you did use my comments to link to your site and facebook page.
Thanks again, and please keep us posted on future builds and updates!
Thanks for the awesome tutorial!! :D
i got a lot of complements and everybody wanted to take pics with us at the bars halloween night!!!
Neat tip for others lighting the eyes.. I used a cheap pair of really small globes for lighting floral designs $5.00 for two from Walmart! I dremeled into the globe base to rest them halfway through and they have an on/off button that could be reached from inside -they changed 6 colors and you could have them rotate through the colors too. It was pretty cool for how cheap they were.
And thank you for the tip on the lights! I love it when you guys think outside the box and share with fellow builders. awesome =D
I definitely learned there is an etiquette and responsibility when you wear a mau5head to a show. You did it right by staying back and grabbing attention. Closer in, I was worried about the head being jostled and damaged, and people were not all that friendly or interested in it. Oh well, live and learn.
I need to do some lighting upgrades in mine before it's next appearance. Please let us know on your FB page what events you'll be going to in the future.
thanks so much for the how-to!! soooo helpful :)
So awesome! love it!!!
Have you tried to do anything with other materials, and accessories? I love the top hat in your other photo, and some of your other designs.
I'm currently trying to experiment with making a fiberglass head, and also painting them. Have you gone into this area at all, and have any advice?
I like to do original, creative stuff, and really the possibilities are limitless. I have a whole bunch of ideas in the works for future builds using exotic materials and off the wall design elements. You really can come up with so many different directions to go with the heads.
As far as fiberglass, I personally would avoid it. To obtain the amount of strength you need it tends to be much heavier than the acrylic, and a great amount of surface finishing to get a truly smooth spherical shape. If you want to go with a cloth/resin composite I would opt for carbon fiber of carbon/kevlar. That would be pricier, but much much lighter than fiberglass.
I've seen many painted heads, and they actually turn out quite nice, and resemble many of the new heads that Joel is having made that are vacuum formed. Those are not covered in fabric, but rather are vac formed with a colored acrylic or painted after the fact, so you could easily replicate that look. I would recommend using the standard acrylic globe for the head piece, and then perhaps using your fiberglass as an outer overlay over whatever material you choose to use for the ears. That would give you a very close replica of a vacuum formed acrylic piece.
Keep us posted on the progress of your future builds, I would love to see how they turn out!
ROCK ON I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO SAY HOW MUCH THIS KICKS @$$!!!
WINNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmau5!!
Rockermau5! :)
( as modeled by my friend :D )
I love to do silly stuff with my mau5heads, whether it be adding accessories, changing out different ear colors on the same head base, or going totally crazy with the styling (as shown in the pink mau5head I made for his gf Lindsey!) Be creative, add your own flavor to it, have fun with it!
I personally would not make the head out of fiberglass, as it would require too much resin and fiber to be strong enough, and although it sounds easy to get a perfect sphere, i can assure you it is not. You can paint the acrylic if you wanted to, no reason not - many people have done that with great success.
Keep us posted on future ideas!
It's such a treasure to me, I love how I made the back logo a special light, you can't tell it's there when it's off!
So far I'm fiber glassing the globe. Originally I was going to do something similar to what the guy did, in this video. However I had a little bit of a cracking problem, and I felt the best way to get a good result without hurting the quality of the globe was to fiberglass it.
I put fleece over the globe (I read that it sticks to plastic better than fiberglass). Now I'm fiber-glassing over the fleece. It is taking a lot of resin, and I'm having to go over some areas because I ran out of resin. However it's coming along ok.
It is taking a lot of effort and time, but I hope that the finish should be worth it. Right now I'm stalled because I'm up north and the temperatures have gotten to be very cold. Since I'm in college and in an apartment, I have limited space to do it when it's cold. I also hope to stincle, it.
One thing I want to play with is adding a lasers to the eyes, as seen in the second video. Though I will have to play with spacing, power, and weight.
I'll keep you up to date with how it's going, and results.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8wHUJDedTU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiXVHDsge74&list=PL376B5FD486314B33&index=7&feature=plpp_video
NOTE: This template only works for 14" diameter Mau5heads.
Just wanted to say thanks for the instructions. I found the dimensions, tips and advice on certain parts very useful in the construction of mine! Its built from fiberglass, bodyfiller and the mouth is even made from perforated aluminium metal sheeting. I think it turned out class! Couple of imperfections on it but they could have been fixed had the time frame not been cut so short. I wanted it for the gig last week so ran out of "casual" time.
Nonetheless, check it out!!
Excellent work my friend, please, please, please send printed pics to Joel at his fanmail address. HE. WILL. FLIP. !!! =D
Thank you so much for posting pics, and sharing your work with us, phenom job man! woot!
Use a new very sharp blade to cut the foam for the ears and lips. My cuts weren't the cleanest as I was out of blades at the time and used the old one I had in my utility knife. Too much crumbly edges. I was able to sand down the edges to clean a lot of it up, and the fabric does hide most imperfections.
When cutting the acrylic globes, I used my dremmel. Go back with a utility knife to clean up any flashing (jagged edges of plastic that remains along the cut edge). Don't use the dremmel sanding bits. I did on my eyes and it chewed a few of the edges more than I would have liked. Hand sanding the edges worked fine. I ended up lining the edges of my eyes with a black rubber trim that I used to line some metal edges when I hacked a hole in my computer case. It actually looks nicer than just having the plastic eye glued onto the head, imo. It looks like this stuff:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5096
As frustrating as it was to get the seams done cleanly, in hindsight I might have checked about painting the thing. My material was very stretchy. I think it was 19% lycra and came from the "dance fabric" section at the fabric store. My kids said it felt like bathing suit material. I think it was too stretchy, in fact. It was hard to cut a straight line. When you give the fabric a slight pull to cut the seam close, it will never result in a straight line cut over a few inches. This may also be a result of my expectations of a seamstress-quality job, though. From a few feet away you can't really tell, and it's fine for my purposes.
I used double sided tape to hold down my fabric along the back of the globe. I started by clamping the fabric on the bottom lip and working it back to a piece of double sided tape along the back, then trimmed the bottom piece along the tape edge. Then I put another piece of tape adjacent to the first and used that for the top piece of fabric. You can pick the fabric up off of the tape and work/stretch it to remove wrinkles. To finish it, I laid a piece of the stitch witchery stuff on the bottom piece and pulled the top piece over top and fused them together. Then I went back and trimmed the top as best as possible. Trimming the bottom piece precisely wasn't as crucial since the top piece covered it. I spent a little more time trying to make a clean cut on the top.
Speaking of clamps, these paper clamps worked well and were cheap:
http://www.thezigzagger.com/2011/12/29/cable-holder/black-paper-clamp/
I had to use very small dabs of glue to hold the stich witchery in place. It slipped off when I was doing my first ear and made a bit of a mess of the first seam.
Keeping the hardhat glued to the inside of the globe was a big pita. After roughing up the surface and drilling holes in the hat, I dumped a bunch of hot glue on the top and held it in place, but it was still weak. I cut four simple braces from the foam used for the ears and lips and braced the hat to the sides of the globe. Worked great to steady it up.
I let my kid pick the colors and lights; he chose red. Unfort, red EL wire is not really red. It's more of an orange. I personally liked the "blue-green" color because the wire itself is clear until it's turned on. I used really cheap EL wire from Amazon. Thatscoolwire.com or coolneon.com have nicer and brighter stuff. Some EL tape would have been neat to trim the ears, too.
I used some cheap Fusion Reactor necklaces for the eyes. This company sells them and other blinky party junk on the cheap.
http://www.windycitynovelties.com/gcssearch.aspx?w=fusion
I pulled them apart and soldered this battery holder to them.
2 x CR2032 6v battery holder with switch
http://www.adafruit.com/products/783
I wanted to move the EL power sources out of the head. Less weight on my kid's melon, plus it moves the high-pitch driver for the EL wire away from his ears. He'll just snake the wires down to his pocket.
I originally drilled the holes for the eye lights too small for the connectors that I soldered onto the reactor necklace. I used the side of my soldering iron to make the holes bigger (and squared them off since that was the shape of the connector). Probably not healthy for your iron, but I didn't want to mess up the fabric after working so hard on it.
For the mouth I used a roll of metal mesh like this:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_90-16418-122410_4294753353__?productId=3160773&Ns=p_product_price|0
Somebody suggested this red mesh food cover from Camping World.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/mesh-food-covers/6536
I tried it and it wasn't big enough. The metal mesh I used was pretty easy to work with since it came in a roll. It wasn't hard to shape it for the mouth.
I also added some teeth. Using the piece of the globe I cut out for the mouth made it easy because it was already shaped. I sprayed it with some silver adhesive glitter spray to give it a little shine.
1. Lay one piece of tape horizontally across the entire back of the globe and stretch either the top or bottom piece of fabric to it. I used clamps and/or pins to keep the opposite end anchored to the lip in the mouth.
2. Smooth it out and glue it permanently behind the lip in the mouth.
3. Trim the fabric tight to the tape. No need to leave any overhanging. No need to be overly neat here because we will cover the seam (see step 6 below)
4. Then lay another piece of tape directly adjacent to the first and do the other half.
5. Trim this piece tight to the tape, too. Cutting stretchy fabric with scissors sucks--I didn't have a clean seam, so...
6. I made a "cover up" piece. My wife informed me that proper fabric cutting is done with a circular blade like this:
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/cutting-fabric-for-quilting.htm
I cut a piece approx 3/4 of an inch and put some stitch witchery behind it and fused it over top of my seam to hide the uneven cuts.
In my pics below, the first one is the ugly seam I orig made.
The second pic show what my cover-up piece did to hide it.
Mine is even more bumpy because of my first attempt to make the seam without the cover-up. If I would have planned on using the cover-up in the first place it would have been smoother. The flash on my camera coupled with the sheen of the material seems to over-emphasize the bumps, too.
In hindsight this approach would have worked well for the ears, too.
I think it came out pretty well. I hand stitched the globe material and used simple battery operated xmas lights for the mouth and glow sticks stuck in the eyes...simple but effective!
My 10 year old (and his brother) love Deadmau5, and he felt like the real thing...what more cold a mom ask for?
;)
Thanks for the instructions! wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise :D
here we go!
Red EL Wire
White LED and RED/BLUE flashing eyes
Red Equalizer
The best nationwide fabric store to check out is Jo Ann Fabrics. They usually have a good selection of stretch velvet and other 4 way stretch material. I get my foam at Lowe's and there are a couple ear templates listed in the comments, just scroll through, I think I may have put one in featured so it's near the top. Just experiment with drawing on paper and cutting out, then holding up and eyeballing it. Joel has SEVERAL different size/shape ears, so don't be afraid to go with what you like.
Stryo from Lowe's
There is an ear template posted in the comments a couple of times, its not the one use, mine is just a posterboard piece I trimmed until it looked right and i use it for every one I make.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.429229413804988.99042.100001538000891&type=1¬if_t=like
I have 2 question for you.
1. What is 14"?(i think that is 14x14).
2. Do you know if the site www.superiorlighting.com sell the items in Italy?
THNX
You are the best!!
14" is 14 inches diameter
I know that Superior Lighting does not ship internationally.... I do, however, think that 10000bulbs.com does ship internationally.
Best of luck to you!
I have a question on how you use the EL wire. Can you just buy the EL wire and solder it to the driver or is there a complicated process?
Red EL Wire
White LED and RED/BLUE flashing eyes
Red Equalizer
I have tinted mine and i'm going to put super bright EL wire around the mouth and ears
I hope this looks awesome
If you are in the U.S. and near a JoAnn Fabric store, google for coupons. My wife found one for 50% off a single item. That would have been useful for the fabric if I hadn't already bought it.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/mesh-food-cover-dome/35001
Good luck!
I got the 1/2 inch insulating foam from Lowe's
and every time I try to bend it it breaks ... I'm not sure if the foam you used is any different
but to compensate for that I put rubber foam weather seal which is much more flexible and it's already adhesive so I could just tape it on there, but when I use this the mouth opening still wobbles and i can easily bend the outline of the mouth, I'm not sure if that's good or bad because I feel like it'll be really easy to break the globe.
You can also spray the clear lamp globe to also protect against any light shine through and reflection.
Anyone know if you can get the strainer from? Maybe Walmart?
And silk???
Also what's the mouthpiece made out of?
Thanks for the help, I created this head in early march and it got alot of positive feedback!
Now there was one thing I had trouble doing when creating the head. I tried to wrap the head with a stretchy fabric and I did so. Problem was I had to do it where there is a scar on the bottom right side of the mouth where its noticeable (My right). It also shows at the left ear, its barley noticeable because of the ear covering it. How do you go on covering the head? I saw your tutorial but it never showed images of the back on how it looked like.
If there is a way to void folds or sewing how do I go on doing so? And if I have to sew a certain part(s) how do i sew it? I hope im making sense, its difficult to explain. Thanks again for the help!
Thanks!
If you get 50-60" wide velvet that is 4-way stretch, you will need one yard for the head and one yard for the ears. So a total of two yards to cover everything.
Please post pics when you're done building your new mau5head!!!
if so, doesnt that make the mau5head pretty heavy?
Thank you so much for posting the vid! I LOVE IT!!!
XD
apr., detane
so i showed him a pic of the deadmau5 head and he said get as much dimensions as i can. so i wanted to see if anyone could send me dimensions for the mouth, eyes, head hole and ears pm me plz thanks
Now my question: is your cooling fan covered by the same material as the rest of the head? Or did you use a thinner material of the same color? I love the idea of having a fan in mine, and I'm also considering putting small speakers in each side so I can play his awesome music as I trick or treat...
Thanks again!
When I install cooling fans, I simply cut a hole in the globe and fit the fan on the inside of the globe behind that hole. Covering the head is exactly the same as it would be if there were not a fan, I just stretch the fabric over the area as I would if the hole were not there. I don't use extremely thick fabric, therefore the weave of the velvet allows air to flow in, no separate cover type necessary. Hope this helps!
http://www.target.com/p/White-Mesh-Food-Dome/-/A-14024556?
ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=%7C14024556&
CPNG=&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=14024556
This might help if you are still looking for this piece.
I am building a mau5 head and I am near completion. I am having ALOT of trouble trying to cloth on the top part of the head. Ive been trying over and over and so far, I have way too many folds. I read what you instructed, but I need more imagery to do so. I appreciate your time if you can assist me on this.
if you're running over 15' of wire = long sound driver
The length of time it takes really depends on how skilled you are at building stuff, and how prepared you are. My suggestion is to get everything you need together, crank some deadmau5 on the system, and plow on through it. Stopping here and there to go pick up this, or buy that, can really significantly extend your work time. Get going on any parts you can gather this weekend (I know you may not be able to get the large globe until Monday) but you can make the ears, pick out your fabrics, source lighting, etc. over the weekend. A trip to Home Depot and you're well on your way to getting your mau5 done. GO GO GO!! GET TO WORKIN!
Awesome idea for your birthday!! Will be a legendary party. My advice would be to start building immediately, and get the help of anyone that is willing to lend a hand.
Good luck and happy birthday!!
the neck type on this one doesn't matter at all because you will be cutting domes out of the sides. The neck is not even used at all. Just get whatever you can find thats 6"
The swiveling visor would be possible if you can form the mesh to exactly fit the curvature of the globe after the lip has been built. This may be possible by using the cutout piece of acrylic (you'd have to drill vent holes in it or you'd be super stuffy inside the head without airflow). You would want to build a pivot hinge at the corners of the marquis shaped mouth screen which could be done by drilling a larger hole near the points of the marquis shaped screen, and threading bolts that are glued to the inside of the head sphere for the mouth screen to pivot on so you could move it up and down. This is pretty tricky, but through trial and error I am sure it would be possible. It would not work with the food cover mesh, however, as it is not exactly the same curvature as the globe.
good luck, and if you are successful with this, please post tips and tricks for the rest of the builders!
Great tip!! Thank you again for sharing with us and helping the mau5 army improve our build methods!
I saw in the comments you were talking about experimenting with other light sources beside EL High Bright. Did you get around to doing that? What were your conclusions? I live in Canada so I have to get going and buy something quick if I have any hopes of making this on time for the Deadmau5 concert on November 5! :)
Also, for the mouth, I was thinking about using drywall tape, which looks exactly like mesh, except it's made out of fiber glass. I was planning on using scrapbooking embossing powder to turn them silver. My only problem is that drywall tape isn't large enough, so I'll have to stick layers together until it's wide enough. The tape does have a sticky side and is usually meant to plaster joint over it... I'm just worried it won't be sturdy enough to support the mouth correctly, since I gathered from your comment it does serve that purpose too. What do you think?
Oh and thank you so much for writing that tutorial! I researched Mau5heads all weekend and you most definitely have the most detailed tutorial, not to mention the highest quality mau5head out there!
The drywall tape will not have the rigidity needed to support the opening, though it's a creative idea. I would strongly suggest checking a local Asian supermarket or cooking/kitchen store for the mesh food covers. Honestly, I buy food covers from a local Chinese food store and they are very inexpensive.
You're very welcome, I'm happy to help you guys enjoy the gigs to the fullest, anything I can do to assist with that really makes me a happy girl!
Have fun and post pics!!!
One last question though... You mentioned that you installed some sort of ventilation system in the head and I'd really like to do something like that. Knowing my friend, he'll dance like crazy and will end up passing out from overheat if I don't. I'm stumped as to where I could buy a fan to put in the hat though. Where did you go and what did you buy?
Thanks so much for answering so fast BTW... it's so much appreciated!
Oh! And I've already started taking step by step pictures so I can regal you with a YouTube video afterwards ;)
BTW, I'm still waiting for the globe to come in. The guy at the company said they were "backorder because a lot of people are buying them to make Halloween costumes with them" ;)
I also added window screen on the inside of the head as a 3rd layer after the mesh (so from the outside to the inside you have the white/sheer fabric, the fiberglass mesh and window screen). It enhances vision a lot. Even with the mouth outlined in EL Wire, you can see through the mouth very easily.
Oh! And I ended up sewing the mau5head... Stich witchery was pissing me off too much :P
Thank you sooooo much for your tutorial! It was clear, and very easy to follow, though this was far from being a simple craft!
Pictures and or videos are coming soon I promise!
glad it got featured!
I really like the ears just the way you have them and that was how I wanted to make mine from the start. Is there a way you can send me a copy of those ears and I could print it out and trace them oorrr any other ideas? PLZZZ!!!???!!1!
I think making sure the ears are the right size and shape is one of the biggest things im having trouble with =[
Chemic4lblood@yahoo.com
TY!
Can anyone build me a Mau5 head? Im willing to pay? Pretty pretty please!!!
...IT'S TIME TO BUILD !!!!!!!!!§§§§!!!!!!!!§!!!§!!!111!!!!§§§!!!!
The acrylic lamp globe is the best alternative to build heads over a chintzy hamster ball, sure to crumble paper mache, and over heavy fiberglass or metal, but it is not TOUGH. The acrylic can crack, shatter, chip, and potentially injure you, so every effort should be made to protect it from damage. Do not drop it, smack it into things, crash into stuff wearing it, mosh, or any other rough activity.
Reinforcement would be up to you, although what would you reinforce it with?
The most vulnerable areas on the head are where the mouth opening has been cut and the corner where the lips meet - perhaps you could put a piece of scrap acrylic on the inside of this area as a brace? Additionally, the holes cut where the ear rods go through also are delicate - if someone where to pull hard on an ear or smack it hard into something, the bending action of the ear could damage the globe.
Long story short BE GENTLE WITH YOUR MAU5HEAD! If you treat it right, it will last you for years and years.
Thanks a lot! :D
http://www.glowproducts.ca/glow_events.html
http://glowstickspro.com/index.html
http://elwirecalgary.com/
http://www.glowauthority.ca/glow_wire?b=1
Now, keep in mind I know nothing at all about any of these companies, they were just a few sources that came up on a quick Google search.
Also, you might try computer stores that do case mods.... the EL wire is often used to dress up the interiors of computers, etc, and many of those kinds of stores carry a limited selection of EL wire.
Good luck to you!
But i have a question, im headed to freaknight in seattle this weekend and i was wondering if you ever have trouble getting your Mau5head into concerts and if its a hassle to bring to concerts and should just be left at home????
Cuz i really wanna sport My Mau5head at FREAK NIGHT this year but dont want it to get torn up after all the work ive put into it.
Any input would be great!
And thanx again Intrica!
You may want to email the people at Freak Night to see what they say, and if they reply telling you it's ok, take that email WITH YOU to the party so you don't have any issues. Sometimes people just like to tell you no to prove they can, regardless of what the real situation is.
Have fun!!!! people are gonna FREAK! ;D
Contact me : david.dian@hotmail.fr
I suggest you print whatever you want to paint on the ears on freezer paper (on the non glossy side), cut it out using an exacto knife, which will create a stencil. Once you have your stencil, iron it on the fabric lightly by placing the glossy side on the velvet (don't iron too long, you might melt your foam underneath), then you can paint it on using stenciling brush and either 1) acrylic paint alone (which wouldn't be recommended if you're going to get your head wet); 2) fabric paint 3) acrylic paint mixed with a fabric medium. I usually do 2 coats. Once they're dry, carefully removed the stencil and iron the paint to heat set it.
The stencil will only be useable once or twice.
Most times I used one piece for the area between the upper lip back to the ear line, then another piece from the earline, down to the bottom, under the neck, and up to the bottom lip.
Some fabrics will require you to have a 2nd or 3rd seam. It really just depends on the approach you take and the stretch of the material used.
Good luck and have fun building!
Thanks..........(¯`(0_0)´¯).........
how did you put everything together though ?
did you just glue the foil straight on the fabric and then glue the wires on there too ?
-thanks
liquid nails ?
did you put it on there after covering the head up with cloth ?
also about the lighting ...how does it work exactly ?
I'm planning on purchasing the EL wires and wiring it inside ...
so I understand that I should make a hole through it but where did you put the battery ? did you use one single large battery for the whole lighting ? because I'm planning on putting lighting around the ear and the mouth also, I know you told me to get angel hair EL wire for the mouth too and that's what I will do but I'm a little confused about the battery situation.
sorry it's kind of long
The battery and driver for the EL wire is on the inside of the head. You can position it wherever you can get easy access to it while wearing. You will most likely need a separate driver for the mouth and outline unless you get a long driver that can power that much wire, and a splitter to give you two leads to work with. Give the guys at the wire supplier a call and they will tell you exactly what you need for your application.
On the neck hole, I like to set the opening ring edge just about a quarter inch past the edge that's already there so it's easier to cut. The finished edge is very thick and difficult to saw through. It's really up to you how you position it.
Good luck to you!
if you have a JoAnn Fabric store close to you, they have several colors of the stretch velvet (they call it lycra velvet) and also if you do a search on eBay for lycra velvet there are loads of sellers
I have bought and love this velvet
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROYAL-BLUE-SPANDEX-LYCRA-STRETCH-VELVET-7-99-YARD-/380177676093?pt=US_Fabric&hash=item58845af73d
and also love the quality and selection from this seller
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VELVET-LIME-GREEN-STRETCH-FABRIC-58-YARD-/270552744479?pt=US_Fabric&hash=item3efe33421f
their velvets look insane on the heads, just don't choose a metallic finish and you'll be fine =)
PLEASE POST PICS WHEN DONE! yay!
or is it more reasonable to just put EL wires around the perimeter of the mouth ?
Another tip to help make it easy to see out, paint the backside of your mesh black before installing it. That way your eye will look past the mesh, if it is left silver or white, your eyes will try to focus on the mesh and make you dizzy.
Metal Mesh Food Cover Dome
14” acrylic lamp post globe with 5.5” neckless opening
6” acrylic lamp globe – white
(also will i need 2 of this ^?)
Nylon tights or sheer chiffon for mouth
Dremel with bits for cutting, sanding, and drilling
Thanks
P.s Thank you im planning on building this, this is an amazing tutorial im 13 and i love Deadmau5 :)
Lamp globes - local lighting supply store
(6" globe you only need one as pictured in the tutorial, Home Depot sells these)
Nylon tights - target or Chiffon - fabric store
Dremel - Home Depot
p.s. you are welcome
BTW Intrica, thx for the great tutorial!
Thank you so much for this.
My daughter is a die-hard for Deadmau5. I've already painted two murals in her room of Mau5, and now beginning this project.
One question, though. How many times through trial and error did it take you to master this pattern?...Just curious.
Please post pics of the finished product, and shoot me an email if you have any q's as you go along!
This tutorial was created with the first mau5head I built - I'm a total nerd for details and part ninja, so my first go-round worked out pretty well. Now I use a slightly different approach on the eyes, as I found some clear hemispheres that allow me to make a 4.5" eye (the real head uses 4-4.5" domes for the eyes) but sometimes I use this softer, larger dome - just depends on the style of head I'm creating.
Go crazy with it, it sounds like you're very artistic to begin with having painted those murals, don't forget to show us how it looks when you're done! Good luck!!!
I just may take you up on your offer for contacting you via email. ..always nice to have some guiding if necessary....:)
I'll most definitely post pics once finished...of both projects (murals & head).
Thanks again
LOVE your step by step guide, it's incredible! Question regarding the foam -- what is the purpose of pulling off the thin plastic sheet? Is it only because it's easier to cut, or is there another deeper purpose? Reason I'm asking is I have a high density foam that would work, but it has a paper-like overlay that's firmly attached to it and doesn't pull off easily, so just curious of the reasoning behind taking off the top layer.
Thanks again for the amazing tutorial!
The reason I say to peel the thin plastic off, is because on the foam I use, it's incredibly thin, like thinner than plastic wrap you'd use in the kitchen. It peels off easily, and if you were adhering to it, the plastic is likely to come off the foam, and then whatever you were attaching (fabric or gluing the pieces together) would not hold. If you have a foam with a thick paper coating that won't come off, go ahead and glue right to that!
Good luck and please post pics when you are finished!!!
Also what would the measurements for a 16" diameter globe be? Any of you guys done that and have them on hand?
I don't build them in 16" diameter so I couldn't give parameters for that.
Michael
It's just because I'm in Singapore and certain stuff is harder to find here rather than other places.
Help! (:
I would *never* use a hamster or rabbit ball to build a mau5head. The ball is constructed in several pieces, and has air vents cut throughout the ball making it extremely weak. Additionally, the type of plastic used in the hamster balls is very thin and prone to breakage even if it did not have holes and vents throughout. If you were to use this to build the head, I am afraid you would be sadly disappointed both at the final product, as well as it would probably not survive more than a few minutes being worn.
The lamp post globes are not at all hard to find, you can source them online and have shipped, or go to your local lamp supply store.
im trying to do one fo halloween the evil mau5head but i dont know where to get red lights to put inside of it...
"http://www.lowes.com/pd_42729-236-263063_0__?productId=3033432&Ntt=insolation+foam&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dinsolation%2Bfoam&facetInfo="
could you tell me if that will be rigid enough for the ears but still flexible enough for the mouth? Thanks!
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=15348-46086-201549&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3014183&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1
- About how heavy the finished product is?
- How long at a time people usually wear them for?
- If anyone has had any back or neck pain after wearing them?
- Do people wear their mau5heads to Deadmau5 shows or is that tacky?
Thanks gang! Will post updates and pics of my final product here.
When I have mine fully built, they weigh about 4lbs. It depends on what materials you choose, but if you follow the same procedure/materials as I have, you should end up with a 4-5lb head.
Some people wear them for half an hour, some much longer, it really depends. I install cooling fans in my own heads and have worn them for 10hrs or more at a party and only taken them off once or twice for maybe 10 mins each time. Your environment and own personal endurance will determine how comfortable you are.
I cannot comment on anyone's experience with discomfort, but I find that I'm very comfortable wearing mine.
And, many people build them simply to wear to the shows. Joel loves seeing them in the crowd (just look at his Twitter and FB messages and you'll see many references to the number of mau5heads he sees in the crowds)
Have fun with your build, and please post pics here for us when you're finished!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Deadmau5-Head-Rhinestone-Version-1/step7/Installing-cooling-system/ ?
Could you post pics or tips about how you incorporate fans into this design? Thinking ahead, doing it the way Richmau5 did it would make the fabric covering task that much harder because you would have to work around the fan openings.
-alyssa
Hope that helped!
can you make one for me and ill buy it off you please? im only thirteen and i dont have anyone to help me with it
Thanks,
solereeper44
Just a heads up, if you want to follow Deadmau5's schematics to the dot, I found these acrylic Christmas ornaments that are only about 4mm short of the normal eyes diameter (114.3 mm wide [4.5 inches] )
http://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/products/1302_1302_1302_1039-18378-110mm_clear_acrylic_fillable_ball_ornament.html?utm_source=googlep&utm_medium=gpfeed&utm_campaign=gpfeed
They split right down the middle so you don't even have to cut them! :D
http://1000bulbs.com/product/20014/3201-14020-003.html
They're only $16.54 and shipping for here in Florida is $10.13.
At $26.67, it's a pretty good savings!
It's your mau5head, build it any way you want! :)
and the 6" globe is at http://www.superiorlighting.com/Plastic_Globe_Plain_Lip_Opening_p/02017-06waspl.htm
Yay!!!! I can't wait to see it! and FYI, that would be Goddess lolol I'm the girl in the profile pic =)
To post a pic, click reply to this post, and select "rich editor" and then at the bottom left of the text box it will have a button for "add images"
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR MAU5!!!!!!!
This is the most durable option to build without going to metal options that would weight far too much to be wearable.
the website you gave has 2
Thanks!
Also, as mentioned below, the opening in the main head globe does not matter as long as it is less than 8", and of course 5.5" would be smaller than that, so you are fine.
How difficult would you say it is to make the head following this "recipe" and the instructions, for me who haven't tried anything like this before ? A scale from 1-10 ? :)
Thanks :)
Greetings :)
Frederik Severin
I would say on average, it takes most people 40-50 hours of work to get the head built. I know that sounds like a lot, but this is very detailed, craftsman specific type work and simply takes time - you don't want to rush through it.
If you make sure to spend time on it on the weekends or after school, you should have no problem at all finishing it by Halloween. Good luck!
THE PLACE where I live IS india !! ... AND I A BIG FAN OF DEADMAU5 !! ovr here we cant find PLASTIC TRANSPARENT GLOBE !! bt a 14" PLASTIC GLOBE IS AVAILABLE .... cn WE USE THAT ??
Before removing the tape, gently score all around the tape edge with a razor blade so the tape lifts off without pulling at the paint you have just applied and will give you a very crisp edge on the X's
The only challenge is how to mount them and be able to access the battery pack because to make them look best, you're gonna have to cut a circular hole in the globe so you can mount the lights on the inside of the head. If I had one of these I would rip it apart and see how to best route the system, you can probably dismantle it and have enough wire from the battery pack/controller to the LED panel that will allow you to put everything in place in a comfortable easy to access manner, but I can't say for certain without having one that I've opened up.
My vote is to use these, they sound great!
but you could drill holes and then the light would come thru the hole but thats the best i got
cheers
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100572981/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
It looks very similar and I can't find any Dow foam at Home Depot nor Lowe's.
Thanks for all of your help!
What do you use to "tack" the EL Wire to the head?
Once again, thanks for all of your help!
also check www.targetproshoppe.com for hunting accessories and camping accessories
and also i want to know if you did some video's on Youtube so that we can understand well
Tks you and Peace !!!
In fact, Joel's newest head (the orange 5-ball) has no lighting at all in the eyes.
Also, some heads have black eyes. They definitely don't light up =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8n1KkJ8mcs
I actually do adhere foam to the backs of my washers, I just forgot to put that detail in the instructions. Thank you for the reminder, I will update the tutorial. Thanks! ;)
"ANSI Code: NOT SHIPPING FOR DEADMAU5 ANYMORE THIS YEAR." XD
Also it says there currently unavailable... Oh well, try somewhere else!
They will get you taken care of!
Break down of old head, rebuild of new one:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=1647293628548&id=1423165242&aid=2077956&l=899ac4f057
cool pic of finished product
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31339771&l=226156c6ad&id=1423165242
Im just wondering on where i can find something like this?.
thanks
http://www.thatscoolwire.com/
aslo what would you/s suggest to get to best fit the mau5head. (lenght, power, colour, quantity ect.) and also international shipping to Aus?
and just curious on what one you'd suggest (size, colour and quality ect.) and also good for international shipping (Aus)
I only linked it because it was a convenient method of showing you the album.
And thanks so much for sharing the photos of the process and finished product!!!
I am a little confused on what and how I am supposed to cut for the smaller globes for the eyes. You say that we need to cut five (5) 1/4 inch circles? In the picture though I can see that you just cut from the globe 2 times and we use the cut pieces as the eyes yes?
I really love the 2.5mm High Bright EL wire from www.coolneon.com. They carry only the best quality materials and have the best customer service out there. This is great for the outline as well. If you want an outline that is less obvious when not lit, I have also had great results with the angel hair on the outline. It's nearly invisible when off, but when you turn it on, it screams!!
Good luck and please post pics of your finished mau5head!
Great guide btw!!
What are the dis/advantages?
if its to big to fit in through the neck hole try the mouth opening thats what i ended up doing
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!
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
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.
Good luck!
thx for the instructable.
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.
Do you mean 4in x 8in or actually 4ft x 8ft........ and do you what store sells this? Thank You
Good luck!
Most people tell me it takes around 25 hours from start to finish, but this varies quite a lot depending on the skill level of the person building the head, and whether they work with or without interruptions.
For materials cost, you may spend as little as $100 or as much as $200 or more, depending on what fabrics you choose, where you source your 14" globe, and the electronics you choose to use for the eyes or accessory lighting. Also, the cost will be impacted by whether or not you already have the tools necessary to complete the construction.
I hope this helps!
Good luck!
I am able to get the curve i want in one direction but when i go to hammer out the other curve direction, i lose the curve from the original direction. So it's kinda like i'm flattening the piece out again.
BTW. Thanks for the awesome instructable.
A better solution than hammering flat metal into a dome is to buy mesh that is preformed into a dome shape already. A large metal screen food cover dome, available at your local kitchen store or (preferably) Asian grocery works perfectly! Just be sure to get a 14" diameter food cover and you'll be golden. Cut out the mouth opening shaped piece, stick it in, and you're done! No more hammering ;)
The photo below is of a head I made using the food cover dome for the mouth. It is curved PERFECT and no bumps or unevenness. The mesh is very fine and looks better under the sheer fabric too.
Please let me know if there's anything else I can do to help! Good luck, and please post pics of your final product when you get your Mau5 completed!!!
very nice tutorial
where do i get this big plasticbowl?
Call and ask for the owner Zev and tell him you are a friend of Heather and he will give you a great deal on the globe for the head and eyes!
very nice work
Yes, I do make them by custom order and I would be happy to build a head for you! I'll send a message to your inbox to discuss
Thanks!
Best of luck, and HAVE FUN!!! =D
PLEASE
And would you sell one to me?You seem to have tons.
Some people glue the mesh in place, but that prevents easy removal for replacement of sheer fabric or other access needs.
Yeah, I did see the dim's he put up yesterday. Those vary slightly, mostly on the ears, because they are for the evilmau5 which has the more rounded ears like I mentioned. I also make the eyes a little bigger, because I like a softer dome vs. a high peak dome.
But that's the beauty of it all, you can tweak details here and there to really make it an individual work of art. =)
Great job!