Steampunk Flying Helmet with goggles and headphone attachments

Flying helmets whether vintage or replica are really expensive so here is how I made one from bits lying around the house. PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT.

Stop press: you can see this and my other instructables in the flesh at the Scottish maker fair: McMADSAT, 14th March, 10-4, Glasgow Science centre: http://mcmadsat.blogspot.com/

Other instructablers will be guesting there too. More always welcome

Step 1 Materials list

You will need:

1. Outer layer
Ideally some thin leather, such as from an old leather coat. I bought a truly hideous pair of leather coats for about a pound in a charity shop (= 2 dollars in a thrift shop for USA instructablers) and the I used some of the last bits of that for this project.
Early flying helmets were often of canvas so really you can use anything that will keep the weather out, even old jeans would do, if your sewing machine can handle it.
Whatever, you use you will probably need a piece about 2x2ft.

2. Liner
Ideally some fake fur. Again, my scrap bag had the last scraps of a fake fur coat from a charity shop, bought for some halloween project i think.
Anything that will keep you warm when you are up in your open cockpit biplane, hotair balloon or airship, will do. Fleece, old pullover, sweatshirt or whatever.

3. Small piece of foam about quarter inch thick and about 6x3 inches.
4. Budweiser can (empty)
5. Buttons
6. Strong sewing machine, glue gun. I will make suggestions for making this without a sewing machine, but I havent tried the suggestions out myself.

Comments

[hardlec]

Being in Florida, a fur lining makes this too hot to wear. Any suggestions to make is thermally cooler?

[B_CAT]

I think it would be even cooler if you cut the earpieces off of the headphones and sewed them into the helmet. You could probably route the wires through the inside of the helmet and out the back, too.

[rgoodling]

One could then build and wear a flight skin under a helmet for the authentic usage of such. ie Quilted coif under a kettle helm. And... No disrespect for the safety issues that greensteam states but,, If you ride a motorcycle you are taking a risk. How much do you risk? If you go down, do you care how much friction your helmet causes? (and additional possible injury..) Or do you care more about how cool you look upon those many more hours you are riding with a smile on your face. Balance safety with Cool. I go with Cool. If you ride, you are going down. Know it, prepare for it, ride defencive. The risk is why everyone doesn't ride. Keep Cool!

[tbird45039]

whats with peoples obssesion about "steam punk" stuff? i don't see the coolness factor.

[fire_drakon117]

Some people like dressing up like they did in victorian england. Im one of them. I would check out diesel or cyberpunk

[greensteam]

Its about a lot more than the clothes I wear, as I am not a re-enactor or similar, just that I want to be able to wear more interesting stuff than what the chainstores sell. I am also a former engineer who wants to show the wider society that we should value what engineers contribute and steampunkers are keen on that too,

It is also very highly about DIY, very much in the Instructables ethos, with most steampunkers being heavily into modding of modern items like pcs, mobiles etc to look more interesting with wooden or metal added facia.

Coolness is, as ever, in the eyes of the beholders and there is a good deal of crossover with dieselpunk and cyberpunk.

Go to Brassgoggles' forum for a better idea of the breadth of the culture.

[juicymoose]

I don't know it's kinda cool I suppose

[marxdarx]

There is nothing to "get". Like any other hobby or art, Steam-punk is merely another theme. It's all for the ones who enjoy the style and fantasy. "Coolness factor" isn't the point. "cool" is extremely subjective. One persons cool is another's dumb. Obviously you don't care for it, in which case why even the need to reply? If you don't like it, move onto a theme you do like. What is YOUR obsession? (It's called passion, its a healthy hobby. Obsession is unhealthy. Art, as long as it is not taking over your life and health is a passion, not obsession) You can have something be a main focus in your life without it being a bad thing. BTW - DIY Is the coolness factor in which all projects on this site share. That's enough reason for most to create and share their art.

[RetroLeatherHatter]

I guess it depends on ones' individual tastes....I've been making/ wearing the aviator hats for over two decades, long before I knew about Steampunk myself.  Steampunk is just a subculture lifestyle  based on a fictional future or alternate history.

[k_man93]

coolness factor is over 9000

[gotanysparecake]

Oh yes.

[chance3020]

lmao, oh true.

[greensteam]

Quite. I think it either grabs you or it doesnt. I was at Edinburgh's first steampunk event last night - the arrival of Airship R1001. Some excellent entertainment but loads and loads of flying helmets and goggles. I would expect to see pictures soon on Flickr and Brassgoggles.

[RetroLeatherHatter]

Nice  first  effort  with  leather aviator  hats/ helmets, Green!  I remember  my first leather projects nearly 20 years ago,  sometimes really bad results!  But I've designed and perfected my own patterns  for aviator hats that turn out absolutely beautiful!  Check out www.leatherheadoriginals.etsy.com to see some I have for sale!  They are a big hit with the Steampunk community, and many owners wear them as everyday Winter hats, as I do too!  I even make them with animal ears in a rainbow of leather colors!  Ravers and Burning Man people love 'em!

[juicymoose]

loooooooove the hats !!!

[hirod3]

love your hat :)

[Kenta-Rin]

:3 I freaked out a little bit when I saw your goggles. I made a pair that look almost exactly like them! I used rivets to attache them, though.

[k_man93]

can you just use the hood of an old jacket as a pattern?

[greensteam]

Depends on the hood, but typically hoods are a lot looser than helmets. You are aiming for a fairly close fit, allowing for the fur lining. The point of flying helmets is to keep you warm when flying in your unpressurised, unheated, or even open, cockpit/balloon basket etc. Might be worth making a paper pattern and sticking it together to try it on, Good luck.

[momento mori]

you look very professional in the second picture. :D

[greensteam]

Dear Dr Crow, thank you kindly.

[m0r1arty]

Just noticed the Glasgow Science centre exhibition in the Metro this morning - can't make it due to the fact I'm camping - but will certainly be giving this site, and it's creations, much of my attention upon my return. Love the biggles helmet!

[bumper44]

That looks awesome!

Unrelated but coll video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXDLS1ZPVw4

[A good name]

Anyone know where I can get fake leather?

[greensteam]

Thrift shop stuff always a good starting point. There are loads of hideous fake leather coats, skirts etc. in most of these places.

[silastic armor fiend]

here it is:

[greensteam]

Excellent. I made mine too short at the back but I see you have got yours just right, no cold drafts in the open cockpit.

[silastic armor fiend]

hey, great instructable. i just finished it up myself. everything looks great and it only took a couple hours of work. i cut out a diamond shaped piece of leather and stenciled a skull on it, then sewed it onto where you put the budweiser thing. i did find it a little easier to sew the fur onto the individual pieces of leather and then sew it together. ill try and post a pic here soon

[gmjhowe]

nice work, now all is needed is some sweet steampunk weaponry. You know where i am :P.

[greensteam]

Hi, I dont really do weaponry unless I can think up some humourous twist. Any chance you might care to bring some of your Makes (not guns perhaps cos everyone dead jumpy about such things in Glasgow) to the Scottish maker fair McMADSAT on 14 Th March? I have it all set for a day of makery in the Glasgow Science Centre. You would be very welcome. let me know. regards nina (greensteam)

[gmjhowe]

Hi, well, we were thinking about attending, but there is also the newcastle maker faire at some point around then. On top of that i recently got engaged, so much time needed for planning etc, Then, on top of that again, Ive got a rebranding to work on. And, im working on an article for scrollsaw magazine... I will mention it again to the fiancé, but i doubt we will be able to find the time.

[bluesquirrel]

Congrats on the engagement my good sir! :D

[discontinuuity]

Very cool! I wonder if it would be possible to make a comfortable, stylish, and (above all) safe alternative to a bike helmet in a similar manner. This reminds me, one of my roommates has an old Russian tank commander helmet, made of foam and canvas, which would make a great steampunk flying helmet. Maybe I can borrow it sometime. Looks kinda like this:

[greensteam]

I cannot immediately think how this would be possible. Modern bike helmets (both motorbikes and bicycles) are designed to do two things: One obviously is to provide protection from impact, but the other, perhaps less obvious is that they are designed to be as smooth as possible so that they will slide along the road, thus dissippating the energy of the crash gradually. Olden days motorbike helmets were in fact not unlike rigid flying helmets, if they were worn at all which they often werent. When modern plastic helmets came in people often customised them with paint and stickers which not only degraded the plastic dangerously but also created less smooth finishes which could catch on the road surface and create more friction. Unlike ski helmets and horseriding helmets which are frequently worn with covers I think any attempt to cover or modify a bike helmet would be a bad idea.

[nagutron]

I wore a similar costume one day at Burning Man. I bought most of the pieces myself, though, so mine == less cool than yours.

[alex-sharetskiy]

comfortable?

[greensteam]

Absolutely. It is fakefur lined, so unless you are allergic to fluffy textures, it is very cosy.