Steampunk Shutter Shades

Ever want to look like a rapper from the 19th century? Well then, today's your lucky day because this Instructable will teach you how to make a pair of steampunk shutter shades! They are pretty easy to make once you get started and look nice when worn on the face, hat or around the neck.

Step 1: Materials

Items needed:
Circular vent covers (aka soffit vent grilles)- just a dollar from the hardware store
Simple leather purse- Goodwill
Maybe a clasp or buckle- may come on the purse or fabric/hobby store

Tools:
Scissors
Crazy glue

Step 2: Preparing the Vents

To prepare the vents you must first remove the wire mesh. Just put your screwdriver into the middle of the wire and use the edge of the vent as a fulcrum and the mesh should just slide out in one piece.
Next, wedge a blade of your scissors under the lip of the ring that goes around the actual vent and cut- it'll just pull off then. My vents are made of tin so they were no problem to cut, but they are also a little easy to bend out of shape so be careful about that.

Step 3: Cut Up the Purse

Now find and cut out an area of the purse with no seam that is large enough to cover the vent and wrap around to the back.  Once that's out, trace the outline of the vent part that sticks out in the center of the leather.  Remember when you cut out the circle that it's better to cut too little than to cut too much.  Next, fit the vent though the new cut and repeat for the other eye.

Step 4: Crazy Glue and Scissors

Glue down the leather where it touches the tin.  Then cut off the leather that won't touch the rim of the vent when folded tightly down.  This next part will take some time and precision: cut V's (not y's, the edges overlap and make the border look lumpy when glued down) into the leather and glue the flaps down.  Also do this to both vents.

Step 5: Connecting the Vents

Now take a piece of the purse strap that is long enough to go across your nose and fold over the sides of the vents.  Cut the strap so only the bottom piece of leather can fold into the vent wall by cutting off the seem and top layer of leather.  Make sure the vents' slot are horizontal and then glue where the leather folds are and to the tin sides after.

Step 6: Headstrap

Once you have a another piece of the strap that is long enough to go around your head and fold into the vents, do you same as you did attaching the vents together.  You may want to add a buckle or a snap of some kind as a way to secure the goggles on, but I just oped for the simple band.  Once that's done, you have a nifty pair of steampunk shutter shapes that you can see out of pretty well.

Comments

[Tobi Davis]

Awesome. I'm so going to make this to go with my top hat.

[Triggerhappy101]

**Looks at map.*** WE HAVE TO GO THIS WAY! ***Falls off cliff***

lol

[CrystalB01]

They do look really nice with a top hat

[Win Guy]

Must...
make...
these...
GAAAH! Too awesome. Thanks so much for this 'ible!

[modog4000]

this would look amazing if you put a red LED in them so in the dark you would see a red glow coming from the glasses

[acidbass]

that is so 80's ...................I love it!

[st.paul]

thanks!

[acidbass]

the vengeance of the 80's lol no prob keep up the good work

[monsterlego]

would that be the 1880's ? lol

[acidbass]

lol good one

[hvargas]

hey bro love these shades looking to make my own but can yu give me a link to a bigname hardware store i cant seem to find the vent

[st.paul]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_244086-10065-ML2_?PL=1&productId=1069193

that's about the closest thing i could find. from there, you might want to do some more looking online. when i made these, i didn't realize how hard to get those vents are.

[Jew934]

Can you actually see through these things?

[st.paul]

yea, but they do obscure your vision some. i would wear them and walk around but not operate heavy machinery.

[Ryutso]

What "local hardware store" did you get your vents from? The only ones in my area are big names like Home Depot and Lowes.

[st.paul]

ace hardware- i guess it isnt exactly a 'mom and pop' operation but the one i go to sure seems like one

[SLRMC93]

Cant wait to start making one of these they look amazing nice job!
:D

[st.paul]

thanks!

[H-Sama]

they look very nice, and ive been trying to find a use for those vents besides their intended use. but 2 things one to say and one to ask. first the say, when using your foot as reference to size, it looks like your making a big flat bra. as for the question, it may be a bit personal, but, are you missing your pinky toe? and if so is it just the one or are you missing both?

[st.paul]

lol i have 10 toes, my pinkies are just small and kinda curl under my foot.