Cable system in a mask, how do?

[valkyricarts]

Alrighty, hello hello, first post.

I'm here for more rather....specialised advice?

I have a very ambitious idea for a fursuit project (not something I see is discussed here often but, please keep reading.) where I want the face to open up to reveal a second face. Think, that first moment with the dog in the thing.

Now I know what Im thinking of *can* be done, my problem is the *how*. I've found tons of videos that look like they have the system I want to make, my problem is knowing what to look up to learn what I need to do.

My very first sketch of the idea

My second idea sketch based on "This guy made a functioning Demogorgon costume" by Insider on YT.

The final two pictures are my first attempt with my first hypothesis of an elastic only pull system. While I was hopeful, it did not work. There's no mechanism with this version to keep it closed.

I hope this is enough information to explain what I'm trying to do here and I thank everyone in advance who offers even the slightest help.

- Valkyric

 

[valkyricarts]

I'm also sorry if this isn't the correct thread, but I made my best guess.

 

[moom1881]

The Stan Winston School probably has a tutorial for the kind of mechanism you need.
Alternatively you could look at iron man helmet builds to see if there are any opening techniques you could adapt.

 

[xl97]

* Maybe clarifying this reference more? "Think, that first moment with the dog in the thing."... That holds no context for me personally.

* "I've found tons of videos that look like they have the system I want to make"
- perhaps SHARING these videos will help other understand what you want to do.. and offer better advice.,


The first this to maybe determine is... HOW do you want to 'trigger' it?

 

[valkyricarts]

* Maybe clarifying this reference more? "Think, that first moment with the dog in the thing."... That holds no context for me personally.

* "I've found tons of videos that look like they have the system I want to make"
- perhaps SHARING these videos will help other understand what you want to do.. and offer better advice.,


The first this to maybe determine is... HOW do you want to 'trigger' it?

Yeah I wrote this post at like....3am sorry.

"The dog scene in 'The Thing'", is just that. A scene in the movie The Thing, in which said thing has taken on a dog form. Its face opens up in a 4 way cross section to reveal a more skull-like face, like the doodle I added.
Here is that scene.

As for the demogorgon vid I first saw, That's here.

A different version, this one controlled by just the mouth opening, the one that seems lightest. Would be better for already wearing the warm as heck fur.

Last example, this one seems closest to the initial demogorgon.

I wound up finding the email of the guy who made the Demogorgon, emailed him, and he sent me a video (not one posted online) of his mask's internals with nothing covering them and so I have a slightly better idea of how it could be done.


And, sorry again for my initial post being so bare. I'm new to using forums^^;

 

[valkyricarts]

The Stan Winston School probably has a tutorial for the kind of mechanism you need.
Alternatively you could look at iron man helmet builds to see if there are any opening techniques you could adapt.

I have subscribed to that group on YT! They have a really nice tail from thier work on Zathura that I plan to study too. Maybe not for this specific project, though. But in the future!

 

[basementdweller]

This (from 0.36 to 0.44) should tell you everything you need to know to make your flap mechanism.

You could also look into compliant mechanisms - the disney research channel on youtube has a video about this used in puppetry - You might only need a cable on one side of each flap and let the built in compliant bends return the flap to it's original state by releasing cable tension. Insert some powerful neodymium magnets along the seams of the flaps to make sure they mate up for a nice closed state.

 

[valkyricarts]

This (from 0.36 to 0.44) should tell you everything you need to know to make your flap mechanism.

You could also look into compliant mechanisms - the disney research channel on youtube has a video about this used in puppetry - You might only need a cable on one side of each flap and let the built in compliant bends return the flap to it's original state by releasing cable tension. Insert some powerful neodymium magnets along the seams of the flaps to make sure they mate up for a nice closed state.

Oh huh, I think I looked over that vid since I thought it was just for actual robot animatronics!

The magnets are definitely a good idea.

I think Im going to make both layers (the skull and the outer "flesh") out of some EVA foam. That way I can hide air holes under fur and with some mesh. I wanna be able to still breathe for sure, hehe.

Thanks for the suggestion:>