The Batman (On a budget)

batfan10

Sr Member
Ended up getting one of these cheap ebay cowls. Originaly I wasnt planning on it, but a few people on youtube mentioned that these come from a 3D printed cowl so it got me interested.
(ebay photo: You can see some print lines by the eyebrow)
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What I plan to do
- Glue the cut in the back (Gorilla glue?) and open up the front to adjust the sizing to fit and to allow it to open more like the film verson
s-l1600.jpg

- Plastidip the cowl. This should help with the print lines and cover the unpainted edges/inside of the cowl that can be seen
- 3D print a shell of sorts for the front of the cowl to give it more structure. I may also 3d print ear fillers or just use foam.


Does anyone have any idea what 3D print file these cowls came from? That would allow a better fitting with the 3d printed shell
 
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I've got one of those in my collection, too...can't wait to see what you do with it! :D

Rob
How do you like it? Mine got shipped today and it wont be here for a while.

Edit: Going thru TikTok and found a guy who modded (not sure how) his cheap cowl. Not too bad, though it looks like I'll have to foam the neck area to help it stay ridgid it
 
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How do you like it? Mine got shipped today and it wont be here for a while.

Edit: Going thru TikTok and found a guy who modded (not sure how) his cheap cowl. Not too bad, though it looks like I'll have to foam the neck area to help it stay ridgid it
It's really thin, but the latex is tough stuff. It could definitely use some mods, like sealing the rear split, trimming the eyeholes and opening up the throat for ease of wearing.

My only issue is the size...I have a 24" head, and although it fits really tight and firm, it's also too small for me, in that the eyeholes ride up pretty high, and my nose (not small, by any standard) sticks out of the bottom of the cowl ala Adam West.

I trimmed out the eyeholes some and that helped, but overall the Rubies version fits me better, because it's a size 24.5" to 25".

This eBay version would be great for someone on a tight budget, has a 23" head, and is willing to make some mods.

Rob
 
It's really thin, but the latex is tough stuff. It could definitely use some mods, like sealing the rear split, trimming the eyeholes and opening up the throat for ease of wearing.

My only issue is the size...I have a 24" head, and although it fits really tight and firm, it's also too small for me, in that the eyeholes ride up pretty high, and my nose (not small, by any standard) sticks out of the bottom of the cowl ala Adam West.

I trimmed out the eyeholes some and that helped, but overall the Rubies version fits me better, because it's a size 24.5" to 25".

This eBay version would be great for someone on a tight budget, has a 23" head, and is willing to make some mods.

Rob
I have the rubies too and its too big, though I can mod that. But my head is 22'' so I'm really looking foward to this mask even more! Should be here by Saturday!
 
Modded my Rubies cowl. I did the same method that I'll do with the Ebay cowl (plus added foam inside. Still not 100% fit tho). I did also plasti-dip it after removing some of the casting defects. I also cut the nose out, the mask did not lose any structure doing so.
Before
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After
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For the ebay cowl, tracking hasnt updated since it was "PICK UP BY SHIP PTNR USPS AWAITS ITEM" Will give it time tho.
 
Noticed that side of the cowl gets tucked into the bottom neck piece. I decided to cut the bottom neck piece off and back it with foam and extend the soft velcro side down the rest of the cown.
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I extended the neck piece with foam and attached the spikey velcro
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Now the neck can come in tigher and present a cleaner look. All I have to do it plasti-dip the daimond neck piece for a cleaner look
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Did the neck guard today. I was originally going to make this put of foam, until I realized I suck at working with foam lol I decided to stick with the Rubies piece.

1) glue both sized together using the supplied Velcro straps (to help keep it together while the glue dries).
2) Fold in the top curve and glue it to the inside, this gives the piece a tighter more leather look

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3) Attach the spiky Velcro to both the back and front of the very front tips of the neck guard. This will allow the neck guard to stick to the throat cover and each other (can help with sizing).
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Finally attach the front neck armor to the neck guard and the throat cover (might require some pressing down to adhere to both pieces.
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I think this completes my Rubies mod! The only other thing I can think of is taking real thread and stitching it into the mask.
 
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Filled the ears in with foam, working on adding structure (2mm foam) to the chin/throat cover (also extending it). Sadly it doenst look like it will be compatible with the rubies.
 

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Glued up the back and backed it with 2mm foam. Used foam to stiffen the brow area and realized that adhesive Velcro is rigid and flexible enough to thicken the cowl up. I used the soft side for places that will touch skin and the spiky side for the top. Air bubbles can form from the Velcro but they can be smoothed out, or the Velcro can be removed rather easily and replaced to reduce air bubbled.


I also redid the chin strap using Velcro (spiky on the sides over the existing foam and soft on the bottom. Works really well! I forgot to take photos of inside the mask and the enhanced chin strap, but I’ll post them when the plasti-dip is dry.
 

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plastidip is done, except painting the back foam (still shows with flash photography) I'd say this is done for now.
 

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Yeah, but after you weather it and maybe add some white paint to the threads, it will really snap! :)

Check out what this guy on Facebook did with his Rubie's cowl...


Rob
Oh dang that does look awesome! I was toying with the idea of using real thread but that might be too much
Lighting, Ebay vs. Rubies
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Had a piece of pleather from a Bat-Fleck project I never did, so I gave the cowl another (slighltly more generouse) coat of Plastidip and used the pleather as a textutre. Print lines are still visible, but not as bad in person. Overall, I'm pleased with how this is turning out. Much better than when I first got the cowl.

It is more subtle in person, but at the right light it can get close to these photos

Small update. Added some structure to the top eyelids with 2mm foam. I traced the eyes and cut out a brow support. Glued the back of the foam to the brow and glued the top of the eye hole to the bottom edge of the foam. This fixed the drooping eye problem (last to photos).

I also added the Rubies collar as I think it works well.
 

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Question: do you prep the latex before spraying Plastidip or just spray it straight on?

Also, have any of you ever tried Flex seal for a cowl?

Thanks.
 

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