Too Excited Not To Share My First Predator Mask & Mod

[TitanPredator]

I know it's just a Rubies Deluxe but I did a bit of modifying and I am actually very happy & excited with how it came out, of course I removed the four plastic tubes on the sides they called "dreads" and added my own 24", 5/8 backer rods painted with Plasti-Dip. I also slit the back of the mask because it is just too big and I didn't want to stuff too much foam in it. I reinforced that cheap bio mask with fiberglass resin & spray painted it with black rubber paint (Flex Seal), then I sanded the front & painted it with hammered finish silver. I used 1/2" hot water pvc couplings painted with hammered copper as the dread rings and I'm thinking of adding some leather string and wrap a couple of the dreads with it. I have a few skulls I have found out in the field of animals (I'm a surveyor) and will use them as my trophies. I plan on airbrushing more detail to the mask as well as adding some resin teeth to give it a better look, also have some quills cut out that I will put on it as well. So far so good, I am really excited about my first suit, this will do the job while I attempt my first custom mask sculpt. Thanks to you all here for giving me so much ideas and thank you for any helpful comments.

 

[hannay07]

Congrats on starting your first suit! The mask looks better with the adjustments you put on it. I cant wait to see how it looks with the new teeth and whatever else you have planned out. I think you are like the 3rd person counting myself who has started their first suit. Keep up the good work and will be watching to see how it goes.

 

[1elder]

thats pretty cool i thought about using that same mask just dont have the patience to do all the modifications, looks really good

 

[made007]

nice mods. looks way better now, hope to see more of your suit

 

[afedorniak]

cool!!!

 

[Double H]

Nice, all great builders have to start somewhere. My first build I started with a 3/4 face rubies and did a full head conversion.

The Mods you have made on this have made it look alot more awesome. I can't wait to see what else you have planned for the mask and the rest of your suit build.

Oh, and congrats on starting your first suit build.

 

[ghostpred101]

It looks amazing can't wait to see what else you'll do this mask

 

[TitanPredator]

thank you all I am very excited to see what else my brain comes up with as well, currently I have the suit being done by my mom who's great at making clothes & costumes, will keep y'all posted

 

[Lflank]

Nice. That Rubies mask can work pretty well with modifications.

 

[METALBEAST]

Awesome man! I am doing a Rubies mask myself! Thought I was the only one lol! I am using 3/4" backer rod instead though. I reinforced mine with fiberglass resin as well. Plan on painting it a copper color I think. I don't plan on taking the bio off! Very excited for you!

I just ordered a Mr I suit this week. You going that route too? Congrats looks great!

 

[METALBEAST]

Oh forgot to ask, how many dreds did you end up with. I am at 34 now & probably need 6 more to get it how I want it.

 

[TitanPredator]

Awesome man! I am doing a Rubies mask myself! Thought I was the only one lol! I am using 3/4" backer rod instead though. I reinforced mine with fiberglass resin as well. Plan on painting it a copper color I think. I don't plan on taking the bio off! Very excited for you!

I just ordered a Mr I suit this week. You going that route too? Congrats looks great!

Oh forgot to ask, how many dreds did you end up with. I am at 34 now & probably need 6 more to get it how I want it.

thank you MetalBeast, I ended up with 40 backer rod dreads and I might add another 10 but for now it seems to look just right, I'm sure in the future I'll be like the rest in here and see something I didn't like and work on it again, as far as the suit I'm having my mom make it for me out of some cool looking cloth material that has a lizard-like pattern to it, she's a heck of a seamstress and I know she'll make a fantastic suit. Right now I'm working on the medic kit and shoulder bell armour and I'll post those pics as soon as I'm through with that process, thank you.

 

[TitanPredator]

Nice. That Rubies mask can work pretty well with modifications.

It sure can sir, learned it from watching your videos

 

[METALBEAST]

thank you MetalBeast, I ended up with 40 backer rod dreads and I might add another 10 but for now it seems to look just right, I'm sure in the future I'll be like the rest in here and see something I didn't like and work on it again, as far as the suit I'm having my mom make it for me out of some cool looking cloth material that has a lizard-like pattern to it, she's a heck of a seamstress and I know she'll make a fantastic suit. Right now I'm working on the medic kit and shoulder bell armour and I'll post those pics as soon as I'm through with that process, thank you.

I think yours looks like its got just enough! I am sure she will make an awesome suit! Gonna be following your build & hopefully we can exchange tips!

 

[TitanPredator]

I think yours looks like its got just enough! I am sure she will make an awesome suit! Gonna be following your build & hopefully we can exchange tips!

I'd be glad to help just as the veterans on here have halped me quite a bit as well, have you look at the video I posted about how the dreads look and move on this Rubies? Someone had asked on one of these forums how the backer rod moves on the Rubies Deluxe and to be quite honest I think they look spectacular on this video I made a couple days ago! So check it out below and let me know what you think?

 

[METALBEAST]

I'd be glad to help just as the veterans on here have halped me quite a bit as well, have you look at the video I posted about how the dreads look and move on this Rubies? Someone had asked on one of these forums how the backer rod moves on the Rubies Deluxe and to be quite honest I think they look spectacular on this video I made a couple days ago! So check it out below and let me know what you think?

Whoa! That movement is perfect! NOW you have me really excited! I need to get my last dreds sewn in then put some dred rings on it!

 

[Kamaji]

Digging the mods for sure! I am on the fence about ordering a RAW mask or trying to mod a rubies.

 

[TitanPredator]

Whoa! That movement is perfect! NOW you have me really excited! I need to get my last dreds sewn in then put some dred rings on it!

you don't have to sew them in, just cut a little slit in the latex & slide the dreads in there, they'll hold just fine without having to glue or sew em

 

[METALBEAST]

you don't have to sew them in, just cut a little slit in the latex & slide the dreads in there, they'll hold just fine without having to glue or sew em

Instead of slits I used an Xacto knife & cut 3/8" to 1/2" holes in the mask. With my backer rod being 3/4" each, they fit in very snug. On the inside it gave it a little bit of a lip. I just sewed one stitch by hand & tied it on each dread using the lip. It was a bit time consuming but it really holds it well & next Halloween the party that the MA school I go to has will have some children there & incase one tugs on it a little they shouldn't come out.

 

[TitanPredator]

I tried one hole with an "X" but it didn't look good, then I superglued the dreads to the holes that were already there when I removed the awful plastic "dreads" that came with the mask but I didn't want to cut holes in the mask, then I found a fellow Lair member who cut slits in his and those worked perfectly, tugged on them and they didn't come out. I'm also making my suit so I can attend the school where my wife teaches & treat the kids there, I'm sure they're gonna love it lol