I am in love. I want to make that metal grate mantle, complete with the torches. The question is, how? Should I search through trade me for that kind of fencing? How do I bend it properly?
I’d suggest not making it from metal, if you’re going for the protruding spikes look in a combat larp. Andrew had safety issues with his helmet at Wolfgangs Revelations larp, and it wasn’t that protruding.
Stiff cardboard or camp mat, maybe? it’d be lighter, safer, and you could reinforce it to keep it rigid without it being dangerous.
Derek had a system when he played Lucifer for the Hell game which allowed a real flame to come from the top of his head. Some kind of caving torch that he piped through to the top of his helmet. Unfortunately, I guess you wouldn’t be able to use it for a weekend game, too dangerous in fighting situations and you wouldn’t be able to go into any of the buildings.
Maybe those larger gauge electric candles affixed to the top of your collar construction? I agree the concept is extremely cool.
The safety issues I had with a kettle helm were in the big crush in the hallway. I knew I was evantually going to hit somebody with it so I retreated and got rid of it. I had been hit enough times that it wasn’t adding anything, anyway. When I fell fighting the pope hitting it on the ground gave me a bit of a shock but nothing serious. I was going to get it off in character but I didn’t really want a helmet underfoot with all those people and the slippery ground so I got somebody to put it aside in the time out.
The grating you could easily make out of campmat and paint. The part I don’t know about would be red and orange lighting for the fire.
This is something I would wear for a very short time to make an appearance then take off. I am not stupid enough to fight in it. But I fully do intend to make it out of real iron and real fire. The torches are not hard, I’m imagining the same design as your regular fire staff only with a small bowl beneath so that the kero doesn’t drip.
There is a lot of work in it, but if you’re determined, I can make a few suggestions.
I’d use aluminium, not iron. You’ll be able to colour it black easy enough and it’ll be easier to work (and lighter to wear). To shape iron like this (or steel because you won’t find iron) you really need a forge or a gas set. You can also get lengths of 15x5mm aluminium from Mitre 10 for about $10 for 2 meters.
I’d suggest for the torches using balls of cotton wool with kerosene, just like the fire jugglers do.
Cool, thanks for that Derek. I’ll check out Mitre 10 when I have time/money. Will the aluminium be able to keep its shape and hold up the torches well enough?
have a look. it might give you some ideas.
I have to agree with the no real fire thing though, as Mr Brown did get a little confused at one of his concerts, and didn’t wear the head piece and set his head aflame.
I could certainly agree with a rule that outlawed Vanya using fire. But some of us are responsible adults with common sense and I don’t think we should be punished because of him
Good luck with the whole flaming head thing Vanya.
I’m loving this for a fire elemental, I think it’s leather which is much more breathable than latex etc. Much less likely to end in 3rd degree burns too
I love the fact that we are discussing ways of setting a mans head on fire.
One a related note…I’m sure I could figure out a smoke machine that could be installed in a costume. Its not alot more than a heating coil and small pump hooked to a bottle.
Next step, finding the Aluminium. Funnily enough it was one of my jobs to give antique european paint jobs to metal furniture, so I can hopefully recreate the workshop I used to work in and give them the proper finish. I already have the contacts who do professional fire stuff who’ll be able to hook me up with what I need for the torches. I’ll be talking to them pretty soon too.
They make some pretty cool masks. It looks like they are all handmade, so I don’t know if they keep any stock, whilst they wouldn’t be easy to make it would be a great project to try and learn how to do it.