All the way back! | Furry! | Projects |

New head for my fursuit! Page 1
Now that I have had the opportunity to wear the fox fursuit a few times, I have started to come up with improvements for it.  After making new paws and feet, I decided to make a new head.  This page shows how I made it.  Also check the page that shows how I made a new head for a friend, it includes more details on this same process.  Check the page for the new feet and paws as well!

Here is the modified Bell Reflex helmet that I started out with.  The back has been rounded down and the upper surface sanded out to get rid of some of the ridges.  The bust that the helmet is sitting on is a life casting that I did years ago, but a plain styrofoam head will work.

In this picture I have added 3/16" rod to shape the upper and lower jaws.  For the lower jaw hinge, the rod has been cut where the hinge is to be, and then ground down to a smaller diameter.  A small compression spring was then glued over the ends to give a flexible joint.

Here is another view of the frames for the jaws.  The upper jaw frame is brass and the lower jaw frame is steel; this was only because I was experimenting with the two materials.  The jaws on the table are a Wolf Jaw set from Van Dykes Taxidermy supply.  I have spaced the wire frames for the jaws so that these will fit in there.

Here I have added craft wire mesh to shape the snout and lower jaws.  The nose is again a wolf nose from Van Dyke's taxidermy supply and I have drilled it out to allow air to go through.  The lower jaw in this picture has auto body putty smoothed onto it to give the shape.  Both upper and lower jaws have wire mesh inside the mouth area as well to support the jaw set that I will be using.

Another shot of this stage, this time with the jaws held in the closed position with wire.

Here I am applying wire mesh for the face. Again, the use of copper and steel mesh was only because I was experimenting around.  At this point, I have trimmer it to match the edge of the helmet and the curve of the snout.

In this view, the wire mesh has been trimmed on the sides and rolled under the edge of the frame for the upper jaw.  Leave enough on the edge when you trim it to roll this under.

A view of the face before cutting the eye holes.  The mesh is held to the helmet with duct tape here, but this was removed and the mesh stapled in place.

Getting a little ahead here.  The eye holes have been cut and body putty has been applied to the face and sanded down.  Notice that there is no need to get the putty smooth here, it is not going to show.

A view under the chin.  Notice that the ends of the jaw are touching first; this is because the spacing has been set for when the taxidermy jaw set is in place, which it is not at this time.

Now the wolf jaw set is in place.  The set comes with a tongue, but it was large and "snarly" and so I bought a coyote tongue that I used instead.  That is what is visible here.

A view inside the mouth.  I put the jaw set in with hot glue at this point because I plan to experiment later with trimming the fur around the mouth and adding black silicone gums.

The next step was to make two small cloth bags and fill them with stuffing to give the fox the proper jowl shape.

Here is another view of the jowl pads.