Skull Enclosure

[Skullptor]

This is dead-icated to Anastasia; Someone who I have learned likes skeletons as much as I do.

So, do you want to make an enclosure with that skull you have laying around?

First, if you are thinking about trying this. Do not buy the 3B skull. Even though it's a much better representation of a skull, these Chinese knock-offs work better as they are much heavier and thicker plastic, and cheaper @$25

Take the mandible off you will not need it, BUT it also makes a great water dish holder and decoration in another enclosure. I stained the skull with water-based stain.

Mandible as a water dish holder.

I should have posted this around election time, oh well. I don't throw much out as I seem to find a use for just about everything. Find your local losers signs, you will need 3 of them. cut the lengths off both ends like this.

The tabs of the Frontal bone that lock it onto the Parietal bone, are the same diameter as the rebar (That is what I'll call the metal rods)

So the rebar fits right into the holes. Here they are in the Parietal bone, but we are not ready for this yet. They still need to be cut and shaped. I Just wanted to illustrate my point in hopes of thwarting any question of wanting to see it.



Any questions about anything up to this point?

 

[Skullptor]

Clear .5" thick sheet.

Trace the outline of the Parietal bone onto the acrylic.

Boda-boom-boda bing!

 

[bamato]

More!! More!!!

 

[Skullptor]

ok

cut a hole less than 1/2 way through and line up the rebar.

cut a hole less than 1/2 way through for the tabs of the Frontal bone to fit snug.

Insert the rebar into each hole. Right now I'm only fitting it - no glue yet!

Take a look. I tried it with the front slanting but it cuts out the ability to view the entire enclosure.

It looks like it's slanting but it's not. If it is then trim the rebar to adjust.

Make sure the Frontal bone snaps onto the acrylic. The acrylic is the enclosure and a center hole will be cut for a feeder hole. The Frontal bone it a false top that covers the feeder hole.

Right now it has no legs and it's top heavy. I am using the mandible to hold it up as I take a photo.

 

[Endagr8]

Finish it!!

 

[ReMoVeR]

wooooww amazing...1! cmon cmon more more moooreee!!!

 

[Skullptor]

I had a mishap. I was molding my heated acrylic that wrapped the head in one piece and it snapped making the last bend.

So I'm going to do something different with this one. I cut the pieces in sections and decided to stitch the panels together with 40lb. nylon fishing line.

I've only stitched the vertical seams and left them hanging loose.

I'm going to line it up and tighten it all up when I get the horizontal seams stitched. At least I don't need to make ventilation holes now.

I made the feeder hole. It's under the frontal bone. Too tired to remember to get a photo of it.

 

[Skullptor]

I drilled the holes in the Parietal bone too big and it wasn't as sturdy as I wanted, so I switched the rebar out for threaded rods.

The two front pieces of acrylic are curved to follow the curve of the skull.

Feeder hole. The top comes off for access.

Base is temporary. I want to mold the bottom so it fits perfectly.

I haven't drilled the recess holes in the cap.

I think my Irminia will like it.

 

[Anastasia]

OMG! that is awesome!
you are very talented, that enclosure look great!
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Irminia will do great job 'decorating'
will be alot of webbing, bet you that would look great is well
:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

awesome enclosure but the only thing I'm worried about is a T getting a foot stuck in the fishing line.

 

[Skullptor]

OMG! that is awesome!
you are very talented, that enclosure look great!
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Irminia will do great job 'decorating'
will be alot of webbing, bet you that would look great is well
:clap: :clap: :clap:

Thank you!
Yea, I thought a big webber would really work good in it too, along with the colors made the Irminia the best choice for me.

awesome enclosure but the only thing I'm worried about is a T getting a foot stuck in the fishing line.

I thought about that when the full sheet broke and I had to think on my feet. I thought if I made it as tight as I can it would be ok. I sure hope you are not right.

*I will add that I can lift the stitched sheets out. They sit over the threaded rod so the stitch is really only prominent on the outside. If you look real close at the picks you can see the rod covering the connection point.

 

[Protectyaaaneck]

yeah,the fishing line looked pretty tight from the pics. Its a nice enclosure anyways. What are you gonna put in it?

 

[Skullptor]

yeah,the fishing line looked pretty tight from the pics. Its a nice enclosure anyways. What are you gonna put in it?

A psalmopoeus irminia.

 

[UrbanJungles]

FRANKENCAGE!

:clap:

 

[GartenSpinnen]

That looks awesome! What if you coated the inside fishing line with a tiny bit of aquarium silicone, just enough to make it stick to the plastic? Just an idea, then you wouldn't have to worry about a stuck leg or anything. Congrats on that ,it looks wonderful!

-Nate

 

[codykrr]

amazing! simply amazing!....i couldnt help but also think that if you were to put this on a pole and place a candle in it, it would also make a very awsome "tiki torch" for the yard!keep up the amazing work and hope to see it when you put your T in there!

 

[Skullptor]

FRANKENCAGE!

:clap:

That's funny. I think I'll call it that.

That looks awesome! What if you coated the inside fishing line with a tiny bit of aquarium silicone, just enough to make it stick to the plastic? Just an idea, then you wouldn't have to worry about a stuck leg or anything. Congrats on that ,it looks wonderful!

-Nate

Great idea! I'll look into that.

amazing! simply amazing!....i couldnt help but also think that if you were to put this on a pole and place a candle in it, it would also make a very awsome "tiki torch" for the yard!keep up the amazing work and hope to see it when you put your T in there!

*snicker. I should make another one and use them as my porch lights outside my front door.

 

[Avix4me]

Wow-Thats pretty sweet, i'm kinda a music guy and was thinkin about makin one out of drum bass, or maybe an amp that took everything out of and sealed it up with some plexi glass (or however you spell plexi)

 

[Skullptor]

Wow-Thats pretty sweet, i'm kinda a music guy and was thinkin about makin one out of drum bass, or maybe an amp that took everything out of and sealed it up with some plexi glass (or however you spell plexi)

How about an acoustic guitar. They are smaller and can hang on the wall.

 

[aracnophiliac]

The fricken guitar is awsome.