Cardboard Gas Mask

This gas mask is a great prop if you want to do an original apocalypse costume for Halloween. You could buy a fake gas mask... or you could have the satisfaction of having created an entirely customizable mask.

WARNING: DO NOT WEAR INTO PUBLIC WITHOUT AN ADULT'S PERMISSION.

In this day and age, you cannot wear something like this without good judgement.

ANOTHER WARNING: THIS IS NOT A REAL GAS MASK. DO NOT WEAR IF A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE COMES AND THE UNFILTERED AIR CAN TURN YOU INTO A FLESH-EATING ZOMBIE.🧟

What you will need:

Hobby knife

Cardboard (one ply and shoebox cardboard)

Premade salad greens container

Hot glue gun (and glue (duh))

Ruler

Scissors

5 inch piece of wire

Tweezers (optional)

Paint (optional)

Cut a strip of cardboard up to 2 feet in length. (Cut more, not less, because you can always cut extra off)

Fold it in half and cut it to fit your face (see mug shot)

Make sure it fits well before you glue the strip at the chin. You can alter the shape as well, just remember to compensate for any changes.

Trace the inside of the ring and cut the traced part out. Hot glue it to the front of the mouth/nose guard. Then cut a small circle out in the bottom or center, and make a recessed well with shoebox cardboard. Cut a circle of shoebox cardboard and poke lots of holes in it. Glue in in the recessed well. You can also make a grill by glueing successive strips of cardboard in layers.

This is optional. You can modify this so it only covers your lower face.

Take a piece of cardboard 2 ft by 3 ft (remember, there is no such thing as too big)

Trace the nosepiece where it meets you face (onto cardboard, not your face (duh))

Cut out your nosepiece tracing and place and glue the nosepiece in the gap. DO NOT GLUE THE CHIN UNTIL YOU FIT THE MASK TO YOUR FACE. Figure out where you want the eye pieces to be, and cut them out. Fit the mask to your face.

Glue the chin, AND MAKE SURE IT FITS YOUR FACE.

Then, fold and bend and twist and yank and pound with a hammer(kidding) until the mask fits around your face, and cut off the top of the mask so it meets your hairline. Cut 3 triangles out of the top until you can make the top fit around your forehead. Then glue a 2 ft strap between the eyes (this will be the main support strap.)

Glue a piece of shoebox cardboard over the forehead reaching to the top of the eyepiece holes.

Glue 2 more 2 ft straps on either side of the mask, corner of the eyes.

Cut 2 rims for the eyepiece holes, and then cut your eyepiece 'glass' out of salad container plastic. Make sure it's clean. Hot glue the plastic on, then glue another shoebox cardboard layer on top of the plastic.

Cut a strip of shoebox cardboard 16 inches long and 3 inches wide. Glue it into a circle. Cut out a circle so it fits the loop. Do the same on the bottom side so you have a plain cylinder. Glue a little circle of cardboard in the center. Add any details you see fit. Cut a 1 inch hole in the bottom side of the cylinder. Glue another cylinder in that hole; it must be at least 3 inches long.

Glue a plate of cardboard (see pic with blue lines) on the cheek of the mask.

IMPORTANT: GLUE THE CANISTER ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE WHICH YOU SHOOT.

If you are going to use a rifle as a part of this costume, this is very important. If you shoot right-handed, glue the canister on the left side of the mask. Or vice versa.

Cut a hole in the mask big enough to fit the smaller tube extending from the cylinder. Fit this inside and cut the tube so it doesn't scratch your cheek. Glue it at the appropriate angle.

Now you will begin adding details. Cut out a small flap from the side of the nosepiece. This will be for letting your exhale out rather than fogging the plastic. Make 2 pieces like the ones in the second pic. See the drawn diagram for visual instructions on how to glue them. The red lines represent the 2 pieces. Use a hot glue gun.

Next, make a cardboard diamond and fold it in half. Glue it onto the bridge of the nosepiece between the eyes. This only to make the mask more aesthetically pleasing.

Glue two more 2 ft strips of cardboard onto the bottom of the mask on the inside. These will be the last straps. Cut all of the strips so they come in contact with the area where your spine meets your skull. Then line all straps up at that spot and make sure the top strap is on the bottom. Stick a 2 inch piece of wire through all 5 straps. Bend the top of the wire so it holds all the straps together.

Make any additional modifications you want. Then try it on!

You can paint this any color you want, but be careful of what kind of paint you use. Paints that give off toxic fumes are dangerous. I used spray paint, but I let the mask air outside for a couple weeks, and I don't wear it for long periods of time.

If you decide to make a costume, I have uploaded 2 concept art pictures from Pinterest, and you can easily find more by typing in the search words "apocalypse costume"

For a weapon, you can use NERF or EMPTY airsoft guns. You can also use a bat, toy gun, toy sword, or anything you can come up with.

ASK A PARENT/ADULT BEFORE BRINGING ANY SORT OF WEAPON OR TOY WEAPON INTO PUBLIC.

ESPECIALLY AIRSOFT GUNS OR ANY REALISTIC WEAPON

Read the above 2 lines at least 20 times

Thanks,

The Cardboard Armorer