Make Realistic Steampunk Airship Goggles

I will show you how to make the most realistic, durable airship Steampunk goggles from stuff out of your recycling bin. All you will need otherwise will be paint and some duct tape.

Step 1: Eye Pieces

For these you will need 2 milk bottles (aka milk jugs, water jugs) of the 3 litre (6 pints) size. Wash and dry them so you are not covered in sour milk smell.

Step 2: Eyepieces 2

Using sharp kitchen scissors or knife roughly cut the top part off as in the photo. You should cut most of the 'shoulder' and about 1 cm (half an inch) around the opposite side of the opening.

Now hold this up to your eye with the long shoulder part of the bottle going across your cheek towards your ear. You will find that different parts of the edges dig into you, so gradually snip those away until the shape fits neatly to your face and feels ok.

Cut another one to fit the other eye.

Cut a very small slot (5mm or1/4" long) on the nose side and a slightly longer one at the ear edge. These will be for the straps.

Step 3: Eyepiece Rim Lensholder

Take the bottle tops off and cut a neat circle out of the top, as in the photo. Leave enough of the top to hold the lens in place.

Step 4: Lens

I used a plastic container from some tomatoes but any clear plastic will do. If you like you could use tinted plastic, say from fizzy drinks bottles, but remember that this will not mean the goggles are any use as sunglasses.

Cut a circle of the clear plastic that will fit tightly inside the lid behind the hole you cut. Screw the bottle tops (lens rims) back on to make sure they fit ok.

Take the bottle tops off again, remove the lenses.

Paint the bottle tops (lens rims) with a metallic paint (brass or copper) and leave them to dry completely.

Paint the eyepieces black or perhaps dark brown and leave them to dry completely.

Step 5: Assemble and Complete Goggles

To assemble the goggles after the paint has dried:
Put each lens into each lens rim and screw onto the eyepiece.

Using narrow strips of duct tape, cover the edges of the eyepieces. This is optional but the edges will feel sharp against your skin if you dont cover them somehow. You could do this by gluing on narrow strips of leather, but that is the for the perfectionist perhaps.

Cut a small strip of inner tube or leather for the nose strap and push through the slots you cut in the nose edges.
Cut long straps (20-30cms or 9-12") for the headstraps and push each one through the slots you cut in the ear edges of the eyepieces.

Away you go in your Flying Ace Steampunk goggles!