Introduction: The Taxidermied Fish Helmet!
A combination of my two loves: Dead animals, and hats. Guaranteed to get attention and a laugh (and possibly a psych check.)
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
For this project you need:
A cheap, easy to drill through helmet (I used a hard hat that had been in my closet)
A preserved fish or similar animal
A drill, preferably high torque
Wood Screws
A cheap, easy to drill through helmet (I used a hard hat that had been in my closet)
A preserved fish or similar animal
A drill, preferably high torque
Wood Screws
Step 2: Prepare Your Materials
There are few pictures here, because i didn't think to start taking them until about two steps into the process. Anyways:
1. Remove any webbing from the inside of the helmet (if you can). Mine just unsnapped and was put back in later.
2. Remove fish or other animal from any mounting it may be on. Generally they are either glued or screwed into a base, so this shouldn't be too hard.
3. Set aside fish gently, being careful not to break the fins.
Get out your drill and screws at this point. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area, as drilling into plastic and preserved animals may produce fumes.
The piece of wood shown in the third picture is the original mount the fish came off of.
1. Remove any webbing from the inside of the helmet (if you can). Mine just unsnapped and was put back in later.
2. Remove fish or other animal from any mounting it may be on. Generally they are either glued or screwed into a base, so this shouldn't be too hard.
3. Set aside fish gently, being careful not to break the fins.
Get out your drill and screws at this point. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area, as drilling into plastic and preserved animals may produce fumes.
The piece of wood shown in the third picture is the original mount the fish came off of.
Step 3: Drill Into the Pieces
Sizes and placement of the screw will vary, and I did not take picture of the holes being made due to my hands being busy. You may want to have two helmets, so that you have one to practice on. I placed the screws about an inch and a half apart, due to a bulge in the middle of the helmet. I simply placed the fish sideways against the helmet (turned sideways also), and drilled through them both with two woodscrews.
Step 4: Test Your New Helmet!
I failed to take into account the fact that the fish weighed about ten pounds when I was putting it onto the helmet, and so it is a bit top-heavy. I may soon devise how to add a chinstrap. Yes, I blacked out my eyes, but thats cause i am a minor and don't want creepy people stalking me. Also, don't walk through any doorways without first checking they are higher than your fish.
Step 5: Congratulate Yourself on Such a Pimp Hat (and Explanation of Why I Made This)
I made this because it was funny, and for a semi-practical reason. The camp where i work requires that you wear a hat at all times when serving food in the serving line, and so this is simply a way of expressing myself when doing so. I acquired the hat about two years ago as a joke, after I built a potato cannon. The fish was given to me because the person that had it didn't have any idea what to do with it (as he had been given it also). I may post another instructable at some point on modifying the fish(IE, replacing the eyes with L.E.D.S, or putting an Ipod speaker in it. P.S: I know you are all tired of hearing this, but this is my first instructable, please constructive criticism only.