Cardboard Construction
This mask will be constructed from two large pieces of cardboard, each of which will be folded up origami-style and glued together to create the top and bottom halves.
Shark head template
Cut out template for top of shark head:
This should be a rectangle about 12" long by 10" wide, with 4" flaps extending outwards.
Angle the side flaps downward slightly and extend the back flap back an extra inch. This will create the top section of our shark mask.
Finish upper jaw
Fold up the flaps and use hot glue to hold them in place, creating a rigid boxy structure.
Lower jaw
Cut out a pattern for the lower jaw, keeping dimensions in line with the upper jaw.
Unlike the top part, this one must include a large cut away space to allow room for your head and neck while wearing it.
Finish lower jaw
Add teeth to bottom jaw.
Fold and glue the flaps of the jaw in place.
Add a hinge. A 3/8" wooden dowel works well for this purpose, but any sufficiently stiff rod will do.
Connect the halves
Connect the top and bottom halves of the shark head using a dowel.
At this point you can add a cardboard washer to hold the dowel in place.
Skull cap
Cut out a rectangular piece of cardboard and round out one side.
Fold this into a small bowl shape. This will fit over the top of your head and allow you to wear the mask.
String it together
Thread a piece of string or fishing line through the bottom edge of the lower jaw.
Tie off one of the the line with a knot and tie the other end to the servo arm.
Motorize it
Get the servo connector (horn) with the circular part and one arm. Attach it to the servo motor but don't screw it down yet. You may need to make adjustments as the horn can fit in different positions.
Glue servo motor inside the mask. A large dollop of hot glue or piece of double sided foam tape works well for this.
Now is a good time to test out the code and make sure the servo arm doesn't bump into anything as it's moving If it is bumping, adjust the horn placed on top of the servo to another angle until the movement is close to being correct. Fine adjustments can be changed in code by changing the numbers used for close and open mouth movements.
Power
On the other side of the mask, glue a short piece of cardboard in place to hold a battery in place.
This will allow you to easily remove the battery if necessary for charging.
Shark fin
Cut out a large shark fin and glue it to the top of the mask.
This small detail will instantly distinguish you as the deep sea predator that you are.
Shark eyes (optional)
Cut a ping pong ball in half to create some eyes.
Glue the unblinking eyes to the side of the shark's head.
Blank stare
Draw some large ovals in the center of each eye, re-creating the terrifying blank stare of a shark.
Final steps
At this point you can stick the Circuit Playground Express board somewhere safely inside the mask, using double sided foam tape to hold it in place.
Place it somewhere close to where your mouth will be, which will make it easy to trigger on command, but make sure there is still a way to connect it to your computer via the micro USB port in case you wan to make changes to the code later.
You shark mask should now contain all the necessary electronics hidden sneakily away inside, while looking quite intimidating from the outside.
Land shark ahoy!
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