SteamPunk DodoCase VR Goggles Build Night

Our local makerspace theMakerStation recently participated in an Instructables build night for the DODOcase Smartphone Virtual Reality Viewer.

We spent most of the initial meetup just doing the assembly and taking the goggles for a test drive.

You can find pics of the event on our meetup page: http://www.meetup.com/Cobb-County-Makers-Meetup/ev...

Following the event it, I decided to give my goggles a steampunk look using some left over gears and a failed 3Dprint of these steampunk goggles found on thingiverse.

Materials:

• DodoCase VR Goggles
• Steampunk Goggles, print only the 1st 1/4" or so
• Some small plastic gears, can be 3D printed or purchased from your favorite craft store's jewelry/bead section

• Can of $0.99 matte black spray paint from Walmart or similar
• Can of ~$4 gold enamel spray paint from your favorite craft store or similar
• Strap, I pilfered some off of some old swim goggles. Elastic strap from craft store also works
• Exacto or hobby knife. Take care not to cut yourself
• Hot glue or similar

There are two approaches to choose from:

A: Follow the assembly instructions that came with the DodoCase VR Goggles and assemble the goggles. Then paint and decorate.

B: Paint and decorate prior to assembly at your descretion

The following steps describe option A since we received the DodoCase kits as part of an Instructables build night at our local makerspace (theMakerStation.com).
Having never played with VR carboard goggles before, it didn't occur to me to steampunk them until after the initial assembly.

• 3D print your accessories as needed
• See material list for links to the things on thingiverse

• With a pencil mark a small slot for the strap
• Slot dimensions: 3/4" x 1/8"
• Cut elastic strap to size of your head or pilfer a strap from something else like swim goggles

• Paint the DodoCase VR Goggles black
  • Take care not to get paint on the lenses
  • I also masked off the portion where the sliding magnet switch goes.
• My 3D printer was loaded with bright green filament so I decided to pain them black too as a base coat

• In order to get that tarnished steam punk look, a good technique is to dab/smear light coats with a finger tip on high spots and corners
• Spray a small puddle, then use a finger tip to lightly wipe paint where you want it
• Keep it light and aim for the high spots and corners so that you don't cover up all of the black base coat to get a nice tarnished effect
• Using your fingertip lets you feel the high spots and gives an element of being hand crafted

• Once the accessories are painted, glue them to the DodoCase goggles
• Add gold tarnish highlights to the DodoCase at your descretion
• Take care to line up the steampunk goggles to the case so that they don't block your phone's camera

• Let the paint dry
• Attach the head strap
• Kick back and enjoy some hands-free VR action

If you are in the Atlanta area, come check out our makerspace in Marietta two blocks south of the Square.
Check us out at www.theMakerStation.com or on www.meetup.com/Cobb-County-Makers-Meetup/