Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

Got a fursuit to show off? Want advice on how to make one or where to get one? Feel the need to share pictures of your new wolf T-shirt? What about cute plushie or pair of fluffy ears? This is the place.

Moderator: YoteFox

Post Reply
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#1

Post by Blitzy »

By your most irritating member who cannot shut up! Here I am going to post links and updates to any tech I see or make that can be utilised directly with fursuits!

Because this is for everyone. Critisize my ideas if you think you know better than me, please do. If I become arrogant and complacent amd then my designs will obvious lose quality as I have no motivation to make such good quality devices.

Links do dropbox or google drive is probably reccomemded if any research is posted with a summary of it (all technical data and research processes take up A LOT of space if I do it).

A rundown of open source etiquette is just to respect other's work. Please reference and give credit where it's due.
And have a good time! If you have an idea, post it! If you think someone is messing up let them know.
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
Randall
Posts: 1616
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:15 am
Species: Funambulus palmarum (Squirrel)
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#2

Post by Randall »

This stuff can go in the newsletter.
And for the heavy electronics/techy stuff, there is my magazine which is not getting much love at the moment.
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#3

Post by Sudan Red »

Ooh exciting! I am artistic to a degree but not technically skilled at all. Would really love to see what ideas can be generated here.
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#4

Post by Blitzy »

I just made is thread for a dump place for the fursuit technical area. Too much of a mix match of ideas makes looking for something very difficult.
Thanks for the positive response! Ill need to post a few rescources here soon about cooling and heating if anyone want's to help me work with that all
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
Cape_F0X
Light-footed
Posts: 2294
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:35 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Vulpes chama
Region: Western Cape

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#5

Post by Cape_F0X »

You should PM Adagio. He has also shown interest in the inner workings of Fursuits.
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#6

Post by Blitzy »

http://fursuitcooling.wix.com/coolsuiting#!cooling/ce4s

So, Backpack or waist cooling system charged by these guys are just over R7000
Shirt and Pants costs About R4300 and R3870 respectively.

To whom it may concern, this can be considered as the highest upper limit. If we make a system more expensive than this then it is not worth it.

We are hopefully focusing on cost effectiveness after all, since us South Africans are rather poor! (ESPECIALLY me)

Analysis of of the cooling system shows me that it most likely supplies cold water that runs through a Liquid Cooling Garment (I love my space age stuff ok?) and is driven by a Battery (They state a 7.4V Lithium battery)
I have no idea as to how long it lasts.

I have no idea why they say it is patented due to the fact that LCG technology comes directly from the space age (First developed in 1962)

Anyway, as from tomorrow onwards Ill trawl through my spacesuit design pdf to find out about their methods and research of cooling and energy storage and Ill soon post a link to a google doc detailing information I have gathered.

Thank you all for taking interest in my little project. Greatly appreciated!
Last edited by Blitzy on Sun Jul 24, 2016 10:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
Randall
Posts: 1616
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:15 am
Species: Funambulus palmarum (Squirrel)
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#7

Post by Randall »

Plse check your mail, I did e-mail you about this
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#8

Post by Blitzy »

Randall wrote:Plse check your mail, I did e-mail you about this
Yes, I have received it.
But I am continuing this threat as a purification system, before I submit anything Ill give my work up to public scrutiny, and when all flaws and unnecessary costs has been ironed out then I will be able to publish a crisp and clear newsletter article.

Excuse my high standards I set on myself. I think I might have a severe passion in attempting to achieve SpaceX style quality in my work.
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
Randall
Posts: 1616
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:15 am
Species: Funambulus palmarum (Squirrel)
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#9

Post by Randall »

No problem.
Please do feel free to engage with me and Adagio, we're both engineers.
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#10

Post by Sudan Red »

Yoh yoh yoh... you have to be serious about your art for R7000!

Those little gel freeze packs are about R15-30 from Plastilon. I reckon at a pinch, two bigger gel freeze packs on your kidneys & about 4-6 of the smallest ones on your chest & abdomen should do the trick. Would be easy enough to sew a vest from stretchy material with the prerequisite pockets as a prototype. Now... if only we had some hot weather to test this! :lol: #coldfront #winteriscoming

I am NOT an engineer - I am just a cheapskate with a sewing machine! ;)
Randall
Posts: 1616
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 9:15 am
Species: Funambulus palmarum (Squirrel)
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#11

Post by Randall »

In terms of cooling, I have contemplated a Peltier heat pump
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#12

Post by Blitzy »

Sudan Red wrote:Yoh yoh yoh... you have to be serious about your art for R7000!

Those little gel freeze packs are about R15-30 from Plastilon. I reckon at a pinch, two bigger gel freeze packs on your kidneys & about 4-6 of the smallest ones on your chest & abdomen should do the trick. Would be easy enough to sew a vest from stretchy material with the prerequisite pockets as a prototype. Now... if only we had some hot weather to test this! :lol: #coldfront #winteriscoming

I am NOT an engineer - I am just a cheapskate with a sewing machine! ;)
I have not considered freeze packs.
If you can, try it out, preferably with cheap fabric and some insulation to not freeze. The first model should be a proof of concept, thus cheap so that a failure does not waste your money unnecessarily. If you need expensive parts, make sure they can be used in other things if things turn sour.
You probably know all thing anyway...

If it doesn't work, then we will know that.
If it works, we've got one more cooling suit model! Be sure to put your name on it if it works!

I'm unfortunately not an engineer. But I'm SO aiming for that delectable mechatronics field.
Randall wrote:In terms of cooling, I have contemplated a Peltier heat pump
A lovely choice with a small problem. It is solid state so no crazy noise and extremely easy to use.
Of course..
The least energy efficient of the heat pump family...
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#13

Post by Sudan Red »

I was looking into ice pack placement for hyperthermia/overheating and here's what the experts (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1 ... verview#a7) say:
Strategic ice packing

This is a commonly used technique, often used in conjunction with evaporative cooling, that reduces core temperature approximately 0.02-0.03°C per minute.[5]

Remove all of the patient’s clothing.

Place ice packs in the patient’s groin, in the axillae, and around the anterior neck.

Remove ice packs once core temperature reaches 39°C.
Hahaha well... no I won't be stripping anyone down, but the placement for the most part echoes what I thought (the neck, the armpits, but didnt think of the groin!). This is emergency placement but I will research if "maintenance" placement would be the same.

Apart from the ice packs (number to be determined) I probably already have the materials to construct something once the design is planned out. I have some thin terry cloth that should be good protection against freezer burns (although I recommend wearing underarmour or similar when suiting) & looooooads of polycotton & T-shirt stretchy material.
User avatar
Adagio
Warm Hearted
Posts: 3589
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:06 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Gauteng
Location: Pretoria, Silverton
Contact:

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#14

Post by Adagio »

I have some designs for a "cool suite" i designed back one summer in high school... I need to find that book...
It used those thermoelectric coolers that Randall mentioned and a little pump.

I'll post my model for a 3D printed tail here later!
User avatar
Valerion
Alpha Wolf
Posts: 2803
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:50 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Werewolf
Region: Gauteng
Location: ::1
Contact:

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#15

Post by Valerion »

This was designed by EZ Wolf for use in fursuits in particular, although it has branched out later on. There's two versions, one that doesn't cool as much, but lasts longer and one that cools more, but for a shorter period.

http://www.ezcooldown.com/



Some heads comes with fans to circulate air.
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#16

Post by Blitzy »

Valerion wrote:This was designed by EZ Wolf for use in fursuits in particular, although it has branched out later on. There's two versions, one that doesn't cool as much, but lasts longer and one that cools more, but for a shorter period.

http://www.ezcooldown.com/

Some heads comes with fans to circulate air.
I have looked into EZ cool, but they are so expensive that I can use that money to make a plugin-able electronical heat pumped cooler rated at 100W with centrifuge pumps and the works.
And still end up cheaper than the cost of the vest.

Airflow is also a good idea but it works at the highest effectiveness when the user starts to sweat, all that heat energy in the water vapor then gets pulled out, lowering total heat energy in the suit.
What I want to do is prevent the sweating to allow for a more comfortable experience.
And I want multi-purpose garments. It should be useable in all situations, so your cooling suit is not only exclusive to fursuiting :D

My aims is to try make something that is cheaper than the EZ cool because I want to make the tech avaliable to all of us. And I have an idea that it is very much possible with my current skills.

And Sudan Red, that cooling relies on the location of majour blood vessels. Neck, Thighs, Sides, all of those are relatively close to majour blood flows. Thus cooling it down and lowering internal temperature. Remember that all what insulation does is simply show down the rate of heat transfer through it. So if you wrap the ice in a layer or two of fur, it will be a little bit less freezing.

Adagio, I am quite interested in thermoelectric coolers (peltier) and I do have, something like four 12V dc centeifuge water pumps along with 3 Water Radiators that fits two 125mm 12v pc fans on them. My cousin had no use for them and put it on his junk pile, so after making sure with something like 6 or 7 repeated questions weather he is ok with it I have it)

I have also seen an argument against tech to keep cool and that it is the suiter's responsability to look after themself, but in this climate in the blazing heat you're not going to last long in a suit. And hey, we have these comforts of life, why not use them? You are still outside and walking around and being social.

My goals at the moment is to construct a full body LCG (liquid cooling garment) Based off the Russian and American space suit LCG designs to use as a testing base for water cooling systems. This should be inexpensive as any sports wear shop has form fitting pants and long sleeved t-shits. I'll probably hand stitch the tubing into the fabric, This should not be too complicated.
2mm pvc tubing and probably another thin mesh layer over it all to stop tubing from snagging and to provide abrasion resistance for long term use.

Ill let you guys know with any liquid quick release connectors I use. Standardization makes life easier for everyone.
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#17

Post by Sudan Red »

Blitzy wrote:And Sudan Red, that cooling relies on the location of majour blood vessels. Neck, Thighs, Sides, all of those are relatively close to majour blood flows. Thus cooling it down and lowering internal temperature. Remember that all what insulation does is simply show down the rate of heat transfer through it. So if you wrap the ice in a layer or two of fur, it will be a little bit less freezing.
*cough*mastersdegreeinbiologythanksiknowaboutbloodvessels*cough* :)

Just because something is most effective doesn't mean that it is most user friendly. Icepacks of any size in the groin would impede movement & look... odd. Same with ice packs in the armpits. Both areas are very tight on a full fursuit. You don't want to be uncomfortable for the sake of thermal comfort.

Cooling around your core, as with the EZCooldown vests, would provide an agreeable trade-off with mobility.

Plastilon sadly didn't have the smallest ice packs, but their medium ice packs (about as large as my hand) were less than R13.
Valerion wrote:This was designed by EZ Wolf for use in fursuits in particular, although it has branched out later on. There's two versions, one that doesn't cool as much, but lasts longer and one that cools more, but for a shorter period.

http://www.ezcooldown.com/

Some heads comes with fans to circulate air.
We discussed the EZCooldown in another thread before starting this one! They are obviously the benchmark to strive towards! :)
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#18

Post by Blitzy »

Cool! Biology is one of the cool university studies one can do.

And yes. My ultimate goal is to make comfort and good price.

"Kathrit have wares if you have coin"

I'm starting to like the idea of somehow using ice packs. If it trumps solid state thermal pumps then of course it is a better solution!
One can also then carry extras armoun in a cooler box or bag
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
User avatar
Rakuen Growlithe
Fire Puppy
Posts: 6718
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:24 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Growlithe (pokemon)
Region: Other
Location: Pretoria
Contact:

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#19

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

An ice pack is not only cheaper and simpler than an active cooling device but it's also widely available, requires little to no skill and has fewer ways to fail.
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~

“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
User avatar
Adagio
Warm Hearted
Posts: 3589
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:06 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Gauteng
Location: Pretoria, Silverton
Contact:

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#20

Post by Adagio »

Rakuen Growlithe wrote:An ice pack is not only cheaper and simpler than an active cooling device but it's also widely available, requires little to no skill and has fewer ways to fail.
Yeah... True.... But carrying a spare battery is easier than undressing to change icr packs...
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#21

Post by Sudan Red »

To be honest, the thought of electronics sandwiched between a sweaty body & a highly flammable walking rug makes me nervous! :lol:

As a down side to ice packs - they can fail spectacularly. I have had one burst during freezing (didnt notice in frozen state of course) & then slowly melt bright blue ooze inside my lunch bag. Might stain expensive fursuits. Recommend double bagging!
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#22

Post by Blitzy »

So, I'm going to be a bit less active as I get my materials and stitch the garment.
lots of 2mm tubing, from fitting sports clothing (The quick drying stuff), more tubing and quick release connectors that's water rated.
Now I need to actually make the thing
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
User avatar
Blitzy
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:10 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Probably Cape Fox
Region: Western Cape
Location: West Cape Town

Re: Fursuit Internal Tech Thread

#23

Post by Blitzy »

Sources

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy07osti/40036.pdf - Study on Cooling systems in space suits, Useful for inspiration and construction guidance.

Will add more as I research.
Your friendly neighborhood stoic
Post Reply