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Red Robin Hood posted:Is your friend selling his Necromonger armor? I saw some for sale recently that was screen used... I don't believe so. They made a lot of armor sets for that movie. I know at least four people who own a full suit. The fact that there were so many also meant they were fairly affordable (between $1300 and $2000 depending on type) and they held up really well after the production because they're fiberglass and rubber.
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May 9, 2012 02:28
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 God, I love using scraps to make stuff. On another note, my Volpin Thomas Bangalter cast arrived! This baby's gonna need a lot of prep work! 
MajorGravy fucked around with this message at 14:14 on May 11, 2012 |
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May 9, 2012 16:48
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A friend and I are planning to make costumes as the keepers of the continuum transfunctioner from Dude, Where's My Car? (We're cool damnit!) Problem is, we don't have a clue where to get a black leather vest and a reddy brown leather vest for men, anyone have any ideas? For reference: 
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May 12, 2012 23:45
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Xemloth posted:A friend and I are planning to make costumes as the keepers of the continuum transfunctioner from Dude, Where's My Car? (We're cool damnit!) Make them yourself, it shouldn't be too hard. Find a leather shop and get some scrap leather and go to town, or troll craigslist and find an old couch to cut up.
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May 13, 2012 16:50
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I'm finally done with school!  Next weekend, cosplay starts in earnest!! But in the meantime, here's what I did:  My friend and I made bodyforms! (Mine is the lady one..) We're going to use them to form armor over. I plan on making forms of my arms and legs as well. I was really worried that I'd think my bodyform looked gross and fat, but it had the opposite effect and I've been peacocking around convinced of my own shapeliness, haha! On the flip side, I am also incidentally playing through the Silent Hill HD collection and the disembodied torsos creep me the gently caress out. But yeah, I'd really recommend the tutorial to anybody who needs a precise dress form, it was really easy and REALLY cheap. I paid $5 for the whole roll of water-activated tape (which we used less than half of!) going to a local shipping supplies store. The project probably only took ~2 hours to do each one since we didn't make the stand included in the video. Here's the tutorial: http://www.threadbanger.com/episode/THR_20090403
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May 14, 2012 02:39
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Would it make sense $$ wise to make a full sized mannequin using this method? I was thinking maybe just filling it with expanding foam from Home Depot or something...
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May 14, 2012 03:16
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Red Robin Hood posted:Would it make sense $$ wise to make a full sized mannequin using this method? I was thinking maybe just filling it with expanding foam from Home Depot or something... We're planning on filling them with expanding foam, actually! I think for our needs this time around it would be a lot more labor-intensive to make the whole thing at once, most of my armor pieces fit separately and I don't really need a form that has them connected. It would be amazingly economic to do if you needed a whole body, though, the tape is crazy cheap if you can find a source that sells it in bulk rolls like I found!
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May 14, 2012 03:27
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Siiiiiigh, I remember doing this back when I had a freakish metabolism. Now I need an adjustable dress form because my weight fluctuates so much. drat you all. 
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May 14, 2012 20:39
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The McMaster-Carr website is acting up, but when it starts behaving I'll be placing an order for $216 worth of materials for armor building (half for me, half for a friend). Woohoo! Still haven't cleaned the craft room. poo poo. Edit: My screen-used costume arrived! It's this outfit. I've been wanting to do Huxley for a while now - I was going to have an all Stallone year, since I did Judge Hershey - but I couldn't find good pants or a pattern to make them myself, and the embroidery was so overwhelming, and I just scrapped the project and gave the fabric I had bought to my sister. I haven't tried it on yet, but I will post photos when I do. I just need to rebuild the shoulder piece, which is missing from the set. I don't think that should be too challenging. So excited! RazorBunny fucked around with this message at 16:38 on May 16, 2012 |
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May 15, 2012 17:45
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Anyone used actual metal for something like a N7 Armor or anything like that? I was thinking about using a layer-cake type approach to building a Shepard or Zaeed armor with foam on the inside, sheet metal for rigidity/shape, and carbon fiber+paint for the external surface. I'm familiar with manufacturing stuff like this, but not things that you can wear.
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May 20, 2012 22:57
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    The fit isn't great. Sandra clearly has/had an extremely tiny waist.
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May 21, 2012 01:45
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Mr. Samuel Shitley posted:Anyone used actual metal for something like a N7 Armor or anything like that? I was thinking about using a layer-cake type approach to building a Shepard or Zaeed armor with foam on the inside, sheet metal for rigidity/shape, and carbon fiber+paint for the external surface. Generally speaking, I don't think that it's worth using actual metal for armor. A costume doesn't take the sort of abuse that you need metal to withstand, and there are almost always going to be lighter, resilient materials that will work as well or better (like fiberglass, plastic, or foam). Metal can be tough to wear for hours at a stretch, and I've also found it tough to keep a finish on - I mean that articulated areas where the metal meets will wear through their paint/finish pretty fast, compared to plastic or resin that doesn't wear nearly so quickly and can be stained. I've constructed articulated metal armor in the past (which, granted, was from 16 & 18gauge steel, and you could definitely go much lighter for a costume). I also built a rocket pack using metal that would have been much more tolerable to haul around in plastic or fiberglass.
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May 21, 2012 02:12
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Ashcans posted:Generally speaking, I don't think that it's worth using actual metal for armor. A costume doesn't take the sort of abuse that you need metal to withstand, and there are almost always going to be lighter, resilient materials that will work as well or better (like fiberglass, plastic, or foam). Metal can be tough to wear for hours at a stretch, and I've also found it tough to keep a finish on - I mean that articulated areas where the metal meets will wear through their paint/finish pretty fast, compared to plastic or resin that doesn't wear nearly so quickly and can be stained. I guess I just like doing things from scratch. I do it when I'm cooking too, sometimes to my dismay as to the amount of effort required. I also like to make things that will last for awhile--it might be because I'm a machinist but anything with less tensile strength than steel feel like play-doh to me nowadays. Aside from that I try to make props that are basically feature-length movie realistic whenever I can. The reason I specified aluminum is that its light. What amounts to a thin coating over the whole set of armor wouldn't weight much, maybe a few pounds at the most. And believe me, I'm ex-military so wearing excess pounds of heavy crap is something I'm no stranger to.
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May 21, 2012 03:47
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RazorBunny posted:
OH. MY. GOD. THIS. IS. THE. BEST. THING. Mr. Samuel Shitley posted:I guess I just like doing things from scratch. I do it when I'm cooking too, sometimes to my dismay as to the amount of effort required. I also like to make things that will last for awhile--it might be because I'm a machinist but anything with less tensile strength than steel feel like play-doh to me nowadays. Aside from that I try to make props that are basically feature-length movie realistic whenever I can. I also think there are better ways to get that finish. N7 armor builds look really good just in foam from what I've seen. Adding the metal seems like unnecessarily complicating your life as far as I'm concerned. I personally really agree with a lot of the stuff you mention about costuming--I spent a TON of time surfacing my last suit of armor in materials like Bondo or autobody resin so they'd be resilient and appropriately hard to the touch. However, here's a simple issue: how are you going to create compound curves with sheet aluminum? Just flat pieces with a curve will look clunky. Compound curves are hard to get out of any rigid material and I can't imagine metal is going to be easy to do seamlessly. Edit: I should add that I'm currently looking at having damaged/pinched a nerve in my left arm from wearing costume items that are too heavy  So be careful, kids! Preserve your health and don't wear nonsensical costume items!
McPantserton fucked around with this message at 04:15 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 04:12
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McPantserton posted:Compound Curves The key to curving sheet metal is to use a lot of heat, and to use some kind of very hard form and hammer. If I could get a hold of an anvil and some kind of torch I'll be golden. I will freely admit that it is a highly skill intensive task and also difficult. But, I like spending time crafting things because its a learning experience, and if you take your time and do it right, you get a very nice product in the end.
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May 21, 2012 04:22
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Mr. Samuel Shitley posted:The key to curving sheet metal is to use a lot of heat, and to use some kind of very hard form and hammer. If I could get a hold of an anvil and some kind of torch I'll be golden. I will freely admit that it is a highly skill intensive task and also difficult. But, I like spending time crafting things because its a learning experience, and if you take your time and do it right, you get a very nice product in the end. That kind of sounds like a big 'if' to me, though. I don't know what your costuming background is, but I'd really recommend starting with an EVA foam build and seeing how that goes, then looking at doing metal surfacing after that. I really understand where you're coming from, I swear but I think you're looking at techniques that are unnecessarily difficult and may not make the costume look/wear better overall. If nothing else, I think the foam would be really informative in regards to the aluminum shaping required.
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May 21, 2012 04:32
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I totally see what you're saying, maybe I'm just being difficult. This is all fairly basic auto-body stuff that's done every day all over the world  I want to move on to something more complex because I've already done something as difficult as recreating Sev's complete battle harness from scratch...of course I chose something where none of the components currently exist  . I had to sew together a complete fall-arresting harness that is also an ammunition and equipment rig with battery powered lights. I want to test my mettle with actual hard armor now.
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May 21, 2012 04:47
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Mr. Samuel Shitley posted:I totally see what you're saying, maybe I'm just being difficult. This is all fairly basic auto-body stuff that's done every day all over the world For sure, but autobody work doesn't necessarily apply to human-wearable items (seriously, gently caress you, autobody resin, I hate you!). Feel free to check my post history for my own cosplay experience, if you like--I think trying to make something that's outside of your current knowledge and comfort zone is 100% the only way to become a better builder, for real, but I also think you need to seriously consider the benefits of a difficult material versus the trial of working with it. I just cannot imagine a metal surface reliably holding paint in high-impact zones like where your elbows would naturally hit your sides, for example.
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May 21, 2012 04:58
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If you want to try and do it with metal, and you have some experience working with it, go ahead! I started out making armor for stuff like SCA, and so when I started cosplay stuff I applied those same skills. I ended up finding it very frustrating, because I had learned a lot about how to make tough, functional armor - which isn't what cosplay needs at all. You want something light, mobile, and that looks good. Now you can certainly get a beautiful finish with metal, but it means tons of time spent shaping and planishing once you have formed the shapes. Realistically, you can get as durable a piece out of plastics and fiberglass. Unless you are planning to actually be taking hits in the armor or doing combat rolls on asphalt or something, most costume material will hold up fine. Particularly if you do something like vacuum-form ABS. The 501st put their costumes through more use and wear than most people and it holds up great. There's nothing particularly wrong with metal, it just takes more experience and materials to work with than other options. If you already have that ready (or you think that you are going to keep doing metalwork enough that it justifies) then it might be worth doing.
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May 21, 2012 14:19
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So we've got that scooter. I took my wife shopping for helmets and she settled on a sparkly purple 3/4 with rose-tinted visor that she's likely going to cover with stickers or something equally cute. Initially I really wanted to get a Simpson Diamondback helmet and just spend my days being a Fat Stig, but since those cost $500+ I had to find an alternative. She made a suggestion and I started with a new 3/4 black helmet with a goofy pattern.  I tried so hard to find a used helmet that I could mod, but in the end this worked. Pulled the rubber trim.  I HATE taking something brand new and scuffing hitting it sand paper. This was almost as agonizing as when I put the drill to the roof of my brand-new Magnum in 2009, ugh.  Coat of blue - wetsand with 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 - repeat x3 Coat of clear - wetsand with 2000, 2500 - repeat x4 Then off to my vinyl guy!    Red vinyl is reflective, which I guess is redundant since if I am to wear the helmet at night I will have to switch the faceshield out for a clear one. But I rarely ride at night. I actually need to trim the white stripe 2 inches away from the visor, and I am still debating whether or not I want a non-flip-up mirror visor. Right now the flip-up completely covers my face and jaw so I like it, but I know the simpler face shields would look closer to the actual design. It's not supposed to be a straight-up replica or anything really worthy of the term "cosplay," but it was fun to make. It's hardly worth showing off compared so the AMAZING paint jobs and mods that people make to their helmets, but I like it. Boomerjinks fucked around with this message at 07:48 on May 22, 2012 |
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May 22, 2012 07:45
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Speaking of armor, what's a good first project for someone who's new to this? Should I try making arm bracers, spaulders?
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May 22, 2012 14:56
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It's not a real cosplay if you're not up late trying to finish the drat thing the night before you leave for the con, right? Right? ...Who am I kidding, it's going to look half-assed anyway because me and facings just aren't getting along. 
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May 23, 2012 23:24
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I don't remember this being posted before, but if it has been, please disregard it. Several weeks ago, I was procrastinating finishing my final projects by browsing the 405th Infantry Division Forums. Basically, it's a community of people who like to make Spartan armor from the Halo franchise, though they also have threads featuring Warhammer 40K builds, among other things. It's not an organized, ahem, regimented group as much as the 501st is, but they do have a lot of cool project threads and tutorials on things like modelling in paper, fiber-glassing said models, constructing and casting from molds, and I think they have a bit on vacuum-forming too. The average posting quality isn't great, but there's some gold in there. By the way, I've been lurking in here a while, and I thought I'd say that all of you guys are awesome.
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May 24, 2012 01:20
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Not really cosplay but I felt that it was similar. Plaster and that shredded paper mixing stuff: A real Han Job    First layer was alginate, the plaster to support the alginate!  Then we flipped it over, pulled out the original...  Filled that with plaster/paper stuff mix  Annnnnd...  Just gotta clean it up and give it a few days to really harden up...
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May 24, 2012 07:07
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That Han is pretty cool! Seems like it might be a hilarious thing to cosplay as, get set up near a wall and move around at times to scare people. Also photobombing. So I was thinking of doing Atomic Robo for the next Supanova in Aus. I'd rather do Dr. Dinosaur so I can run around yelling about crystals, but baby steps. Good thing about the character is he often runs around in long sleeves so the build won't be too impossible. I have this statue and intend to crib mostly off of it. Anyone have any advice for this sort of thing? Sadly I can not find any pdo file's for Atomic Robo :<
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May 24, 2012 08:27
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That Han is absolutely incredible, great job. Little progress on my jetpack paint job. Slow but steady, it has been one of those 'run into a problem every 3 seconds' type of things and I'm going to have a heart attack. Primed to find little flaws, filled and sanded. It's a jetpack from Man of War Studios (my god does he do amazing work).   Blue/red/white laid down  Just did the yellow last night but now I'm going out of town so I'll finish everything else up on Monday. 
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May 25, 2012 15:20
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Thanks! The weathering on that backpack looks incredible... how are you doing it?
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May 25, 2012 16:04
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Thank you kindly, it's the liquid latex technique. You paint one color all over, like the silver for example, then you apply the liquid latex in the spots where you want the silver to show through. After it dries you apply the second coat of paint over it, the blue, and once the paint cures you strip the latex off and it reveals the silver in just those spots. Here's the timelapse I'm not quite done with yet, but you can see it in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbWmqS66VAI
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May 25, 2012 17:13
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So me and my girlfriend are going to Disneyworld this fall and will be attending the Halloween party event. Of course we want to come up with some spectacular costumes for this, and we have settled on Flynn Rider and Rapunzel. I haven't had much trouble pulling together most of the Flynn gear. My main concern is finding a vest that works and I've pretty much given up trying to make a purchase and moving onto trying to craft it. Mind you I've pretty much never sewn in my life, but I figure now is a good time to learn. I found this guide on how to make the vest As far as I can tell, this shouldn't be difficult with my girlfriend's help and her sewing machine. Does anyone have any suggestions otherwise before I buy a bunch of corduroy and sew my hand to the collar by accident?
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May 26, 2012 04:24
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If you're very concerned about being able to make it, you could buy some cheaper fabric and do a test build. We usually do that if we're making something that we didn't find a pattern for and had to come up with on our own, like the faux leather cape for my husband's Batman costume. We actually wound up using the test build as the liner for the final piece, so it didn't go to waste.
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May 26, 2012 16:38
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Also, don't underestimate the power of glue. If you think you actually might be dangerous with a sewing machine fabric glue is fantastic and can be found at any craft store. I once had only four hours to make Rikku from FFX and it was all hot glue, all the way. No one could tell. PS, I'm a lovely blonde.
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May 26, 2012 17:13
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Rufus En Fuego posted:
Haha, I literally have nightmares about things like this happening to me. I think I'm going to try using fiberglass for the first time this weekend  I'm kind of terrified. Any tips for someone who has never used that poo poo ever?
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May 26, 2012 17:27
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THIZZFACE KILLA posted:Haha, I literally have nightmares about things like this happening to me. You doing a two part epoxy and fiberglass strips? WEAR GLOVES. Once that poo poo gets on you it's a pain in the rear end to get it off. Work in a well ventilated area. Wear clothes you don't care about. Prepare to sand forever.
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May 26, 2012 17:32
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My cousin works a lot with fiberglass, and from what he's told me I would suggest a mask, even just a dust mask is better than breathing that poo poo directly into your lungs.
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May 26, 2012 19:28
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So I've been collecting bits to make the megabuster for my Protomen Megaman costume, and I've come across something pretty awesome; a photo enlarger.  I think I can disassemble this thing and use it as the major part of the buster itself. I still need to create some kind of sheath/mounting so I can stick it on my arm (probably halfway up my forearm). It was suggested to me that I try using a road cone as the main material for this, since it would be relatively easy to cut, sand, paint, and carry around. I'll be affixing a dowel to the interior of the housing so I can actually hold on to it. Since the photo enlarger is made of metal, is there any specific kind of glue or epoxy I should use to attach it to the rubber of the cone? Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of before I start trying to work with a road cone (or similar rubber?) I still need to actually get one, regardless.
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May 26, 2012 23:22
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Rufus En Fuego posted:Also, don't underestimate the power of glue. If you think you actually might be dangerous with a sewing machine fabric glue is fantastic and can be found at any craft store. Also, I am completely familiar with the last minute, 3am hotel sewing marathon. 
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May 27, 2012 02:56
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I spent all my time making Yuna for a friend and completely lost track. This somehow always happens to me.
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May 27, 2012 04:01
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Once rushed a costume for 24 hours, then passed out in my hotel room, totally missing a whole day of the convention. NEVER AGAIN.
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May 27, 2012 04:02
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^^I never do this, but my friends all do and it amounts to the same thing uuuuugh^^ As I was working on my sword today, I realized that I'd been visualizing the hilt of my sword UPSIDE-DOWN from what the actual design is. So I spent a chunk of today dremelling off the extra thickness at the top of one end of the hilt piece and adding it back onto the other. Weak!
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May 27, 2012 04:11
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I got my sidewinder blaster kit in on Friday, it was a ton of fun to assemble! Spent most of Saturday putting it together here and there, always adding a few pieces at a time waiting for the epoxy to dry.  Yesterday on Sunday I started painting.. I wasn't really happy with the first paint job on it because I was being very wary with the weathering. There's a point where you can just do too much and I was afraid so I did too little.  Just finished the new paint on it and the old rusty look is definitely to my liking now. 
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May 28, 2012 15:27
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