Plasitc

Hi,

I have two questions... the costomes we are making for our movie (sci-fi, but not Star Wars-- but please still reply! ) are built with a solid navy blue base.

We intend to build armor parts above the base, but for this, how do we get them to be securely attached once we build them? (eg a wrist guard, chest plate...). The people will be running around alot.

The other thing about these armor parts, is how exactly would you suggest would be the CHEAPEST and best way to go about doing it? Is there a way to buy lots of styrofoam (sp?) and then take some type of coater that will "coat" these styrofoam pieces with plastic so they don't break?

How would we go about making these peices?

The second part is that we would like to have visors for each of them helmets we are building. What type of materials are good for this? We are looking for stuff VERY SIMILAR to what was seen in the Fanfilm BROKEN ALLEGIANCE with the bounty hunter costume. His visor that you cannot see through is the part we are trying to replicate.

Thanks so much everyone, and if you could provide website links that would be even better... we're not too good with costuming, but we DO KNOW how to make fanfilms and finish them, our first one is in my sig... as you can see if you watch it, costuming is not our best area (although we think the movie overall is pretty good)

Thanks alot,
Mike

 

I wouldn't try styrofoam...not very durable at all.

Depending on the style of armor, you could simply purchase some plastic from a plastic supplier. Chech your local yellow pages for sources.

For type of plastic, I would suggest Foam PVC. It comes in large sheets, and is easy to cut with a box knife, and can be formed.

Once again, it depends on the type of armor that you are doing. For attatchment, would velcro straps be suitable? Velcor is available at most fabric stores.

I hope that helped a little. If you could give us more info on the style of armor, it might help...lots of Stormtroopers lurking around here...

--Kai

 

Check with local plastic suppliers for .080 polystyrene. this plastic is easy to use for vacuumforming and can also be molded using heat from the burner on a stove. I bought 2 4'x8' sheets cut into 2' squares for around $50.thats alot of plastic!
For example ,you can cut out a piece a little bit bigger than for forearm.have the person wear a towel or something to protect their arm.you heat up the plastic on the stove by holding it about 3" above the burner.it will get soft and pliable.then lay it over the persons arm and wrap it around.
let it cool for a minute and it will stay forever.then trim off the parts wear you where holding it and sand the edges and paint it or whatever.
you can use elastic and nylon strapping on plastic to put parts together.you can use a hot glue gun but you will need to scratch up the surface of the plastic before so the glue can stick to something.

these are very basic ideas and i am no expert by any means but i have made alot of parts doing this and it is a fun and affordable way to make armor.i have made vader chest armor and shin armor using this method and they look great.

skip

 

Very cool guys.

The problem is... I live in Mexico, but am currently in Wisconsin... so, i'll have a hard time getting it down there in my car (Rendezvous... already packed full)

What stores sell these? I don't think my city in wisconsin hase a plastic supplier.

yes, it is VERY much like stormtrooper armor... very simliar in concept. I need to make at least 10 costumes... so these might go for alot of money... won't they?

Basically, what I'm asking is what stores sell those big sheets of plastic... I might be able to cut them into smaller sheets and slide them on the bottom of the trunk... hmmmm.

Thanks alot for the great responses,
Mike

EDIT: That foam PVC plastic... you said it can be cut with a box knife? Is it still durable once formed, and can I form it the same way that skip1 suggested? Also, in relation to what skip suggested, how much does it cost?

EDIT2: If the person is wearing clothes when we put it over them and form it to them, will it stick to the clothes?

EDIT3: Sorry for all the questions, they keep popping into my head! Once the plastic is formed, is it easy to add detail... or is it really hard and cannot be detailed after? It should be really hard and almost impossible to break, unless you try, right? Also, once I form it, will it be easy to cut whole chunks of it clear off?

 

The foam PVC is VERY durable. This is a "softer" type of PVC: PVC is the plastic that plumbing pipe is made from...the pipe form being very hard, and not terribly flexible. The foam PVC is tough, yet easy to work with. I've not done vacuforming, but have made some pieces from it in medieval styles. I also made a sheath for a PVC katana from the foam PVC...worked great. Very versitile.

The cost is not bad...you could probably get two 4'X 8' sheets for around $50...but it's been a while since I priced it. I actually scored mine from work: scratch n' dent stuff. We use it for making some pieces, and if it's scratched (even slightly) it gets pitched.

You could certainly cut whatever you end up getting into smaller pieces for transport...As to suppliers, check not only your local town, but nearby larger towns with industrial supplies. This isn't something you can get from places like Lowe's and such, it's fairly specialized...

Hope that's of some help...

--Kai

 

Alright... but once I form it... is it easy to cut large peices off of, or add detail to?

THanks a ton,
Mike

 

YOU COULD ALSO BUY LARGE PVC PIPE . WHEN YOU BOIL IT IT GETS VERRY EASY TO WORK WITH . YOU CAN CUT IT TO BE LIKE A SHEET . YOU CAN HEAT IT WITH A TORCH , BUT IT BURNS . LET IT SET IN A POT FOR A WHILE , WHEN IT STARTS TO SOFTEN DIP IT EVERY NOW AND THEN . JUST USE TONGS AND WIPE IT OFF BEFORE YOU TOUCH IT .

 

Mike...
Once you form the plastic, you should already have it the shape you need. Basically, make your pattern, then cut out the pieces, then form it...if you form it, THEN cut it, you'd be going at it backwards.

One of my armorer friends showed me how he goes about things: he first makes a posterboard cut out of the piece...he shapes that to make sure that it's going to fit, and makes any corrections. Then he uses that piece as a template for making the final piece. So, if you make a prototype out of poster board or cardboard first, it might help...if you make a mistake on the posterboard it's not nearly as expensive as if you were working with the plastic...

Hope that is of some help, and makes sense...

--Kai

 

Ok here it goes,

You need to look in the yellow pages of all the cities near you and just look up "plastic" you are looking for plastic sheets.like stated before these are not sold at lowes are anyplaces like that.plastics dealers are more common than people know , as alot of businesses use them for different things.I live out side of Nashville,TN and there are a number of plastics dealers here.so im sure there will be one somewhere near you.
Call and ask for .080 polystyrene.
you can get 2 4'x8' sheets for around $50.they will even cut them into 2'x2' squares for you.
For cutting:go to the hardware store and pick up some of those heavy duty cutting shears,like for cutting shingles or something, expect to pay around $10 for them.

While at the hardware store pick up in the plumbing area some cement.look for "multi purpose" cement for joining pvc and abs pipe,$3
also get a multi pack of sandpaper and a cutting knife or razor blades.also get a pair of leather gloves

One of the techniques for making armour pcs that i used is what i call "layering" you cut out the shape of the pc you want to make.then you cut out smaller more detailed pcs then glue them down onto the bigger pc creating layers of plastic.this creates the look of vacuumformed plastic.this is good way to produce pcs without the ability of vacuumforming.it will take some practice but it can be done .
lets say youre making a small hand pc of armor with an extra pc of detail on top.
you need to draw it on paper.then cut it out.lay it onto the hand and make sure it wraps over like you want and its big enough.now draw the small detail pc(such as a raised circle or square or something)cut that out of the paper and lay it on the other paper hand pc you cut out.does it look like what you were wanting,if not redraw and keep trying until you get it the right size.
When you get the 2 pcs right then go to a sheet of plastic.trace out the large hand pc and then cut it out with your new cutters,only for this pc cut it about 2" out side of the traced lines.after its been formed we'll go back and trim off the excess.now trace out the smaller pc onto the plastic and cut it out exactly right.this pc will be glued onto the larger hand pc. it will need to very smooth on the edges so take some sandpaper and really smoothen out the edges.
now you can use the cement to attach this detailed pc. before you glue it use the knife to cut little lines and "score" the plastic where youll be glueing it.this gives the cement somewhere to really hold onto.
ok now use a little cement and glue the small pc onto the larger pc.try to get it in the right place so dont have to slide it around and get glue all over the place.
let it dry overnight for best results.

now that your ready to form it heat up the burner on the stove to med-high. let it get red hot.get your new leather gloves and the person your making the hand pcs for.place a towel over the hand of the person your going to be making the armor for.now your going to want the plastic to slightly wrap over the hand of the person so grap it on the left and right sides.when you grab it youll notice the extra you cut out will be what youre holding and the part you want will be in the center.now hold it over the burner.plastic acts funny when heated it warps and twists so flip it over as it heats up(practice)sometimes the glued on pcs will start to pop off on the edges.dont worry after its been formed we'll glue them back on.once it seems to be weakened lay it down over the hand.you should be able to kinda bend it to the right shape.now just hold it for a minute and it will cool off staying right where you want it.now you can trim out the pcs on the traced lines and use the sandpaper to smooth out the edges.
you have now just made 1 pc of armor.it doesnt take long to understand why this stuff costs so much.

Painting: to effectively paint plastic you need to use a bonding agent.at your local "autozone" there is a product named "bondaid" $10 its used on auto plastics and you want to get this!also get duplicolor primer$4.its