B-U-D-G-E-T! "The $20 Stormtrooper Helmet."

Can it be done? I need a stormtrooper, and I also need the $900 to buy one. But I don't wanna buy one. So, I plan on figuring out how to make a stormie helmet for $20 or less. You've heard of hardware sabers, well this will be something of a hardware helmet. And eventually a costume, I hope.


Any ideas?

i'm thinking a bowl for the top of the helmet, maybe water bottles for the vent tube things on the sides, a bicycle inner tube for the black loop around the top...


Can. It. Be. Done?


TIA

Fig

 

You could always check and see if there's a 501st in your area...

 

...or do a CGI model.
TK1210 signing off.
Keith

 

You're taking the fun out of it, babe.




(Sorry. I don't often get to say "Babe." Forgive me.)


(Keith: YOU ARE NOT A BABE!

 

Whoever wants to charge you $900 is charging too much.

 

I dont know where you are from, but around here there is a costume store called "Manglesons" and they have a bunch of different Star Wars masks and helmets, including Darth Vader, a Storm Trooper, and Boba Fett that are all only 20 bucks.

 

When I was in 8th grade, on Halloween, one of my classmates came to school dressed in a full Stormtrooper outfit. He made the entire thing himself out of crap he found around his house. He made a Boba Fette outfit the same way the previous year.

Granted, this dude was well known as an incredibly resourcesfull artist. But, the point of the story is that it can be done.

This ends probably the least helpful post you will get in this thread.

 

Paper Mache. It's cheap and easy. But wonderfully messy.

 

Ask your mom to make one

lol j/k


Try to make one yourself or if you know somone who can do that try asking his.her help


C.J

 

I think a digital stormtrooper will look better than a homemade costume for $20

 

i once made three stormtrooper helmets, an xwing pilot helmet and a tie fighter pilot helmet out of paper mache... i sculpted 1 stormie helm out of clay, then smoothed plain brown paper dipped in starch over it in small strips (paper mache, of course) i made each mask in sections that were later attached with more paper mache strips... if you have any skill at sculpting, i would do it that way... painted and sanded properly, it could work...

 

So, I was searchin websites for Star Wars helmets, and I found many many sites that sold the same Vader and Storm Trooper masks that are only 20 bucks around here, but online they are all 50 to 70. Damn internet crooks. However, you might try E-Bay.

 

I would say you should try to find a Don Post stormtrooper helmet. BTW, There is somebody that sells armor kits for around $550 (last I checked anyway).

-saber holder

 

I advise to stay away from the Don Post Stormtrooper helmet, it's their least accurate and it's quite noticeable to most Star Wars fans I'm sure. However, you could probably fool the general public.

 

when you find a good solution, PM me

-Tomas (VERY INTERESTED!!!)

 

Yeah, me, too. I'd like to get some info on cheap costumes.

 

?Don Post?...Don't try Riddel either, as they're helmets for seven-inch heads. I would suggest the EBay thing, garage sales and thrift stores. It is amazing the cool crud people throw away. A friend of mine once found a vintage Darth Vader with telescoping lightsaber and vinyl cape in near mint condition at a pawnshop for less than $10.00. I suppose nobody decided to check the price guides to find out it's worth much more. A few years later, he found the rare Charizard Pokemon card at a garage sale and bought it for $0.75, a few days later a collector bought it from him for $45.00! Talk about luck.

The fact is, that not everyone that has something, knows what they have. Look at "Antiques Road Show" for example. People walk in there by the week with junk they did'nt know was 300 years old and worth the price of a new car. Definitely, try areas you would not think to look normally. If you find nothing, there are still EBay and Yahoo auctions!

As for money. You could try getting a job (J/K). Try getting your crew to pitch in. If you guys are too young to get a job, try mowing lawns. If you don't have a big neighborhood, go to the richest looking neighborheed in town and ask people there if you could mow their lawns. Rich old people will usually give you anywhere from $20 to $50 for doing a relatively large lawn. Mow a few and you'll have enough money to buy the entire suit of armor. you could also try craft fairs. I've sold my art before (In the form of drawing and sculpture), I never actually asked the people to pay me, as sculpture and drawing is easy for me, but they did (So I charge now ). People like to buy things that catch their eye. Especially at craft fairs. Just suggestions.

-Matt


(P.S. I don't know the work laws in your state, but here in Orlando, you can get hired at Chik-fil-a on the janitorial staff at 15.)

 

1. Find a 501st member in your area.

2. Borrow his helmet with his supervision.

Cost: $0

Making an accurate helmet for 20 bucks is a pipe dream unless one is being sold at a Chapter 11 auction. Sorry.

-Chris

 

They sell Helmets at Disneyland in the Star Tours store. The Darth Vader one used to go for 50 dollars. I'd have to bet its around 30-40 now a days.

 

Yeah, that's the Don Post version. It sucks.

 

Well the Mans got a budget. You get what you pay for.

 

The Don Post may suck as a collectors item/show piece but works as a movie prop for a fanfilm. Its the same story as my Luke ROTJ saber I am going to have made. I am changing the placement of the D ring so the Activation Box isnt cutting in my leg. Sure it is not entirely screen accurate but it still works and looks good as a prop.

So Fig any news or are you S.O.L?