Best way to make armour? (Stoormtrooper)

Hey guys,

So last night I was just thinking how cool it would be to have the full Stormtrooper armour. When I'm finished my bucket build I might make the full armour. I was thinking of using clay as it's obviously very sculptable (I may have just made that word up) and then when you fire it it's rock hard. Clay is also quite reasonably priced (I think).

Do you think this is the best way to go or are there better ways?

Is there any pointers or tips you have?

Any tutorials of similar builds?

Any thing would help me make my mind up.

I thought the best place to ask was here as everyone has so much knowledge that they share.

Cheers
DS

i don't think fired clay would be a good idea.. it'd be so heave it'd be unwearable, and it would crack and break pretty easily. if you sculpted it and made a mold and cast it in resin that would work, but after supplies and time it would make more sense to buy a vaccuformed kit. there are some pretty reasonably priced armors out there. i got mine off ebay for just under $300 and you can get a less accurate fx armor for even cheaper than that.
thats just my thoughts on it, good luck

Seconded on the sculpt, cast, and pull. It's the best way if you're going to make your own and you're striving for accuracy.

Sorry I forgot to mention I would just use the clay to make molds then vacuum form them or something.

This tutorial *might* be of some help to you -

How To Build A Stormtrooper Costume

MCL34N said:

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This tutorial *might* be of some help to you -

How To Build A Stormtrooper Costume

Cheers MCL34N.

I'll have a read

Vacuum forming is the way to go!
Here's a great tut on building the table:

www.TK560.com: Vacuform Table IV

avianoguitarist said:

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Vacuum forming is the way to go!
Here's a great tut on building the table:

www.TK560.com: Vacuform Table IV

Cheers.
I read through that guys page yesterday. He had some really good info.

What method do you guys reckon is better; clay molding or wood and bondo and stuff?

Anyone used both methods? Or is there a better simpler way?

Does anyone have a rough idea on how much this would all cost?

Cheers

Vacuum forming doesn't capture intricate detail, so it doesn't matter if you use clay or wood--whatever is easiest for you to do.
Just building the apparatus will cost a few hundred. Then figure in the forming medium and supplies.

avianoguitarist said:

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Vacuum forming doesn't capture intricate detail, so it doesn't matter if you use clay or wood--whatever is easiest for you to do.
Just building the apparatus will cost a few hundred. Then figure in the forming medium and supplies.

Alright cheers mate

I think I'll have to cross this bridge when my bucket is complete and see then if I want to continue.

Thanks

An easier (and much cheaper) way would be to just build and fibergalss the pepakura files that are floating around this very forum.

Fizbin said:

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An easier (and much cheaper) way would be to just build and fibergalss the pepakura files that are floating around this very forum.

I AGREE but i ended up buying mine after the fact but was worth the quality and i had little time.

Are you able to vacuum form pepakura once fibre glassed and smoothed and what not?

The cheapest way is pepakura (as fixbin) suggested.

The easiest way is to buy a kit & adapt it to fit you. This is probably to most common way.

The problem with vaccuum forming is that you'll need to make some master moulds first.

Cheers Widescreen

But is it possible to vacuum form straight over pepakura?

Nope! The form will collapse under pressure. You will need to either make the fibreglass really thick (lie 15 - 20 mm) or else back fill it with plaster. Hope this helps

oota goota said:

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Nope! The form will collapse under pressure. You will need to either make the fibreglass really thick (lie 15 - 20 mm) or else back fill it with plaster. Hope this helps

Okay. At the time being its still ideas in my head but I'd love to have a full armor suit.

Would boxing in the pep then filling with foam work?

Cheers

Boxing would help but it is better to fill it with a more solid material (like plaster) or just resin and figerglass the crap out of it to make it strong than to use foam. Foam, by its nature, is mostly air and will collapse in a vacuum.

I prefer the MDF and bondo method since the master bucks last quite a while and can be modified if you need to tweek a detail or two. If you do go that route it will not really save you any money over buying a pre-formed kit suit. The vacuum table (I made mine for about $100), the HIPS or ABS plastic, the bondo, the MDF and then the various little things (tools and such) quickly add up to what an OK kit would cost. Plus it would take you months longer to make.

The only real reason to vacuum form is to make multiple suits. If that is your goal, then rock on! If you just want one suit for yourself, I would buy a kit or do a resin/fiberglass/pep suit as a cheaper alternative.

Psicorp7 said:

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Boxing would help but it is better to fill it with a more solid material (like plaster) or just resin and figerglass the crap out of it to make it strong than to use foam. Foam, by its nature, is mostly air and will collapse in a vacuum.

I prefer the MDF and bondo method since the master bucks last quite a while and can be modified if you need to tweek a detail or two. If you do go that route it will not really save you any money over buying a pre-formed kit suit. The vacuum table (I made mine for about $100), the HIPS or ABS plastic, the bondo, the MDF and then the various little things (tools and such) quickly add up to what an OK kit would cost. Plus it would take you months longer to make.

The only real reason to vacuum form is to make multiple suits. If that is your goal, then rock on! If you just want one suit for yourself, I would buy a kit or do a resin/fiberglass/pep suit as a cheaper alternative.

Thanks Psicorp7

The idea is still in my head, but I will have to wait a while until i get home to crack on with my bucket and then I shall see how I feel about tackling the rest of the armor.

Thanks again for the advice. I knew the rpf was the place to ask.

I was searching ebay and came across this suit.

Before bidding I thought I'd let you guys check it out and see if you think it's good quality etc.

STAR WARS PROFESSIONAL QUALITY STORMTROOPER ARMOR COSTUME KIT NEW | eBay

You guys are the experts so why not.

Cheers Guys

FX armour. Stay away. It's not accurate by any means.

Darth Storm said:

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Cheers Widescreen

But is it possible to vacuum form straight over pepakura?

Actually, this does work. It's how I made my vac-formed Halo armor:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/my-red-vs-...r-halo-134789/

Abaris said:

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FX armour. Stay away. It's not accurate by any means.

Would you be able to tell me what's not accurate about it?

I don't really have the cash to splash out.

Cheers