How did you start?

I stumbled on the forum after finding a picture of one of Howard S's Han Solo busts on a mannequin dressed in Stormtrooper armor...I was hooked. I think I reached out to SimmonM first to ask questions, so I blame it mostly on him.

I remember someone telling me to "check your wallet at the door" when joining the RPF...I never realized how true that advice was!

gregholt83 said:

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Forgive me if this is the wrong forum or a thread that has been done many times before ( I actually did try forum search). I am a Newb to theRPF, and to prop collecting and building in general. I've been reading the forums the last few days and I must say you are some incredibly talented people. Which really makes me want to know how you got here. So, if you don't mind please tell us your story.

How did you get into collecting and building?

I've always been a movie fan, it was somewhat of a natural progression. Props remind me of a feeling I get from different movies.

What was your first build?

The drawing of Davy Jone's key from POTC2. A simple build of course, but was my first foray into weathering and trying to replicate something. I think it turned out nice, but looking back now, not as accurate as it should have been.

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now?

I'm trying to learn molding/casting right now. Used hardware store supplies, so it was more difficult and the results weren't that great. However, learning with supplies that were difficult to get good results with made it that much easier when I started using products that were intended for that purpose.

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion?

Anything I build I do for my own collection. Some things I do wouldn't be of any interest to anyone, but some things are. I can't get the motivation to do anything I'm not interested in, so no commission work for me. I have a full time job that has nothing to do with props, so I wouldn't have the time to devote to it anyway.

What build are you most proud of?

Even though it's not finished and still lacks quite a bit of work, probably my Vale/Joker gas mask. Mostly because I've done it completely from scratch, no references other than a couple of screenshots I took. I'm also proud of my Indy paintings, developing my own technique for them, giving them my own feel/style.

Please fill free to brag and show off your work.

Thanks
Greg.

Answers above.

after coming back from iraq i wanted to film a captain america short film (2004) i sewed the costumes adn did the makeup but my first real prop was a sled captain america shield and i never looked back lol

i do both officially licensed products, chakrams and kurgan helmets and highlander swords but i do props for people and short films.

to date my most proud build was my complete set of kurgan armor! loved the entire thing from start to finish and seeing it come to pass..

gregholt83 said:

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How did you get into collecting and building?

It all started off by seeing some guy's work, I think his name was Volpin.......After that it was history. I have always loved building things, and I have always been a big nerd, so props and replicas were right up my alley.

What was your first build?

A Thomas Bangalter Daft Punk helmet. The results were so so, as with any first build.

Since then I have built 4 Thomas B. Helmets and i am currently working on a 5th......I might be a little of a perfectionist.

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now?

Making mistakes and constantly learning new things from this fantastic forum. A lot of determination also.

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion?

It started just for fun but now I am starting to meddle into commissions, but I still find the time to work on my own stuff.

What build are you most proud of?

This. Just finished it up a little while ago.



Please fill free to brag and show off your work.

Thanks
Greg.

Answers above.

I can't even remember how I stumbled into this place; but after seeing the Harry Potter prop exhibit in Seattle, I decided I'd make my own copy of the Advanced Potion Making book. That naturally led to a bunch of other stuff. The books are my favorite items. RPF is by far my favorite place on the internet. I never knew there were so many people with the same interests. It's great.

I answered within the quote -

gregholt83 said:

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How did you get into collecting and building?

I Credit that mostly to the RPF, this forum just inspires people

What was your first build?

I made a scratch built Boba Fett helmet from plans on the Dented Helmet

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now?

The RPF for one, and prop builders like Volpin Props, Blind Squirrell Props, Fev! etc, that document their builds so that people like me can learn from them.

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion?
I mostly build stuff for me, but lately my email has been getting alot of commission requests !

What build are you most proud of?

It seems like every build takes me to a new level, so I guess my newest build, my Iron Man/ Boba Fett crossover helmet, or my Longcolt replica from Trigun.

Please fill free to brag and show off your work. (pics welcome)

Vector Sigma Creations | Facebook
Weaselhammer Props

Thanks
Greg.

I'm so deep down that hole, I can't even see the entrance to remember how it all started

Alan Castillo said:

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I'm so deep down that hole, I can't even see the entrance to remember how it all started

Alan ,your collection is very impressive, you have what half these members on the RPF are still trying to get........lol.....you done great collecting ,hats off to you sir........

gyoung2993 said:

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Alan ,your collection is very impressive, you have what half these members on the RPF are still trying to get........lol.....you done great collecting ,hats off to you sir........

Thank you kind sir I am also very pleased that my 'to get' shortlist has finally become ..... very short

I've always loved movies all my life and always wanted more from the movies. Especially the movies that really inspired me or that affected me in some way. I had no idea people collected and made props until I stumbled across this forum when I saw a Proton Pack on a blog that referenced RPF. I've been hooked every since! My first prop was a Hannibal King resin blaster and my first build (which lead to 3 total) was a Proton Pack with lights and sounds.

I've been building scale models since I was about six, my first prop helmet was a predator mask (eyeballed it wrong, looked more like a metal horse head with dreadlocks!) Been slowly collecting some smaller props over the past two years. I'm pleased to say that I successfully won a screen used visitor tag from the BSG miniseries, my only screen used prop! I would love to build a MK I Iron Man, but I'm a bit short on room in my house, and my wife would scare the crap out of herself whenever she would walk into the room its in.

I think however I can convince her to let me get a Sam Flynn suit from UD Replicas! My current riding gear is getting a tad ratty, or I could stage a wipeout!

I have always seen a lot of movies, and some of the movie-making world. When I grew up, my dad wrote about movies in magazines. From my teens, onward, I used to be a computer geek, and some of my geeky friends when into working with computer-generated special effects and animation.

This hobby started for me in 2002, after I had been to the Star Wars - Episode 2 premiere and seen people who had dressed up. I made my own simple Jedi costume, and I needed a lightsaber. I searched the net for resources and found this board. I also came into contact with other local Star Wars fans who also liked props. I built a lightsaber for a lightsaber building competition, which I won, and that was greatly encouraging.
I already had a researching mindset from college and work, and I discovered that I loved to also research geeky stuff such as props and movie costumes, and I loved to build things with my hands and to learn new crafts.
The local Star Wars costuming groups grew and became more organized, and for a while that was what I was the most involved in.

In the last two years, I have not been very active, mostly because of illness and second because of another new hobby (collecting and building mechanical computer keyboards). I have a few projects on the workbench, and also a few unfinished props in boxes waiting for me to find that key part that would complete it.
I am always the most proud of the latest prop (or garment) that I have built.

gregholt83 said:

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How did you get into collecting and building?

I blame my friend Darth Infamous for directing me to TheRPF (we grew up together and made our own blasters and lightsabers back in the 70's)

What was your first build?

R2-D2
After discovering droid builds here I joined the Artoo Builder's club

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now?

learning the value of patience while building... waiting for part runs and taking time in scratch building parts made it a labor of love and not a quick instant gratification acquisition (although I enjoy that too! ) so I appreciate my droid that much more!

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion?

Just for fun for personal enjoyment as a hobby.

What build are you most proud of?

well, my only build is R2-D2 but I aim to work on a full Stormtrooper in the future.
I am also in process of upgrading my styrene R2 dome to a full Aluminum version:

Please fill free to brag and show off your work. (pics welcome)

and I did acquire these: (forgive the pink walls as it used to be my daughter's room! )

My start was with R2. I was into robots/robotics, and my daughter asked if I could build an R2. Went online and found the R2Builders Yahoo group (only a few months old then), then kept searching and found the old RPF, many revisions back.

First purchase was an ANH Vader helmet (still have it), and my first "started" project of course is R2.

My most successful prop would be the FettLights, now making appearances in the Disney suit, Jeremy Bullock's suit, and many fellow prop collectors' suits. My most expensive, and current favorite, prop is a full-sized replica of KITT from Knight Rider.


ATM
ShackMan

Hello!
I'm new to the RPF myself but I figured I'd chime in anyway. I have always been an avid Star Wars collector. Mostly commercial store bought stuff off the shelf or stuff through ebay. I noticed someone was painting up Rubies blasters and selling them on ebay and I thought I could do that. I started searching painting tips and found the RPF. I have now painted 4 Rubies blasters and have given them out to my kids and nephews (Not really a seller type). I'm looking for a good Resin DL-44 that will be my next project and have my eye on one. After finding this site the thing I really want to get into is molding / casting. I have bought some woodworking equipment ( Rotozip, table saw, scroll saw, jig saw )to make the model from and I am currently watching youtube videos on the process. Ever sense finding this forum, I am absolutely hooked. There are so many talented people on here I can search it all day. I think my ultimate goal would be to cast a helmet or armor but it looks so difficult and I'm not sure if I have the talent. I attend Comic-Con every year (already have 2013 passes!! ) and would love to finally wear something I made myself.

Great thread idea Greg. Green square for you!

Thanks for all the replies, I would love to hear more stories and keep the thread going.

How did you get into collecting and building?
I bought a clonetrooper kit, after my parents gave me some money (this was about 4 years) I had to promis that I wouldn't spend the money on my kids (because every penny I normaly get goes on them, and my parents had given them all some). Little did I know that would be the start of something big.

What was your first build? Clonetrooper costume.

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now? Finding out out easy it was to build something good with cheap foam. If it wasn't for foam I would not be able to build anything, because that is all I can afford lol.


Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion? Nothing I build is worth anything to anyone else. I build because I like to. I am not good enough to build for commission. lol

What build are you most proud of?
Hard to say, but I think if I was really pushed to pick one it would have to be,, my Foam R2-D2.

How did you get into collecting and building?

Well, from a young age I have always been an 'arty' person. The building side of props is certainly the part I enjoy most, I love seeing a vision take shape over time. Having the stuff after it's completed is just an added bonus

What was your first build?

Eh, not really sure. I made some stuff for art class in school years ago, but I'm not sure if I could fully describe them as replicas. I'll go safe and say a MK VI Mjolnir helm from Halo 2, just after the game was released. Scratchbuilt before I knew pep files even existed.

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now?

The internet. Without it, I'd still be building stuff, but I have learned so many new techniques from forums etc

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion?

Like I said, I build stuff because I love watching something take shape and become reality. I'd love to do commissions at some point, but at the moment I'd be too worried about the quality of my stuff to even consider them. (Besides stuff for friends)

What build are you most proud of?

That would be one of 2 builds that I'm working on at the moment. I've announced one on here, the other is staying top secret until it's done

the thing that got me into this whole buisiness of building this stuff was the 89 batman movie.
All I really wanted was to have an 89 batmobile, and the suit. I think that if I had got that early on, I would have gotten out of this buisiness. As I never was much of a monster fan, nor was I a star wars fan.
my first prop was the 89 suit belt buckle. then came the emblem, then a cowl. By the time I got to the point of SCRATCH building an 89 car, a lot of new stuff had come and gone. we were well into batman forever, the kilmer car, and already the 89 stuff seemed passe'. So I was sculpting the kilmer car in my garage.. but now we are into the throws of 2005. Batman franchise was in the dumper. but there was a new guy in town.....
So now we catch glimpses of this weird new car... not greeted with very much love, but you could sense the new age dawning. I wanted it...
So, I gave what I had done(body on rolling chassis) to my then partner Bob Causey, and he finished it. By mid 2005, I was knee deep into this car. no turning back. And today it sits in my garage. It has without a doubt become my most famous claim to fame. Guy builds tumbler in a home garage with only 6 power tools. So from 89 to 2007, I finally lived my dream. Not originally what I wanted, but what I finally wanted.
I will probaly never have this kind of success with anything else I do in this buis. along the way I did some 20 or so busts. scratch built about every batsuit cept' the cloney stuff, and some misc. props, a road I never originally intended to travel.

How did you get into collecting and building? To be honest, my first "love" is building models, not props. I got started building model kits in the late 60s, and later branched out into props as what I felt was a reasonable extension of model building.

What was your first build? As best I can remember my first actual prop was a either a Star Trek TOS Communicator or Phaser 1; I built both around the same time in the early 70s, and I can't remember which was first. Both were made primarily from heavy card stock with found items used for details, based on the drawings in Franz Joseph's "Star Fleet Technical Manual".

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now? Who says I've progressed?

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion? I build for myself, whether it's props or model kits, so it's purely for fun. Besides, I can't imagine anyone wanting anything I'd cobble together.

What build are you most proud of? I'll let you know when I build it; hasn't happened yet.

How did you get into collecting and building?
I wanted to start making sketches that involved props from video games and movies.

What was your first build?
My First build was a Kingdom Hearts Key

What are some of the things that progressed you to where you are now?
I am a film student and for most of my projects I use what I make.

Where are you now? Are you building mostly for commissions or for fun and passion?
I am a film student I wanna make a lot of sketches and in the future work on movies

What build are you most proud of?
I just finished making a DIY Light, Light Stand, Underwater Camera Mold, and Currently working on a Dolly. I like to make props but I also specialize in making DIY Film equipment

Prop wise it would have to be My Portal Gun

Great responces.

It all started for me with the release of the Blade Runner Final Cut DVD box set 3 or 4 years back. Saw Gary Willoughby and his collection in the special features and a switch just went off and found my way to Propsummit (offworld66). Found BR prop heaven there and from BR went on to my other fav movies and their props which ultimately lead here. My first official prop was the LED lightshaft umbrella replica from Blade Runner that was on ebay way back, still have it, love it.