You sound like a 13 yr. old trying who's trying to make a point: picking fights in a forum filled with professionals.
Ever hear the term, "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight?". You're bringing a spootle to a Nuclear arms race.
"I've done it before for less".
This is hogwash. You're trying to build a reputation based on claims and ideas, all of which... WE KNOW BETTER.
I 100% do not believe you've made anything before.
Perhaps you've tinkered in electronics in your dad's garage or something,... but by the fact that you don't even know how much your material cost will be, it really just sounds like your spouting bull.
I'm going to sit back and watch the drama because I already know how it will go...
You will have a great idea, with NO clue as to what you're getting into, or the level of comprehension that the people here actually have.
Then we'll call you out on it.
Then you'll refer back to your claims about "how you've made 'things' like this before".
Then we'll ask to see them
Then you'll act defensive and try to turn our objectivity back on us because you'll feel "attacked" for your own ignorance...
Then the cycle continues until finally, you get tired, angry, and eventually leave the forum.
Acting like you already are; this is going to be a losing battle for you my friend.
I'm not saying you *will* proceed that way. I'm just estimating that will happen because time and time before guys like you have come on here with the same "tone" and done EXACTLY as I've outline above here.
I hope you can prove ME WRONG of that.
My advice. Put on your white belt and learn some respect. Look at the other Iron man builds going on around here...
If you actually do some research, you'll find that the MOST economical way to make Iron Man armor is pepakura, and even then... once you build the armor out of paper, fiberglass, bondo, sand, and finish the armor... you've STILL gone over $100 dollars.
TMP Has an excellent example of Iron Man armor, but he's been perfecting his clay sculpts, casting, and fiberglass techniques ever since Iron Man 1 came out. Just the clay to sculpt armor like his certainly didn't cost less than $100.