Dredd costume help

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Brandon Bott

New Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

So here is my situation this is what i have so far i have the pants and boots done but i dont know what i should do with these plates and i dont know what leather jacket to buy if i should even do that at all i would like to ask 2 things, one what should i attach these plates to and 2 how should i do it any help would be appreciated thank you

 

Uridium

Sr Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #2

I am considering making the armour/shoulders and using a mesh waistcoat to wear them. Shoulders would be connected to that.

I will probably wear my motorcycle jacket underneath, so I don't want to attach anything to the jacket that i cant get off.

 

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Brandon Bott

New Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #3

a mesh waistcoat tell me more lol

- - - Updated - - -

and how should i paint the armor to make it look real the shoulders wont be a problem the armor will

 

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MightyEssoq

Active Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #4

All the armor - chest, ab plates, back plates and shoulders are attached to the flak vest. It has a back, two front panels that zipper together, a collar and both shoulder pads. The vest is worn over your leather jacket - not attached to it at all. The various panels of the flak vest are held together by straps. Here is a photo of the back panel so you can see how the armor plates attach to it.

 

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Brandon Bott

New Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #5

what kind of vest should i get and where from

 

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MightyEssoq

Active Member

• Dec 22, 2013

• #6

Everyone I know has made their own vest. I bought some black mesh fabric and some black foam upholstery sheet from Joann's. Sandwiched the foam between the mesh fabric, then sewed it together.
Here's a technical drawing of the flak vest and it's various parts and straps:

 

rolandblais

Well-Known Member

• Dec 24, 2013

• #7

Brandon Bott said:

what kind of vest should i get and where from

Click to expand...

This should help:
Dredd - Armored Vest

Also, that looks like Pinski Armor - DREDD Vest armor kit raw by MrPinskiProps on Etsy

Instructions:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.592005640823907.1073741828.300064020018072&type=3
Basically, you put your plates on a large piece of paper, adjusting 'till it looks "right" - then trace your outlines that you'll transfer to your vest fabric.

Also, look in the FB group for tons of reference photos:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DreddCostumeGroup.DragonCon2013/

As well as here on the RPF, such as:
http://www.therpf.com/f71/my-dredd-2012-wip-new-pics-04-24-13-a-170440/index4.html#post2777326

etc etc

for the actual vest fabric, it's called "spacer mesh", and is a sandwich of foam (about .25") between two sheets of a mesh fabric. It's pricey and can be hard to find. Others have used automobile headliner fabric. I used fabric taken from XXL basketball shorts (invest in a seam ripper!) and upolstery foam that I bought on ebay.

hope that helps!

 

Tvayumat

Well-Known Member

• Dec 27, 2013

• #8

You won't find the actual, screen accurate spacer mesh fabric in anything but a >$1000 bulk order.

The company that manufactures the stuff sells it in industrial sized rolls. It's not actually a foam sandwich but a heat bonded synthetic fabric with a unique arrangement of threads in the core that gives it a 6mm thickness and lets it hold its shape extremely well.

You can find similar fabrics for sale in smaller quantities, but they are never *quite* right. Still, good enough for most.

 

Uridium

Sr Member

• Dec 30, 2013

• #9

Grud on a Greenie!!! I just visited my mum and went with her to some of the local charity shops (that's 'Goodwill' to you MegCity1 perps), and found a Rhino motorcycle jacket for 28 BritCit Creds.

Gotta get started on that body armor!!!!

 

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MightyEssoq

Active Member

• Dec 30, 2013

• #10

Dang, Uri! I thought you were farther along than that.

 

Uridium

Sr Member

• Dec 30, 2013

• #11

MightyEssoq said:

Dang, Uri! I thought you were farther along than that.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been working very slowly. I don't get a lot of time to spend on my projects.

 

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Ray48

Well-Known Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Dec 30, 2013

• #12

Yes,Tvayumat is correct about the "Spacer Mesh". I found a pretty close facsimile at Seattle Fabrics. It is probably closer to screen used than most of my gear since I don't have much that is not close copies. The edge binding on the vest is leather which I did not use on mine either. Common black bias tape is way cheaper. The collar is fairly difficult to create and darn few have even come close to an exact replica. So I wouldn't stress over getting the exact fabric for the vest. I even had to modify my left shoulder of the Pinski armor to get it in the ball park. Nothing except my helmet and a few breaching mines are cast off of screen used. The rest ranges from pretty good to "looks okay" to the untrained eye. Good luck with your build.