Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin gear build

[DarkTime]

Nice, the replica looks pretty damn good. Which character from the MP are you planning to cosplay as?

Oh, just a generic MP soldier. It's just an excuse for me to act like an A-hole but chalk it up to being in character, lol. Also, because there's so many Survey Corps members that I just wanted to mix it up.
The A-hole part's been fun so far, lol.
One time a group of friends with one guy dressed up as the Survey Corps with gear came up to me,
"Duuude, look at his gear"
"Of course he gets the best, he's from the Military Police"
(guy with gear) "ugh I just get the leftover gear"

Fun stuff, haha.

 

[JPH]

I recently got into this show.

THANKS! Sooo much for doing all the busy work on measurements and even evaluating available costumes.

So little time...so many projects and ideas

 

[electraflier]

Wow have been things been crazy getting ready for Megacon 2014. My wifes costume and armored WonderWoman, this AoT gear and Lord work too.... Thanks DarkTime for all your great posts! Here are a couple of progress pics. Mega is next weekend and I hope the paint is dry enough to wear it! Here are a few progress pics of the costume and one sword under primer waiting a paint job!
wifes costume.








still waiting on her boots, have to mount the gear and build the thruster unit oh lord the time is slipping away!

 

[Weapioneer]

I plan on making the manga version of the 3DMG, with some elements of the anime version. My current problem revolves around the handles. I want to make the blades detachable, and have it as close to the original as possible. I think that making the blades from the anime and the turbine and sheaths from the manga would be best.

I found a ton of reference photos on the net, and here you can see the various parts of the handle. There are two triggers, which i suppose are for shooting the hook and reeling it in. I thought the lever was a part of the blade's locking mechanism, but then realized that it was for the gas boost instead. This is all purely speculation on my part with some reference photos. There is a small hammer like part on the back of the handles, which i think is what locks the blades. I have been trying to come up with a good locking mechanism which will allow me to insert the blades by just pushing the handles onto the ends of the blades. For removing it, i will simple pull the hammer back with my thumb to release the catch. I also plan on putting a small spring inside the handle to help expel the blades once i pull the catch. I need it to be extremely strong, since if i ever cosplay it would probably be as Levi, and if i do his signature spin then I don't want the blades to go flying out. (also, I am extremely clumsy ) Another problem i have with the blades, is what to make them from. I was thinking of using 3 layers of PVC foam board sandwiched with a pair of 3mm threaded rods in them for additional strength, or at least in the handle region. I can't get sintra where i live, which is really depressing.
Thanks, and please assist.
Weapioneer

 

[mikasadanchou]

Everything looks amazing! I'm cosplaying Mikasa Ackerman with my boyfriend as Eren Jaeger for FanimeCon and Anime Expo. I'm making both of our 3DMG gear, so these have been incredibly helpful. I'm thinking of using Sintra myself, I just need to find a place to get my hands on some Anyway, I had a question for anybody who might know: How are you guys attaching the gear to the body? I've been trying to figure it out and I've seen multiple methods but I'm curious to see how all of you have tackled this. Thanks!

 

[JPH]

there are lots of pics out there, but the proportions vary. I'd say to pick a size and go with it. Some folks have thin blades, some have fat blades and some pics even show the blade boxes having 2 levels, holding eight blades.

 

[electraflier]

Here is the gear finished in time for Megacon 2014. I owe you big time for your posts my friends and hope you enjoy the pics! I heard over and over that my daughters was the best gear at Megacon. I owe it all to you!







That is also my wife in the New 52 Divine armor Wonder Woman and our friend Vanessa another awesome fabricator and costumer I am blessed to know!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[DarkTime]

AWESOME. Love how that turned out, especially the rear unit. I was afraid I didn't do a good write up on it.
How'd you make the hip shooter, as well as the "bridge"/metal arm that holds it from the sides and into the back?
I've yet to still redo that (working on something else at the moment).

 

[CLOTHAR]

Great looking kit. You did a great job.

 

[electraflier]

AWESOME. Love how that turned out, especially the rear unit. I was afraid I didn't do a good write up on it.
How'd you make the hip shooter, as well as the "bridge"/metal arm that holds it from the sides and into the back?
I've yet to still redo that (working on something else at the moment).

Dude you did awesome the scale was fine and I was under such a time crunch Id have never had it done if it weren't for you and your posts!

so, I couldn't find a template for the grappling hook launchers or the armature. given the time crunch I was under I looked at a lot of pics and decided to use a bar of 1 inch by 1/8 inch thick aluminum bar stock.
I cut it to a length where I believed it would place the guns a little forward of the hips and gently bent it into a curve that met the need.
I centered it and drilled two holes to accept bolts.
This I bolted to a curved 1/4 inch thick sintra plate..I glued craft foam to the plate as padding.
This apparatus basically allows it to be slid between the pants and skin under the belt. The unit hangs so well and comfortably my daughter kept checking to see if it fell off as she walked around the con for many hours!
you can see the bolt detail in the next pics.









The guns were actually super easy and fast. I cut a paper template for them based on the pics. It looked about as big as a 22 cal handgun so went with that size and made this template. It is cut to fit around the bar stock and create a pocket to mount the gun to the aluminum that will serve as a pivot. I thought about sintra, but knew cons can be rough with lots of jostling and getting snagged so went hard core so to speak. the aluminum was tack glued to the sintra and then I began layering 1/4 inch sintra on top of this 2 on each side with super glue and accelerator. I then used my bench bely sander to shape it into a nice curved shape.
I then glued on the raised tips on and sanded them into shape drilled holes for the barrels.

 

[Weapioneer]

what is the name of those threaded plugs you use for connecting the cabling? I remember seeing them before, but i don't know the names. Also, I was planing to use 4mm acrylic for the blades, making it 3 layers thick, but acrylic is pretty damn fragile, and I don't want it snapping near the hilt. I plan on making the manga version, so the tang of the blades may be a weak point where the blade narrows into the tang. I was considering flattening some 6mm threaded rods i have to reinforce the tang and the forte of the blades, but would it be redundant? Also, if i were to use the rods, how would i shape the middle layer of acrylic? I would have to cut out multiple pieces just for that.
TLR- is 3 layers of 1 to 1 1/2in acrylic strong enough wave about or should I use a steel rod for reinforcement of the tang?

 

[TheEvilJawa]

This is awesome! I got to get me a Shingeki no Kyojin regiments uniform for Sabaton.

 

[Weapioneer]

Does anyone have a reliable technique for getting a smooth sword edge? I use pvc, acrylic, wood, pvc foam board, etc. but i have only hand tools and a drill. How can i get a clean smooth edge in a sword? I tried using a file, but it is extremely slow and the edge isn't too great, and an exacto or utility knife makes it uneven. Is it possible to build a jig for this?

 

[River]

ok so i gotta ask you guys, are there any inclination for making them for purchase? I'd love to buy a set, maybe two!

-River

 

[electraflier]

what is the name of those threaded plugs you use for connecting the cabling? I remember seeing them before, but i don't know the names. Also, I was planing to use 4mm acrylic for the blades, making it 3 layers thick, but acrylic is pretty damn fragile, and I don't want it snapping near the hilt. I plan on making the manga version, so the tang of the blades may be a weak point where the blade narrows into the tang. I was considering flattening some 6mm threaded rods i have to reinforce the tang and the forte of the blades, but would it be redundant? Also, if i were to use the rods, how would i shape the middle layer of acrylic? I would have to cut out multiple pieces just for that.
TLR- is 3 layers of 1 to 1 1/2in acrylic strong enough wave about or should I use a steel rod for reinforcement of the tang?

I am so terribly sorry that I have missed your questions. I Have been ultra busy with work, charity work and costume builds..
The threaded plugs are cable tv adapters, they are threaded on both ends to splice cables. Perfect for this and they are threaded on both sides so you can drill a hole in the hilt or other items and simply screw them in. I plan to find some floppy soft cable to attach to the female coupler so we can be more accurate.

Oh lord the blades..... I used flat aluminum bar stock and laminated light ply to it. sanded to shape and wait for it........I cheated. I bought phenolic plastic sheets and using the factory edge as my sword edge laminated the sections onto the wood. This gives it the box cutter blade effect by creating a channel between sections and the plastic is ultra slick and paints super shiny. Acrylic would be too fragile. Bar stock came from Home Depot, light ply long sheet from the hobby shop and phenolic plastic sheet from my local over stock store called Sky Craft in Orlando. I think they are on line. the sheets are .01 mm I think or about business card thick.
By using the factory edge the blade is laser straight and all the sanding was on the flat side of the blade... im naughty lol but im a fanatic about straight edges

this is not very con safe and actually the barbs will cut. when I was asked what they are made of I said wood and plastic. Im not in the habit of hacking in crowds nor is my daughter so I felt ok fibbing.
I hope that helps and I apologize again.. since they put RPF on FB Ive been posting more there.

 

[electraflier]

ok so i gotta ask you guys, are there any inclination for making them for purchase? I'd love to buy a set, maybe two!

-River

Ok. This is DarkTimes Thread and I am not normally in the habit of highjacking someones thread just because he said he'd like us to share and create a great resource for us AoT fans.
Literally 95% of the information I used to make mine is his data. He deserves full credit and first dibs on making a set or two if someone offers. If he defers and says I hes not interested, I might consider it depending on the time scale. I am neck deep in a War Machine, Zombie Captain America and miscellaneous other things including charity work and being a hospital administrator. . No rush...? we might talk.
Please do PM DarkTime. he is an awesome awesome person and the recognition my daughter and my work received at Megacon 2013 were because of him ( I refered many folks to RPF and his thread).and my luck at being an experienced fabricator, having tools and access to odds and ends. This set was not cheap to build and the cost of my time is high lol, but it was a fun build. I challenge you to give it a try. it is not a hard build and DarkTime basically did all but cut out the pieces and hand them out lol. You will still have to be creative. Even I thought of some easier ways to lighten and speed it up after the first sword box was built. As I am sure he did as well. some of his ideas were genius!
We literally couldn't walk for people wanting to see Jensens gear or hearing it was one of the best fabricated props at the con.
DarkTime you rock sir! Corp Salute given. Fist on my heart friend.

 

[River]

Ok. This is DarkTimes Thread and I am not normally in the habit of highjacking someones thread just because he said he'd like us to share and create a great resource for us AoT fans.
Literally 95% of the information I used to make mine is his data. He deserves full credit and first dibs on making a set or two if someone offers. If he defers and says I hes not interested, I might consider it depending on the time scale. I am neck deep in a War Machine, Zombie Captain America and miscellaneous other things including charity work and being a hospital administrator. . No rush...? we might talk.
Please do PM DarkTime. he is an awesome awesome person and the recognition my daughter and my work received at Megacon 2013 were because of him ( I refered many folks to RPF and his thread).and my luck at being an experienced fabricator, having tools and access to odds and ends. This set was not cheap to build and the cost of my time is high lol, but it was a fun build. I challenge you to give it a try. it is not a hard build and DarkTime basically did all but cut out the pieces and hand them out lol. You will still have to be creative. Even I thought of some easier ways to lighten and speed it up after the first sword box was built. As I am sure he did as well. some of his ideas were genius!
We literally couldn't walk for people wanting to see Jensens gear or hearing it was one of the best fabricated props at the con.
DarkTime you rock sir! Corp Salute given. Fist on my heart friend.

So maybe i need to explain a few things, and please understand, that while this is text, it's not intended to be rude at all.

1. I'm the sole provider for my household at this time, wife lost her job and had a stroke earlier this year.
2. I have a 14 month old daughter, so you could guess that makes me more busy
3. i'm extremely busy running a normal job and a photo studio.
4. I've made two costumes, a Capt. Rex and a Biker Scout, i know the time it takes to make 1 costume.

So as you can see I just don't have the time to donate to creating anything right now. I actually am in NO rush at this time. and eventually i would most likely ask DarkTimes if he was interested to make me a set.

Anyway, hope you can see that i just can't donate even a few minutes. i need to get a new job! LOL
Fist on my heart Friend!
-River

 

[Weapioneer]

Hmm, I was considering using aluminum strips with PVC foamboard on top, but I can't get aluminum easily, so I just left the blades for last. I made the handles out of pvc foamboard, but I screwed it up in multiple ways. I was making it by using layers of PVC FB, so it took a bit of sanding at the end to make it smooth. Just make sure you don't attach the trigger guard until the end to ensure smooth sanding. I also managed to get CA glue into the catch holding the blades, which completely screwed one of the handles up. So I scrapped them, and made another set.
This time using 3 layers of 3mm pvc foamboard with 2 layers of 2mm pvc sandwiching them. That gave it some strength as well. I used some metal strips and GI wire to make the catches. I did some research, and it seems that the hammers opposite the triggers holds the blades in, so I put the catch there. I made some small blades to test the handles, the Mikasa-ran-out-of-gas-and-smacked-into-a-wall blades, out of a bit of PVC FB. It works well for short blades, but too weak for long ones. Craft foam is excellent for making the grips, I just scored the foam using a ruler and the back of a utility knife before painting them.

Anyway, I was considering making the long blades out of 4mm acrylic with 3mm PVC FB on either side, but I am not sure if it would be strong enough. I got some threaded rods from a hardware store near by, but their thinnest size was 6mm, meaning that I would have to carve out a slot for it in all 3 layers for it to fit, and that isn't doable.

 

[DarkTime]

Uploaded a high quality pic of me wearing the gear in its current version at a recent event in the first post! Hope it motivates a lot of you!
I know I get motivated looking at myself! :lol

River
I've actually been contemplating on selling some kits, and maybe even some completed sets at conventions!
(I'm not sure about selling completed sets online yet because shipping would be extremely cost prohibitive )
At the moment though, I'm working back to back on some props for the slew of summer conventions here in Southern California!
So sadly, I won't have time to set up something like that till after .
But I've recently gotten interest from this and other props, so I definitely am considering making things for sale in the near future.
If time is not an issue for you, I'll let you/this thread know if and when I do get around to making kits/full sets!
Of course, anyone can take the flag from me and make them for sale using info on this thread; I'm not for-profit, but for-enjoyment, so if someone else can deliver it faster, better, and hopefully cheaper than me, so be it! I'd rather not leave someone hanging from enjoying a set of these.

Weapioneer
For my blades, I used foam boards painted with Duplicolor Chrome, with automobile chrome vinyl on the edges, with an aluminum base/tang. The snap-off lines were made the same way I made the fake blade background behind my box's spring window--dents with a ruler. Check my updated OP post to see what my blades look like.

My blades are detachable, and I have spares (well, I used to on my manga version, but as you can see from the thread, my anime version gear only has dupes; now I just nab them off my friend's manga boxes, lol!). However, after spending a lot of time designing the handles and blades, it was either
1) Aesthetic/visual accuracy
2) Function
3) Cost

And we could only pick two (we--three of us--were all wearing manga gear at the time, so that meant having to make 36 blades! :eek), so we went with (2) and (3), lol. Though the blades don't have a slanted cutting edge, I decided not to because making a cutting edge with blades that thin would either be dangerous for cons (if the blade was a rigid material, as my cons are strict) and time-expensive/weight-expensive (36 blades?! lol). Hence I decided to just substitute the cutting edge with a shiny chrome vinyl to give the impression of an edge (just how it looks on snap-off utility knives), instead of having the same metallic finish all around. The handles are not visually accurate, but they worked! (and better looking than the barebones manga version imo)! The blades are released/inserted using the bike brake lever. Let me know if you or anyone wants info on it and I'll do a quick write-up.

Also, since they're foam board and easy to cut, if anything breaks mid-con, you can just sub it with a spare blade or... cut it down to a stub till the bent/damaged portion is gone! My friend particularly likes rocking his stub blade, lol.


electraflier
Wow, blades out of actual aluminum! I bet it was sort of a thrill carrying a semi-live blade around huh? :lol At least you were ready to save everyone from any titans!
And nothing beats a factory-made straight edge! I'm a proponent for factory-made anything; if you can buy something already factory cut straight for you, why re-invent the wheel (or in this case, the line)?

 

[Weapioneer]

Uploaded a high quality pic of me wearing the gear in its current version at a recent event in the first post! Hope it motivates a lot of you!
-snip-

Nice work, It looks really good. I always thought the anime version of the 3DMG seems a bit too bulky though, since the blade sheaths don't need to be that tall or huge. The manga version is so much better but has a lot less good ref pictures, and keeps changing design.
I have a few questions though, How thick is the foamboard you used and how many layers? Also, how long, thick and wide is the blade? And the aluminum strip? It is hard for me to get aluminum strips, as I would probably have to go to an industrial area of town to get them, so I want to be really sure about it. I got 2m of 6mm threaded steel rods, but I don't think I could use them here. How much was the Al strips?

Thanks,