Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 10-23 Page 4

[Jumpin Jax]

Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 3-6

I've got a fanfilm coming up and as the director/writer/funding/maniac responsible for everything, it's up to me to do Vader's costume in not only a cheap but simple and simply replaced way. So I did! Starting with the chestbox anyway. :cool

Block of wood from work: free.
I cut it to 7" square, routed the edges...well that's about it really.
Then tossed it on the table under a sheet of styrene.
[SIZE=-1]Voilà!

Got a little scuffed due to the wrong gloves, but will do indeed:thumbsup It ain't pretty, it ain't perfect, and if it's accurate no one would be more surprised than me:lol I can't wait to start packing these with pyrotechnics:cool The whole armor set will be in styrene, even the mask when I get around to that. Trust me, once you see what I do to these, you'll all know it's worth the effort!
JJ

[/SIZE]
The bell mold WIP:

The stunt buckles, no slots but maybe I'll just paint them, and add cut circles later.

Finally, the chest armor!
A copy of the Rubies statue armor made in the sloppiest of ways, which by the way means MUCH more work to make it usable. It's about 70% there.

 

[Ramiel]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader chestbox....ever!

I will watch the progresses with interest...

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader chestbox....ever!

I made mine out of a block of wood also. My plan was to have a local plastic shop vac-form it in black ABS, but they were asking $65 per hour and it was cheaper to just paint it.

I want to re-build mine, I really want an ABS version, but I guess I'll build a home vac table and work it out myself.

Nice work BTW !

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader chestbox....ever!

Thanks guys, it was pretty easy getting this far, I'll be making in-mold pieces to attach, or possibly a different mold with the pieces to assemble later. Luckily there's a ton of leftover wood at work these days
JJ

 

[Darth_Nickel]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader chestbox....ever!

I didn't realize these words ever COULD go together.

"cheapest, easiest, Vader"... hmmmm

I look forward to watching this... You had me at pyrotechnics!!!!

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!

A small update

It's a poor man casting of a Rubies, to those who didn't guess. Plenty of work to do to make it workable, but just wait for the first pull! Time to get modding, be well.
JJ

 

[phase pistol]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Good lord man! You are a glutton for extra work! :lol

A casting of a Rubies? Can't you get the actual rubies, for like $100?

 

[OldKen]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Good lord man! You are a glutton for extra work! :lol

A casting of a Rubies? Can't you get the actual rubies, for like $100?

Would you blow up a hundred dollar bill? :confused

I cant wait to see what in the world you do with this JJ!

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Would you blow up a hundred dollar bill? :confused

I cant wait to see what in the world you do with this JJ!

Exactly! Not only will I need regular replicas, but destroy-able ones as well. There's a few variations I'd like to try as well ala the Vader exhibit at C4. What would you do with a Vader helmet if you got it cheap and could get another cheap as well? Slap on the bondo, mod it into a ANH or other variation? Hey, why not?:thumbsup
One idea in particular I can't wait to show, but won't even mention until I have one done.

 

[phase pistol]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

I must have missed the part about this having to be frangible. :lol

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to tie explosives to hundred dollar bills. :sleep

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

This outfit is getting cheaper and cheesier by the day As I haven't sculpted anything as complicated as a Vader chest before, I need to shortcut it yet again. A friend with a dusty and not well preserved Rubies/Post statue has allowed me to ...well, do what I CAN about a poor man's cast of the chest. I can't take the works apart, so this should be really interesting :unsure The bells I will have to make myself however, stay tuned cheapa$$ fans :lol

 

[Onigiri]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Good Lord save some cash and get one or two of those sets on Ebay for $85. I still have that pic of all of us in Downtown Seattle that night holding our helmets by the fountain. Alas...in Seattle I was King of the Vaders but in LA I am merely a (raspy) voice in a crowd of heavy breathers...

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

What am I, made of money? :lol I may have to trash a half-dozen of these, but they are going to look pretty good beforehand. Just need a little TLC, maybe a lot.
I remember that night, we were about to become the Official troops of LFL, before they just decided to own the 501st instead, which they do :lol
I'll make our ex-vader proud!

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Well....it's been awhile. I've been goofing with the chest armor and control box, might post pics tomorrow. Today I sculpted a base for the shoulder bells:

I'll add strips in the morning. Must get back to the mask as well......allllmost there......
BTW Donnie, do you still have that shot on the stairs?

 

[CSMacLaren]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 6-27

It's a noble effort you have there. I'm like you: I got the fan film bug and that's how I got into the community. Two years later, I've not filmed anything and am still on the never-ending quest to build a Vader that is good enough for my needs.

If you don't have the time to build out a whole suit, you might consider getting a sponsorship from a company the way the Chad Vader people did --- and got a full costume. Then mod and repaint the costume.

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 6-27

It's a noble effort you have there. I'm like you: I got the fan film bug and that's how I got into the community. Two years later, I've not filmed anything and am still on the never-ending quest to build a Vader that is good enough for my needs.

If you don't have the time to build out a whole suit, you might consider getting a sponsorship from a company the way the Chad Vader people did --- and got a full costume. Then mod and repaint the costume.

Sure, where were you months ago:lol
That's not a bad idea.

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 6-27

Had these stunt buckles made at work today:

The laser is handy The programmer will put in the slots at a later time, and cut the circles separately. Hey, it was free :thumbsup

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Chest done....sorta.
Getting there!

 

[Darth Kahnt]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Nice work so far Jax.

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Re: Cheapest/easiest Vader costume....ever!-Update 1-13

Nice work so far Jax.

Thanks man! Need a little help on the shoulder bells, think I made the mold too small;hopefully will get a ref to work from tomorrow at the meeting.
Next is the shins. I have a pair cast from ANH originals I got in a stroke of luck :thumbsup
to use as a visual reference(no casty casty!), what I sculpt will be more like ESBs, I like them better.:thumbsup Luckily the time line isn't that important in this film:love