Costume armor making without fibreglass?
- Thread starter hypevince
- Start date
Darth Lars
Master Member
Vacuuforming is best if you are going to make multiples. The starting cost of vacuuforming plastics is high, both in money and work.
ABS is a blend of plastics, and exists in many formulations. The main component is polystyrene (PS). Styrene and ABS plastics are the most common plastics for household items, computer equipment, etc. Also used in packaging, foamed up as Styrofoam etc.
In this case, we are talking about tough, slightly flexible sheets of plastic. The fact that it is slightly flexible makes it bend before it shatters.
It is easier to work with another styrene-based plastic called HiPS - High-Impact Polystyrene. It is also flexible and somewhat less tough, but can be worked in a smaller temperature range.
If your armour has a simple shape and has no compound curve, you could sometimes get away with just heating HiPS with a heat gun or in an oven and bend it by hand - but foamed plastic (Sintra, Worbla, Depron, Komacel etc.) is easier to heat and form by hand.
Why can't you use fibreglass? I get my fibreglass weave and epoxy from a boating supply store. Epoxy, while nasty, does not emit nasty fumes.
You could build with paper and reinforce with fibreglass.
Fibreglass is not too hard, however technique comes with practice like most things. Most hardware shops will have a fibreglass repair kit that has a sheet of wovenglass and resin for the $20-40 mark that you can have a go at. Find a supplier and it will save you mega bucks, I get two litres of resin with catalyst and 4 metres square matting for under $60 from a fibreglass supplier and it will do 90% of a armour suit.
Given that you've said you don't have a lot of experience or cash to throw at it, I think EVA foam is your best bet.
Check out the foam armor guides from Punished Props:
http://props.punishedpixels.com/product-category/ref-mats/
It's under $10 to get parts 1 and 2, and they are pretty awesome. I've been building / mass producing costumes for 10+ years and I learned a TON from them.
Check out the foam armor guides from Punished Props:
http://props.punishedpixels.com/product-category/ref-mats/
It's under $10 to get parts 1 and 2, and they are pretty awesome. I've been building / mass producing costumes for 10+ years and I learned a TON from them.
planning on making iron man armor/helmet or a captain america helmet, didn't want to name it since things in costume get more views then in the marvel section.
If you like you can try my type of builds which are low buget Cardboard/papermache builds A recent on is my Alpnonse Armor from Full Metal fullmetal alchemist. IT very strong, cheap, and uses at best a few times you should be able to get from a hardwhare.
Strength wise, I have sat in them, dropped them, and while they might appear cracked, its only on the surface paint.
You can add layers of papermache both inside and out to further strenghten it, but you give up on the weight, so be sure you can handle it. Also consider sponge on parts that are against your body for comfort, as it will chaff against you which may make it uncomfortable after a while.
here is a link to my Cardboard Build
http://www.therpf.com/f24/alphonse-elric-armor-cardbord-build-wip-224311/
Strength wise, I have sat in them, dropped them, and while they might appear cracked, its only on the surface paint.
You can add layers of papermache both inside and out to further strenghten it, but you give up on the weight, so be sure you can handle it. Also consider sponge on parts that are against your body for comfort, as it will chaff against you which may make it uncomfortable after a while.
here is a link to my Cardboard Build
http://www.therpf.com/f24/alphonse-elric-armor-cardbord-build-wip-224311/
i can try, also... nice to see you're belgian too
