Mixture of armor questions

[RomulanCmdr]

Hi, okay I have been reading some threads on costumes, foam/non foam etc.
Im working on something thats going to be a kitbash between MechaGodzilla2 and Iron Man - Iron Kaiju
If I use foam, what do people do to ensure the leg pieces stay together and dont slide up -etc? (Do you take leg cast?)

Ive seen alot of move to the pepekuria - but what about if you dont have a template for it, are there any good tutorials for non pepekuria's?

Anyone have a recommended shoe or boot to use for the base of building foot wear?

How long does EVA foam last? -Is there a heat limit I should worry about? (Im thinking of this for marching in DragonCon parade)

What is a good thread if there are specific electronic setups that Im looking for advice on/requesting service?

Basically I want a suit that will endure fairly well and be hard. However, anything thats dangerous for inhailing I have to do outside, so Im trying to avoid fiberglass options.

Additionally are there any base frames that people find useful for when doing costumes that require tails or signicantly large back prosthetics?

 

[cavx]

Given no one else answered yet...

Pep is a great way to make something from foam. Under cut is another way which is really catching on and gives a neater finish. One good thing about foam is it bends and it bends in two directions at the same time, so sometimes you don't even need a specific shape. You can force mold and cut it to shape you want whilst it is bent. When you flatten it out, you have a pattern shape you can use to duplicate later if needed.

I am building a Hammerhead without a PEP file. Once I worked out that a positive (outwards) shape requires convex curves and negatives (inward) shapes need concave, it was all good. Foam is probably one of the cheapest materials out their apart from paper, so don't be afraid to experiment.

Foam costumes are hot. The stuff does not breath well, so where you can, leave an air gap between it and your skin. The guys that build those War Hammer 40K costumes usually have sandals as the part to secure the foam boot to their foot. Again, it is a heat control thing as well as weight control.

As for holding the thing together, webbing is good because you can glue it to the inside of the foam.

EVA foam should last a few years if it is cared for. The biggest issue with EVA and costumes is sweat. It will soak that up and smell in a very short time. You can wash it though.

10mm EVA is fairly rigid and in most cases, will be self supporting. In the case of my Hammerhead, I will need to build a "spine" and "belt attachment" to help hold it upright as the head is quite long and front heavy.

 

[RTV Steve]

Heve you seen Aqua Resin for this application? https://rawmaterialsuppliers.com/product-category/aqua-resin/

 

[RomulanCmdr]

Thanks Cavx, so far Ive not seen anything regarding liners to seal the EVA from the inside. if we could make it waterproof that would help on sweat smell issue as we could spray it down I plan to use Motorcross style chest protection to build off for the chest piece but I figure I ll have to build the spine from scratch.

-RTV Steve, are use suggesitn Aqua Resin as a sealer, or for full form pieces?