Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Bought ID disc - $9.99 at Target (figures on sale too)!

[MorbidCharlie]

I'm biting the bullet and deciding to go with Rinzler for my Tron Legacy costume next year.

I've never done any custom costume work before, but I've been looking through the threads and am going to give this a go. I'm probably going to have an undersuit with foam pieces built on top with PlastiDip applied as necessary. I've got plenty of friends that can sew and a friend that does car lighting mods competitively, so the only real job (and the hardest) is to build the bulk of the costume.

I'm going to start with the most difficult piece... Rinzler's helmet. I need some direction with this. I've looked at the reference photos and am thinking clear plastic and having my car mod friend tint it. The helmet is seamless though, so my thought is "bending" a plastic sheet around a frame. Is there a clear plastic that can be worked with heat without showing a lot of stress bends, or should I just bite the bullet, accept that I'm going to have seams and piece it together a la pep?

 

[MorbidCharlie]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work - help with vacuum form?

Okay, I did some more research on the board.

(http://www.therpf.com/f9/daft-punk-helmet-v1-final-p-16-tron-p-20-a-65166/)

This is Volpin's thread and how he created his Daft Punk helmet. He had the visor part vacuum sealed and it looks fantastic. Does anyone offer or know someone who offers this service?

 

[Oni Warlord]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work - help with vacuum form?

That's funny, I was just about to suggest looking at that thread.

I personally don't have any experience vacuum forming (yet), so I can't help you on that part.

 

[Baron]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work - help with vacuum form?

I'd suggest doing a google maps search for plastic fabrication or vacuum forming in your area. I found a place that was within a 90 minute drive(for me) that offered fabrication services, but have yet to contact them.
Building your own vacuformer is always an option, but that can run hundreds of dollars and can be time consuming.

 

[Sean Bradley]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work - help with vacuum form?

Over the years I've learned quite a bit about vacuumforming from this tutorial: http://www.tk560.com/vactable4.html It's enough info to build your own inexpensive machine and get started.

Vacuumforming optically clear visors is a challenge, and I'd love to hear what others have to say on the subject. I've vac formed dozens of ODST helmet visors at this point and have a system that works for me but in all honesty my success rate is pretty low. You never believe what damage a tiny spec of dust or two can wreak... and especially when you're working with a material like PETG that holds a pretty hefty static charge... it pulls airborne particles to it like a dust vortex. What is the best way to combat static and dust?

Another thing I've always wondered is what materials/surface coating is best for getting a polished smooth texture free pull from a visor buck. Like I said I have my own methods (hand buffed and polished primer over resin), but every once in a while I get a pull that has a haze of paint residue that ultimately can't be removed without scratching it to hell and therefore ruins the pull. I've seen plaster bucks for visors, but you'd have a heck of a time sanding or polishing a plaster buck if got a single scratch or bubble.

Well I hope that I answered more questions than I posed. Don't let my curiousity deter you. Vac forming is a great deal of fun when you get a system down and it can be quite productive.

 

[MorbidCharlie]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work - help with vacuum form?

Thanks for the answers. Ultimately, I just can't see myself doing enough work with vacuum forming to build my own unit. I found a local place that does it, so I'm going to give them a buzz and see if they are willing to work on a small, individual project.

I got word last night that another contact is going to work with me to silk screen the hex pattern on fabric. So all the pieces are in place. I'll begin genuine work at the beginning of the year.

Sean, do you mind if I hit you up with a PM?

 

[Sean Bradley]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work

Not at all! Let me know how I can help.

 

[MorbidCharlie]

Re: Rinzler : Tron Legacy - Pre-work

Just a heads up for anyone who hasn't bought their ID disc yet. Target has them on sale for $9.99 until the 18th. My Target only had the "blue", but I'm going to gut it anyway.

The figures were on sale for $9.99 as well, for those wanting to use them as a reference (not the deluxe ones).

 

[trekkieb47]

Just picked up my Tron disk from Target, thanks for the tip and good luck on the costume!