Nixie Guy
New Member
So, due to my previous works, I was approached by a friend's friends, for help about building the gear for their costume. It had to be as cheap as possible, because budget was limited and they had already ordered jackets and other parts for the rig. Since budget was already low, I told them I would not charge them, but they would build under my supervision (bad decision). I could use them as somewhat publicity stunt.
Keep in mind that I didn't had any decision making other than materials or ways of doing. I notticed, after finishing the build, that it is a mismatch of both manga and anime gears, but is what the ladies wanted to wear, so who am I discuss?
To keep cost low, I opted for building many of the pieces in lasercut MDF (cut at home in my modified chinese laser) but made the box out of foam core board (wich, incidentally, kept the weight low)
SWORDS:
Not much mistery around here. To keep them simple, I made a sandwich of lasercut MDF parts with no movable pieces and an inserted pine wood blade. (the kit shown below is composed of three small sheets, however, it looks like a single big one...aligned them too well for the photo! ^^U )
I was not entirely happy with the design, but had just one week, afterwork, to do it, in preparation for the weekend, so I wasn't going to do it perfect either.
People have the bad habit of gluing more than two pieces at a time, with thick glue, this can create a lubrication effect, prompting the sandwiched piece to move around, and ruining the alignment in the build. I instructed the girls to only glue two pieces at a time.
Sanding can turn a passable piece (better than nothing) into something you could call a prop:
I would call this, acceptable:
BLADE CASE:
To make the bodies, I switched to 5mm foam core board. Instead of cutting four separate pieces and assemble them into a rectangular shape, I devised this tool wich, used in reference cuts, allows you to make smooth 45º cuts on either side of that reference cut, then fold the board, and have a super smooth curved finish on the exterior face.
Cutting the actual panels. Apply hot glue and fold the pieces against a wide thing wich makes a 90 degree angle with the table (I used a spare computer case XD ). Since the hot glue spurts out of the cut, it gives an enormous strenght to the bond:
WIRE DRUMS:
Not much mistery there, thick cardboard tube with thin carboard for smooth finish, and some lasercut pieces and sanding adjustment. Hot glue everywhere:
BLADE CARRIERS:
No mistery there, five fake blades and a hole for the sixth.
Since there are no other things inside the case, and while in use it has the cases pointing upwards, I decided not to put anything to hold the sword in place. Actually, part of the handle gets into the hole too, so the sword is not bouncing around as much as you might think. You can see that there is an open angle in there. Photo was taken prior to hot glue that part. However, it is true that on these boxes, one corner is a bit ugly. If I had to do it again, I would cut the underside in two segments, and made a front to front join, instead of an angle one. We kept the ugly corners against the tighs, so they would be the least seen (corner).
The gas canisters where also cheaply made out of thick cardboard tube found around, sheathed in thin cardboard for a smooth finish. The domes are the worst part, as we just couldn't afford to buy smooth high density styrofoam domes, we made them out of normal density, and a cheaply assembled lego hot whire cutter. and covered them with plaster. I forgot to take pictures of that, sorry.
Last pieces and final assembly:
It was time to attach all the blade carrier parts, and I prepared all the pieces in thin 2mm mdf. If it weren't for the ladies messing up a bit, the tubes could actually be removable (not that I would want it, for the sake of practicity and strongness). The gas tubes and the boxes got a thick wire of hot glue to bond them together permanently.
Final photos:
It's missing the cable guns, two small boxes that go into the belt and the gas valves (and the cables), but the weekend was over, so I decided I would do them this week. With that, my job will be done, as painting is on the ladies.
Also, since I already had the designs, I have started working on a pair of swords for me with all movable parts and removable blades, just because I need to show myself I can actually do better.
Keep in mind that I didn't had any decision making other than materials or ways of doing. I notticed, after finishing the build, that it is a mismatch of both manga and anime gears, but is what the ladies wanted to wear, so who am I discuss?
To keep cost low, I opted for building many of the pieces in lasercut MDF (cut at home in my modified chinese laser) but made the box out of foam core board (wich, incidentally, kept the weight low)
SWORDS:
Not much mistery around here. To keep them simple, I made a sandwich of lasercut MDF parts with no movable pieces and an inserted pine wood blade. (the kit shown below is composed of three small sheets, however, it looks like a single big one...aligned them too well for the photo! ^^U )
I was not entirely happy with the design, but had just one week, afterwork, to do it, in preparation for the weekend, so I wasn't going to do it perfect either.
People have the bad habit of gluing more than two pieces at a time, with thick glue, this can create a lubrication effect, prompting the sandwiched piece to move around, and ruining the alignment in the build. I instructed the girls to only glue two pieces at a time.
Sanding can turn a passable piece (better than nothing) into something you could call a prop:
I would call this, acceptable:
BLADE CASE:
To make the bodies, I switched to 5mm foam core board. Instead of cutting four separate pieces and assemble them into a rectangular shape, I devised this tool wich, used in reference cuts, allows you to make smooth 45º cuts on either side of that reference cut, then fold the board, and have a super smooth curved finish on the exterior face.
Cutting the actual panels. Apply hot glue and fold the pieces against a wide thing wich makes a 90 degree angle with the table (I used a spare computer case XD ). Since the hot glue spurts out of the cut, it gives an enormous strenght to the bond:
WIRE DRUMS:
Not much mistery there, thick cardboard tube with thin carboard for smooth finish, and some lasercut pieces and sanding adjustment. Hot glue everywhere:
BLADE CARRIERS:
No mistery there, five fake blades and a hole for the sixth.
Since there are no other things inside the case, and while in use it has the cases pointing upwards, I decided not to put anything to hold the sword in place. Actually, part of the handle gets into the hole too, so the sword is not bouncing around as much as you might think. You can see that there is an open angle in there. Photo was taken prior to hot glue that part. However, it is true that on these boxes, one corner is a bit ugly. If I had to do it again, I would cut the underside in two segments, and made a front to front join, instead of an angle one. We kept the ugly corners against the tighs, so they would be the least seen (corner).
The gas canisters where also cheaply made out of thick cardboard tube found around, sheathed in thin cardboard for a smooth finish. The domes are the worst part, as we just couldn't afford to buy smooth high density styrofoam domes, we made them out of normal density, and a cheaply assembled lego hot whire cutter. and covered them with plaster. I forgot to take pictures of that, sorry.
Last pieces and final assembly:
It was time to attach all the blade carrier parts, and I prepared all the pieces in thin 2mm mdf. If it weren't for the ladies messing up a bit, the tubes could actually be removable (not that I would want it, for the sake of practicity and strongness). The gas tubes and the boxes got a thick wire of hot glue to bond them together permanently.
Final photos:
It's missing the cable guns, two small boxes that go into the belt and the gas valves (and the cables), but the weekend was over, so I decided I would do them this week. With that, my job will be done, as painting is on the ladies.
Also, since I already had the designs, I have started working on a pair of swords for me with all movable parts and removable blades, just because I need to show myself I can actually do better.
