Tron Legacy Costume

[Vew]

Guys, big thanks for the soldering tips.

Working much better now. Only slight issue is being careful not to lift the wire up when removing the soldering iron, but not too big a deal.

Thanks again!

Use the pliers or a screw driver to take place of the soldering iron pushing down on the wire. Then pull the iron away. It won't stick to the pliers/screw driver. Glad it worked out for ya! The youtube guy contacted me back, so I have to see if I can get him fixed up too :lol.

 

[thecountofzero]

Use the pliers or a screw driver to take place of the soldering iron pushing down on the wire. Then pull the iron away. It won't stick to the pliers/screw driver. Glad it worked out for ya! The youtube guy contacted me back, so I have to see if I can get him fixed up too :lol.

I only got two hands! LOL.

One to hold the soldering iron down to heat the connection and one to apply the solder to the heated up wire/connection.

With which hand am I holding the pliers/screwdriver?

 

[tim]

I only got two hands! LOL.

One to hold the soldering iron down to heat the connection and one to apply the solder to the heated up wire/connection.

With which hand am I holding the pliers/screwdriver?

Sometimes what I do is just lay the pliers down as a weight to hold the wire in place.

Alternatively, you could get one of those "helping hands" things.

It's from Electro-LuminX Lighting Corporation. It does looks like what you describe. My coworker seems to think it's still a PWM with a good filter. I'm running almost 130sq in total, so I have the 50-150sq in rated one. It's about the size of my fist.

Yours sounds like a beefier version. Mine's rated for 40-70 sq in and is about 3 cm by 3 cm by 2 cm. I do think there's more to them than PWM, as suggested by the specs for these EL lamp driver ICs.

 

[Eveningarwen]

I have read and reread this thread and either I'm blind or it's not here or maybe there's just so much info now that it all starts blurring together. Im not trying to waste anyone's time but if someone could tell me where in this thread information is about how to make the battery pack and it's holder that would be awesome. The search tool on the RPF is pretty unhelpful as it's not taking me straight to the answers I'm trying to look at but just the page and sometimes not even the right page. I have nothing accomplished on my tron costume that I'm trying to get finished for Halloween so I don't have time anymore to sit here and dissect this thread down another time. If anyone could help...OMG....I'd be forever grateful. The battery pack I need is for a 12V inverter and 12 V battery @1amp if that helps direct me to a specific answer that was earlier here.

 

[tim]

I have read and reread this thread and either I'm blind or it's not here or maybe there's just so much info now that it all starts blurring together. Im not trying to waste anyone's time but if someone could tell me where in this thread information is about how to make the battery pack and it's holder that would be awesome. The search tool on the RPF is pretty unhelpful as it's not taking me straight to the answers I'm trying to look at but just the page and sometimes not even the right page. I have nothing accomplished on my tron costume that I'm trying to get finished for Halloween so I don't have time anymore to sit here and dissect this thread down another time. If anyone could help...OMG....I'd be forever grateful. The battery pack I need is for a 12V inverter and 12 V battery @1amp if that helps direct me to a specific answer that was earlier here.

Go for an 8xAA battery holder with 9V battery snap terminals that you can get at any Radio Shack. That will give you 12V using commonly available batteries.

 

[Crimson490]

Just finished my CLU helmet!
if you haven't been following along, it's here:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/clu-rinzler-helmet-128390-new/

 

[Vew]

Sometimes what I do is just lay the pliers down as a weight to hold the wire in place.

Alternatively, you could get one of those "helping hands" things.

Yours sounds like a beefier version. Mine's rated for 40-70 sq in and is about 3 cm by 3 cm by 2 cm. I do think there's more to them than PWM, as suggested by the specs for these EL lamp driver ICs.

Yup, I either use a weight or one of those devices. Don't have one anymore since the one I used was in my school's lab.

It looks like a good possibility. I really want to take it apart. I just might attempt to after Halloween is over.

Edit: I requested additional documentation, and it's confirmed it does utilize PWM.

I have read and reread this thread and either I'm blind or it's not here or maybe there's just so much info now that it all starts blurring together. Im not trying to waste anyone's time but if someone could tell me where in this thread information is about how to make the battery pack and it's holder that would be awesome. The search tool on the RPF is pretty unhelpful as it's not taking me straight to the answers I'm trying to look at but just the page and sometimes not even the right page. I have nothing accomplished on my tron costume that I'm trying to get finished for Halloween so I don't have time anymore to sit here and dissect this thread down another time. If anyone could help...OMG....I'd be forever grateful. The battery pack I need is for a 12V inverter and 12 V battery @1amp if that helps direct me to a specific answer that was earlier here.

1A? How did you get that number? That's a lot of tape. My inverter is rated for 650mAh @ a maximum of 150 square inches. I bought 14ft of 0.5in and 4ft of 1in (132sq in total). I kept it under 150sq in to use a smaller inverter. Although what's interesting, putting it on a power supply, it actually only pulls about 350mAh.

Assuming that really is how much current it draws, you'll probably only get a little over 2.5 hours on a set of batteries. I bought a 6 cell AA holder and a 4 cell AA holder from digikey. I plan on using 2 packs to achieve 7 hours. If my testing proves correct, it will actually get me more like 13 hours. I'm using 10 cells vs 8 cell because I'm using rechargeable batteries which are 1.2V rather than 1.5V from alkaline. I'd go with Tim's suggestion on the 8xAA holder. It will be the easiest for you. Pick up a 9V terminal snap while you're at it since you'll need it to make your connections.

 

[Eveningarwen]

Go for an 8xAA battery holder with 9V battery snap terminals that you can get at any Radio Shack. That will give you 12V using commonly available batteries.

Ahh ok. And I don't need a power supply or anything? This goes straight to the inverter? Like I mentioned I feel bad about asking a question again that I'm sure has been answered but I just can't seem to find the answer I specifically need lol. It's like finding a needle in a haystack here with all the info that's now available. Not to mention the amount of trial and error and improvements as well.

1A? How did you get that number? That's a lot of tape. My inverter is rated for 650mAh @ a maximum of 150 square inches. I bought 14ft of 0.5in and 4ft of 1in (132sq in total). I kept it under 150sq in to use a smaller inverter. Although what's interesting, putting it on a power supply, it actually only pulls about 350mAh.

Assuming that really is how much current it draws, you'll probably only get a little over 2.5 hours on a set of batteries. I bought a 6 cell AA holder and a 4 cell AA holder from digikey. I plan on using 2 packs to achieve 7 hours. If my testing proves correct, it will actually get me more like 13 hours. I'm using 10 cells vs 8 cell because I'm using rechargeable batteries which are 1.2V rather than 1.5V from alkaline. I'd go with Tim's suggestion on the 8xAA holder. It will be the easiest for you. Pick up a 9V terminal snap while you're at it since you'll need it to make your connections.

Lol probably by doing something wrong. I was looking for a power supply to go to my inverter on luminous film but now I'm thinking that the power supply is not what I need. The power supply that works with my inverter had the specs of being something around 12V @1amp, 600mhz.....something like that. But maybe I'm just looking at the wrong thing.

Basically I have 200 sq inches of tape and most of it is .5 inch with a little bit of 1 inch and 5 inch for the back curved pieces. I'm doing the Siren costume.

I'm also trying to find something that works for that giant pack that she has that holds her inverter and batteries I'm assuming. I saw a mention about buying a project box from Radio Shack but didn't see much else other then that everyone seems to have made their own pack to carry everything. Is there anything else that others have bought other then a project box or has everyone been making their box from scratch?

Thanks so much to both of you for your help! Seriously....I appreciate it so much! I've been following this thread from the beginning but it's a completely different ball park when you start to actually make the costume. Then all that info you read becomes a panic of "Wait, did I read that somewhere?? Where did I read that?".

 

[Vew]

Lol probably by doing something wrong. I was looking for a power supply to go to my inverter on luminous film but now I'm thinking that the power supply is not what I need. The power supply that works with my inverter had the specs of being something around 12V @1amp, 600mhz.....something like that. But maybe I'm just looking at the wrong thing.

Basically I have 200 sq inches of tape and most of it is .5 inch with a little bit of 1 inch and 5 inch for the back curved pieces. I'm doing the Siren costume.

Thanks so much to both of you for your help! Seriously....I appreciate it so much! I've been following this thread from the beginning but it's a completely different ball park when you start to actually make the costume. Then all that info you read becomes a panic of "Wait, did I read that somewhere?? Where did I read that?".

I wouldn't worry about it. I jumped in the middle of this thread too. It's crunch time since there's only a week and a half left. Easier for me to trial and error than to go see what everyone else did.

I see what you're saying now tho. It will only pull that much current if you max out the inverter. From the website you purchased from, it looks like it uses 3mA per square inch. That gives you 600mA with 200sqin or 0.6A. With 2300mAh alkaline batteries, your pack should last you a little over 3.5 hours.

 

[colonelmasako]

Hooking up the inverter that powers the light strip to the oscilloscope. I bought a 12VDC to 260VAC 800Hz one.

No load: 260VAC 1.37KHz @ 12VDC
With load: 260VAC 860Hz @ 12VDC

Quite impressed with the sine wave. I expected a really ugly square wave. Inverter weighs about as much as an apple.

Test fitting the EL wire in a Disney Tron Disk. Added the diffuser back in. Was a little disappointed with the light output of the EL wire, but it will do. I'd rather not go thru the trouble of trying to cram a half dozen LEDs in there and a sizable battery. Still deciding whether or not to light the outer ring. Couldn't put it all together since I forgot my glue gun at work.

Impressive effort. But do yourself a a favor and check out Soulinertia's disc mod kits. It requires a lot of pain in the ass dremel work, but the results cannot be beat in terms of quality and brightness. Save your EL tape for your suit, go with LED for the discs. He created a clean method of putting in lots of LEDs to make it nice and even. I won't reveal the details, but having done 2 of the kits myself I can say its a great result.

 

[AndreaGS]

I'm working on a Quorra costume for Halloween. I have all the other pieces together, but I'm working on the armor part right now and have been using craft foam.

I've had to add a couple darts to get the curves right. Does anyone know if spray foam sticks to craft foam? I was thinking about using it to smooth out some of the lines.

Also, for the strips (I'm using reflective tape, not enough time to do EL tape, sadly) - I saw someone mention making them detachable, velcro-ing them onto the costume. If you use reflective tape, what are you attaching the tape to before velcro-ing it on? Hope that makes sense...

Thanks!

 

[Vew]

Impressive effort. But do yourself a a favor and check out Soulinertia's disc mod kits. It requires a lot of pain in the ass dremel work, but the results cannot be beat in terms of quality and brightness. Save your EL tape for your suit, go with LED for the discs. He created a clean method of putting in lots of LEDs to make it nice and even. I won't reveal the details, but having done 2 of the kits myself I can say its a great result.

Thank you, and I appreciate the advice. I actually saw how it was done and kinda wish I went that route. I've completed this disk, and I need to concentrate the rest of my efforts on the robe itself with only a little over a weeks left to work on it. Especially since I've already damaged the disk irreversibly putting the EL wire in.

I hate to say it but this stuff is so dim compared to everything else, I'd skip using it all together had I known. The robe is almost done being sewn together and I have to incorporate about 18ft worth of light tape into it. My task tonight is to make a makeshift fighting staff using EL wire just to have a prop to hold.

I got my items to make the battery pack today and my lighted ice cubes. We plan on making a white fake LED lit ice cube to put in our "libation" drink which will consist of a glass of Hypnotic so it will glow.

I finished the battery pack today. I'll make a second one when I get a chance. It consists of a 6 AA holders and a 4 AA holder wired in series. 10x 1.2V NiMH batteries will give me the 12V I need to power the light strips.

View attachment 71617

 

[Liriel]

so now i have pics from my tron style jacket with disc on our mannequin

front

rear

 

[TodReynard43]

What's the best way to make a disc mount?

 

[Liriel]

i think to build it from the packaging of the disc because they provide the proper diameter has been

 

[Caddys Shack]

First post EVER here...lol

Just wanted to add something on EL Tape here regarding Tron outfits.

I found a great place to get it from and its not too expensive. They even had pre made strips with connectors already installed (on both ends) as well as the circles (you can add up to four per purchase).

Probably the best DIY "easy" el tape package I've found. Or yet, really the ONLY one I've found. I purchased two of their "pre made packs" and added on 4 additional circles for my Sam Flynn Legacy suit I'm making with a form fitting suit plus 3mm foam. It won't be as studly as whats out there, but I think it will be pretty damn awesome.

EL Wire and Club Lighting Source | Electroluminescent Wire | Club Lasers

The Ultimate Tron DIY Costume Kit

PS- To anyone who lives in Phoenix, you SUCK for making me drive all over for plasti dip to spray my foam in. Stop looting Ace and Home Depots!!:behave

I"ll post some templates I made that should work or be customizable for everyone once I get it all done. First Cosplay...won't be my last.:darnkids

 

[Vew]

My battery pack I made during lunch hooked up to about 2/3rds of the tape I'll be using in the end.

 

[ARC]

Update time! Matt and I just got together for the weekend and got the boots mostly finished:

They're built on a basic clear stripper shoe by Ellie brand with a black 4-way stretch jersey boot cover (made by yours truly). I had shiny fabric picked out but Matt and I decided to switch to jersey because it hides imperfections (ahem, wire lines) better than something glossy. It's also more durable than the wet-look spandex I had chosen. I know it's not amazingly screen accurate but this is a home-designed (original character, if you want to put it that way) costume anyway, and it's for a very specific purpose so I have a lot of durability and wearability considerations. It looks decent in daylight, nice in soft lighting, and BITCHIN' in low light (which is good news for me since the lighting in Hustler is pretty negligible).

Tell me what you think!

I got the top sewn but Matt had to drive back to Florida with it before I could take any pictures, so that will have to wait until the final reveal.

EDIT: also this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqyyhzsff4Q

 

[Vew]

They're built on a basic clear stripper shoe by Ellie brand with a black 4-way stretch jersey boot cover (made by yours truly). I had shiny fabric picked out but Matt and I decided to switch to jersey because it hides imperfections (ahem, wire lines) better than something glossy. It's also more durable than the wet-look spandex I had chosen. I know it's not amazingly screen accurate but this is a home-designed (original character, if you want to put it that way) costume anyway, and it's for a very specific purpose so I have a lot of durability and wearability considerations. It looks decent in daylight, nice in soft lighting, and BITCHIN' in low light (which is good news for me since the lighting in Hustler is pretty negligible).

Tell me what you think!

I got the top sewn but Matt had to drive back to Florida with it before I could take any pictures, so that will have to wait until the final reveal.

It's looking great! Did you abandon the idea of lighting the clear platform portion?

 

[Luniwe]

Wow, so many costumes now! great work!

Test fitting the EL wire in a Disney Tron Disk. Added the diffuser back in. Was a little disappointed with the light output of the EL wire, but it will do. I'd rather not go thru the trouble of trying to cram a half dozen LEDs in there and a sizable battery. Still deciding whether or not to light the outer ring. Couldn't put it all together since I forgot my glue gun at work.

Did you use el wire and the small 2AA battery inverter? ....... how did it fit in there? where did you put the switch? I'd like to buy the disc and mod it but i'm no good for electronics