Tron Legacy Costume

[Soulinertia]

Welcome to the TRON costume comunity TheLadyNerd

As for EL tape, the laminated stuff I'm using is extremely durable! No chance of it breaking. I tried bending it back and forth several times and even tried to tear it with my bear hands but was unable to.

 

[Blink]

You guys have done a ton to help me get this costume done. Admittedly: this is not movie quality, but, I'm pretty proud of it, and I think you guys will put it on par with... above average at least?

Regular EL wire, aqua, leather pants and jacket - spent more money than I needed to just to avoid thrift shop hunting (no car right now) and EL wire soldering (can barely solder on my own, also don't have time to learn right now AND make a costume >_<) so it totaled just under $300 (not counting some awesome boots I got...). $60 leather pants, $30 leather jacket (these were Amazon's cheapest, cringeworthy I know) then $140 for EL wire, drivers and soldering - five drivers, 45ft of cable total. Got great reactions to it though, so without further ado:

Kind of a Sam variant, with magnets on the back!

(Also: the lights died in the legs due to the driver to wire connector five minutes into Halloween night >_< hence picture #2 there being dark below the waist.)

 

[Annisse]

This weekend is definitely out; but my mind is made up to get out there and party with the gang, with or without costume. Keep me informed of your party dates, and I'll eventually free up a day where I can fly out, party, and fly back before anyone knows I'm gone.

On another note, I've begun research on a Clu costume. I just think the pattern is so cool, and it will be interesting to see how a yellow clear coat works with the EL sheet.

This one will go up for sale on eBay, hopefully in time for the buyer to wear it to the premiere.

Compass whatever weekend you can come to LA to go to ElecTRONica let us know. I was thinking in your case since you are flying in and don't want to chance wearing the costume and not getting into DCA.

Why not fly in one weekend maybe get a hotel at Disney like on a Friday, go to ElecTRONica out of costume just to experience it, then if you feel comfortable go back on Sat. in costume and try to get in. I am telling you, just bring a coat to cover yourself up, odds are better that way to get in. As far as once you are in then turn your suit on, we shall see, I only had reflective tape on my suit so, of course that didn't get as much attention as a light up suit.

Someone just wrote me right now that they just went to ElecTRONica in their EL Wire light up Tron styled shirt and didn't have any problems. I say GO FOR IT! You know you want to

I am down to go any weekend this month

 

[Annisse]

I'm down for IMAX in City Walk too!!!

Coo! Let us know if the 7pm slot on Dec. 17th work for you. I want to get my tix this week before they are sold out!

Who else is down to see the movie Dec. 17th 7pm at the Universal City Walk AMC IMAX 3D theater? We are trying to get a group of the TRON costumers together.

 

[BarJedi]

7 on the 17th works!

 

[TheLadyNerd]

Thanks for the welcome, Soulinertia!

I think I'm just going to post one question at a time so I don't get lost in the shuffle here...

Gloves - I'm going to hit up the local costuming stores for after-Halloween sales for Quorra's gloves. I imagine a fabric, such as cotton gloves or sateen should do alright. (Though what fabric did they use for her gloves in the film?)

 

[Rinzler]

Well I got impatient and decided to start a "rough" costume in case materials don't arrive in time for Australian premiere, did a template for chest this afternoon and EVA foam forearm & upper arm for armor over a Lycra long-sleeve black top, goign to do the legs tomorrow night and eyeing off some snooker gloves on ebay for hands (not sure what footwear yet still shopping) hopefully it'll look OK and hold me over till I get some better materials and free time, I can use this as a test run and work out strengths & weaknesses in my technique & materials, I just don't want to be using motorcycle gear to make it as too expensive

 

[Compass72]

Mr. Actordiver...

Let's say I was to take two pieces of EL tape. One is hooked up to the power supply, the second one is detatched from everything.

I take that second piece and overlap the first, but I turn the second piece 45 degrees to create an angle.

Knowing the conductive copper runs along the sides, I drill a hole on both sides, where I know the conductive material for BOTH pieces overlap. I then thread screws through the holes and fasten them with a hex nut.

Same procedure I did for the EL sheet. In theory....would this work? Would both pieces light up?

 

[quiksilver1209]

Hey everyone, I am new to the forum, and must say that all your costumes look amazing. I stumbled on this site after being really interested in making this costume after Comic Con this past summer. As much as I like to have a costume done by the premiere and actually hit up elecTRONica in costume I don't have the time. Thanks for all the tips and everything as they have helped, my goal is to have everything up and running by early next year or at least by SD Comic Con 2011

 

[Soulinertia]

Mr. Actordiver...

Let's say I was to take two pieces of EL tape. One is hooked up to the power supply, the second one is detatched from everything.

I take that second piece and overlap the first, but I turn the second piece 45 degrees to create an angle.

Knowing the conductive copper runs along the sides, I drill a hole on both sides, where I know the conductive material for BOTH pieces overlap. I then thread screws through the holes and fasten them with a hex nut.

Same procedure I did for the EL sheet. In theory....would this work? Would both pieces light up?

Hey Compass, I understand this question is directed at Actordriver so I'll let him give his own answer, but in short - Yes that will work.

 

[Compass72]

Hey Compass, I understand this question is directed at Actordriver so I'll let him give his own answer, but in short - Yes that will work.

Lol. I know you're the tape expert as well. I should have addressed it to both of you anyways. I think for the Clu costume light tape will be easier since it already comes in yellow.

What I will have to keep in mind is to order tape a little wider than I need it to take into account the area the screws will render 'unsightly'.

 

[actordiver]

Lol. I know you're the tape expert as well. I should have addressed it to both of you anyways. I think for the Clu costume light tape will be easier since it already comes in yellow.

What I will have to keep in mind is to order tape a little wider than I need it to take into account the area the screws will render 'unsightly'.

In response: Theoretically it should work, however "light tape" doesn not suggest you "chain" link strips. instead Parallel wiring so equal amounts of electricity is going to each strip. Thats if you're working with "light tape" brand..if you're working with a cheaper "computer parts" its a whole other monster...see pics below. and I mean a MONSTER!!! You have to separate the lamination, scratch off part of the main "positive side" and then connect the 2 parts perfectly (impossible to do as an overlap) so that the negative side (or ground side) has a way to complete the circut back to the inverter.

I didn't attempt to cut and re-attach instead I just did it as its own strip (parallel) wiring back to the power source. If you order "light tape" they send you a 3 foot wiring set that can be used to run back to the source or just ad additional wire attached to it. With all the cutting I did I didnt use the extra 16 gauge speaker wire I THOUGHT I would need.

The trick I would see with CLU is Masking off the light tape to give the illusion of angles being formed. (IE his cool "leader" pattern on his upper left chest) "gaffers Tape" is awesome...yes a roll will cost 20 bucks but WELL WORTH IT!! it doesn't reflect light and is strong like duct tape without the messy residue. That's what I used to to give the illusion of shapes.

 

[actordiver]

In response: Theoretically it should work, however "light tape" doesn not suggest you "chain" link strips. instead Parallel wiring so equal amounts of electricity is going to each strip. Thats if you're working with "light tape" brand..if you're working with a cheaper "computer parts" its a whole other monster...see pics below. and I mean a MONSTER!!! You have to separate the lamination, scratch off part of the main "positive side" and then connect the 2 parts perfectly (impossible to do as an overlap) so that the negative side (or ground side) has a way to complete the circut back to the inverter.

I didn't attempt to cut and re-attach instead I just did it as its own strip (parallel) wiring back to the power source. If you order "light tape" they send you a 3 foot wiring set that can be used to run back to the source or just ad additional wire attached to it. With all the cutting I did I didnt use the extra 16 gauge speaker wire I THOUGHT I would need.

The trick I would see with CLU is Masking off the light tape to give the illusion of angles being formed. (IE his cool "leader" pattern on his upper left chest) "gaffers Tape" is awesome...yes a roll will cost 20 bucks but WELL WORTH IT!! it doesn't reflect light and is strong like duct tape without the messy residue. That's what I used to to give the illusion of shapes.

You see the tiny little strip to the right on picture 1? That's the ground side and if you cross over any part of the positive side on that side the light strip won't work. Pain in the you know what! but once again this is the cheap computer part light strip..not "light tape" "LT" is another thing all together...their "scribe line" runs down the middle that when you connect their "cramp on" connectors it pierces the light tape...you just have to be careful not to cross over the "scribe line"

Like I said it "should" work the way you described it..just not recommended.

 

[Soulinertia]

Those that have been following my costume build thread have already seen this, but I used these clamps:

They have little teeth that bite straight through the lamination for a secure hold. I'm still sourcing where to get more at the moment, but I'm sure these would work just as well:

 

[Soulinertia]

Just had an idea, what about staples!

 

[kravmaga999]

hey just joined on here Ive designed a few props in the past so Im planning on this new tron custume which should be interesting to make. By using 1 wetsuit black and gloves £25.00, EL wire x2 blue £18.00, fishing wire, motorcross parts and pre ordered light disc at £6.99. Ive not as yet started it yet, still working on the design on paper

 

[kravmaga999]

Just had an idea, what about staples!

for what?

 

[kravmaga999]

Where did you find this helmet? We're shooting our Tron Suits this week and I'm thinking this helmet 'could' fit in nicely.
Any links to where I can see it's details and possibly purchase it?
Thanks! ....and nice homework on the helmets.

David

Hi Whats the name of this helmet??

 

[BarJedi]

Dunno if anyone posted this, but I stumbled across it in my research...
FLATLITE Flexible Electroluminescent Panels, Strip Lamps and Inverters -- LUMINOUSFILM.COM --USA

 

[Blink]

Just checked IMAX stuff in my local area (West Hollywood to LAX), looks like things are filling up, fast. If you guys want to get a group thing going, you might want to get on that.

Dunno if you guys want it to be just committed RPF members or if any could join in, but I know that if there's a mass glowing suit gathering, I'd love to see it in person, or join in on the glowing clothes festivities.