Well here we go! Building a suit for he little one......

Darkwolf1 · Mar 3, 2010

Ok so needless to say there has been a LOT of discussion around the house as of late about me ordering my suit. And as a result of the the little guy decided to chime in with "I want to be the predator too dad". Um yeah ok so my reply is "Well why ever would you want to do that?" to which I get "I want to be like you". So what are you gonna do. I can't afford a suit for him and I don't think the pro make one in 5yr old sizes so........ I guess my talentless a$$ better make it happen. Well thanks to Vinman's awesome template I decided to give it a whirl. I will start out by saying I have NO idea what I'm doing but I'm just going to feed off (leech off whatever

the amazing talent here on the Lair and just try to follow your examples. I am using foam for the armor which I will cover in liquid latex and make a stab at painting it. I am just starting out and I will do my best to document what I'm doing, but as I'm winging it I sometimes get distracted so if I jump around I'm sorry. So three days, one cut and four burns from the glue gun later I have his shoulder bells and butt armor done. NOw I have no idea what I'm gonna do about the skin or the mask, bio...etc. But I want to make him happy so I will figure it out. I'm a little nervous about posting my sub-par work up on here with all the stuff that everyone else makes, but that being said I really want the advice and the critiques so please by all means. Once again thank you Vinman for the templates you are a godsend.

pieces cut out

Gluing tips for spike effect

"spikes"

bell supports cut out

bell assembled

bells and butt plate

Bovine13 · Mar 3, 2010

For the mask get a Rubies AVP mask (its cheap) and mod it for your needs.

Darkwolf1 · Mar 3, 2010

Thanks I just started looking around I'm looking for the deluxe one I guess and they make hands to apparently. None on ebay at the moment in child's size.

MasterAnubis · Mar 3, 2010

Thats awsome.

There are a few of us that are in the process of making kids costumes. Ok maybe just us

and a few that have finished. I don't need a pro built suit, I just want it to look like I tried. So the stuff I'm making for my son will end up being practice for my stuff. These are the theads I remember, hope they help.

The kids stuff I'm making is for my son (8yo)
my profile lists my threads. I've only done a gaunlet for him so far, I promised him more progress this week on his armor.
This is his blade gauntlet: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?showtopic=15423

Un-Blooded finished his daughters suit for last Halloween (7yo)
his profile lists his threads: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?showuser=1265
her suit: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...c=14642&hl=

cujo66 is doing costumes for his family
his thread: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...c=14007&hl=

Both Un-Blooded's daughter and my son love my generic 'demon' gloves that are just too dang big for them. Both cujo66 and Un-Blooded have great ideas that came out really good.

Bovine13 · Mar 3, 2010

Dont know how big or little he is but check this lil hunter out.

http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...ic=7833&hl=

Darkwolf1 · Mar 3, 2010

MasterAnubis said:
Thats awsome.

There are a few of us that are in the process of making kids costumes. Ok maybe just us and a few that have finished. I don't need a pro built suit, I just want it to look like I tried. So the stuff I'm making for my son will end up being practice for my stuff. These are the theads I remember, hope they help.

The kids stuff I'm making is for my son (8yo)
my profile lists my threads. I've only done a gaunlet for him so far, I promised him more progress this week on his armor.
This is his blade gauntlet: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?showtopic=15423

Un-Blooded finished his daughters suit for last Halloween (7yo)
his profile lists his threads: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?showuser=1265
her suit: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...c=14642&hl=

cujo66 is doing costumes for his family
his thread: http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...c=14007&hl=

Both Un-Blooded's daughter and my son love my generic 'demon' gloves that are just too dang big for them. Both cujo66 and Un-Blooded have great ideas that came out really good.

Those are great links thanks a bunch. I did not know so many people had done this. I ordered the latex today. I love the gaunlet by the way. I'm also putting together a sound and led board for him but that's a suprise. I will be fitting him this weekend and posting more pics. I have four custom rifle I have to finish for customers by friday so that is gonna have me buried til' then. Will update soon. We will have to get all the pred-a-tots together for a play date......

Darkwolf1 · Mar 3, 2010

Bovine13 said:
Dont know how big or little he is but check this lil hunter out.

http://www.thehunterslair.com/index.php?sh...ic=7833&hl=

Very cute. My little one will be 6 next month, he's actually pretty big for his age. I will be test fitting the armor to him this weekend and will post pics.

Origami Unicorn · Mar 3, 2010

thats cool,

Im a teen, here what I used for the backpack- A minivac with a little bondo and foam you have a great looking backpack!

good luck!

Darkwolf1 · Mar 3, 2010

you mean like a dustbuster or something?

MasterAnubis · Mar 4, 2010

Darkwolf said:
Those are great links thanks a bunch. I did not know so many people had done this. I ordered the latex today. I love the gaunlet by the way. I'm also putting together a sound and led board for him but that's a suprise. I will be fitting him this weekend and posting more pics. I have four custom rifle I have to finish for customers by friday so that is gonna have me buried til' then. Will update soon. We will have to get all the pred-a-tots together for a play date......

Thanks
Un-Blooded and I are only 10 miles apart. So we can get the kids together every once and while. I really need to get some foamies. That stuff seems to work great for so much.

xdmray · Mar 4, 2010

if you dont want to mess with having to paint latex. try just painting the foamies and then spraying on clear Plasti Dip. it comes in a spray can. will keep it soft and be quicker to paint.

Darkwolf1 · Mar 4, 2010

xdmray said:
if you dont want to mess with having to paint latex. try just painting the foamies and then spraying on clear Plasti Dip. it comes in a spray can. will keep it soft and be quicker to paint.

The spray paint won't eat the foam? I was worried about a chemical reaction between the hardeners in the paint and foam. I will spray paint a scrap piece. I don't think I've ever seen plasti dip so I'll have to look around for that.
Thanks.

Darkwolf1 · Mar 4, 2010

MasterAnubis said:
Thanks
Un-Blooded and I are only 10 miles apart. So we can get the kids together every once and while. I really need to get some foamies. That stuff seems to work great for so much.

Yeah the foamies are great..... I was going to do it in aluminum because metal I can work with but the Mrs. was like ummmmmm.....no.

ptgreek · Mar 4, 2010

Looks great. Yes Plasti-dip will work as a base on foamies. you can then weather it using metallic acrylics. no real need to seal after that ..its weathering ..if some scrapes off, it'll still look worn. THIS IS IMPORTANT ..when using spray plast-dip, use a respirator...that stuff is death in a can

Darkwolf1 · Mar 4, 2010

ptgreek said:
Looks great. Yes Plasti-dip will work as a base on foamies. you can then weather it using metallic acrylics. no real need to seal after that ..its weathering ..if some scrapes off, it'll still look worn. THIS IS IMPORTANT ..when using spray plast-dip, use a respirator...that stuff is death in a can

Thanks buddy I have a nice respirator from painting cars and equipment so I'll do my best not to kill myself. I would like to go on living for a bit more. I'll pick some plasti-dip up tomorrow the website says Home depot carries it so I should be good there. Been reading all the painting huntorials. I know the devil is in the details and there is a huge difference between detail work and painting big flat stuff. The Mrs. says it looks great, he's 5 he will be thrilled. But I figure do it right the first time, learn what I need to learn and then I can start work on my own custom suit build while using my purchased one. I just pray the Mrs. just keeps rolling her eyes at me because if she was to get interested in it and wanted her own I would be broke forever.

predatorcrazy68 · Mar 4, 2010

Looks great, keep it up and looking forward to more pic's.

xdmray · Mar 4, 2010

here are pics of foamies i spray painted. i havent ever had a problem with the foam getting eaten.

Origami Unicorn · Mar 4, 2010

Darkwolf said:
you mean like a dustbuster or something?

Yeah I will make a how to video soon

Dieabolic · Mar 4, 2010

Darkwolf said:
I'm a little nervous about posting my sub-par work up on here with all the stuff that everyone else makes, but that being said I really want the advice and the critiques so please by all means. Once again thank you Vinman for the templates you are a godsend.

Never be afraid to post your work here as it can only lead to bigger and better things. This is by far the friendliest prop board I have ever been a member of. And, as far as I am concerned, the only way to truly fail is to never try in the first place. Plus, what I see here so far look great and your son will have a truly special memory of you doing this with and for him.(greatest plus of all)

Darkwolf1 · Mar 6, 2010

Ok so was pretty sick yesterday...blahh.... but I have some updates for toady. I finished cutting out all the pieces for the chest armor and made the thigh armor. I actually managed to get him to hold still long enough to test fit some of the armor.

I picked up the plati-dip as per PTGREEK's recommendations and that will be the base coat on all the armor. I did mess up on the scale for the center of the chest armor so I'm making a new one and I will use the old one as part of the groin armor I think. I have a gallon of liquid latex on the way and I ordered a child size Mr. I muscle costume which will become his predator skin. I will pick up some high density foam blocks which will be carved for the backpack, gauntlets and cannon. I'll throw up some pics of the progress.

On a personal note I would like to thank all of the ladies on here and the guys with their "mates" up on the suit thread. Thanks to you guys mine says " I'd wear a suit too, to events and stuff with you guys. But I want to be a sexy predator". SOB! I don't even know what a "sexy" predator would be..... But it looks like I'm totally screwed for the near future as I will have no free time and no money. So at this point I'm just gonna go lock myself in a dark room, curl up in the fetal position and cry

So no new under mask for me... I'll be saving for parts for her suit....gotta find a female skin from somewhere.

chest pieces cut out