Hamsterstyle
Well-Known Member
Update 3/3/2011: on Page 2
Update 12/29/2012: Bottom of this post has the Helmet Template.
Last year I started out making a General Kael mask, then I started making pvc chainmaile, before I knew it I was working on the entire costume. For some reason I find myself doing a very small project, then quickly evolves into something larger.
So about two weeks ago I decided to take a break from another WIP to play around with styrene(Or what I'm pretty sure is Styrene) and rivets. I've never played with these materials, but seeing what people have done with these materials on this site, I figured it would be fun to learn it.
I've had Kropserkel under my favorites for quite some time and have from time to time checked out their website and the crazy cool replicas that they make. Inspired by that, and all the great Iron Man armor on here, I started off making a set of Naz'gul gauntlets.
My reference for this was a few frames from the movie, and all of the various replicas that I found online(Of course kropserkel). In addition to the licensed statues.
The biggest struggle I had with this was getting the knuckleguard correct(or whatever it is called). Since I don't own a vacuform table, I made due with a heat gun and lots of trial and error. I arrived at this:
It's not very accurate, but it works for now.
The picture above is half weathered as a quick test.
Getting to that point, I then realized that I needed to do a little of the forearm armor, then I did the shoulder armor, and tonight I did a version of the helmet. This is why I don't buy pies, because I start off eating one piece, and before I know it I've eaten an entire pie and a galleon of whip-cream. Yes, I can eat an entire spanish trading ship filled with whip-cream.
I didn't want to do a WIP thread for this, as it is just my personal insanity, but since I've worked on it I've had some questions and issues pop up, and since there is no better group of people to ask (Unless you work for WETA or Sauron), I come here with my questions.
1st: I need a pair of cheap leather or leather-ish gloves for the gauntlets. It's summer time, and noone carries them anymore. I don't need a perfect set, just anything black and leatherish would be fine. I'm hoping to spend less than 30 bucks for the pair. Where online should I check? My plan is to ruin them by directly riveting the finger plates into the gloves. So I may pick up 2-3 pair. Plus having a good set of mideval gloves around for costumes would avoid my General Kael problem. Namely having cheap plastic gloves that after 8 hours feel like wearing wet salty socks on your hands.
2nd: Anyone know the dimensions of the helm? From what little I've read online It seems the helm is around 30in tall. I plan to wear it a little high on my head so that I'm looking out the 'mouth', if it ever goes to a full costume.
3rd: Fabric, what kind of fabric to give that ugly, falling apart look that the ringwraiths have. I've been to alleycatscratch and gone through what they have written, but second opinions are always welcome. I do wonder why the Naz'gul couldn't afford nice things. You would think that nine of the most powerful warriors in Middle-earth working for a great evil eye could afford a new set of robes every hundred years or so. They must not have unionized.
4th: What is a good filler for styrene? There will be a few cracks between plates, and my current plan is just a little hot glue for that welded look.
5th: How toxic is styrene? I hope this doesn't make me sound like an idiot, which as anyone can attest, I usually do. But right now I'm just heating the styrene pieces with a heat gun until they are soft and then molding them over whatever will give me the shapes I need. I'm not melting them, just softening them. I do this in my apartment. Am I ruining my lungs, should I be coughing up blood? Or should I just hope that one day I can buy new lungs?
So yeah, I don't have a girlfriend so this is my project in the meantime. If it goes well this 'pilot' may go to series and I may make 8 Naz'gul costumes for friends and fall on a convention together. Help me RPF you're my only hope.
----
Template Update:
Helmet:
Full Size
Update 12/29/2012: Bottom of this post has the Helmet Template.
Last year I started out making a General Kael mask, then I started making pvc chainmaile, before I knew it I was working on the entire costume. For some reason I find myself doing a very small project, then quickly evolves into something larger.
So about two weeks ago I decided to take a break from another WIP to play around with styrene(Or what I'm pretty sure is Styrene) and rivets. I've never played with these materials, but seeing what people have done with these materials on this site, I figured it would be fun to learn it.
I've had Kropserkel under my favorites for quite some time and have from time to time checked out their website and the crazy cool replicas that they make. Inspired by that, and all the great Iron Man armor on here, I started off making a set of Naz'gul gauntlets.
My reference for this was a few frames from the movie, and all of the various replicas that I found online(Of course kropserkel). In addition to the licensed statues.
The biggest struggle I had with this was getting the knuckleguard correct(or whatever it is called). Since I don't own a vacuform table, I made due with a heat gun and lots of trial and error. I arrived at this:
It's not very accurate, but it works for now.
The picture above is half weathered as a quick test.
Getting to that point, I then realized that I needed to do a little of the forearm armor, then I did the shoulder armor, and tonight I did a version of the helmet. This is why I don't buy pies, because I start off eating one piece, and before I know it I've eaten an entire pie and a galleon of whip-cream. Yes, I can eat an entire spanish trading ship filled with whip-cream.
I didn't want to do a WIP thread for this, as it is just my personal insanity, but since I've worked on it I've had some questions and issues pop up, and since there is no better group of people to ask (Unless you work for WETA or Sauron), I come here with my questions.
1st: I need a pair of cheap leather or leather-ish gloves for the gauntlets. It's summer time, and noone carries them anymore. I don't need a perfect set, just anything black and leatherish would be fine. I'm hoping to spend less than 30 bucks for the pair. Where online should I check? My plan is to ruin them by directly riveting the finger plates into the gloves. So I may pick up 2-3 pair. Plus having a good set of mideval gloves around for costumes would avoid my General Kael problem. Namely having cheap plastic gloves that after 8 hours feel like wearing wet salty socks on your hands.
2nd: Anyone know the dimensions of the helm? From what little I've read online It seems the helm is around 30in tall. I plan to wear it a little high on my head so that I'm looking out the 'mouth', if it ever goes to a full costume.
3rd: Fabric, what kind of fabric to give that ugly, falling apart look that the ringwraiths have. I've been to alleycatscratch and gone through what they have written, but second opinions are always welcome. I do wonder why the Naz'gul couldn't afford nice things. You would think that nine of the most powerful warriors in Middle-earth working for a great evil eye could afford a new set of robes every hundred years or so. They must not have unionized.
4th: What is a good filler for styrene? There will be a few cracks between plates, and my current plan is just a little hot glue for that welded look.
5th: How toxic is styrene? I hope this doesn't make me sound like an idiot, which as anyone can attest, I usually do. But right now I'm just heating the styrene pieces with a heat gun until they are soft and then molding them over whatever will give me the shapes I need. I'm not melting them, just softening them. I do this in my apartment. Am I ruining my lungs, should I be coughing up blood? Or should I just hope that one day I can buy new lungs?
So yeah, I don't have a girlfriend so this is my project in the meantime. If it goes well this 'pilot' may go to series and I may make 8 Naz'gul costumes for friends and fall on a convention together. Help me RPF you're my only hope.
----
Template Update:
Helmet:
Full Size
Last edited:
very very nice.
