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Author
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Topic: how do i build a mech costume
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djzombie
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posted 12-15-2000 12:50 AM
i am in the midst of a project that requires a 'mech'costume(like Gundams, or large anime style robots), without having to use thermoplastics/vacuum forming (though if you can think of a fast and cheap way to utilize vacuum forming, please tell!). My experience is limited to foam and latex, which Im not sure will be effective due to its inherent surface irregularities. I was thinking maybe carving a hard foam, and somehow 'glassing' it like the surface of a surfboard... but i'm not sure how durable that would be. Any ideas?? |
crazy lou
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posted 12-15-2000 01:58 AM
well, wrote out a big reply before, but AOL doesnt want to cooperate sometimes  anyway, i saw an exosquad-esqu mech suit built from vacuformed, fiberglassed, and popriveted goodies. a guy built one at school that when worn stood 9 feet tall. he made any stress bearing sections from wood/polystyrene foam covered in fiberglass, non-weight bearing sections out of vacuformed styrene and stuck a bunch of "cool stuff" on. overall it didnt look that great, but i giv him credit for doing it. took him a few months and cost a pretty penny i understand. you can build a vacuform table pretty cheaply, check out FX mans page for a smaller table, or get Thurston James' "propbuilders molding and casting handbook" for a larger table that would be better for building something of this size. also make some phone calls to theater groups in your area, one of them may have a VF table you could use/rent. Also if you want the suit to fully enclose the wearer, look into bicentenial man and look at how they built robin williams first suit, since you may need to borrow some of their design work to be mobile. There's probably a lot more to say, but i have to go to sleep now later
Tom ------------------
What everyone seems to forget is that once we look past race, religion, gender, and all that, everyone on this planet is first and foremost... ...a PERSON LINKS(added to11/15) |
Wade
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posted 12-15-2000 02:33 AM
Try this site www.bioweapons.com This guy is creating a Guyver suit that looks damn good. He's also told me he's making a suit out of nothing but hot glue!He's got a very informative site. Go to the costuming section. Email him if you have any questions...he's a really nice guy. ------------------
**AOL IM - EyesRMaced**e-mail - dedhorse@ev1.net |
djzombie
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posted 12-16-2000 02:00 AM
thanks for the suggestions! ...bioweapons.com is incredible... hot glue!!! |
crazy lou
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posted 12-16-2000 02:03 AM
hey, i was just coming here to respond...you mustve read my mind  simple vacuform table made out of some cookie sheets...its only 11x17, so it'd be too small for you, but its easy to build later
TOm ------------------
What everyone seems to forget is that once we look past race, religion, gender, and all that, everyone on this planet is first and foremost... ...a PERSON LINKS(added to11/15) |
Big Al
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posted 12-17-2000 12:52 AM
Another material you might consider would be L-200 foam. It's a really dense sheet foam that is really rather stiff, yet still kind of flexible. It's used quite a bit for walk around costumes, or large constructions where there isn't the time or money for sculptures. If you ever saw White Zombie in consert, alot of the show stuff there was made from L-200, including the 10 foot tall robot. It is basically worked almost as you would patterning cloth, cutting gores and tucks with a razor, then use Barge cement to glue the edges together. I've got a photo of somebody in a great "Cosmic Warrior" costume made from L-200 and mattress foam from Steve Johnson's Halloween party last year. If i can find it, I'll post a copy or e-mail it to you. |
Buddy
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posted 12-17-2000 01:08 AM
How do you vaccuform!?!?------------------
"That's not a knife, THIS is a knife".
"No it's not. That's a spoon". "Ach. I see you've played knifey-spoony before".
http://www.members.tripod.com/b-mage
quote:
In a nutshell: you heat a sheet of thermoplastic, press it over a positive form, and use vaccuum to pull the soft plastic tightly over the positive form, then allow the plastic to cool and harden.
[This message has been edited by Jeff F (edited 01-14-2001).] |
cdolsen
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posted 12-17-2000 07:28 AM
Check the archives. There was a complete description of a cheap oven made out of insulation & brackets, and how to use it. |
lucasian
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posted 12-17-2000 04:26 PM
Go to bioweapons.com and email him and ask for his friend Jeff Allen's website address. It has complete instructions on vac-forming including pics and how to build everything!! |
crazy lou
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posted 12-17-2000 04:32 PM
while i havent been to bioweapons lately, i rember the DH2 how to build a stortrooper site was much better...they too had a vacuforming section as well as lots of other cool stuff http://www.studiocreations.com/howto/index.html Al, is that foam the same kind that gwar used for their stuff? i want to see a pic if you can find it, especialy a behind the scenes one if you got it. later
TOm ------------------
What everyone seems to forget is that once we look past race, religion, gender, and all that, everyone on this planet is first and foremost... ...a PERSON LINKS(added to11/15) |
Spoonboy
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posted 01-10-2001 05:23 PM
What ever happened to the good old days of a cardboard box wrapped in tinfoil? | |
