I've never done this before... So I need help...

Hello,
I'm am entirely new to this, replica costume making thing, so I wanted to start with my favorite characters, Mandalorians...
I have a very low budget for making costumes (so stuff from wal-mart or cheap materials like PVC). I have some normal tools that might be necessary (drill, tin snips, heat gun, variety of saws, pliers, no molding stuff). But I need to know how to do things... So I need a little help...
If anyone can send me links to tutorials, blue prints, templates, with-ind my resources, or give some advice for my budget and resources would be very helpful...

Thank You

you should check the stickies, almost everything you're asking for is posted in those.

what do you mean by the "stickies"...

stickies are the threads at top of the list in each forum...go to say, the helmet forum, and look at the top posts...they are "stickied" at the top, so they dont move down the list as other threads are made to make it easier for people to find them...lots of build up threads, painting threads, installation threads, "how to" threads are stickied at the top of each sub-forum...=)

hi . i guess best start is mando helmet and for that nothing cheaper then card board ;] check this thread http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showt...hlight=ant+man and other threads by AntMan hi is a bloody Genius when comes to cardboard work , i follow his tut with my build and this is what i get http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showt...-scratch-build , good luck :]]]

Ok, here's my recipe for ya!

Depending on your size, if your smaller, you can prob buy a 2 piece Jango and modify it. $30
Jango 2 piece
Then head to Wal-Mart and pick up a few things. First, buy an off brand Dremel or rotary tool. It will be very valuable for you work in the costume world. Make sure it comes with sanding drums and a cutting bit. Likely a little less than $30. Then pick up a pack of sand paper of a fine grain and some steel wool ($5). Grab a hot glue gun and a pack of sticks ($5), a small can of Bondo ($8), a fiberglassing kit ($12), maybe some JB Weld ($4) and whatever paints you want for your Mando. A Lowes has a cheaper off brand called Valspar which is really good. Just be sure to grab a can of flat coat and silver for sure. Go to the section where you find window screen and grab a pack of foam ($3). It's in a long thick strip folded on itself. You will be using that for padding in your gaunts and helmet. Look here to see if there are any cheap laceless boots if you don't already have a pair at home. Grab a pair of mechanics or yard working gloves ($5) as they make great Mando gloves.

Try to hit up a military surplus store and buy a used coverall/flightsuit. I got mine for $12 and they had tons in different colors. You can always buy some Rit dye to change its color ($2 a box). Also ask for a neck gaitor ($5). They are simple neoprene or polypropylene sleeves you put on over your neck. Makes for a simple and easy neck seal. Usually in brown or black. Find a Salvation Army or whatever for nice belts to add as accessories. Maybe you can find a vest or slightly padded shirt you can cut the sleeves off of to make your vest. If not, try to find someone with a sewing machine. Ask around. If you buy 3 years of twill ($10) and some interfacing ($3) along with some muslin for lining ($3), a vest can be easily made. Look for window tinting as well and pick up some. Lastly try to find a safety store that sells fire extinguishers. You can find face shields her for roughly $4 as you will need to replace the visor in your Jango.

Next, look around for sign shops, plastic stores or architectural offices. Ask for Sintra / foam PVC. If you cannot find it, here are two resources:

TAP Plastic
Ebay Seller

If you want a Boba style (chest, knees, back and gaunts), you can do this with a 4x4 sheet. Buy the 3mm or 1/8 inch. You can cut it with a simple box cutter you can get from Wal-Mart or Lowes for $7. If you want a Jango, go with a full sheet - 4x8. Hopefully you can find this locally. I buy 4x8 sheets from TAP down the street and it's $39.50. Shipping will eat you up. You can always use a cape instead of a backplate, saving you alot of plastic.
Go to the Boba or Jango section here and download all the WOF templates for your size. Print and trace it on your plastic and cut. Be sure to put the cut paper on your chest to make sure it is the right size. If you are brave, you can pick up some For Sale signs at Walmart and make a helmet and real gaunts from scratch using WOF's templates. Just be patient and realize it's going to take a few attempts.

For your belt look up the Batninja tutorial. Basically find a hobby shop that does R/C airplanes and get a 3x3x12 block of balsa wood ($5) and a miter box with saw ($10) along with a half yard of good pleather or leather from a fabric store ($6). If you want true Boba style and get a girth belt, look here:
Girth Belt

Buy some latex wood stain from Lowes ($8) and give it a bath in it. In a day it will dry and you'll have a great girth. For attaching all your stuff, buy a box of industial stickyback velcro from Wal Mart ($18) and some sew on ($4 a yard). Pick up some webbing and elastic by the yard and maybe two buckles. I also recommend ultra flat black spray paint for dusting all your soft and hard stuff to weather it. Possibly the cheap Apple Barrel paints in Wal-Mart too in black, tan, grey and those colors to weather.

Finally, go home and READ, READ, READ this forum and also the www.mandalorianmercs.com. Find the local group/clan in your hometown and go to their armor parties. If you need more advice, feel free to PM me.

Thanks everybody! Just in the few replies I got almost everything I need to start my first mandalorian (or Boba Fett to start so I have somthing to base off of). I just need a jet-pack and gauntlets, so if some one would also share a tutorial for a jet-pack (and how to attach the jet pack to the back plate) and gauntlets that would be very helpful.

Thank you...

im a brand new member and im getting ready for my first kit. im so excited!!! but my point is that iv been looking around and iv checked out several tutorials and members designs. SnakeThorn your links and you own scratch build was very helpful to me. so thanx for this thread and every1 that hav posted info to help out som1 like me =)

oh also i totally agree Ant is a "bloody genious" when it comes to cardboard/paperboard. im gonna follow is example for my 1st bucket......man i cant wait to get started and cant wait to see how it comes out!

The search function can also be your friend. Try "scratchbuilt gauntlets" and "scratchbuilt jetpack" and you'll get some good stuff. There's a reason you have to wait 30 seconds between searches (besides server issues lol) make sure to look down through all the threads even if most of them aren't what you wanted. Also at the bottom of each thread is a list of 5 related threads. Those can be even more helpful if you find something close to what you need you can poke around and find exactly what you're looking for. And since you hadn't heard about stickies I assume you must be new to forums so this video might help. YouTube - Posting and you

I know it has been a while, but only one more question. How would I make a visor. So far the best one to make I have found was what this guy used in this video YouTube - Custom Mandalorian Armor Part 4 . He did it with a VHT nightshade spray paint on a cheap thin clear plastic. But that paint only comes in one color (black) and I was wondering for future reference is there any thing like that but with different colors?