Starting a budget costume from scratch

Hello all, as you can tell by my post count I am new here. I was interested in constructing a Boba-Fett costume (modeled after his ESB appearances) and after a few google searches I stumbled upon exactly what I was looking for (this website).

Anyway, I was inspiried by SledFang's budget-built EE3 blaster. I would like to make a ESB Boba costume, for under 100 dollars (preferably less), and I would like to make as much of it as I can from scratch. I am approx six feet tall. I couldn't find an appropriate place to post this considering it covers all aspects of the costume. Please don't tell me to go and "search" for answers, I have, and in general the engine hasn't been entirely useful.

Thanks ahead of time,
Acebob

Less than $100 :doh ermm!!!!

it depends on how accurate you want it.

for starters though here is a link for scatching building a cheap bucket;
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f23/low-budget-boba-14780/

and armour:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f25/my-trash-can-armour-12315/

Ammo belt and blaster:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f20/50-finished-esb-blaster-10321/
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f20/my-scratch-built-ammo-belt-13183/

boots:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f20/my-new-boots-9834/

etc etc.

:lol This reads like my costume thread:lol

seriously though you can scratch build for low bucks but for less than $100, i am not so sure.

Good luck though buddy and welcome to the hobby that will take over your life :lol

Howdy there and welcome to TDH.

As just stated, the total cost all depends on how screen accurate you want your :fettesb to be. Is this for you or for someone else? In my opinion, $100.00 is gonna be pretty darn tight.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy BufFETT

Howdy there and welcome to TDH.

As just stated, the total cost all depends on how screen accurate you want your :fettesb to be. Is this for you or for someone else? In my opinion, $100.00 is gonna be pretty darn tight.

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It is for myself. As for the price, I want to limit it to 100 dollars of stuff I will not have lying around. For instance, glue, used boots, and other simple materals I could probably scrounge around my house or within my family for, however when you really get into the extremes (ie Helmet) then I will most definitly need to buy.

The helmet is my primary concern ATM. I may just visit e-bay for a Don Post helment. How well do those tend to fare on e-bay? Do they normally go sold or do some auctions go stale? Is there really that much demand for Boba-Fett helmets?

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Originally Posted by Acebob

Is there really that much demand for Boba-Fett helmets?

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Depends what type ... just keep in mind a simple rule of economics: supply is disproportional to price; demand is proportional to price. Most of the DP helmets are low in supply (which is why they don't show up all the time) yet most people working on a Mandalorian costume will want a good helmet to start with, so low supply + high demand = high equilibrium price. The auction will go stale if:
1) The seller has not listed it with a good selling practice.
2) The initial price, reserve price, and/or buy it now price is too high.
Sometimes this happens.

The reason I think $100 is gonna be really tight is becuase of all of the painting and weathering involved. Then again, if you already have the paints and supplies, you may be OK.

One thing I recommend. Check out some of the threads in the jet pack section ... here's a good one:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f20/yes-another-scratchbuilt-jetpack-thread-now-more-update-ier-14462/
Some folks can put together a really solid :jet pack with just some materials sitting at their house! Oh yeah ... PLEASE don't make a :fettesb with out a :jet pack!!! Well, this is just me ... I was always thrilled by :fettesb's :jet pack and feel the costume is incomplete without it.

Doing a Fett for under $100 is gonna be tough if you want it to look good. Considering that this is probably the most intricate Star Wars costume consisting of over 15 seperate pieces. Even if you make most of the stuff yourself you will spend over $100 in materials.

I spent more than $100 on visiting this website way back when i had a dial-up connection:lol :lol :lol

Good luck with your quest and your at least at the right place for some good info!:thumbsup

Mason.

i've already got around $40 just in paints and primer. $100 is gonna be tough for an entire costume. i wish you luck.

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Originally Posted by Master-Jedi-Allma

I spent more than $100 on visiting this website way back when i had a dial-up connection:lol :lol :lol

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That's funny and painful at the same time ... I use to have dialup, and I felt like ...
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_8_14.gifhttp://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_8_13.gifhttp://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_8_14.gif

Anyway, on thing I might want to add is that the more weathering you want to do, the more colors of paint you are gonna need.

Unless you plan to look like this, I don't think a hundred bucks will cut it, even if you completely scratchbuild.

I am not sure that even if you sew it your self, scratch build the bucket, knees, armor... and jet pack that it will come in for that amount. I have about $3000 invested in mine and I am still makeing tweeks.

But like Ronin said, if your not going for super pimped out fett then you can do if for at least a few hundred. But you will have to sew a suit or mod a jumpsuit your self, scrach build everything. But it can be done. :)

Yeah I agree with everyone else that has commented on this thread so far. You are never gonna be able to do this costume for $100 or less. I have $2,500 invested in my suit and I don't even have a jet pack yet. I think that you might be able to do it all for $500 if you scratchbuild all of the stuff and already have most of the materials that you will need.

maybe if you use cardboard armorbut everything else will be costly

I doubt you'll even be able to get a Helmet for that price

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Originally Posted by zombierepellent

maybe if you use cardboard armorbut everything else will be costly

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That or any type of plastic laying around was the only way I could see it being possible to do the for $100.00 or less.

it's not that we're trying to scare you off, just set reasonable expectations.

i probably spent more than that on paint and glue, nevermind the parts that i was painting.

maybe under $1000, but that's still pushing it...

keep in mind any store bought jumpsuit normally runs at least 30 bucks, then you have to make a vest, a girth belt, an ammo belt. seriously not trying to scare you off, but if you buy a helmet you're looking at atleast $50

This is all depending on accuracy. If this costume of yours is just for halloween and you don't care about accuracy then you probably could pull it off for $100 and probably still look better than the picture that Teamfett posted.
Here's what I'd do if I attempted to make a (highly inaccurate, but still recognizeable)Fett costume for $100
Concentrate on the most visible parts of the costume.

The helmet could be scratchbuilt or a don post or a rubies, people will still recognize you.
Chest armor could be made of cardboard or any plastic or metal maybe even wood lying around templates are available online just search for armor templates
Gauntlets could be tubes around your foreams and just glue some junk to them for the details
Jumpsuit, hit a thrift shop you can probably find a greyish one cheap
Boots, thrift shop too try to find any kind of slip on boots if you can't any will rally do, you can paint them the right colors
Gloves, get some grey ones thrift shop probably sells them
Jet Pack, anything that looks remotely like a rocket could be strapped to your back and called a jet pack
Add a cape if you want any cloth will do
Now let me state again that this won't give you a SCREEN ACCURATE costume, but will give you a suitable halloween costume that you wont freak about if it gets damaged

Yes, listen to Icedevil. Those are some very good suggestions.

BTW, that pic was an exaggeration ;)

Even scratch building most of my stuff, i would imagine that i have spent approx $700 on mine, and trust me i have scratch built almost every thing. The money just gets soaked up with paints, material resins etc etc.

good luck though mate

This is kind of what I'm going through right now trying to get a costume done before Halloween. My goal was to spend less than $25 and use only materials I found in my garage and whatever I could get for free.

I had a fairly large amount of sintra tha was literally just enough to cut out the armor. I got three large sections of cardboard from work that will cover the making of my helmet and gauntlets and some jet pack parts. I also had a fair amount of 2" and 1" blue insulation foam that will form the main body of the jet pack and several small sections of varying thickness styrene sheet that I'm using to make the jet pack missile. There might be just enough brown vinyl left over from another project to make a suitable ammo belt and I think I saw some rope I can scrounge for the girth belt. The flight suit I'm using (unfortunately tan) is leftover from last year's costume- I paid around $15 for it last year at a thrift shop. I'll need to get some fabric remnants to make the additional pouches. I'm considering making the vest out of old t-shirts. I have an old bedsheet and some green Rit dye in my craft box that I'm going to make the cape from. I might have to buy a couple of cans of spray paint but I've got some in the garage already. As for boots I'm going to see what I can find and modify.

I am fortunate that have a pretty good supply of wood scraps, PVC pipe scraps, hot glue, epoxy, X Acto blades, spackling paste, paint and just about every tool you could need as well as a sewing machine.

So figuring if you have to buy a suit (around $15-$20) a large section of blue foam (less that $10) and a large section of sintra (a 3mm thick 4x8 sheet costs around $35) that would leave you $35 (not including tax) so it IS possible to do it if you are a good scrounger and you have some tools.

My advice is go to try and cut your costs down by going to a construction site and see if you can ask for leftover plastic buckets (for your armor) and foam insulation (for your jet pack) and hit them up for any PVC pipe and wood scraps to use to make a blaster. Then hit the fabric store and start looking for remnants. Ask your neighbors if they have any rope..... you get the idea. You gotta get creative.

The biggest thing you've got going against you right now is time! Thankfully all the fantastic people on this board have done all the research for you (which is really the hard part) and have provided all kinds of templates, drawings, building tips, paint guides, etc.

My cardboard bucket (almost ready for paint) bows to everyone here that has taken the time to provide this information- without you guys it wouldn't be possible. So if I run into you on Halloween I'll gladly buy you a cold one! :cheers

Jerome

As stated, $100 will NOT buy a complete costume. Just screws, glue, paints, etc will cost that much. I suggest trying to find a Don Post helmet, either DP95 or DP96. That will give you a decent helmet for the money. Expect to pay at least $50 for one

i suggest if you are just going to budget costume, don't costume

go to halloween express. no point in even having a good helmet and everything else be sub-par. even if you made everything from scratch your materials are going to be at least $100. and then time making stuff is worth something ( i hope )

given

goodwill shoes to conver to boots ($2.99-6.99)
fabric for vest, jumpsuit, cape, neckseal, spats, pouches, belt ($15-40)depending on what you get, if it's on sale etc.)
bits and pieces for gun, toy gun, pvc pipe, metal ($4.99-9.99)
plastic for helmet, armor, jet pack etc. ($15-20)
paint: black, grey, green, blue, orange/yellow, silver, red/maroon ($30-40)

and who knows how far that basic stuff will even get you


-=QuinN!

I think $100 might be too little for a complete costume, but I don't agree that budget costuming shouldn't be done.

I know us budget guys are coming out of the woodwork lately, but it's not just about saving money, it's also about the challenge. Doing a budget costume that's reasonably accurate inspires the same awe that I get watching Alton Brown (Good Eats on FoodTV) smoke salmon in a cardboard box or make beef jerky using a box fan and a couple HEPA filters.

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Originally Posted by joshcube

Doing a budget costume that's reasonably accurate inspires the same awe that I get watching Alton Brown (Good Eats on FoodTV) smoke salmon in a cardboard box or make beef jerky using a box fan and a couple HEPA filters.

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Well said, Alton rocks :cheering

If you are going to do a budget Fett to start out with, be prepared to get bit by the ''Up grade bug''. That little guy is a nasty bugger :evil. Even if its you remaking the stuff you already made.
It will happen, oh yes.....................................it will :wacko

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Originally Posted by Acebob

Anyway, I was inspiried by SledFang's budget-built EE3 blaster. I would like to make a ESB Boba costume, for under 100 dollars (preferably less), and I would like to make as much of it as I can from scratch. I am approx six feet tall. I couldn't find an appropriate place to post this considering it covers all aspects of the costume. Please don't tell me to go and "search" for answers, I have, and in general the engine hasn't been entirely useful.

Thanks ahead of time,
Acebob

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Well dont know if this is too late but I would suggest cardboard but becareful because if you get careless then you can ruin the entire thing, but I have a site for the helm.
http://www.instructables.com/id/EB96...6YYX/?ALLSTEPS
Then you can do the rest, just get cardboard from places that dont need it like WalMart. You need the spraypaint colors that you want to do. Glue is hot glue, BECAREFUL. I am almost done with mine and I am kinda new to making suits as well but trust me it looks pretty nice.


:fettrotj The A-Wall Texan :skull

Oh and I have spent around 35 dollars. It just depends on your patience.

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Originally Posted by joshcube

I think $100 might be too little for a complete costume, but I don't agree that budget costuming shouldn't be done.

I know us budget guys are coming out of the woodwork lately, but it's not just about saving money, it's also about the challenge. Doing a budget costume that's reasonably accurate inspires the same awe that I get watching Alton Brown (Good Eats on FoodTV) smoke salmon in a cardboard box or make beef jerky using a box fan and a couple HEPA filters.

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I think you understood me wrong

I refer to budget costuming as all the people that come in here every week thinking they can get a costume together for the price some people pay to get a few items.

There is a difference between scratchbuild costuming and budget costuming. Budget costuming to me means that no matter what, this is what you are willing to spend to get a costume that should be just as good as all the others ones out there. To me that's not as easy.

I have scratchbuilt the majority of my costume, at points i have upgraded to other things, and even upgraded to a new scratch build part.

Some parts of my costume I have scratchbuilt: helmet, chest armor, shoulder armor, jet pack, cod, boots, blaster, prepro pistol, shin tools. soft parts: wookie braids, cape, ankle ties, neck seal, jumpsuit

and painting all of it is another story. sure some of us save by painting ourselves but some people expect to be paying cheap for items that not only did someone put a lot of time into making but detailing and painting as well.

i just think a lot of it is impulse and not a lot of knowing how much it costs to actually get a nice costume together.

-=QuinN!

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Originally Posted by CombatBaby

I think you understood me wrong

I refer to budget costuming as all the people that come in here every week thinking they can get a costume together for the price some people pay to get a few items.

There is a difference between scratchbuild costuming and budget costuming.

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Excellent distinction! I didn't think about it that way.

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Originally Posted by psberetta

Well said, Alton rocks

If you are going to do a budget Fett to start out with, be prepared to get bit by the ''Up grade bug''. That little guy is a nasty bugger . Even if its you remaking the stuff you already made.
It will happen, oh yes.....................................it will

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I think I've already been bitten. I don't even have the plastic cut and I'm already thinking of ways to upgrade the RF.

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Originally Posted by The A-Wall Texan

I have a site for the helm.
http://www.instructables.com/id/EB96...6YYX/?ALLSTEPS

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That's the site that brought me to TDH! I visit instructables all the time and saw that post. I might add that TDH is the best forum I've ever been on. Everyone is very encouraging to newbies and the level of collaboration is amazing. I can't believe how willing everyone is to share their techniques and make tutorials. I hope I can add to it in the coming months.

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Originally Posted by joshcube

That's the site that brought me to TDH! I visit instructables all the time and saw that post. I might add that TDH is the best forum I've ever been on. Everyone is very encouraging to newbies and the level of collaboration is amazing. I can't believe how willing everyone is to share their techniques and make tutorials. I hope I can add to it in the coming months.

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Glad I could help bring another potential Fett maker to TDH! If you like that instructable I should have another one up soon for the whole low budget costume.

Jerome

Didn't we hash this very subject out a few months ago? A hundred bucks may bulild you an officers uniform, but not a Fett...period. As mentioned before, Fett is a highly intricate, and detailed costume. This is almost like saying you are going to try and build a Vader for a hundred bucks. Good luck on your quest my friend.

I know money is the biggest issue, as is with me, but what I did, given my situation was just not eat lunch at school for several months. I saved the necessary funds, and lost a bit of weight at the same time. I know not everyone is recieveing an almost once a week fund for food, but I know that if you collect your coins and any money like you collect your star wars stuff (like me) you'll find it to be worth it. Just my last 2 cents...because now I'm broke....

-tubachris

A lot of times, low budget and low quality go in hand, so thats usually what I think of when I hear low budget. Imagine someone getting a striped shirt and big feather pirate hat at Saver's and calling it Jack Sparrow.

That's not always the case however. Honus has proved that you can make VERY inexpensive costume pieces and have it look great. You just need to work at it. Boba Fett is not a costume that can be thrown together in a week for the sake of Halloween. It takes time, skill, and patience.

My plan all along has been to have mine ready just in time for Halloween.... 2007. :D

I am just trying to get a fett suit and then upgrade from there and try to slowly make it the best possible.

Yeah good point on the low bugdet comment. But time and effort can make a low budget seem awesome, as you said so I totally agree with you.

Well, My very first fett, was scratch built using a DP helm and Sheet metal, cost me just over $100 and it didn't look that good, my second fett was scratchbuilt, using DP helm, bucket for armor pieces, plastic pipe and various items for other thing cost me a couple hundred, looked ok but not great. My newest Fett which I am still doing some tweaking to, adding more accurate pieces and whatnot, cost me in the range atm of $2500. So really, you want it to look good, it's gonna start costing.

If you scratch-build the helmet, you'll definitely save about a hundred dollars. That's what I'm gonna do.

Finished a 100 % cardboard costume. Yah... looks alright but decided to order some abs plastic armor to upgrade slowly. Not supposed to look like fett. My own design of Mandalorian. Ill try and get pics so you guys can tell me what ya think.

:fettrotj The A-Wall Texan :skull

Take heart my friends- it can be done! I'm not finished yet but it's getting there....... I posted a guide here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/EYA7U14EM9ETVPKGR4/

You can rack up 100 bucks in paints alone. Even if you scratchbuild everything, your time isnt free. So do you spend the time working to pay for parts or spent time making the parts yourself. Its really all the same. Your going to spend the same amount of blood sweat and tears/years for a good costume, esp Boba Fett.

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Originally Posted by cal196

You can rack up 100 bucks in paints alone. Even if you scratchbuild everything, your time isnt free. So do you spend the time working to pay for parts or spent time making the parts yourself. Its really all the same. Your going to spend the same amount of blood sweat and tears/years for a good costume, esp Boba Fett.

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That's an interesting way of looking at things but it doesn't quite add up like that. If it did I would think a lot of us would be a lot richer! :lol I get $120/hr for doing custom jewelry work but I just can't do it at 11:30 at night at home. As a result the labor on my Fett costume is free.

Don't get me wrong- I make great money but I'm on a VERY tight budget. I don't eat out, I go to maybe one movie a year, etc. I just don't have any disposable income. Working extra hours isn't an option for me- I need to spend time with my family. I only work on my hobby after my son has gone to bed and after I've spent time with my wife.

A couple of years ago when my son was four months old he was hospitalized as a victim of shaken baby syndrome :cry (some RPF members might remember this)- it's a long ugly story that I really don't want to get into right now- he's fine now, social services declared us exceptional parents, etc. I never thought I had the capacity to harm another person but if I ever find the person that did it I'll bury them so deep in the ground that the heat from the earth's core will incinerate their body.

As a result of this my wife quit her job (which paid over $60k/year) to work from home to be with our son and we tightened our belts- i.e. no disposable income. Even if I made more money it would be accounted for.

Which means that if I want to make a Fett costume I have to get creative. I have to scrounge for materials and make every dollar count. I added up everything that I used to make my costume (and granted it's still not finished but I do have most all the materials to finish it- except the boots)
and even if I HAD bought everything I still wouldn't have spent over $200.
Because I was able to reuse materials, scrounge, etc. I only spent $20 this Halloween. And the total time I have into construction of my Fett costume so far isn't more than two weeks.

Sorry to be throwing down the gauntlet here but when someone asks for help and all they get is save your money, forget it, shift funds around, etc. INSTEAD of creative ideas to help them make their dream happen it kind of dissapoints me.

Don't get me wrong- I LOVE it when someone takes the time, money, care and patience necessary to make a perfect movie replica. That kind of work gives me something to shoot for. Just because I can't buy a Ferrari doesn't mean I don't like reading about it.......

But not everyone here is trying to make a pefect replica- some of us are just trying to make something that looks good and that we can be proud to say we made ourselves- and do it on a limited budget.

I now know it can be done and it's probably the most fun I've had in some time. :)

I think this is my first rant! :lol

Jerome

That looks really good man!

Thanks! I had a blast wearing it on Halloween! It's VERY true what they say about the upgrade bug.......

As a side note, I kind of went off there! A lot of people did post some really great ideas and useful information and to those who did I apologize.

So, to answer the orignal question: is it possible to make a Fett costume for $100 and have it be decent looking?

YES it is- BUT- you will have to scrounge for materials and/or get creative, have access to all the necessary tools and possibly try to split paint costs with someone. You will have to scratchbuild EVERYTHING.

If you have to purchase all the materials and some tools (paintbrushes, X-Acto blades, etc.) then an absolute minimum of $200 is more realistic.

......And much like me you'll probably still have a ways to go!:lol

Jerome

DONT LISTEN TO TEH LIES!!! so far ive spent $21 and i have armor, and bucket(almost done) still have extra For Sale signs, gonna start on the jet pack with it. so yea, it can be done(just a side note-my armor is custom, but still looks really cool, and its sturdy)
after my custom is done, im gonna start on a ROTJ boba fett, then a Jango Fett, then zam wesell(sp?) (just to have, got a extra maniquin from the clothing store that got shut down) and im planning to use the same ways for all of em.
EDIT:just noticed this thread is pretty much dead :lol: