TRASH CAN ARMOR! *PICS*

I think that looks pretty nice!

thanks man!! opinions are always greatly appreciated. just don't know... i kinda feel i over did some of the weathering. oh well when i get it all finished i will know for sure on that lol.

how did you get the dents in the armor?

awesome idea. i'm so sad i just bought sintra jango armor =(

i think that looks great and im definitely gonna try to build the body armor from the sterilite material! i might also experiment and see if i can do the same with a helmet!

Good idea, good looking armor!

as it's been said numerously already, great idea.

This is an absolutely amazing idea, And it's a huge help to my wallet in getting everything started!!! Thanks to everyone who thought of this and helped each other out!

A similar idea for the ladies is to buy a half-form, hollow, hanging, display mannequin. I bought a split-leg, upper-thigh to mid-neck mannequin on ebay for $6.50 + $13.80 shipping. I'm making my chest/ab/groin armor from the mannequin and I plan to use a trash can for back/legs/butt. I'm making a custom mando with a slightly different design. Hopefully I can throw some pics up soon.

Has anyone tried this with two layers to make it look thicker? Just cut out two sets and glue them together?

yup works out nicely, ive done it before

attention walmart shoppers:
these are being replaced with a new wave of trash cans (and nothing oval shaped) - 2 of my local ones only had a few left in their clearance isles. I don't know if there's any other stores that sell them aside from wallyworld, but might want to get'em while they're hot.
and if anyone wants to start comming up with a new alternative, I'd love to hear it...

I feel somewhat redundant saying this as everyone else has already said it for me twice, but, it is true - brilliant. Very well done.

Wow amazing idea,might have to give it a try soon since I will be starting on a scratchbuilt helmet.

Truly inspired work. I would never have thought of using a trash can.

Drago is right! The oval type trash cans seem to have been discontinued.Picked up last large one at local wallymart for 3 bucks with no lid and no smaller one to be found.But we have new stuff comin in soon I will keep an eye out for something similar or something that has close contours.

Here's mine

Does anyone know if these trash cans have been discontinued? My local Walmart had them before but now I am having a hell of a time finding them again.

Target/Home Depot./Lowe's all of these places carry plastic bins. Whether they're for Laundry, Garbage, or storage.

I've been working on some armour for my four year old son over the last week or two but I wanted to wait until I had something to show before I made my first post, so here is the overhead view:



..and angled view (shows the layered effect better, I think):



So I just want to say thanks to the OP for coming up with this excellent idea and inspiring me to get off my *** and actually have a go, and also WoF for the templates and Apollo for his weathering tutorial. Next task - make the vest from the material shown in the picture and then tackle the backplate and cod..

I am going to be Boba for halloween this year, and I was going to drop like 200 for this armor. You have saved me loads of money with this post. You are amazing!!!

I just recently discovered this site and group while I was looking for a good way to make some armor for myself and a friend. I was going to use fiberglass because I have used it in the past but when I saw this trash can method I had to give it a shot!



This is the first armor I have ever made. I wasn't able to find the exact same trash cans but I got one that was pretty close. I used the boil method to shape the parts to better fit my body. I used a lighter to clean up any of those plastic spurs you get from snapping it out. I used krylon spray paints, aluminum for the undercoat and ultra flat brown for the top. Its not supposed to be like Boba's armor just some thing for me to goof off in. This forum is so helpful with having the plans for the armor and great ideas like this, thanks for putting it out there for everyone to use!!

OrionPax9

Alright, no luck at Wal Mart or Target. Anybody find any alternatives for people putting together budget Fett suits?

I found a light brown or tan trash can that was semi-round kinda rectangular at walmart, but I was able to cut out all of my pieces from it and after boiling it fit just fine.

hi all, i'm really new to the whole armor making process, however i happen to be pretty crafty...since these trash cans are no longer in stock anywhere i have looked, is there an acceptable substitute for them? also...has anyone been accepted into the 501st with this type of armor???
i read this entire thread and it really has driven me to FINALLY create my Fett costume...hell, ive been watching s/w, esb, etc since i was bout 6 and im 26 now, and have always loved boba fett...
one other question i have is, would it be easy to create feminine armor from a trash can???
thanks for any insight you can provide me with

wow, that's so simple.

I outgrew my iron chest pieces, and this saved me a lot of money to make new ones, plus it's easy to put on a flack, looks way better, easier to make, and next I'm going to do my little brothers armor next! Great idea!

anyone know where to get those bins in the uk? i cant find oval bins! just round ones

I can't tell you how excited I was to see you're awesome discovery! I've been wanting to build a suit now for years but never had the time to seriously start until now. I bought the 2 trash cans and cut out the chest armor, and shoulder bells tonight.

Many thanks for taking the time to post your find! It is much appreciated. Such a simple, but brilliant, idea.

Try the Container Store if you have one in your area. i just bought the exact ones recommended tonight there. Best of luck.

Originally Posted by nah'ima tifett

hi all, i'm really new to the whole armor making process, however i happen to be pretty crafty...since these trash cans are no longer in stock anywhere i have looked, is there an acceptable substitute for them? also...has anyone been accepted into the 501st with this type of armor???
i read this entire thread and it really has driven me to FINALLY create my Fett costume...hell, ive been watching s/w, esb, etc since i was bout 6 and im 26 now, and have always loved boba fett...
one other question i have is, would it be easy to create feminine armor from a trash can???
thanks for any insight you can provide me with

Sorry, I'm new to the forum. I meant to post a reply to your question but I posted a new item all together. To answer your question, try The Container Store if you have one in your area. I bought both the 13 gallon and 8 gallon cans there tonight. I had trouble finding them anywhere else as well. Don't give up!

This is very clever, Ive spent too much time looking into expensive sintra... this post has just saved me a lot of time and $$$! From one Fett to another...THANK YOU!!!!

anyone know where to get these bins in the uk?

This is great!! Thanks for a great idea !

awessooome idea! I never thought I could make armour with such little money! thx for sharing

___
you want to clone me?

Now that i look back at that post, I realize it sounded a lot like I was a suck up I'm not though- and it is an awesome idea

I've long thought about getting started on a mando project and this idea made me take the jump. Thanks for the great idea!

I've completed the shoulder bells, collar, chest and stomach pieces using this method. I've also done a few mock ups for the cod piece and shins. For the shins, I used the corner pieces of a similar can. Seems to have come pretty close.

Next I am going to attempt the knee pieces out of the bottom corners.

looks pretty nice!

I managed to make ALL armor (with exception to the gauntlets and jetpack) from trashcan plastic. I haven't yet painted it but I'm currently adding dents with patience, heat gun, and a dremel.

For the back armor I used a different 13gal trashcan. There is a Jango thread that I used as a basic guide.

The knee armor was cut from portions near the bottom and from either side of the smaller oval trashcan. The curved edge of the bottom is pretty close the the curve needed.

I'll post pics as soon as I have something more impressive to look at. Thanks again to everyone!

I think I figured it out. Look at me, using technology! Any way, what does everyone think? Here are some rough cuts with a dremel & hobby knife for the curved areas. Sorry if some of these are bad, I used my phone.

Sorry, one more to show placement using the "corners"

We're in the process of making a small set for a five-year-old using this method. Thanks so much for sharing this brilliant idea!!

Originally Posted by Funkman

I think I figured it out. Look at me, using technology! Any way, what does everyone think? Here are some rough cuts with a dremel & hobby knife for the curved areas. Sorry if some of these are bad, I used my phone.

looks awesome

Guys this is simply an awesome idea.....
If cut accurately to the templates and using double the material to get added thickness, would this armour 501st clear? (obviously it needs painting and 'denting')

Better go shopping soon to buy some trash cans...

Oh yeah I am so gonna try this. My hat's off to Fettfullofdollars for starting this thread. I'm currently in the process of building a Stormtrooper's MG-34/DLT-19 but that's almost finished. I've never tried to build armor so this looks like a great place to start!

As everyone else has said, this is a great idea!

Since my previous hard-part costuming experience is zero, I'm going to give this a trial run so that I can start figuring out the shapes I'm going to need before I move on to expensive sintra or aluminum.

I checked at the walmart here in town today and they had a khaki colored waste bin that wasn't quite oval shaped, but close. I'd really like a thicker look to the plastic, so I was thinking about getting a muck-out bucket from the tractor supply store and see if it would be possible to cut and shape it. Has anyone found a way to thicken up the look of the trashbin plastic?

Well, got started on this today. I found the 13 gallon trash can at Family Dollar of all places (for $7). They didn't have the 8 gallon so I got one a little smaller for the shoulder pads. They turned out better than I thought.

Might have to go back tomorrow and get another 13 gallon one for the rest of the pieces. I got careless while cutting these out and cracked the bottom of the left chest plate, but I'll just fix it with some bondo or epoxy. Here's what I have so far...

That's a great idea! I'm doing my templates and collected my trash cans at Wal-Mart. What ingenuity!! Thanks for sharing!

~Jez

Lifeburn, that's looking good buddy.....

thats a great idea! im about to start my first costume and i think im going to try your method. it looks fantastic. wish me luck.

awesome idea!!! I'm thinking about trying this for my first set. I'm looking to do a budget fett for conventions and such and overtime upgrading piece by piece until I'm happy with it for 501st approval. This would be an excellent starting point!

wow thanks for this post. I'm new to the whole building your own armor idea so this really helps me get off the ground for my suit

Dragon-con 2010 here I come!

Definitely have to try this when I get mine up and running. Thanks for sharing!

I was in Meijer today, and I found a stack of three to five of the original garbage cans used, so either these have been around there a long time, or they're just hard to find.

Nice Thread!!

How do you get the templates to fit out on a printable sheet? I think they're going to be a bit too large.

Been surfing the topics around here for awhile till I came upon this and had to register. Brilliant idea.

This is going to be my winter project as well as customizing my Jango helm. I was going to try sintra but I think I'll give this a go first. Time to make a list and gather materials.

I'll be starting my own trashcan armor today. Going to Kmart to look for the right size and material trashcans.

What was used to initially cut out the rough shapes before scoring them with a knife to get them in proper shape?

Could a dremel be used as well? To smooth out rough edges? Are regular scissors not strong enough to cut through the trashcan material? And what is a good way to heat the plastic to mold it to shape (as for the back plate over the shoulders? Hot water?

Thanks!!!

dude thats brilliant!

Originally Posted by Stevexe

What was used to initially cut out the rough shapes before scoring them with a knife to get them in proper shape?

Could a dremel be used as well? To smooth out rough edges? Are regular scissors not strong enough to cut through the trashcan material? And what is a good way to heat the plastic to mold it to shape (as for the back plate over the shoulders? Hot water?

Thanks!!!

I used a pair of tin snips to cut out the basic shapes and then all you should have to do is 'score' the actual armor plate edges with an exacto knife and then they will 'snap' off leaving a clean edge.

This is my "trashcan armor" that I made in one day for this simple halloween costume. What i was looking to make wasn't 501st quality, just something that looked and felt good, and was sturday enough to party with!
I cut out the armor templates and traced the shapes to the trashcan. Then I used an exacto-knife to cut the shapes out and sandpaper to smooth the edges.
I spray painted all of the plates yellow first, then after they had dried, green on top but scraped some of the green away while it was still wet. (the weathering i did is not screen acurate at all).
The emblem on the right chest and the left shoulder were found online and i printed them out, then glued them on with a combination of white elmer's glue and water, then brushed the glue over them to seal them on the armor better.
The helmet was bought online

Very impressive! Making me want to try this out myself to see what results I can get

WOW , i'm going to walmart tomorrow and getting me some cans and supplies.

really awesome armor every one but i do have a question couldnt you add (superglue) like 1-2 additional layers to each part or the armor and the bondo the side to get rid of the seams to have thicker looking armor?

Makes me want to go trash can hunting right now ...simply awesome.

I live behind a Wal-Mart, I'm thinking I'm gonna grab a can or two and a pair of snips tonight.

How durable is armor made out of a trash can? I'm making metal armor for air-soft, but this looks like it would be almost better if I made some for my buddies.

i have to say this is with out a doubt the most trashiest idea anyone has ever had and i love it LMAO

has any one experminted with trying this with other arourments such as the jet pack or the back side of the bobba?

did any one find any bins that can be used for making armor that are available in the uk ?

Stevexe, your suit doesn't look bad at all! Great job on the trashcan armor!

dang thats smart!!!! if i wanted to make the plates thicker, would it be good to use cardboard? man i cant get over how awesome that turned out.

You sit are a genius. Lol I seriously thought that it was gonna be hard to start making a Fett armor...but here is the pinnacle of woah... great work.
~Xaayer the Grey Knight

I loved this idea since I first ran across the thread. All of the armor pics have looked great. I started mine a couple weeks ago, but it has been slow going. The project is easy and fun (if anyone is a little scared to try). I've just been busy. Hopefully I can get a few pics up soon.
Great job you guys!!

You are a genius! Pure genius!

That's awesome, i may have to go shopping!

Looks great, what I have a problem with is durability, I am a bit clumsy at times so I feel that trashcan armour will be a bit too fragile for me unless its like metal trashcans (which seems like a good idea to try out). But overall great job now only if you can figure out how to make the dents.

Just read though the whole thread and to sound like a broken record... wow great idea.

I was thinking if you wanted to thicken the trashcan armour pieces, could you mould paper mache around the pieces?
If so, I also think it might make painting easier.

hold up so was that helmet sitting in between the two trash cans made out of the trashcan plastic???

Kewl. So, where can I get the templates for the armor? My bros and I LOVE making movies, and we have an EXTREMELY low budget! This'll be a great way to make armor without having to pay big bucks.

everyone on TDH are some crazy artists ...you all have saved me sooo much time/hassle thanks
ps : trashcan armor .......pure genious

Hey do you think you can do that to make a helmet? Because I'm no good at making the ones they say to make from card board then fiberglass...

I'm definitely trying this

hi

cant any of oval ones up here in canada either

Ok here it is in 2010, 5 years after this thread started, and im just learning about all this and i gotta say....I WANT A TRASH CAN!! i need to get one pronto. thank you Fist, and every1 that posted mor info here!

As many of you have in the recent months, I've been having a great deal of trouble trying to find these trash cans. I've scoured most local stores and the internet to no avail. I found one company that sells them, but the shipping cost is an outrageous $20+ per piece. Tonight, however, while I was yet again trying to find these things online, I came across them in a four-pack on Amazon. Trouble is, I only have use for one, and it's $69 for the whole set.

However, if there are three others interested in purchasing the 13 gal./52 qt. oval Sterilite Touch-Top wastebaskets, I could probably take one for the team, purchase the four-pack, and split the cost with anyone who needs one. I'd have to tack on shipping costs to get them from me to you, unfortunately, so it'd be $17.25 + shipping. Comment or send me a PM if interested, and know that I can't/won't buy them until there are three others to go in on it with me.

Here is the link so you can see for yourself: Amazon.com: Sterilite 10858004 Touch-Top Wastebasket with Titanium Latch, White, 4-Pack, 52-Quart: Kitchen & Dining

This thread was a total godsend for my Halloween costume. I almost resorted to buying a rather weak looking standard costume until I found out how easy it was to make my own using this method. Thankfully I didn't have any issues finding the cans like it seems a lot of you are having (if you live near a "container store" go there - thats where I found mine). Also, for anyone thinking about going this route, most definitely acquire tin snips. It would have been a nightmare cutting this plastic without them. And even then it wasn't exactly an fast process.
Still, it's a way that anyone can get great results and for far cheaper than a lot of other options.
Thanks for saving my Halloween guys. I still have some paint work to do (I got a bit overzealous with the silver) but this plus the quick and relatively easy rattlecan repaint (also thanks to this board) and visor modding of an rubies helmet is going to make my holiday partying rock even harder.

Wow.....who would of "thunk" it! Thanks!

What a great method! Thanks for posting this!

great idea any on-a-budget ideas for jetpack?

This is incredible. I have been looking for months on how to create my own armor. I lack any skills or resources to make the full-out-top-grade armor, so this thread has been a godsend. I'm also curious if anyone has found any other low budget, but still reliable ways to create the rest of the suit. The gauntlets, jetpack, ect...

Oh how I wish I'd seen this thread before I made a set of plates from those plastic bins at wal-mart. Although I was mainly using the cheap bins for a mock-up of the plates, and to see how the templates fit.

Anyway this is bloody awesome armor! And I'd think the plastic on the trash cans may be thicker then the plastic I'm using. Has anyone been able to make the back plate for the armor out of the trash cans? That's the only part of the armor that's been bugging me.

I'm currently working on my trash can armor. Thanks for posting this idea Fettfullofdollars! Hopefully I'll have some pictures in a few weeks when I get everything painted. I am making every thing but the knees from trash cans! Until I can afford some better armor this will have to do!

yes, I know it's been said over and over (and over) but this. is. incredible! Ori'Kandosii! You have given me the chance to make armor! You, vod, are my new best friend.

>.< So awesome, might give it a try... Thanks!

Does anyone know if this method would get approval on a 501st costume? Currently building a Jango, this could save me money. I would eventually upgrade at some point, but might speed up my timeline on purchasing parts.

wow, well done! I am def going to use that idea