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Hey guys,
I'm going to start my beskar'gam:skull soon and I need help! I've heard of other members on this site using aluminum or fiber glass. I would like to know what is a good mateirial to use so that I can get the scratched look and still stay in my budget. All ideas are welcome and all will be helpful. Thanks!:thumbsup
I think you can use any material for the scratched look. If you use fiberglas you can scratch it with a dremel tool. If you use forex/sintra you can scratch it with a knife or an x-acto blade.
I don't recommend you use aluminum for the armor. It is cool when someone touchs it and it makes the metallic 'clink' sound... but it is much more difficult to work the aluminum properly. You will have to soften the edges so that they don't cut, and common glues doesn't fix so well to metals like to plastic/sintra/forex or the resin to the fiberglass.
well... metal armor is always the more "accurate" but, that being said many of the best looking kits are done with very simple materials. I've seen a few really good ones done from "pepakura" files which are printed on cardstock and assembled that are then covered in fibreglass and/or bondo. A lot of people, myself included go the trashcan/tote box method. You get a plastic trash can or a rubbermaid/similar box and cut the templates out of it, use a heat gun or other heating source to bend it and dunk it in cold water to keep the shape. I have also noticed a few builds using reformed PVC pipes to make the armor, it gives a thicker more robust look... but takes a LOT more skill to accomplish.
Thanks guys! You have all been a great help.:cheers
I can't imagine shaping PVC pipes for armor.
me either... really not sure how he did it but it was done, the guy has his kit posted on here somewhere.
Wouldn't pvc piping be kinda thick?
Talk to Solo at http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f31/o...go-sale-38924/. He has some pvc armor. Looks great. Sandysith might be making some pvc armor too I believe. He might put up a thread about it.
One of the guys on the Mercs board made his armour out of 6mm sintra. Looks pretty solid and thick. He chose to rivet his plates to his vest. If I didn't already have some metal parts, I'd consider doing that.
it's easy... my Legacy kit is made from 6mm sintra and PVC Pipe (and glassed cardboard)
the PVC Pipe comes out to 3/8" only 1/8" more than the Sintra.
Only challenge is to apply enough heat for long enough without totally burning the Pipe.
Once it goes "gooey" it shapes as easily any other hot plastic.
First kit - Ghostwalker's Legacy
let me just say that I fully expect someone punching my chestplate to break a knuckle or two.
Not to mention there's another Merc who made all his plates out of 6" PVC pipe, it's super thick, but not hard to work with, and when you bevel the edges it really looks good.
I looked at the pvc that you used. what is the size? I think that i might use that. and will you guys explain to me what Sintra is?Quote:
it's easy... my Legacy kit is made from 6mm sintra and PVC Pipe (and glassed cardboard)
the PVC Pipe comes out to 3/8" only 1/8" more than the Sintra.
Only challenge is to apply enough heat for long enough without totally burning the Pipe.
Once it goes "gooey" it shapes as easily any other hot plastic.
First kit - Ghostwalker's Legacy
let me just say that I fully expect someone punching my chestplate to break a knuckle or two.
PVC pipe in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes and it is perfectly heated...as long as you don't mind your kitchen smelling like plastic...be careful not to burn it or cause it to smoke because the smoke and fumes are toxic.
I don't heat any plastic in the oven, food safety and all.
I used regular 6" diameter PVC Pipe from Lowe's.
10' costs about 32$ and with care you can get a whole kit out of it.
If you have to buy it in smaller chunks the price radically goes up.
You are best off buying the 10' and having them cut it in half if you need to.
sintra is foamed PVC sheet, same stuff the pipes are made from but foamed and less dense, therefore lighter and easier to heat.
Sintra, foamex, foamed PVC sheet all the same stuff.. probably a few names for it i don't know about either.