Armor on a tight budget

Taltracyn

New Hunter
Greetings all,

This is my first post... I've been lurking for the past month then decided I should probably go ahead and dive in.

I've recently become obsessed with putting together a set of custom Mandalorian.

However, I am plagued with the following issues:
  • I'm in college, so I have limited time during which to fabricate custom parts from templates.
  • I'm basically a poor student, and recently bought a new Macbook Pro
  • For the above reason, I have very little money left in my bank account
  • I only work enough part time to make about $35 a week

I've decided that, since I have so little money, I'll probably want to leave off the leg armor except the knees for now, and have the same pieces Boba Fett wore. I also will save the jetpack for later.

Also, despite the lack of funds in my name... what the hey, I really want this.

I tried to put together a helmet using For Sale sign material and a batting helmet, only to discover that I am incompetent at the helmet part. And I would have some nice trash can chest armor right now, had I not bought the wrong-shaped Sterilite cans. I only realized after I had cut the templates out so well that I had oddly-shaped armor. I ended up throwing a bunch of money down the toilet on materials.

So anyway, I'd like to know: on a $300-$500 budget, is there a way to put together a set of decent Mando that others won't laugh at?

I've found a flightsuit I can use on ebay for about $30, some good boots for $45, a neck gaiter for $8, and that's about all. I could go for cyanide's boba plates on ebay as well for about $60 including shipping. However, I am clueless as to what to use for the vest and ammo belt. Evolution Shop's stuff is too expensive.

I might have enough for sale sign left to make my gauntlets. I see a thread where someone did that. Just have to figure out what to use instead of a heat gun.

I'm also considering buying a helmet from a TDH member.

Before you start ranting at me for not searching the forums, or posting links to other threads, know this- I have already used the search function many, many times.

Thanks
 
absolutely... ner vod I'm on a "minimal budget" and right now, I have my FS done, my chest and back plates done and painted and my buy'ce is being built as I type... grand total prior to delivery of bucket... $35! However, I expect my bucket to cost me around $50 or more and I still need to build/buy gaunts... even after that however I still expect to be under the $200-300 mark.
 
Most people start off small and improve over time.

If you can afford a plastic bin then you can cut out armour templates and start from there.

There's nothing to stop you getting cardboard from recycle bins and making a cardboard set.

Your only unavoidable costs will be the soft parts such as the flightsuit and the vest. You can go to an army navy store to see what you can pick up for cheap.

Helmet and armour can be made via the WOF templates (wish I'd known about them when I started) and you can probably paint up a cheap weapon.

Mostly, take your time, you may find a bit of money later to get something a little better further down the line.
 
you can build a hell of a mando for way less than 200-300 dollars.

helmet - 33
metal - 25 (which would be enough for a jango style set of armor minus the backplate)
flightsuit or bdu's - 40
vest material - 7
gloves - 9
assorted paint - 15
total - 129

these are approximate numbers
 
you gotta give the WOF bucket another chance Vod, look at my first bucket (black silver pruple) and my second bucket (bloody snow)...

If I can do it, you can too.

Oh yeah, WELCOME ABOARD VOD!! :)(y)

first bucket.jpg


Sept 16 '09 005.JPG


Sept 16 '09 006.JPG


Sept 16 '09 009.JPG
 
You and me are kindred spirits, man :lol:

We basically have identical budgets and limitations for this project, so I hope we are able to help eachother out!

The first thing I will say is that I too tried the WoF template route for the helmet and it worked great out of cardstock and construction paper, but I couldn't get 'er together out of good hard material. Given more time I would have loved to have worked it out, but that's yet another constraint of mine.

I ended up buying a SgtFang Mystery Helmet for $155 after all, and I'm seriously glad I made that decision. With all due respect for SgtFang, if you do decide to buy a helmet from him, try to find someone who already bought one directly from him, and buy theirs :p Great guy, a bit lacking when it comes to good communication.

Other than that, I've been mostly Waiting around for hella deals on the Cargo Hold as well as Taking my own creative liberties with certain parts, aka not exactly sticking to screen accuracy on certain parts (especially soft parts because, as the last post on this thread states, these will be the hardest parts to find accurately and cheaply). My priorities are for this costume to look Good, not necessarily extremely Accurate.

Best of luck to you! I hope we can talk more about our awesome budget costumes!
 
buying a bucket and making one are two different FEELINGS, sure anyone can buy a bucket, but when you make you own, you feel sooooo good.
I made mine out of FREE priority mail envelopes and fiberglass/resin and bondo.
It takes time, but is well worth it.
My buckets cost me $15.00 or so.
 
Hi, I just have a quick question, where can I find all the different ways of making a helmet and armor? Is there a thread somewhere? I have been looking but can't seem to find one. Also, how sturdy is your helmet now that it is finished? I don't suppose you could give someone a Keldabe kiss without messing up the helmet a bit?
 
Actually, you can if you do it right. Check here:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showthread.php?t=32511&page=8
I did a quick tutorial on how to make a helmet. The one I made using this method is WAY strong. It fell from 8 feet (while I was slushing the inside with resin, hit the ceiling and BAM!) and it was totally fine.

Also, Try antman's tutorial:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showthread.php?t=23159

Digifett's tutorial:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showthread.php?t=20752&highlight=digifett

As for the armour, print off the WoF templates and then check out some of the scratch builds in the mando variant section. And also try the Boba Armour section, not sure exactly what you'll find there...

:cheers
A'den
 
Ok cool, thanks so much for the links, they were really helpful. Unfortunately this additional knowledge has spawned even more questions.

I believe you made your own templates for your helmets right? If I wanted to use pre-made templates are the WOF ones the ones I should use or are there others I should look at too?

Also, what is 3mm sintra? As adonian said its better to use fiberglass I assume sintra is not as good but a lot faster? Also, were would I find those materials and is there a noob oriented guide on how to use them? Most of the stickies I have been seeing are on painting and weathering the helmet, not so much making it : /

Also, in your thread you mentioned a skim coat, what is that?

What do you use to cut the sintra (I assume its some sort of plastic?) and for the paper templates do you just use scissors or is there some sort of knife I should get?

In your helmet thread you mentioned posterboard, what sort of store would sell that? Do you just put it in the printer and print out hte templates on it like regular copy paper?

My dad has a can of something called bondo body repair kit, it has a clear cap and a white tube with it, is that the bondo-glass stuff you used or would I need to go buy something else?

My dad also said these materials are bad to breathe in. Is there some sort of mask or something I would need?

What is resin and were would I find it, just home depot or something?

Last question, were do the shaded visors come from? Would I need to order some online or something?

Sorry for the insane barrage of questions. I am having trouble finding stickies on this stuff and must say I find my own lack of skill using the search engine disturbing :facepalm
 
Last edited by a moderator:
thats a bunch of good questions, I will answer a few, and I'm sure A'den will follow up with the rest...

Posterboard, Michaels crafts.

Bondo body filler and Bondo glass are SIMILAR, but not the same, both are plastic body filler, but bondoglass as the name implies has fiberglass in it making it stronger.

Breating the stuff REALLY BAD, ESPECIALLY when dried and you are sanding, you MUST and I MEAN MUST USE A MASK, you do NOT want cancer.

Resin, you can get it at pepboys etc, but I'm sure you have a Wal*mart near buy, it is like a liquid plastic (A'den correct me please ;) ) you use it with fiberglass matte or batting, it is the same stuff that your bath tub or shower or CORVETTE is made out of, it is very very sturdy if done correctly... you can stand on it (ask A'den)

I gotta get some sleep now, I gotta wake up early and take the kids to Disneyland tomorrow (well actually today now).
 
OK, I shall try to answer these the best I can (if any of my astute friends would like to chime in and help...ADONIAN!!! ;):p:lol:)

1. Yes, WoF temps work perfectly! mine are custom, but based on the same idea.

2. sintra is the brand name for a material that is (technically) PVC foam board. try this link:
http://store.foamboardsource.com/sintra-pvc-foam--sintra-pvc-board.html

3. By skim coating, I mean applying a thin, even layer over the entire helmet.

4. Sintra can be cut with a lot of things, and it really depends on the thickness you have to determine what you will need to cut it. I use a razor blade and a dremel most of the time when I use 3mm.

5. posterboard is sold at wal*mart and basically all craft stores; it is just really thick paper (like a card stock, only thicker). And no, I glue the templates onto it, then cut them out all together.

6. Yes, that is Bondo! (y) the glass version (and the newest one I just found, bondo-hair...) has fibreglass strands in it that act as reinforcement.

7. YES!!! PLEASE!!! Get a resporator and use it!!! or you'll end up like this: :wacko

8. Home depot...I think so... Resin is this stuff (normally coupled with firbeglass mat or cloth):
http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...=GRID&engine=adwords!6456&keyword=bondo_resin
I get mine at wallyworld.

9. visors can be found here:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showthread.php?t=32088&page=7
either that or the previous page...

:cheers
A'den

EDIT: haha!!! he beat me to it! as I'm replying he sneaks his in! thanks Adonian!!! :D

And resin, it's not a plastic, but it's to late to be technical...:p er...to early. :lol:
 
If you haven't already bought the flight suit then shout at me as I have extras from my flyin days. It just depends on your size and what color you want...
 
Hello again,

I've picked up a flightsuit, vest, and boots. The boots are laced so I will have to cover the laces with some sort of plates. I've also been able to assemble the inner surfaces and outer surfaces around a ring that's cut in the shape of the dome base.

Problem is, I assembled it with painter's tape and I can't bake that stuff.

Suggestions?
 
If you haven't already bought the flight suit then shout at me as I have extras from my flyin days. It just depends on your size and what color you want...


I haven't bought a flight suit yet. I'm planning on getting all the armor made and painted before buying one. I recently purchased a...rather expensive...laptop so I'm trying to spend as little money as possible right now : ) I'll be sure to send you a PM when I start buying the soft parts :)
 
On second thought, after looking at the For Sale signs, I can't really tell what material they are. I'm assuming they're sintra, so a heat gun/hair drier is probably the way to go. But I'd rather not see all the adhesive get gooey and have the thing fall apart while I'm setting its form.
 
hmmm...that is a problem. :lol: have you thought about making a center ring seperate from the rest of the lid, heating the bucket, then forming it around the ring so that the ring doesnt have to have direct heat applied to it?
 
This thread is more than 14 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top