Plexiglass armor

[MandalorianPsycho]

Hi, I am na new member here-i love this sight!! anyways, I am currently working on a Jango armor set made out of plexiglass-has anyone ever used plexiglass before? Is there a more preferree material? any input would be great-thanks

 

[Andle Diranos]

Well Ive never really worked with it but from what ive heard plexi glass can be very fragile if not handled carefully. well thats my two cents...

 

[electric jay]

Yes, Plexiglass can be kind of brittle at first. the good thing about it is that if it's heated and formed, it gets a bit stronger. It vac-forms really easy, too.

 

[GCNgamer128]

Yes, Plexiglass can be kind of brittle at first. the good thing about it is that if it's heated and formed, it gets a bit stronger. It vac-forms really easy, too.

Perhaps you could build your pieces out of plexiglass and then have them vacuuformed? Someone in your local garrison has to have a vacuuform machine somewhere.

 

[RBF]

I used it for almost all my armor pieces on my first Fett and my current one also has a few plexi-glas pieces.

like said before, great stuff... brittle...

just tried to make Link's silver gauntlets with it. looks ok... just... lost faith in the material and smacked it aside.

If you can, I'd look for pvc sheets, sintra or whatever.

 

[MandalorianPsycho]

thanks for the info guys-i am seeing this is tougher than i thought-thanks alot

 

[Boba Swede]

Plexiglass is too stiff and will hence crack easily if handeled improperly. Use PVC instead which is a much more "softer" plastic.
A good rule of thumb when looking for plastic for armour is if it whiteens when you bend in.. chances are that it's just what you are looking for. If it cracks or snapps directly.. leave it alone.

 

[cooltd825]

dude, just use a garbage can. get the elliptical kind. that's what I used (photobucket link on the way, i'm just too lazy to look it up right now)
as long as you have a dremmel tool and a good set of templates, you're set to go.

 

[RBF]

just use a garbage can can be cheap and nice to work with, but some props require stuff that is a little more thicker.

the 4mm plexiglas is ok for some props, specially if there not to big or segmented.

 

[fettcicle]

Plexy may not be such a great thing. Just like regular glass, if a small crack forms, it can begin to travel through the whole piece, and crack from one end to another. Heating can be an issue too. If heated too hot, it can bubble, but that goes for just about any plastic. I've never used it, but I know a member here has had GREAT results with sintra. It's a dense foam based plastic, that can be heated and formed, and is a bit more flexable and foregiving. It can be cut with an exacto blade, and heated with a heat gun, or boiling water.

I've seen him work with the stuff and it seems pretty easy. I'm pretty sure you can order the stuff on line, and I don't think it's that expensive. Look for posts made by Seeker in the Jango Fett forum concerning the use of sintra....

 

[Boba Fett]

Anyone have any pics of any of their plexiglass armor?

 

[RBF]

I'll post em when I get home, controlling some kids right now

EDIT:
all the chest armor pieces are plexi-glas aswell as the neck plate and shoulder bells.

a side note is that I could do better now with the thicker plexi-glas (4mm) but I made those pieces before my TDH discovery.

in my Link topic there's some gauntlet armor pieces made from plexi-glas.