Help with Jedi Guardian costume.

[AlthaxX]

Hey, i'm back and getting geared up for halloween, me and my wife decided to do a star wars theme halloween costume this year, she is doing a smuggler:) and i am doing a heavy armored Jedi costume kind of inspired by General Kenobi from Clone Wars, i was thinking of starting with a hockey chest plate with shoulder guards as a base to go by but i need a way to achieve the plastasteel look. my top choice right now is a thin layer of plaster molded and sanded into the shape i want but i was looking for other options. i work at a specialty apparel company so getting all of the logos on it should not be a problem. if you have any suggestions please let me know. also has anyone else tried plaster on costuming?

Thanks in advance!

[ed_ification]

There's a couple of ways to do the plasteel look. 

1 - you can look for Kenobi Clone Wars armor on ebay

2)  You could try using craft foam, which is available at most craft stores such as Joann's, Hancock Fabrics, or whatever is in your area.  You can mold that on a shape, and it's lighter than pads...  more flexible than plaster as well.

[AlthaxX]

I have access to a heat gun, have you ever tried working with it, does it form good?

[ed_ification]

I've not really worked with it much, to be honest.  It's a fairly thin foam - I imagine that you could heat it to form the shape you want fairly easily, and it isn't too expensive.  You could try heating a small piece to see if it will work.  I just figured it would be easier to work with and wear than plaster.

[AlthaxX]

I totally agree, i can see plaster being really heavy, my other option is a thin layer of bondo/fiberglass but id rather not have to work with that

[Master Lucien Kane]

Close cell EVA foam... or buy some trash cans from the dollar tree or wal mart and make it out of that.
Use a heat gun for forming it.

[Thonolan]

EVA foam is really inexpensive, and readily available.

The bonus to EVA foam is it is very easy to cut and mold

[AlthaxX]

i picked up the eva after and cut mold for my chest plate and back, i will be starting a progress thread when i get going more

[Master Rel]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb6CXGortrQ" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb6CXGortrQ</a>

[AlthaxX]

Here is a sneak peak

[Eiyame]

BTW I know its a little late now, but WounderFlex works really really good for armor and its light.

[Oramac]

I really wish I'd seen this about a week ago before I got so far into my current costume.  This is a way better idea than what I'm doing for armor!  Though it is also quite a bit more expensive.

Great post!

[AlthaxX]

A pack of 6 pieces of 2x2 foam retails for about $10, ive used 3 pieces so far and i havey full chest, back, shoulders, and thigh plates cut as well as a holster for my blaster. I concluded that hot glue works best for putting it together

[Oramac]

A pack of 6 pieces of 2x2 foam retails for about $10, ive used 3 pieces so far and i havey full chest, back, shoulders, and thigh plates cut as well as a holster for my blaster. I concluded that hot glue works best for putting it together

Looks great so far!  I really like the design.  Although if you're somewhere that doesn't frown upon firearm ownership you could probably find a real holster that would be a little thinner.

How thick is the foam?  I like the idea but don't want to have something that sticks out 4 inches from my chest.  It looks like it's about 1 inch thick? 

[Veldryne]

BTW I know its a little late now, but WounderFlex works really really good for armor and its light.

i just looked that stuff up, thats incredible, im really going to have to look into that down the road