Topic: Tamer is finally getting a Driver Costume

[Luke Sprywalker]

Wow that frame has some great articulation, I wonder how well it stands in other poses. I also wonder how your uniform will look hanging on a frame his thin. Seems like you may want to wrap some foam around it to give it some bulk and fill that suit. But I haave no experience in this...

[Spookymufu]

http://www.spiderhillpropworks.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=38&product_id=61



Now this looks interesting and is way cheaper than a real mannequin.

thats pretty much what we use in our Halloween displays, just wrap with bubble wrap or comforters or whatever you can find to bulk it up

[Tamer]

I have read about a trick where you were a long sleeve t-shirt and jeans and then you literally have someone duck tape you up, then you start at the neck and carefully have someone cut you out (needs to be old clothes because ofcourse the clothes get cut off) and then you tape the cut back up and fill the recess with expanding foam.

It would be cool to do this right over top of the frame, but I worry that the articulating joints would ofcourse freeze up too so it would mean a cut in half, hollow out for the pvc frame and leave the joints exposed so they can move, and then piece it all back together. That way it will be exact to the form.

I think I may try pool noodles on the frame first and then use the large bubble wrap to shape it as that would sure be easier as I really just want a frame to keep this set up on. For that matter I could even dress it in a long sleeved t-shirt and jeans and just fill up the space with poly filler, bubble wrap, or even newspaper and that would still allow the joints to flex a bit.

I think I have a good handle on flexible hands too made out of plywood, coat hanger, liquid nails. I may even make the frame, ensuring each finger is in a cheap set of gloves and then use expandable foam over the whole thing. Woila, one semi normal handle that with trimming around the finger joints should flex. So, lots to try out. I can see this being a work in progress that last years with each new experiment building on others. Hey, thats the fun though.

[Spookymufu]

Tamer, here is the blaster i was talking about with a TVC figure to give you an idea of the size of it.

[Tamer]

Spooky, that is a blaster that is offically recognized as one you can use for the Driver outside of the E-11. I get my Imperial One and I got good news that a scout trooper one is being made for me too then I will pursue this one. I might have to bite on an MR Full Size Version someday too, but the doopydoos kit is fantastic.

Just to give an update on my costume status, I do have in my boots and my gloves. The later look like Lucasfilm made em and all I will have to do is add the commchip to the left one and they are set. The boots will require some label removal and some goof off on the hell to remove a stuck on label and some string loops need to go and then they will be good. Luckily enough my mother in law is a sewing genius and can hook me up with that (I am calling in all my favors to pull this off).

I am also ready to make my costume mannequin and just acquired the last parts today. The Spider Hill folks are just fantastic to work with and put me onto some better plans to built a built sturdier frame. I won't be able to get started till next week, but I am itching to get back to it. I also have a great idea I want to try on some articulated hands too so I hope to have a big pictoral update by the end of next week. I am trying to be patient and contain my excitement about getting this done. I have had this dream for a long time. If I can't find any figures at least I can enjoy this and still feel like a part of the hobby. Thanks to everyone who have already given me their insight and resources. I hope I don't drive everyone crazy with all my questions.

[Spookymufu]

Tamer, I'm so excited for you, I wish I could build my dream costume like that!

[Tamer]

Tamer, I'm so excited for you, I wish I could build my dream costume like that!

Thanks Spooky, I have to admit I put in a few years worth of research before finally picking what I wanted. Now the waiting is killing me.

[Tamer]

Well I am still waiting on my costume so I thought I would spend some time building a mannequin (pvc) that I found some plans and pieces for from a company called Spiderhill Props which can be found at:

http://www.spiderhillpropworks.com/

They have a specail pvc joint called a spider joint that allows pvc mannequins to semi-articulate. You can pretty much get everything you need to build your own for about $30 dollars. I ordered a pvc pipe cutter and am daggone glad I did, but they have free plans for said mannequin if you are interested found here:

http://www.spiderhillpropworks.com/store/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=7

One item of note before I forget is that their spider joints now feature larger washers ( I bought the last of the old but he sent me new larger washers to replace the smaller ones and more bolts for free) so they can really hold the weight of the pipe and whatever they hold (like the hands I made and the plastic squirt gun). Now don't expect this to be a hulking rigid statue, but as you will see by my pics I do believe I am gonna be able to pose this the way I want it for a fraction of the cost of traditional articulated mannequins (lots of deniro).

The first thing I messed with was the hands as I want it to hold that new blaster Cal is working on for me. My problem is I have small hands so I wanted to make some small hands as the gloves I got already fit em like a proverbial glove and I don't want to stretch them. So I started with a wire version and duct tape. It would have worked, but I just didn't like the look. I then played with another idea and while not horribly eye pleasing gave me the hands I wanted to house the gloves, but would also articulate.



I took some latex gloves (smallest I could find) and inserted some romex wire (stripped into individual wires) and inserted a strand into each finger of the glove and then sprayed foam into the glove. I made sure to hit each finger hole first and then worked my way to the palm and the wrist. Once again don't expect to get a Greek Work of Art, but in about eight hours I was able to pull the glove off and work enough air out of the still setting foam and cut enough extra foam off to give it a hand look to fit the glove but still allow the hand to grip. The initial result looked something like this (still might trim one of em up a bit more):



And then I used a one and one quarter inch hole saw to get two wooden circles that I then was able to run all five romex wires through and used an electrical screw connecter (big one) to screw them against the wooden circle so they would hold tight and the wooden circle fit right into the end of the pvc pipe for the arms and as all five wires attached at the circle it still allows the wrist to articulate like this:



From there I used a modified form of the Spider Hill Plans to beef my mannequin up a bit as it will be holding the Driver Costume Armor. I ended up with a mannequin that articulates at the shoulders, mid-torso, elbows, top of the legs, and knees. I have to admit I was a bit hesitant at what a one inch pvc pipe mannequin would be as far as stable, but that double piped torso did the trick and the whole thing balances nicely for what it is (a quick pipe mannequin to make a Halloween Decoration). I ended up with this:







I couldn't find a toy gun any bigger, but do feel I could have balanced it even with that. Now I am not sure I could have a hugely dramatic action pose with this, but for a general standing pose holding a blaster (which was all I wanted) I think this is gonna rock and roll. I may shorten the front arms just a bit and at 6 foot high it is slightly taller than me so eventually five inches will go off the height, but I am gonna wait till I get everything in before I make anymore adjustments. I do believe once I get it dressed with boots on and the armor that it would hold a blaster rifle out at firing height and be ok. Those spider joints really do seem like they can hold a lot of weight. So, I am crossing the mannequin off the list. I think that if anyone needs a cheap costume mannequin and you don't desire much more than a standing (and it does sit if you want) then this is gonna save you a ton of money. Another item of note is that my little girl found this process amazing. She tried to not go to a swimming pool today so she could stay home to help me. Of course I didn't let her do that, but waited until she got home to finish. All in all, it only took me about an hour to build the pvc mannequin part.

[Luke Sprywalker]

Shawn, this is so cool! That PVC mannequin is just awesome! I love the idea of the spider swivel joints, is that something they designed and made? The idea for the hands is another great one and wow you can move the fingers!?!

[Tamer]

Shawn, this is so cool! That PVC mannequin is just awesome! I love the idea of the spider swivel joints, is that something they designed and made? The idea for the hands is another great one and wow you can move the fingers!?!

Yes, the spider joint is their creation and the owner (Ryan) emailed me after seeing one of these pics and said that they have 1,000 in stock and ready to go. He also wanted me to let the folks know here that if there was something special along those lines that folks wanted or needed to let him know and he might make some things. Now he doesn't have plans for this version of mannequin up yet (said that might be nice) or a kit put together for this one (I had to order an extra spider joint) so that might be something he would add in the future. I also said that coming up with a version of articulating hand would be cool too. Mine work, but sure ain't no work of art. You sure can't see it when you slip the gloves over them though.

Here is a link to the spider joints themselves:

http://www.spiderhillpropworks.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=49

and here is a link to their single torso kit:

http://www.spiderhillpropworks.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=57

LOL, this is turning into a spiderhill commercial. What a great way to have a mannequin though for not much money!

[Mando Assasin]

Now only if you could have an AT-AT to go with this.

[wheeljack]

That mannequin has AT-AT legs lol

[lucasclones]

The pic with the little gun is hilarious!. Those hands look great!. Cant wait to see what this all looks like together. I love the process being shown here. I keep thinking its like building a 1:1 scale action figure!

[Spookymufu]

Hey Tamer, check this out

http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1083643/

[Tamer]

Definitely one great mannequin Spooky, but I bet he paid a lot of deniro for that one. At less than $40 assembled I think my pve one will do what I need it to do. I notice he didn't answer the question about the price yet either. I will check back to see if he does.