cardboardcostumes

Now that I understand what's going on with my forums, I wanted to make a page where you can ask about different aspects of building costumes. You can find out what parts I use, tools (I can't live without my Rotary tool!), paints and methods. You can look through the list and see what other people have asked and get some new ideas. I'll be able to watch this easier that email, so I'm hoping it will work out better.

would a dremel be good for cutting and how do you get your card board so smooth? It appears near perfect.

I didn't have a dremel for the first 1.5 costumes I built, and I wish I did. It's not good for cutting cardboard, but it's great for just about everything else - The plastic sheets, pieces of metal keyboard, wood, etc. For the Cardboard I use either a box cutter for the big, long pieces, or x-acto blades for all the smaller pieces. I ran through about 100 for OP because they get dull after a little while and the cardboard gets kinda rough after awhile. I seal the edges after it's glued with Duck Paper Mailing Tape.

any updates on your soundwave project?

Nah, I'm taking a break right now. I'll start up on the boots in a couple weeks. I still have all the extras to add to the hips and thighs. I got some new ideas for manuverablitiy that I am looking forward to trying.

im trying to gain some hieght for my soundwave im making, do you think if can put some wood or something to stand on (hidden in my costumes legs) to gain some height would work? like a base to stand on.

I personally haven't done this, mostly because I'm afraid there might be a balance issue. I have worn my shoes with thicker heels and risers inside. I almost made one with complicated custom stilts, but never bought the parts I needed. I've talked to a few people who have done this, though. Some people use Painter stilts, some use boxes, one guy used some end-tables nailed to his shoes! You also have to think about the weight too - how much can you handle? The chest usually can take a lot out of you. You probably can attach something to your shoes, just think about balance, stability, and agility.

so far I made some lil boxtype things out of wood and have a shoe attached to it. seems to be working so far, also weight isnt really a issue for me as the foamboad dosent weigh anything.

Make sure to practice with them - I've run into unexpected steps that resulted in having to take off pieces and then not have enough time to put them back on for a contest. That's why Megatron's got chicken-legs in some of my pics

lol chickenlegs. yea ima keep practice however I may just have to redo the bottom of my feet so I can walk regular I just have to lose some of the height, im afraid I may trip and destroy soundwave as I fall.

Browsing through the pictures on your site I was wondering if you could answer a couple of questions for me:

You used simple office supply brass push tacks to patch the costume parts together?

The chest (Optimus winshields), midsection (grill), and waist (bumper) are all separate parts?

They all slip on over the head?

How many distinct parts are there to actually put on oneself to dress up in the costume?

Are the separate parts of the costume secured to the wearers body in any way, on the inside?

What type of paint works best?

Thanks!

I use 3 different sizes of Brass Fasteners, depending on the size/use of the part. Hand joints and helmet parts get the smallest, chest and calves get the largest. I have about 700-1000 in each costume. There's also Hot Glue holding the pieces together.

The costume is put assembled by:
Waist connected to thighs with suspenders, kind of like Robo-Lederhosen. In Bumblebee's case, their Robo-Overalls - The feet are connected too. For the big bots, the calves are strapped to my legs, that way I can take them off quick for steps I can't manage. The midsection slips over my body, and the chest has the arms connected tog the shoulder, and that slips over your head. It's pretty tight, so you need someone else to help twist it on and off.
Unfortunately the shoulders take the main brunt of the weight, and when there's a lot of electronics with batteries, it gets pretty bad.
The parts that connect are attached with straps with velcro stapled to the ends, with velcro patches inside. If you check out the pictures, the are built in the order that I listed, so you can pick out parts.

I don't know what type works best, I have to touch mine up between wearings. I prime it with cheap spray paint in either white or close to the color of that part. Then I use a latex enamel to cover the whole thing, all the black lines are free-hand. To get the bright color, I probably had to do about 8-10 coats of red and yellow for OP and BB respectively.

Hi there, really like your work. I'm trying to create my own using one of yours as kind of a template so thanks for the help! I'll be sure to give you full credit. Anyways, I was wondering what you did to make the shins of your bots look so smooth. I found some post office paper wrap that looks a lot like that paper tape and was wondering if you used that and just glued it to the surface? It comes on a roll just like wrapping paper.

And I got to say that putting these things together with those brass tacks sure does make it a lot easier. Great idea!

Thanks! I do have to give credit for the brass fasteners to my Wife's Uncle Sean from a LEGO man costume he made.

If I want the really flat areas, I add another layer of non-corrugated cardboard to the outside. I tried paper, but it shows too much of what is underneath. Paper Mailing tape is around the edges, but it's pretty hard to find. They changed the formula, so it isn't as good as it used to be, and I haven't even tried it with paint yet.

It took me awhile to find that tape too. Did it always have kind of a waxy outside? I noticed it doesn't like to stick to itself very well.

By the way, I'm typing this trying out my shoulder piece. Makes for some fun typing!