Easy weapons for a cheap n00b?
Easy weapons for a cheap n00b?
I'm a newbie I guess at cosplaying, and I was wondering what is the easiest and cheapest thing to make weapon props out of? If anyone says wood they will feel my doomy wrath of pinkness
Oh my gawsh.
- Hemuloki-sama
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Try some cardboard too! That's dirt cheap too!
A mouth full of popcorn will only get you so far in life~
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If you can go cardboard, break the 12.00$ bank on some ghetto sheet foam and spraypaint. It may look awful, but come on, it's better than cardboard .
Lmao btw my sig is true. email me if you want a pic of some of my early constructions with duct-tape and cardboard gundams.
Lmao btw my sig is true. email me if you want a pic of some of my early constructions with duct-tape and cardboard gundams.
"Guys...you realize were making gundams out of cardboard....?"
-Me, 2004
-Me, 2004
The dirt cheapiest (It's a word, I swear >_>; ) thing you can make weapons out of is exactly that... Dirt!
Ok, ok, how about having someone lay black fiberglass over a wooden base, I think it'd look pretty cool. Almost any high-end car audio installer can lay fiberglass, although they might look at you funny if you ask how much it'll be for a fiberglass sword (Make sure you indicate you want it painted)
You can lay fiberglass yourself, but if you haven't done it before.. I'd highly reccomend not laying it yourself, it's difficult and frustrating to say the least.
Ok, ok, how about having someone lay black fiberglass over a wooden base, I think it'd look pretty cool. Almost any high-end car audio installer can lay fiberglass, although they might look at you funny if you ask how much it'll be for a fiberglass sword (Make sure you indicate you want it painted)
You can lay fiberglass yourself, but if you haven't done it before.. I'd highly reccomend not laying it yourself, it's difficult and frustrating to say the least.
Become the wind, the divine wind, and into the darkness disappear..
~†t+-來~§ђǻŁǻ₣ï~來-+t†~
A huge variance according to where you go. For a car audio box (3 12" subs, for instance) could be 200-300 USD, unpainted. You could paint it youself because they'd usually charge like, an even grand for a painted glass'd box
I can see about getting a discount because I know almost all of the people that own or work in car audio/car performance shops in Pensacola.
(Steve's Car Tunes, Circuit City crew, Performance Mobile, and I know the owners of Notorious Motorsports, V&T Performance, and Technical Tricks)
I can see about getting a discount because I know almost all of the people that own or work in car audio/car performance shops in Pensacola.
(Steve's Car Tunes, Circuit City crew, Performance Mobile, and I know the owners of Notorious Motorsports, V&T Performance, and Technical Tricks)
Become the wind, the divine wind, and into the darkness disappear..
~†t+-來~§ђǻŁǻ₣ï~來-+t†~
Well, it's $200 for a significatly larger item. Large enough to house 3 12 inch subs, or 3 15 inch subs, as well as having air space for them, room for the amplifies, power capaciters, etc. Something smaller like a sword/staff/etc shouldn't be nearly as much.
Become the wind, the divine wind, and into the darkness disappear..
~†t+-來~§ђǻŁǻ₣ï~來-+t†~
Fiberglass layering followed by an epoxy job works quite well. Use a sheet foam base or rigid insulation, you can get it at lumber yards or some hardware stores. The epoxy seals the fiberglass matting you would need to use and provides a firm base for painting. Spray the main sword (Post sanding epoxy!!) with a metallic coat and do a shinier paint on the sword edge for a neat effect. Slash it a little maybe for some realism if the character your cosplaying uses an active weapon.
Another option is ultra-cal 30 which is an extremely durable, hard and almost no shrinkage compound for molding. This method isn't cheap though, if you ahve any questions email it to me.
The first method with the fiberglass might run you say 50$ for a medium-large weapon ? Depends how much you shop around and the detail required. For High detail I suggest casting a foam base that has been wrapped in plastic and using a release. I try to carve hilts out of either wood or really strong foam and etch in the details with a thin knife and a pattern or in the case of wood with a wood burner and some post-varnish or paint.
Another option is ultra-cal 30 which is an extremely durable, hard and almost no shrinkage compound for molding. This method isn't cheap though, if you ahve any questions email it to me.
The first method with the fiberglass might run you say 50$ for a medium-large weapon ? Depends how much you shop around and the detail required. For High detail I suggest casting a foam base that has been wrapped in plastic and using a release. I try to carve hilts out of either wood or really strong foam and etch in the details with a thin knife and a pattern or in the case of wood with a wood burner and some post-varnish or paint.
"Guys...you realize were making gundams out of cardboard....?"
-Me, 2004
-Me, 2004
Should be something like that. If you know how to lay your own fiberglass, it'd be much cheaper than a shop doing it. Most car audio installers hate doing fiberglass jobs because it's a pain to do, that's why they're able to mark it up so much.
Become the wind, the divine wind, and into the darkness disappear..
~†t+-來~§ђǻŁǻ₣ï~來-+t†~
I have scars from laying it down, I spilled honey on fresh fiberglass, and it bonded to my skin.Alchem wrote:Fiberglass isn't bad if you wear gloves, work safely, work outside and buy good materials. It's not as scary as some people think.
so I had to rip the flesh off and tape it till an ambulance could arive.
bah :P
Don't let Sterling scare you ;p all you have to do is buy some good gloves and work carefully. Also, wear goggles... pull back your hair or wear a hat, wear a mask and COVER your hands. Can't stress that enough. If you protect your body it will turn out alright.
"Guys...you realize were making gundams out of cardboard....?"
-Me, 2004
-Me, 2004
- Hemuloki-sama
- Posts: 1478
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:08 pm
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Yea, I've used fiberglass plenty of times. Just don't be an idiot like Sterling and have some common sense.
A mouth full of popcorn will only get you so far in life~
My Lj also features various Wig tutorials now!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/hemuloki_sama
Please be sure to visit my ACP store!
http://www.acparadise.com/display.php?a=10454&t=1
My Lj also features various Wig tutorials now!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/hemuloki_sama
Please be sure to visit my ACP store!
http://www.acparadise.com/display.php?a=10454&t=1
- Dark_Tiger
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:27 pm
- Location: Tampa, FL
For me, common sense requires buying a $40 fumes mask if you're going to be working with a lot of fiberglass or resin.
I also don't know where you guys are shopping for fiberglass supplies. 5 sq/ft cloth $4.95, resin $15 a pint at Wal-Mart. I'm still looking for a ABS source that won't eat me out of house and costume though.
I also don't know where you guys are shopping for fiberglass supplies. 5 sq/ft cloth $4.95, resin $15 a pint at Wal-Mart. I'm still looking for a ABS source that won't eat me out of house and costume though.
Real men sew!
Tigerye Productions: Props, weapons, and much more. I can do that!
"Ebay is the best bet as they are unfeeling there and cold. " - Hemuloki
Tigerye Productions: Props, weapons, and much more. I can do that!
"Ebay is the best bet as they are unfeeling there and cold. " - Hemuloki