Upper Armour
The armour template
I drew a rough template of the armour (and it's as rough as guts), but I'll try and get a better one done soon. You really only need it as a rough guide anyway. Best thing to do is fit it to yourself.
Work out your measurements. Measure across your chest from the centre of your chest to the shoulder joint. Click on the images below and print them out. They should fit on one page each.
Templates for Upper ArmourThe red line in the picture should be 11.5cm. Now take your measurement, divide it by 11.5 and then multiply this figure by 100. This will give you the percentage amount you need to increase the images by.
Eg. My measurement from the centre chest to the shoulder joint is 24cm.
24 / 11.5 = 2.09
2.09 x 100 = 209%
Work it backwards:
11.5cm x 209% = 24.04cmOnce you have them enlarged, cut them out, stick the two together and have a quick test fit. Make sure that it looks in proportion to your body. If not, either enlarge or reduce the images again.
THE EASY AND CHEAP WAY
The easiest way to make some cheap and quick armour is to make it out of placemats. Vaderkinde from The Meditation Chamber has some great instructions (along with some very gnarly illustrations) on her site about making it this way. I'd only be regurgitating exactly what she has because I followed her instructions so I'll just post a link directly to her site.
The Meditation Chamber - Shoulder Armour
But here's what I've done so far.
The creases in the lines are my own fault. I don't have time to rectify it now but it was caused during the glueing process. To apply pressure, I placed a box of tinned crushed tomatoes on top. The creases in the plastic wrap caused the dents in the armour. So everything was literally crushed. The Armour. Me. The Tomatoes. It was a sad day for us all. I'd like to take a minutes silence now.
Here it is with another coat of paint on.
It just needs to be masked and the black sprayed on.
Here's the near finished armour. Just needs a few pieces stuck down again.
Making it out of placemats is actually a good idea. The material is flexible enough so that it doesn't restrict your movement as much as fibreglass or flooring lino.
An excellent idea Vaderkinde.
THE HARD WAY
I obtained tow plastic drums from my local car wash. They are used to hold detergents so a good rinse out won't go astray.
It would be wise to try and get two of these. Experienced costumers always have a box full of 'stuff-ups'.
I layed the template over the drum, drew the outline using a BIG FAT felt pen and began to cut out the pattern using a jigsaw. You can use a Stanley knife but it will take a long time.
The edges will need to be trimmed a bit. Just use a Stanley knife for this bit.
I've laid the pieces out in the sun for a while to see how they go. I need to reshape then to fit my chest. If that doesn't work, then I'll just have to boil a heap of water and let them boil for a few minutes. However I'm going to need a really big pot.
OK. Laying them out in the sun didn't work. Grab a wok and fill it with water. Place it on the stove and heat the water until it's just ready to boil. This is much easier if you get a helper for this part Dip the pieces into the hot water for a few seconds (or until tender). Place the plastic on your shoulders (wear a thick jumper or pad with tea towels) and have the helper press it hard onto your shoulders.
The plastic will spring back a bit so imerse the plastic into the water for a few more seconds and bend it ever so slightly until you are happy with the result.
This can take quite a while to acheive the perfect fit so don't get frustrated.
This is as far as I have got with the Upper Armour.
I intend to fibreglass over the top of them as soon as they are shaped correctly so I'll leave the fibreglass safety thingo below.
Fibreglass Safety - VERY IMPORTANT SO READ IT
I've never used fibreglass before so this is going to be an experience. All I can say is make sure you read all instructions. Wear gloves, overalls, eye protection and a ventilator mask. Those small glass fibres and fumes from the resin mix can be very dangerous. You need plenty of ventilation so the best thing to do is work outside. Use plenty of drop sheets and wash any clothes separetly from the rest of your normal clothes. If you do get any resin mix on your clothing, it won't come off.
Read all the directions and make sure you understand what you're doing before starting. If you have questions, contact a professional like a boat builder.
When mixing the resin and the hardner, make sure you use the exact measurements. When you mix the hardner with the resin, while it's hardening it will get warm. Too little hardner and the resin won't cure, too much and the resin could burn or even catch fire.
Here's a few links from Australian sites about working with fibreglass.
Working with Fibreglass
There are three ingredients you need for fibreglassing.
- Fibreglass sheets
- Resin
- Catalyst/Hardner
Genrally you need about 500ml of resin for every square metre of fibreglass, but it depends on the weight of the fibreglass so check at your hardware store.
MORE TO COME AS SOON AS I START IT
General Info - Helmet - Voice Amp - Belt - Chest
Box - Upper Armour
Cod Piece - Boots - Shin Guards - Inner Cape - Outer Cape
Gloves - Body Suit - Lightsaber - Shopping List
Hints - Gallery - Awards
- Links - HOME
Updated: 11 May 2002
