My Royal Guard/Shadow Guard Pepakura Budget Build.

[Andrew]

Hello,

So I figured that I would attempt to make my whole costume from scratch, and on a budget (My wife and I just had our second child on March 6th, 2012).

I chose to go with Pepakura, I intend on making my Royal Guard Costume first, followed by the Shadow Guard. I will however be making the helmets and armor for both costumes at the same time.

Today I started work on the shoulder plates for the Shadow Guard, to print them, cut them, and assemble the parts, it took me approximately 45 minutes of time, with various breaks to change diapers, and feed the eldest.

EDIT: I am using Pepakura Designer 3 (http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/). If anyone requires the blueprint files, just send me a PM, and include your e-mail, and I will e-mail them to you ASAP. The program is pretty simple to use, if you have issues, I would be more than happy to help anyone out with questions.

Pepakura (Pre-Fiberglass) Tools: 1 pair of small craft scissors ($1.00 - Dollar Store), 1 Exacto/Utility Knife ($1.25 - Dollar Store), Pack of 3 rulers ($1.00 - Dollar Store), 1 Hot Glue Gun ($1.50 - Dollar Store), 1 Cutting board (FREE - 3 Lids from pizza boxes from family get together, taped together), Various pencils (For modifications, found a bunch around the house). Pack of 100 Card Stock, 110lbs consistency ($9.59 - Staples)

Full Armor Set Total: $14.34










Second shoulder took me about 30 minutes, I won't post the photo's as they are exactly the same.

I will attempt to update as I make the parts.

Andrew

[stripes]

Congrats on the newborn. This should be a useful thread for anyone else looking to make these parts on a budget!

[Andrew]

So today I managed to steal an hour or so to build the chest piece. It's the same piece used for the Stormtrooper armor.

It required 12 sheets of 110lbs Card Stock, then the usual cut and glue process.

Anyway, this is the final result.

Keep in mind that this is just the first step, the next parts require me to Fiberglass Resin the whole thing, then add some Fiberglass Cloth to the interior, and resin the whole thing again. Then I can primer it, bondo any inconsistencies, and finally paint.

I already bought the Fiberglass, bondo, primer, and paint, it cost me $35 to get all I needed.

So final price, $49.34. That means I just made a suit of Shadow Guard Armor w/ Helmet, and a Royal Guard Helmet, built and finished for less than $50.

My wife is doing the robes, we bought the fabric on Amazon of all places, it cost $15, but I bought some nice fabric for the interior to round it up to $20 for free shipping.

So final tally, $69.34 for armor, helmet, and robes for two costumes.

All I have to put together is the Force Pike, and the Saber staff, plus some old cowboy boots that I can just refinish with a velvet cover. (Thrift store time.)

[stripes]

Is it just me or is the right side of the chest piece bent at a funny angle??

[Andrew]

You would be correct sir, it's due to the stick I have jammed under the one side in order to prop it up for a photo, causes the whole thing to weigh over in one direction, when I have it laid down flat it's nice and even.

Regardless, if I find that it doesn't even out correctly on the resin stage, I intend on just using my heat gun and reforming the shape to how I need it anyway, just 30 seconds more work.

Keep in mind this is just cardboard with hot glue holding it together, no resin at all yet.

Andrew

[LuciousTalvloinne]

seems alot of access on the bottom of the TK chest :/

[Andrew]

I noticed that too, the lip is fairly wide, gives it a significant raise.

I intend on making the armor section for the abs tomorrow, then I will see how it fits, I'm hoping the raise is to compensate for something on the ab section. But in the very least, if it isn't, then I have yet to resin anything, so I will just trim the lip down to a 1/4 inch or so.

If anyone actually has a TK chest piece, I wouldn't mind getting the measurements for the bottom lip, just to be sure, it looks from photos to be approximately 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick.

The rest of it sits snug, with no excessive protrusions.

The comments are appreciated, and noted, so I encourage everyone to toss their two cents in. This is my first ever Pepakura build, I had never even printed a sheet out until I started the Shoulders, so I take all advice seriously.

Andrew

[LuciousTalvloinne]

I have dealt with a bit of Pepakura. Just haven't finished some at the moment.

[MagnaPrime]

I'll be watching pretty closely from here on as I'd love to do some more costumes but also am restricted to a very tight budget.
So far I'm liking what I see though.

[Andrew]

I got sidetracked this morning, I ended up building a Darth Revan mask, just for giggles, it turned out really nice, so much so that I'm thinking of even adding the resin today.

But back to the RG/SG armor, haha.

Andrew