This Instructable will guide you through the process of creating lightweight and durable armor for costuming using a material called Wonderflex.
While 90% of the armor in this tutorial will be comprised of Wonderflex, it's important to know that the best results come from using a myriad of materials. Wonderflex is a very capable material, but there are certain limitations to what you can accomplish with it. I'll also be using other materials to accent and enhance the appearance of the basic forms, and these will be called out and linked when appropriate.
In the images above, all armor parts except the helmet were made from a mixture of Wonderflex and Apoxie sculpt. If you're interested in the construction of the helmet, check out my other instructable detailing how to make helmets from videogames!
While 90% of the armor in this tutorial will be comprised of Wonderflex, it's important to know that the best results come from using a myriad of materials. Wonderflex is a very capable material, but there are certain limitations to what you can accomplish with it. I'll also be using other materials to accent and enhance the appearance of the basic forms, and these will be called out and linked when appropriate.
In the images above, all armor parts except the helmet were made from a mixture of Wonderflex and Apoxie sculpt. If you're interested in the construction of the helmet, check out my other instructable detailing how to make helmets from videogames!
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Signing UpStep 1: What is Wonderflex?
Wonderflex is a low-melt thermoplastic (activation temperature of 150°-170° F) with a woven fiber backing on one side. It sort of looks like very thick plastic duct tape. When heated, the material can flex and stretch into curves, including some basic compound curves as well. Due to the woven grid backing, Wonderflex can only do slight compound curves. You could make a radar-dish type shape but it would be very difficult to get it to make a tight dome.
Wonderflex is also self-adhesive, meaning if you heat up two sheets and press therm together, they will bond to one another as they cure. The more you heat the material up, the stronger this bond will become. I prefer to use a heat gun but you can also microwave smaller pieces if you prefer.
It is available in three thicknesses (.35, .45, and .69") and is shipped/sold in rolls. I buy mine from The Engineer Guy here in Atlanta, but there are plenty of distributors online who also sell it.
Even the thickest of their available products is still pretty thin for very good results, so you'll see in later steps I often double or triple layer the material to make curves smoother and cleaner.
Wonderflex is also self-adhesive, meaning if you heat up two sheets and press therm together, they will bond to one another as they cure. The more you heat the material up, the stronger this bond will become. I prefer to use a heat gun but you can also microwave smaller pieces if you prefer.
It is available in three thicknesses (.35, .45, and .69") and is shipped/sold in rolls. I buy mine from The Engineer Guy here in Atlanta, but there are plenty of distributors online who also sell it.
Even the thickest of their available products is still pretty thin for very good results, so you'll see in later steps I often double or triple layer the material to make curves smoother and cleaner.
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I was curious as to the method and materials used. It looks to me like it's a screen printing setup, and am wondering what methods you used to create the screen, I've done homemade screen printing before, and it looked nowhere near as nice as that.
One thing you might want to check out is Smooth-on's "Free-Form Air Epoxy Putty" as a replacement for Apoxy Sculpt - it is crazy-light, carves and smooths well, is super easy to mix (knead) about the hardness of maple... and did I mention light? (it will float in water). I've been using it to replace some of my uses of Magic Sculpt and have been impressed with it.
any I'ble for the battle axe too??
Thanks for the compliments!
One question though, about how much wonderflex did you use for this costume? I know it is more the the amount I would need for my armor (Loki's is pretty few and in between for his "casual" costume), but I would like to start stocking some up for more costumes/crazy stuff.
Thank you for taking the time to read my plea, and fo making this fantastic tutorial! :D
yours look real good,
also other states been to them
Do you think this method would be feasible for making Mass Effect armor? It seems like you might be able to get the same shapes, but that it would take a whole lot more of the Wonderflex.
Wonderflex has give to it; it never fully hardens like polyester resin and fiberglass. The thicker you make your blank sheets, the less it will flex, but the parts always have some amount of rebound.
In fact, at one point the armor and the mannequin went crashing to the ground and into a concrete floor. The Apoxie Sculpt was damaged (a small bit of cracking) but the Wonderflex didn't have a ding on it.
Any chance of you uploading an instructable for that duct tape mannequin idea? 'Cause that would be useful to alot of people (myself included, lol) with their own costumes.