I volunteer with my church to act as different characters for their vacation bible schools and "trick or treat street"s. Trick or treat street is a family friendly trick or treat alternative in e safe environment for the kids in my community. This upcoming summer I will be portraying the tin man in our VBS week of "The Wizard of Oz", consequently I am also designated tin man for the trick or treat street Wizard of Oz room. Here's how I made my costume in less than 1.5 weeks.

Step 1: Materials

The materials I used:
Foam EVA Puzzle piece mat
Craft Foam Sheets (8"x12")
Duct Tape
Hot glue
Old shirt
Old thin jacket
Old jeans
Pair of shoes you don't mind "improving"
Pair of gloves you don't mind "improving"
Wooden dowel or plunger handle
Aluminum metallic Rustoleum spray paint (3 can)
Steel Gray Plasti-Dip (2 can)
Hot glue gun
Box cutter

Step 2: Get Inspired!

Look up pics or videos of tin man to get inspired! Here are some I used.

Step 3: The Cylinder

Fingered out how much foam you need to go all the way around your upper body, I was lucky as two, 2' x 2' squares worked for me! I put them in a cylinder (harder than it sounds), used the straight edges that came with them (had to trim one), and then had a cylinder!

I duct taped the pieces together to make sure they stayed.

Step 4: Arm and Head Holes

Obviously I needed a place to stick my arms out, so I measured and cut two holes larger than my arms on either side. I also cut a piece from a different foam mat square to put in the top, and cut a hole for my head before taping that piece on the top of the cylinder.

Step 5: Hide the Tape!

I hid the tape by cutting the foam sheets in half length-wise, giving me two ~4" x ~12" strips of foam, and did my best to cover all the duct tape, and the entire top of the torso! I applied the foam sheets with some hot glue

Step 6: Seal 'er Up!

Using the Plasti-dip, seal the entire outside of the torso! The craft foam will warp some, don't worry it evens out for the most part, any edges curled up can simply be glued back down! After re-gluing, seal with a second coat if needed. Be sure to spray all the foam mat as well. Here's how mine looked after I sealed it, but before I glued down the curls

Step 7: Paint Paint Paint Till You Can't Paint No More!

Using the metallic spray paint, spray the torso, the funnel you'll be using as a hat, the gloves, the shoes, the jacket, and the jeans.

Step 8: Find a Beanie or Make One From the Old Shirt.

To make a hat/beanie from the shirt, put the sleeve on your head so it covers your ears and hair, and tie the rest of the shirt in a simple overhand knot. Then cut the rest of the shirt off, leaving the knot on the hat portion, tighten knot, glue edges of knot down to prevent slippage, and you're done. Spray beanie/hat.

Step 9: Attach Funnel to Hat

Drill a small hole through the nozzle on the funnel, and put some fishing line through, tying a knot. Then pull the fishing line through the knot and sew on a button inside the hat with the fishing line, this will prevent the line slipping out through the knot.

Step 10: The Axe

Cut the shape of an axe head out of Eva foam, and it's mirror image, tape the non-blade ends together as they lie flat, and wrap around the plumber handle, pulling tight, tape axe head profusely. Spray paint handle after glueing around where handle meets head.