Best materials for crafting armor

[Aerius]

Hello all!

 

I'm just starting up the process of constructing my first TK from scratch, and I'd like a little advice on materials before I go full steam ahead. I'm also new to sculpting and vacuuforming, so my questions may seem a little nooberific.

 

First, the mold sculpting materials. I've been looking around and it seems like Plastilina modeling clay may be the best to use for a mix of the pliability and detail required for some of the TK parts. My questions here are:

-Is plastalina a good clay to use?

-Is there a better clay to use, or something that may be almost as good but way cheaper?

-Is this the best to use for all TK parts, or is a different clay better for some parts?

 

Casting the molds:

-Is plaster the best/easiest way to cast the molds?

-If so, what are the recommended plasters to use that can hold up to the rigors of casting?

-If not, what are alternatives that may be easier/cheaper/better? What do people like to use?

 

Vacuuforming/Thermoforming:

-Is HIPS best for beginners, or should I try ABS to start?

-What thickness of HIPS or ABS is best? 0.060", 0.080", 0.10"?

-Should all parts use the same thickness?

 

Thank you so much in advance for the help. I tried searching for these answers, but I have so far been unsuccessful in finding something that answers these questions definitively ( or at least from the mouths of 501st members )

 

Thanks!

-Laki

[dashrazor]

this is a good site to start (but the armor made is far from accurate) it does have some good info

 

http://www.trooperarmor.com/

 

this site has some good info as well

 

http://www.tk560.com/

 

are you planning to sculpt for fun, or are you trying to save a few bucks? i ask because you won't save any cash by sculpting it yourself all the supplies add up fast..

[Eric]

i hear styrene is best for practice pulls and to start with... i'm not 100% on that, so don't quote me. lol. but that's my understandings

[Aerius]

this is a good site to start (but the armor made is far from accurate) it does have some good info

 

http://www.trooperarmor.com/

 

this site has some good info as well

 

http://www.tk560.com/

 

are you planning to sculpt for fun, or are you trying to save a few bucks? i ask because you won't save any cash by sculpting it yourself all the supplies add up fast..

Thanks, I have checked those sites out, and they have a lot of good info, even if the suit made by the first one looks like a Stormtrooper getting sucked into a black hole. Both of those sites use MDF and bondo to make the molds, which I had not really considered initially, but I may try it out just to see how it goes. I do want to try clay molds first though, if for any reason that I don't have to smell bondo.

 

This site seems to have some good info too: http://www.studiocreations.com/howto/stormtrooper/index.html, but I want to corroborate some of that info by seeing what works best for others.