I was really pleased with some of the photos taken here as it doubled up as an arid landscape quite well even if it wasn’t sandy.
Just another slag heap photo.
Not their natural environment, but a good photo.
Why
Even more menacing and mysterious than star Wars Stormtroopers, were Tusken Raiders. Also known as the “Sand People”. In 2018 I went to Italy and in Naples Museum they had some Star Wars exhibits. I don’t think I’d ever been that close to a real Tusken Raider costume and I loved it. I wondered if I could make one for myself.
An original “Sandperson” from Star Wars.
An exhibit (which wasn’t even THAT good in Naples Museum). Nnghh! I need one!
The front mask part of the mask/helmet took something like 40 hours to 3D print. even without the sticky-out bits. I experienced a combination of lovers and haters on an early outing to Barnsley. However, it wasn’t until I was walking through Wakefield on my way home that some kindly car passenger hollered “nice dressing gown, you sad cunt”.
Beyond underwear, it consists of 18 separate garments and accessories. I was randomly referred to as diverse things as Darth Vader and “Jabberwocky”.
Future use
Absolutely. It’s impressive and really comfortable to wear, unlike several other high profile costumes.
Making it
The throw for the outer gown had a good texture but needed a darker colour and had to be dyed.
Strips of fabric were dyed with a range of tones.
Lots of strips needed. Lots more than this.
The arms were made by hot gluing the bandages onto an old jumper arm on a mannequin. Even through the mannequin was bigger than me, these are still quite difficult to put on. They look great though.
Some old wellies got the same bandage treatment. There’s no cushioning in boots so I always suffer the next day after wearing footwear like this.
Pinning some fabric for he mid-gown prior to sewing .
This mask front was printed with ABS plastic and took 40 hours. The table in the background has the protrusion pieces on it that had already been printed.
A good solid piece but I found the design to be inaccurate. It was a good base though. I couldn’t have modelled it myself, it’s too organic
I shaped and glued in a piece of Foamex plastic to give the mouth a smaller and higher aperture. I modelled the silver parts myself as ones available online were quite dismal and blocky.
Holes drilled for peripheral vision, and faux leather applied to the mouth/snout.
The mask part bolted to a trimmed safety helmet.
The back of the helmet was jut cardboard gaffer taped into place but it worked well.
Some cheap belts were cut up and applied to the mask. Then the bandages started to be applied.
Applying more bandages, and Hera inspects my work.
I didn’t find any good models of the respirator parts so I modelled my own in Fusion 360.
The cylinder part of the respirator being 3D printed.
Assembled 3D parts of the respirator.
The piping for the respirator was made from tubing used for fish tanks and a straightened out coat hanger.
Completed Respirator.
3D printed top half of the Gaffi Stick end. Gaffi Sticks are based on a Fijian weapon called a “Totokia”. The Gaffi stick “pineapple” is hard and heavy an you could really harm someone with it. Inset shows Gaffi Stick spike fitting.
The Gaffi stick end was made from a solar light spike, some Foamex fins and a bit of plumbing pipe.
The Gaffi stick bend was made from faffing about with some glued, heated, bent and shaped Foamex.
This part you wouldn’t even consider was surprisingly time consuming. Bends in the shaft were made by filling the pipe with and then heating it up before applying pressure. The sand avoided obvious folds and kinks.
Bandoliers from eBay that look close enough the ones used in the films.
Sheepskin gloves with a bit of paint and some more bandages as cuffs.
The helmet is the star of this costume. I love it.
This is the chaos after disrobing after a jaunt out in this costume.
In May 2020 during lockdown, I wandered into a socially distanced VE Day street party.
