Alternative Armor Stands.

[TexasAggie2011]

Hey, i've been browsing the search on here for ideas for an armor stand and found some really great mannequin stands. Unfortunately, I'm constantly moving back and forth from college (IL to TX and back) via car every year and it would be impossible to haul a mannequin plus 2 footlockers of dorm junk in an SUV. So I was wondering if anyone knew of any alternatives to using mannequins to have a free standing device for putting the armor on. Preferably something that can either be disposed of at the end of the year or easily broken down for transport.

the only thing that keeps popping to mind for me has been a skeleton display. but then theres the problem of weight tolerance, and the fact its not 'meaty' enough to even hold parts on without something slipping off.

 

[Doo 2000]

I have been looking for one two, I thought of one of those doll things that you see in the stores. to make it "meatier" you put on the under gear, then the armor

 

[tlither]

I don't remember who, but someone had one made of plywood. You could assemble with brackets for an easy break down.

 

[BlacRoseImmortal]

Sean Bradley's tut for a self mannequin.... theres Sigma's PVC mannequin thingy names Twiggy i believe....Rob Westerfield's wood stand......

i'll try and think of more "mannequin" substitues

 

[Sean Bradley]

Rob Westerfield has a simple plywood stand that works quite well. I think if you searched the terms "Rob W." and "Mannequin" you should find it.

 

[TexasAggie2011]

Thanks for the help every one, I appreciate it. I found Rob and Sigma's stands and I'll be taking a crack at one of them once i go over both thoroughly.

 

[Spartan 051]

couldnt you use seans duck tape/ cling wrap trick. it not as portable as a twiggy so that might suck

 

[BlacRoseImmortal]

doing Sean's "self" mannequin is a long hard drawnout process *thinks back to being coccooned in clingwrap* ... your better off making a skeleton outta PVC

 

[DogWizard]

Hopefully this will help a bit. I used a PVC skeleton as the rigid frame for my "Duct Tape Mannequin". Sorry there aren't more pictures but I didn't think to take some until I had already started but I did a quick Visio sketch which should help. PVC is light enough to pack and take with you, available everywhere, and cheap enough to toss if you don't want to move it back. Heck - even tricking it out with a self-made mannequin should only add a few hours and would be well worth the effort. The whole PVC Skeleton shouldn't cost you more than $20-$25 or so - add a mannequin head from Ebay and you're good to go...











Just use a tape measure to measure your actual joint lengths (Shouder to elbow, elbow to wrist, etc.) to keep it as accurate as possible. If you didn't want to invest the time into making the whole stuffed mannequin, you could just take an old junker pillow and tape it over the shoulders to keep anything from slipping. As far as attaching the mannequin head, I just filled the head with expanding foam, sharpened the "neck spike" and impaled it... ahhhh...good clean fun for the whole family...

Good Luck!

 

[rvb4life]

I miss twiggy.....


anyway, you are better off making a pvc mannequin

 

[TexasAggie2011]

i think thats what i'll end up doing when i get a chance. I'm tired of just having the armor sitting on top of a couple footlockers in the corner. I'm too afraid someone iwll bump into it on the way to the bathroom next to it and break stuff.

 

[Boris]

oh nice I'ma have to do something like that to store my Armor on....keep it from getting damaged

 

[Fenix Chief]

I just say go with Twiggy... I miss him.

 

[TexasAggie2011]

Well, i went out today and bought 3 10 foot sections of PVC, (only ended up using 2.8 of em) got the connectors and set to work.

heres what I got done in the last couple hours:

Its not the greatest thing in terms of posing, anatomical scale, etc but it works for what i need.

I still need to pick up a base to put the flanges on, and get some stuffing to bulk it up so i don't have to worry about pieces falling off. this phase of the project is pretty much done except i still have some super glue to apply to key joints that i won't have to regularly pull apart every time i want to get a piece off (e.g. the legs).

i'm thinking of using packing peanuts for the stuffing. hows that sound?

 

[Kaya Tetsu]

ooh...nice and once I get everything unpacked I'll have a room to store my stuff in (once I make my stuff that is)!! Sweetness!