How Much Does A Full Costume Cost To Make?

[extrabread]

Well, in a sense I kinda have three questions...



So, how much does it cost to create an entire costume, say ODST?

And how much would it cost to purchase a full costume of ODST?

It is kinda confusing to decide to PM someone a question or to make a thread. I saw one sticky saying to PM people questions, and another about trying not to PM people and posting it so the answer could be shared.



So I made a judgment call and went with the thread, due to the number of the questions and seeing no already existing threads.

If I'm doing something wrong PLEASE tell me, I am a "noob".

Any answer is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Yuki Kedamono]

well the answer's fairly simple... as far as getting prices it depends on the maker. an for that you'd need to not be a noob so you could go to the classifieds.

as far as guestimates... it's WAAY cheaper to make one yourself than to have someone else do it. really... truly... like hundreds cheaper ^^

 

[JSwift]

The price to build a suit depends on what materials you use to make it. There's tons of ways to do it so there's really no set price. As for purchasing them, that will cost you. No one is really selling whole suits. There is some stuff on ebay you may want to check out.

 

[jks soccer]

my experience with this, meaning what i've seen, since i havent finished a suit, is that it can cost about 200.. 300 dollars (help me out here 405th) to MAKE a really good suit. i would think a... not moderate, but good suit could take 150-200 dollars, and an ok, (yet still good) can take around 100 dollars.

now buying a suit, can bring up a price tag of well over a couple grand, unless you have great timing and luck...



correct me if i'm wrong but thats what i know

 

[extrabread]

Thanks, I kinda want an ODST suit for haloweene, but I have no experience making anything. As I am, a noob...

 

[ImaGonnaGetYou]

Anywhere from a $50 suit (99.99% chance that it sucks) to a $2000 suit (99.99% chance it's godly), and anything in between. It depends on how you make it, how tough it is, how fast you make it, etc.

 

[SirPalesAlot]

100 to 200 dollars to make a full suit?...maybe im doing something wrong but ive spent quite a bit more than that and im def. not done yet...lol and thats everything from paper and ink to the paint..lol

 

[ImaGonnaGetYou]

100 to 200 dollars to make a full suit?...maybe im doing something wrong but ive spent quite a bit more than that and im def. not done yet...lol and thats everything from paper and ink to the paint..lol

100-200 would be if you made it out of cardboard, used very little bondo and fiberglass and resin, and didn't focus on detailing.

 

[fanaticladoomguy]

Tough luck finding a suit that is cheap. I just checked on ebay and I found a freackin awesome set of Mark VI armor and the current bid is $510.



And you guys WOULDN'T BELIEVE THIS:



ITHICA'S HAYABUSA SUIT IS ON EBAY AND IT IS LIKE $3000 RIGHT NOW!!!!.



Sorry dude you are better off making your own and doing a rush job to be done in time for halloween

 

[ImaGonnaGetYou]

Tough luck finding a suit that is cheap. I just checked on ebay and I found a freackin awesome set of Mark VI armor and the current bid is $510.



And you guys WOULDN'T BELIEVE THIS:



ITHICA'S HAYABUSA SUIT IS ON EBAY AND IT IS LIKE $3000 RIGHT NOW!!!!.



Sorry dude you are better off making your own and doing a rush job to be done in time for halloween

eBay =/= Accurate prices



People sell dimes on there for 20 bucks. Yeah, definitely accurate value right?



$510 isn't half bad (debatable), but $3000 is an extreme by far.

 

[kensai111]

Sounds like the real question at hand is it more cost efficient to build one or buy one. I put my money on build it. For starters you can only access the classifieds section in which you have an opportunity to buy some armor only if that person wants to sell to you. Due to recasters people are more cautious than ever to selling to new members. So right off the bat you're going to be wasting a lot of time just commenting on other peoples threads just to get your post count high enough, furthermore there's no guarantee that the person has to sell to you.. it's their choice. Additionally, you'll get a sense of pride building something with your own hands (when someone asks you where you got that cool armor.. "I bought it" is a lame answer), it will fit better, it will be cheaper and then you to have the option of making your own molds and actually making your money back on it over time. In the future though, please don't bring up buying of armor in the noob section ... we don't like to advertise that here. Thanks, goodluck and happy armor making!



Cheers,

Kensai

 

[DylanMarx]

It took me $200.00 to make my Odst.

 

[iliketacos95]

Took me about $60 to make my suit (most thing's I have had for a while or given like visor) and I didn't bondo..

 

[kupokitty]

I spent $40 on materials for my mkvi helmet because I was trying to see what I could do with cheap, cruddy materials in a very short amount of time. I think I probably wouldn't have spent more than $50 on the rest of the suit if I had time to make it all. You might want to stick with the more expensive materials (bondo, fiberglass, etc) because the end result is AMAZING.

 

[Liq]

I'm at around $650 right now on my MKVI, and I figured I need a little more for helmet lighting, and small odds and ends. This does include everything from undersuit to disposable brushes though. I was thinking I could do it for $200 or less, but I really got caught up in it.



It has been a remarkable new hobby though. I've learned to do something that I would never have imagined, and that easily makes it worth every penny AND hour I've spent on it. Not to mention there are very cool folk here, and I look forward to meeting you all next year at DCon.

 

[CodeRed]

You know maybe its just me but I don't see the classified section. Do you have to have a certain post count? Or maybe i'm looking in the wrong place.

 

[Flyerfye]

You'll have to achieve veteran status before being able to access the classifieds. Besides, they're not that great. Better of building your own stuff. I think I'm only at about $100, and I have almost everything I need to make my ODST.

 

[CodeRed]

You'll have to achieve veteran status before being able to access the classifieds. Besides, they're not that great. Better of building your own stuff. I think I'm only at about $100, and I have almost everything I need to make my ODST.

thats what I was guessing, was just curious

 

[haji]

depends on what resources you already have. If you already have sand paper, dremel wheel, what not, alodda glue.



For a whole odst? Im going to do a rough estimate for you



3 maybe 2 purchases of 1 qt resin. 10 dollars each

2-3 packets of fiberglass at 5 dollars each

1-2 Big buckets of Body filler. (matters how much detail you want, i cover up everything with body filler)

1 package of carstock paper for 5 dollars

Catlysts- 2 dollars each (hardner for body filler and resin) You probably want an extra just incase the inluded catalyst runs out



So resource wise your at 70. Which is varibale, matters how much you dont waste



tools:



- A lot of sand paper. I have probably spent more than 30 dollars over the course ive been building mine

- Hot glue: Ive gone through 3 packets already at 2.50 cents each

- Dremel wheel: I go lucky and got a deal at the flea market for 12 bucks

- dremel bits, 10 dollars for a set.

I personally think you can do without one, but im detail crazy

-Jewlers, filers: I still need these but i dont think there to cheap

- Sanding wheel or mouse: You can do without one, but it makes it easier... once i again, i got a deal at the flea market for 5 dollars

-Respirator mandatory to have, 25 dollars



maybe 50 dollars? once again, what do you already have







Okay, it matters how detail you want to be but there is additional material you may need like Fabric (4-7 dollars a yard) Nylon webbing (im not sure, i salvage mine from old book bags), poly styrene plastic sheets, 3 dollars for 3 sheets size of a standar paper



then paint, 2-5 dollars a can



So a rough total would be under 200. Yeah, i agree i cant believe how expensive this really is (im just realizing how much money ive spent). You really dont notice the expense, just buy as you go. You dont have to buy all of it once



For buying the armor? from my speculation, props dont sell cheaper than 100 dollars depending on what it is but you'll have to PM members for it since im just giving a estimation





Hope this helped, Dont let the price turn you way. Gradually make purchases

 

[mkshane81]

Well, as a lot of people have already said, it depends, greatly!! Ah, what the heck, I'll throw my 2 cents out there.



My first build was a full Mark VI armor, very new to it just like you. I really didn't know what I would be getting myself into, but by the end, it ended being about $230. That is with no undersuit, no gold visors, no body filler(so no fine detail of course). Had everything been done, I would've been in the ball park of Liq is right now.



I have been tinkering around in it for about a year now, and have learned one thing. When you are just really getting into this hobby, there is no greater feeling in the world than when you complete a certain part or piece, or even an entire suit of armor on your own. As far as getting done by halloween, good luck!! I worked for about 90 days non-stop on my first set, and again, didn't get everything done.



All around, I say make a go for it, and ask questions!! That is what we are all here for.