The Aging Gamer: Halloween Costumes - Mega Buster

The Mega Buster was another important part of the costume... I could have just done two gloves, but that would have been lame. Anyways, I liked Mr Wilsons idea of using tupperware for the construction, I just decided to take it to the next level. Read on for my steps and final product.

* The Mega Buster *

Step 0: Aquire items
So we didn't have alot of tupperware in the house, this allowed me to go get all the right sized stuff. This was a pretty cheap run to Walmart/Publix. I got different sized bowls, and a small pitcher. Most everything in this build was new, but I did use the dark blue fabric that I purchased from Goodwill.

Step 1: Cut/Shape tupperware for body of Buster
Tools Used:
Saw
Utility Knife
Curved Hobby Scissors
Dremel
Materials:
Small pitcher (tappered)
One Medium Bowl
Two Small Bowls
Two Extra Small Bowls
Sand Paper

The pitcher I got was lined with another container inside.


I sawed off the handle (but was keeping it for something later in the build).


Then I cut the liner container out of the pitcher, and the pitchers bottom off. Since I like the stylized look of the Mega Buster, I wanted the gun tip to be a little fatter thus using the opening of the pitcher on that end. The thinner side of the pitcher went towards my sons elbow. I took one small bowl and cut the top off so that it sat flush with the cut opening on the pitcher. I then too that same small tupperware and cut the bottom off so that it hugs my sons forearm. I then took the medium sized bowl and cut out the bottom curve of it so that it would finish off the gun tip edge nicely. I cut the bottom out of that same medium bowl so the gun top could prodtrude through. Then I cut a small bowl to fit inside/stick out of the medium bowl thus creating the gun tip. Cut the bottom out of that small bowl to open up the barrel of the gun. Then cut the top off of extra small bowl to fit in the barrel of the gun(leaving the bottom in tack for mounting an LED!!!). The took another extra small bowl and cut off the bottom to use as a cover. Yeah, if you made it this far in the paragraph you are going to need a picture for all this...


All those steps took a really long time to cut down so they would all fit just right with each other.

I then took the pitcher and cut a rectangle into it with the dremel for the power meter (Yeah, we are going to put MORE LED's in this thing!). Dremeled down the handle that I had cut off the pitcher so that it could hold the LED's for the power meter. Finally I cut a thin piece of plastic that will be used to cover the hole for the power meter.

I then cut down a plastic pen that would fit inside the pitcher that would act as a handle for my son to hold on to. Finally, I sanded down all the rough edges and smoothed it all out.


Step 2: Yay, LED's
Tools Used:
Drill, Drill Bits
Soldering Iron
Glue Gun
Materials:
6 Yellow LED's
Bright Red LED
Wire
Solder
Switch
3 @ 10 Ohm Resistors
Battery Pack
Shrink Tube
Electrical Tape
Hot Glue Sticks

So I again used this write up as reference for creating the Mega Buster. First I cut holes in the bottom of the extra small bowl that was going to hold the bright red LED for the PEW, PEW, PEW side of things. Threaded the leads through and hot glued the led in place.

Next I took the handle and drilled 6 sets of holes for the yellow LED's. Threaded the leads through the holes, then bent the leads off to the side. Since I was running the lights in parallel I was able to just run a bared wire along the side tying together all the positive leads (repeating for the negative leads).


Then I wired both of these up to the switch, resistors, and battery pack. Using shrink tubing to cover up all the wires.

I then used hot glue to get the LED's secured, then covered it up with black electrical tape. I set it aside as I now had to do some sewing.



Step 3: Skinning the Mega Buster
Tools Used:
Tape Measure
Scissors
Sewing machine
Hot Glue Gun
Materials:
Dark Blue Fabric
Chalk
Thread
Glue Sticks

I only had two simple things to skin this time. The main body of the Mega Buster, and its gun tip. For the main body I had to hot glue the medium tupperware bowl that was next to the tip of the gun to the pitcher.

I measured the body from top to bottom then the circumference at the different thickness's. I then went to cut some more blue fabric after laying out what I thought was the shape.

(Me cutting fabric is full of WIN because of final product)


I should have taken into consideration the fact that the fabric could stretch, as I had to sew it about three times to get it to fit.

I hot glued the fabric to the inside of the gun tip end of the mega buster to hold it in place. I pulled the cloth tight down the body of the Mega Buster. Then I cut open the hole for the power meter and wrapped the cloth around the edge of the opening and hot glued in place.

I left the forearm end cap tupperware piece off (as I was planning on putting that on last). Because of that I didn't hot glue that side of the fabric to the body of the gun.

The gun tip was much easier and went together quick. Next up was the most complicated part... how to fit it together and get it looking good.


Step 4: It Comes Together
Tools Used:
Hot Glue Gun
Materials:
Glue Sticks

Yeah... I am not going to go into this... because it was long and complicated. It was basically like trying to solve one of those mechanical puzzles. I had to figure out how to get everything together, while being able to glue each step along the way. I made one mistake which isn't too noticeable on the inside of the power meter. Over all I am happy with the outcome, and here are a crap ton of pictures.












Inside the Mega Buster


Here you can see a bit of the construction. The pen for a handle. Battery Pack mounted at the bottom (those are AAA's). The Power Meter on the left (along with all the wiring taped up). The red LED at the end of the gun.

Modelling the Mega Buster




Since the rest of it won't be as cool, or complicated, the next article will be a complete costume. Maybe I will have the other two done by then too.