This turned out really awesome. Nice work -- and patience! =D
Winter Soldier Arm- worbla tutorial
- Thread starter kittybarnes
- Start date
kittybarnes
New Member
Yeah I learned the woes of expanding foam...FAST.
1- take it SLOW.
2- wear a damn respirator
3- let it dry for 48 hours. if you cut into it and the core is still wet, you're going to get a ton of fumes in your face (this one applies to my Loki horns moreso than the arm)
4- use it over a tile floor- not carpet...actually, wtf, just do it outside
^ ^ ^ I learned those the hard way.
1- take it SLOW.
2- wear a damn respirator
3- let it dry for 48 hours. if you cut into it and the core is still wet, you're going to get a ton of fumes in your face (this one applies to my Loki horns moreso than the arm)
4- use it over a tile floor- not carpet...actually, wtf, just do it outside
^ ^ ^ I learned those the hard way.
Mandy Mitchell
New Member
Wow! What an awesome tutorial! Thanks so much for sharing and posting! I'm planning to make a WS metal arm as well. I'm fairly new to prop making as opposed to sewing. I'm going to be asking questions from time to time if you don't mind. (I'll also take a bunch of progress pics and share them as well once I get started.)
1st question: Is the gap insulation foam toxic or does it just smell bad? Either way I'm planning to use it outside once I get to that step.
2nd question: Are you supposed to apply tattoo gel/Vaseline all over the arm before you do plaster casting?
3rd question: What do you do next after plastering the arm? Do you apply once more layer to it or do you just cut it out?
4th question: Do you have an opening gap on the inside of the WS arm? If you do, how wide is the gap?
I apologize if my questions sound elementary, but I'm a newbie to props. (I'll promise to answer any sewing questions cuz I have tons of experience.) But thank you so so much if you can help answer my questions!
1st question: Is the gap insulation foam toxic or does it just smell bad? Either way I'm planning to use it outside once I get to that step.
2nd question: Are you supposed to apply tattoo gel/Vaseline all over the arm before you do plaster casting?
3rd question: What do you do next after plastering the arm? Do you apply once more layer to it or do you just cut it out?
4th question: Do you have an opening gap on the inside of the WS arm? If you do, how wide is the gap?
I apologize if my questions sound elementary, but I'm a newbie to props. (I'll promise to answer any sewing questions cuz I have tons of experience.) But thank you so so much if you can help answer my questions!
kittybarnes
New Member
1- the foam is toxic if you ingest it, i wouldn't inhale it either. i think there's a bitterant in it to deter huffing it.
2- yes- if you don't you'll essentially wax your arm
3- you plaster your arm, then neatly cut it off of you and then let that harden
4- i do not have a gap, each band is a complete ring
~hope this halps
2- yes- if you don't you'll essentially wax your arm
3- you plaster your arm, then neatly cut it off of you and then let that harden
4- i do not have a gap, each band is a complete ring
~hope this halps
InsaneLuck
Member
This arm seriously rocks, I did the winter soldier for sdcc and it was and m arm was simply an airbrushed sleeve so I am going to attempt this to advance my project. 2 questions though, you made it so authentic, where did you get the template for the arm, and second where is a good place to buy worbla? Any help would be great (even though you basically laid it all out in this tutorial)
kittybarnes
New Member
The template essentially came from a folder i started on my desktop with about 80 screenshots and comic book pages in it. (It was harder at the time because the movie hadn't come out.) I did a bunch of sketches and schematics and then started mapping the pieces. The first template were the pics, the second was the sketches, and the third was the actual cast of my arm:
Worbla's Finest Art | Thermoplastics for craft <--- where I buy worbla from.
Worbla's Finest Art | Thermoplastics for craft <--- where I buy worbla from.
Mandy Mitchell
New Member
Wow! Thank you very much for answering my questions. I'm very impressed at how you made the metal arm without any gaps. I just ordered Worbla, and I'm waiting for it to arrive.
Mandy Mitchell
New Member
Anyways I hope you don't mind answering, but I still have a few more detailed questions again:
1.) What did you use to remove the plaster after the insulation foam hardened? Did you peel it off or cut it off?
2.) When you created a template for the Worbla pieces, you mentioned that you used computer paper. Is it regular printer paper or a special type of paper?
3.) When you placed the heated Worbla pieces onto the cast of the arm, what did you use to temporarily have the Worbla pieces stay on the cast? Did they just stay on?
4.) What type of fabric or material did you use for the base sleeve when you glued the Worbla pieces onto it? Was is spandex or a special type of shirt that you had to order?
Your answers will be very much appreciated! Thank you!
1.) What did you use to remove the plaster after the insulation foam hardened? Did you peel it off or cut it off?
2.) When you created a template for the Worbla pieces, you mentioned that you used computer paper. Is it regular printer paper or a special type of paper?
3.) When you placed the heated Worbla pieces onto the cast of the arm, what did you use to temporarily have the Worbla pieces stay on the cast? Did they just stay on?
4.) What type of fabric or material did you use for the base sleeve when you glued the Worbla pieces onto it? Was is spandex or a special type of shirt that you had to order?
Your answers will be very much appreciated!
Thank you!sauranas31
Active Member
And I have one. How did you compensate for the bent elbow? Or is there just a huge chunk missing from it?
kittybarnes
New Member
Anyways I hope you don't mind answering, but I still have a few more detailed questions again:
1.) What did you use to remove the plaster after the insulation foam hardened? Did you peel it off or cut it off?
2.) When you created a template for the Worbla pieces, you mentioned that you used computer paper. Is it regular printer paper or a special type of paper?
3.) When you placed the heated Worbla pieces onto the cast of the arm, what did you use to temporarily have the Worbla pieces stay on the cast? Did they just stay on?
4.) What type of fabric or material did you use for the base sleeve when you glued the Worbla pieces onto it? Was is spandex or a special type of shirt that you had to order?
Your answers will be very much appreciated!
1. You don't remove the plaster. The clay goes on over the plaster.
2. It was just regular printer paper. It's only to be used as a stencil for the actual worbla.
3. The worbla just lightly adhered to the cast.
4. It was an Underarmor thick spandex workout shirt.
- - - Updated - - -
There's a cap that is set closer to my actual arm than the forearm and upper arm. It's set underneath the 2 pieces so that it looks seamless when bent. The forearm and upper arm shifted towards the elbow when my arm is straight. I'll take some pics and stick em up here later.
Mandy Mitchell
New Member
Wow! I had no idea. Thanks for letting me know that the plaster is supposed to stay on. Did you cut through the plaster with a regular pair of house scissors?
Can't wait to see more of your pics!
Can't wait to see more of your pics!
kittybarnes
New Member
Yeah regular scissors or kitchen shears.
I have SO MANY questions because I'n in the planning stages for building an arm for my Bucky cosplay & I have NEVER done anything remotely like this.
You said you had an Under Armor shirt under the arm. What I'm confused about is what is the Worbla anchored to?
How do you attach the arm/make sure it stays on during the day while you're cosplaying? And how to you attach the cap that covers the elbow to the upper & lower arm pieces?
I'll stop with those two...mainly because any subsequent answers are potentially based on answers to those questions.
Thank you so much!! Your arm looks amazing! I'm hoping to get my cosplay done for DragonCon in September but, while I've cosplayed before, this level if prop making is so above my head that I'm intimidated as hell. Plus, I'm having trouble with Bucky's *costume*, let alone his props. Not to mention that my husband is doing a genderbent Natasha Romanoff (to my genderbent Bucky Barnes) and I haven't even started thinking about HIS costume!
Desi
You said you had an Under Armor shirt under the arm. What I'm confused about is what is the Worbla anchored to?
How do you attach the arm/make sure it stays on during the day while you're cosplaying? And how to you attach the cap that covers the elbow to the upper & lower arm pieces?
I'll stop with those two...mainly because any subsequent answers are potentially based on answers to those questions.
Thank you so much!! Your arm looks amazing! I'm hoping to get my cosplay done for DragonCon in September but, while I've cosplayed before, this level if prop making is so above my head that I'm intimidated as hell. Plus, I'm having trouble with Bucky's *costume*, let alone his props. Not to mention that my husband is doing a genderbent Natasha Romanoff (to my genderbent Bucky Barnes) and I haven't even started thinking about HIS costume!
Desi
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kittybarnes
New Member
The worbla is glued to the sleeve of the underarmor shirt which goes under my jacket. The cap sits between the upper and lower parts and is snug but floats. The upper and lower pieces keep it in place. I've been meaning to take pics but I just moved to Atlanta and everything is a hot mess.
I'll be at dragoncon too! xD
I'll be at dragoncon too! xD
That makes planning mine a LOT easier since I'm REALLY wanting to do mine in Worbla. Now I just need to figure out how to get it as muscular as I'm wanting it. I've finally had to realize I'm gonna have to break down and BUY the jacket since I can't figure out a pattern for the jacket like I like it. Plus, I'm putting a LOT of time into making sure the arm is as bad ass as possible. Plus, I still have to deal with the mask and the sunglasses...and the harness and guns/knives/other hardware. *sigh* Something tells me I'm not going to be as screen accurate as I *want* to be so I might just have to be my interpretation. (Which BOTHERS me since my OCD only kicks in when I cosplay lately...no clue why.)
Yay another DragonCon attendee!! There's a Bucky cosplayer who just won a costume contest at Philly Comic Con who's pretty cool and she's coming to DragonCon (for the first time) so that's 3 of us I know of that are cosplaying Bucky and I'm sure there will be LOADS more but I definitely want to see your cosplay in person because it's stellar!!
(And now I get to go work on drawing up the pattern for husband's genderbent Black Widow costume...and track down the hardware.)
Thank you SO MUCH for answering my questions!! I think what I'm gonna end up doing is taking the sleeve off an Under Armour shirt and attaching an extra strip of fabric on each side of the sleeve and shoulder so I can put snaps on to secure the arm and that way I can take the arm off a bit easier during construction and when getting ready/taking things off.
Desi
kittybarnes
New Member
Hit me up on facebook and I can help you get the arm muscular (and giggle about dragoncon). My Cable arm was hella steroid-induced muscular. It would be easier to chat on facebook~ (facebook.com/jaguara.cage)
Mandy Mitchell
New Member
I just started working on my husband's Winter Soldier soldier arm. I made a cast out of his arm by using plaster wrap. He had to apply an entire layer of Vaseline onto his arm before I applied strips of plaster bandages onto his arm. I applied 2 layers of plaster wrap, and it took 45 minutes to dry. We used sharp craft scissors to cut the cast off from his arm. We cut it straight vertically from the inside of his arm. Be extremely careful with the cutting cast. I let the cast sit for a couple of nights so it could be more firm. Then I applied one layer of air drying clay to the inside of the cast and let it dry which took a couple nights. I did this to make the cast of his arm more firm. I didn't want to deal with toxic chemicals because I live in an apartment. So it worked. I taped a layer of aluminum foil all over the arm to prepare for the Worbla pieces eventually. I taped pieces of printer paper all over the arm and tried to make it as smooth as possible which took me a couple of hours. I used masking tape to tape the aluminum foil earlier and then the layer of printer paper later. Basically, I'm using the printer paper to create my template for the Worbla pieces. I started tracing the lines onto the paper by looking at reference pictures of the Winter Soldiers arm. It's really time-consuming. I used a measuring tape and a seam gauge to help me trace the lines. Once I'm done tracing the lines, I will cut the pieces of printer paper out and then trace them onto the Worbla sheet. Then I will cut the Worbla pieces out and use heat to shape them and place them on the cast of my husband's arm (over the aluminum foil). I also ordered under armor spandex from Eastbay.
My question is: What type of glue did you use to glue the Worbla pieces onto the spandex? How well does the glue hold up? I was thinking about using E6000 but am curious if there is something stronger.
My husband and I will be at Dragon*Con this year. It would be cool if we could do a Winter Soldier meetup with all Winter Soldiers. I even have a photographer who will do our photoshoot.
Thanks so much for all your help!
Mandy Mitchell
New Member
I'm experienced in the sewing department. I'm just a beginner in the prop department. I'm using Vogue 8964 Pattern D to make my husband's Winter Soldier jacket. I haven't started making his jacket yet since I'm still currently working on the metal arm. But I will post up a tutorial on my Facebook page once I'm done making the jacket. I bought my husband's Winter Soldier mask from a Chinese vendor on ebay. Let us know if you have any sewing-related questions. The general Winter Soldier soldier thread is extremely helpful when it comes to figuring out weapons, boots, etc.
My husband and I will be at Dragon*Con this year, and we have a photoshoot planned. I would love to meet and take pics of every single Winter Soldier that shows up to Dragon*Con.
kittybarnes
New Member
E6000 and Loctite. Just make sure if you use Loctite that the sleeve isn't on your arm. The chemical reaction between the material and worbla make it get VERY warm.
I'm gonna be WS for Friday and Saturday and Kenny McCormick for Sunday and Monday.
I'm gonna be WS for Friday and Saturday and Kenny McCormick for Sunday and Monday.
