Budget Cylon Build

[spikeimar]

Due to reasons far too complicated to go into I came into possession of a rather large amount of A5 size plastic sheets and wanting to use them instead of just having them take up houseroom I looked about for a project. I decided to see if it was possible to build a cylon helmet from flat sheets or would they just pop apart when you tried to curve them.

It turned out both were true.

I started by finding a cardboard template set online and then modified it to suit plastic card rather than bendable normal card stock. This involved much trial and error but eventually I had something that looked a bit cylon like.





After seeing the helmet could be done I then thought, why not a full suit? I had a convention a month away and wanted something to stand out in so launched into knocking up a full suit. Every part is either made from plastic sheet (no vac form machine sadly) or scavenged bits and bobs. The detail tubes on the backpack are my Insulin injectors etc.

I couldn't afford to get it chromed properly so bought some radiator paint from a local DiY emporium.

I got my friend at work to program an arduino for the laser eyes and added a speaker system for the vwwooom vwwooom noise and added another attached to my iphone for the voice changer. The iphone sits neatly in the front of the helmet.

Overall, though far from screen accurate, I think it suggests the cylon quite well. The total cost for the whole build was about

[Jenne]

I like him nice work

[Hand-Schaub]

That's pretty cool looking. I like the small customizations done on the arms. In some ways, it's more believable as a robot.

[spikeimar]

Thanks for the kind words, he is in no way screen accurate but makes for an imposing costume when the lights are on and the sound is going. The modifications to the look were done with both budget and wearability in mind.

[GoldCylon]

Now I have to see this on the monitor. The phone doesn't do justice to this build.

[Toaster]

Fantastic work!!!!

If I may ask, what exactly did you do for the voice changer? You mentioned using an iPhone for the voice changer? Are you using the Qneo app, and if so what is your system's configuration - how do you have it wired, are you using a splitter for the microphone input and the speaker output, and are you using the Qneo app's "Live" mode?

Sorry for all the questions. Keep up the great work, good sir!!!

[spikeimar]

I'm using the Qneo app, which seems to have the best cylon voice once you play with the sliders. I have a slot built into the face of the helmet where my Iphone goes that puts the mic next to my mouth. Sadly the limitations of the Iphone mean it can't be set to live as the gain is increased madly when there is no vocal input. I was hoping the vwwroom noise might have kept the mic going but it just causes terrible feedback I have a set of speakers built into the neck at the front for the voice with a cable running down the thin balaclava I'm wearing.

There is a slight delay as you speak but in a crowded convention it works really well and just adds a splash of surprise.

I have a separate cheap mp3 player playing a loop of the vroom noise into a larger set of powered speakers in the chest plate, all self contained.

[Toaster]

Oh, thank you very much!!! I tried putting the iPhone in Non-Live mode in the helmet's mouth, but I didn't even think to try that with a separate speaker. I will try that tonight; it sounds like a great idea. I even have a spare MP3 player and speaker set-up that I use for my sandtrooper armor, that plays "police chatter" sounds when I'm trooping; I'll use that for the Cylon's vroom/warble. Thanks again!

[GoldCylon]

The 1st way cool cardboard Cylon I have seen. The updated details are great. Very well done.

[Red Eye]

Great work, man!

[spikeimar]

Found a few more pics of my build.


The eye housing. After fitting it I realised I probably should have made it curved but the eye looks good running.


My friends Arduino based eye circuit. Runs of 4 AA batteries and at 200ma draw they run for a nice long while. He's doing one with 30 odd leds at the moment and is up for making them for folk if they need them. If anyone is interested PM me and I'll bung your details his way. I understand nothing about Arduinos.


Detail of the backpack. After assembly I filled the backpack with expanding foam to give it some bulk and strength. The tube details are my Insulin pens. The round thing is off an Easter Egg package.


The gun. I wasn't going to make it but the Cylon looks so lost without it. Made from the same sheet styrene as the body with a Poundland screwdriver set cap as the business end. I plan to light the gun but just didn't have time before the con on Sunday (eeek)

[GoldCylon]

Speedy build, what a trooper to knock it out so quick, and have all these cool neat ideas with working with what you have.

[spikeimar]

All my builds tend to be done with what I have or can do. I have no tools other than a scalpel and a wonky drill set really. My usual stuff these days are cloth costumes but as a long in the tooth scratch builder when the plastic card turned up I had to do stuff with it.

I work in an Electronics store and last week a guy came in with an original BBC Blake's 7 Liberator blaster that he was trying to refurbish and get to work. He mentioned that he really had wanted the Scorpio clip gun so I showed him the one I had made the week before Sadly he wouldn't swap.

[RavenLX]

You are an amazing builder to be able to make it out of that material like that! That is very awesome! I have to get to work on my Cylon Robot which I'm going to be doing the costuming out of poster board, aluminum foil and knit fabric. I've got a couple ideas for the electronics but not that far yet.

Can you share the pattern? Maybe in a way one could adjust the size for anything from full size to robot size?

[Flyboy]

Spikeimar,

You are an amazing builder!