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I bought all my foam from TNT COSPLAY in Texas.

@@BlackSheepProps thanks for the swift reply, do you know if they deliver out of state? I'm in Ohio and i haven't found a reliable source with a good variety pack.

@@cloviepounders6703 Yep, I’m in Florida and it ships to me.

Wow! That’s very nice of you MGYT!! That’s actually why I retired, I was still almost totally invisible after 3 years of designing, building, filming and editing almost 7 days a week. But man it was super fun while it lasted!

Wow! Thank you very much! It was one of my favorite props to build! And very simple. Thank you from the U.S. !!

I am so glad to hear that my videos helped you start building! Keep it up!

Hmm, not sure. I have no idea what a yoga mat is made of? Sorry I can’t be more help.

Hi! Hmm, the only time I have done exoskeleton sort of stuff is with small thin pieces. When it is small or thin I paint the entire piece with super glue and when the super glue drys it leaves a thin hard surface coat. Only other thing I can think of is - if the piece in question is flat on the sides and not shaped, they sell really thin metal strips at the hardware stores so instead of the support being round it is thin - then you can lay it up against the flat outside of your piece and using contact cement overlay another thin piece of foam so you have a thin metal support added. It will add a little bit to the width you wanted but with a thin metal strip and a thin piece of foam ( maybe 3MM ) it will be stiff.

@@BlackSheepProps Thank you!!!

You made the 3 years worth it! I was just talking with my brother, who builds amazing dioramas, and I was commenting on what a colossal failure the channel was. It never made it into the stream for millions to see. But it’s the small group like yourself that made it worth while. Thanks!

Well, you’d think with only 2 settings it wouldn’t be that hard. And the video actually shows how far to hold the gun away from the foam. Not sure what you’re not getting?

Yeah!! Ultra pink!!! I loved that build!!!

That’s awesome!!! Thanks a lot. Yeah, I got burned out after 3 years of nonstop creating. Hopefully I got enough on the site to help folks learn everything I knew. Happy building!!!

@@BlackSheepProps awww dude thanks for the reply.binge watching now ,hope you are doing well

Hey man! Here’s a link to my channel, check out my video on tools. Also, every video on my channel features all the tools I use so you can watch those too. Have a great time getting started! www.youtube.com/@BlackSheepProps/videos

The simple paint jobs are a nice break!

Hi, I have covered large areas by pouring the cement out in a puddle and using a large throw away brush to paint the entire surface fairly quickly. It takes several minutes to begin drying and even after it is dry it will still make contact with another surface with dry cement on it. That’s actually how contact cement works on all of my builds - coat 2 pieces and let them both fully dry and then they will stick together.

Hi! Not sure what kind of foam it is, but I know with EVA foam you can slice the foam in half like 2 pieces of bread and imbed something stiff in between the two pieces like in my video. But again, I don’t know what kind of foam it is so I can’t guarantee it will work like it does in my video on inner supports.

@@BlackSheepProps it’s not like regular styrofoam it’s the sponge like one that’s been glued into a shape of a oval chair, it’s pretty sturdy but deforms when I watch it down to my bike to keep it secure so I’d like to use something on the bottom and sides so it keeps its shape and stays sturdy. I’ll try to figure out what kind of foam it is I believe they might use it in tv packaging boxes but I’ve also seen regular foam too and it’s not that.

Hmm, really don’t know about how to strengthen foam other than EVA? Sorry. Maybe you could make a box with really thick EVA foam ( 18MM or 24MM ) - 4 sides and a bottom - and then hot glue your current foam inside it as a cushion? That way the structure is sturdy from the EVA and the inner part is cushiony from your foam?

Don’t know. Sorry.

Hmm, good questions. I can’t really say since I only used it within 2 or 3 minutes before I attached two pieces.

Thanks so much!!! I am so glad you liked the channel. Yeah, I got tired of grinding these out and being totally invisible on CZcams. Oh well, I had a lot of fun. Thanks again.

@@BlackSheepProps I don't blame you for leaving. You did not get a return on your efforts so I understand. Im just getting into this kind of stuff and your videos are very informative, I have been learning alot. Edit: So I apreciate the videos you took the time to make.

Yeah, got burned out with little return for sure. I mean, a lot of people have watched the videos overall but it didn’t blow up. I was never showing up in people’s searches. Even when using exact wording no one was finding my videos. I was blocked form showing up in searches. I couldn’t break through CZcams’s algorithm. I have an ETSY site that sells all of my templates for the builds and they are still selling so that’s cool I guess.

@@BlackSheepProps Thats great you can still make a buck off the templates 😊. I gave up on youtube with my old account too. Consistant quality uploads don't work and it confuses me how people with no skill or talent end up getting the attention.

Thanks! FOR SURE one of my top favorites! And one of my all time favorite details - the coils!!! TONS of time on the coils but super easy and worth the result.

Hi! I used plasti-dip on every one of my props and it doesn’t melt foam. Years later and my props are still in perfect condition.

that's great! I'm curious some people says don't use solvent based spray or paint on foam because it will melt foam or paint color, or just plasti-dip is kind of Exception?@@BlackSheepProps

Thanks! Yeah, several of my builds have had gradient done without spraying. The Sonic gun from Minority Report and Star Lords blaster have the 3 discolored metal that occurs when metal heats up and causes it to turn red, blue and yellow. Check those out, they’re cool.

Enjoy!!!

Indeed, the sisters! Never saw the movie until last month on a flight I watched it and it was too cool to see it in the movie.

Then don’t have to watch it. That’s cool.

Awesome! I’m glad it will help you out!!

​@BlackSheepProps where did you buy that insanely thick piece of foam?

Yeah, I watch them every once in a while and sometimes I say “ geez, I seem a little geeked out on that one”. I’m just glad somebody is enjoying them 'cause I sure had fun doing it.

Hi! I mostly use only black foam. But even if I did use colored foam I would be sealing it with plasti-dip before I paint it. Plastidip can fill in some of the seams so they aren’t as noticable once you paint. And I also sometimes use something called quick-seal to fill any seams before I paint. But if you are using color foam and not planning on sealing and painting it then you might see some seams where two pieces attach. Watch some of the builds on my channel and see what it looks like when I seal a prop and paint it. It might give you a better idea of what I’m talking about. Watching the builds might also show you how to attach two pieces and not get a noticable seam.

@@BlackSheepProps alright thank you so much :D

I have never noticed my foam expanding as it cools.

I SHOULD HAVE!!! It makes no sense.

Thanks! This was by far my least favorite build. BY FAR! But glad you liked it.

I hear you. Yeah, my heat gun is on max which is 1000 degrees - it’s ferocious! You kind of have to get used to how much to heat it. Not enough and it won’t soften the foam - too much and you can start melting it. But after a few times you get used to how close to hold the heat gun to the foam and how to wave the gun back and forth so it doesn’t stay too long on one spot.

@@BlackSheepProps Thank you for the reply! I always struggle with not getting it warm enough to shape it, but I'm paranoid of burning it. I guess I'll just buy a mask with a good filter and experiment some more.

Since I never heated my foam to the point of burning it I never used a mask. It can give off fumes but I didn’t do heavy amounts of heating foam. I also had a large work area and a fan next to me to blow any fumes away from my face. So I was never really in an enclosed area breathing the fumes. I also periodically opened my garage door to air out the room just in case. What little bit I could smell was not too much.

Hi, thanks a lot! For contact cement I use the brand BARGE. And for super glue I use GORILLA GLUE.

@@BlackSheepProps thanks. Great tutorial. I’m going to order the plans. I’ve recently got a stormtrooper and I’m looking for accessories. This will be super when I build it. I’m trying source the EVA Foam in the UK. I’ve found most of the thinner stuff up to about 5-6mm thick. Trying to find some bigger stuff. 20-40mm.

I think you are referring to the yellow knife with the long blade? That is made by OLFA.

@BlackSheepProps that's it. Looks awesome and like it would good for dexterity. I tend to put a lot of pressure in the upper portion of my index finger. Which causes some finger pain for days after a big project like this. Thanks

I usually only use the OLFA utility knife for long straight cuts. And I grip it normally. But I do get a sore index finger when I use the xacto knife for a long time since that knife requires using the index finger. Check out my videos, they show using both the utility knife and the xacto.

Not sure. It might be? The fact that it’s called “contact” makes me think it works the same way, but I can’t be positive. Sorry I can’t be more help. Maybe look up a video on youtube for contact adhesive to be sure.

LOVE the Hydra!!

Ah, the Splash-o-matic affair. Finishing an epic build then worrying about wrecking it with a bad paint job happened to me every single build.

Ooh, that never happened to me. Mine has been great since. the day I bought it. Might want to return it for another?

@@BlackSheepProps I read some reviews on it. The company says it's normal for the 1st or 2nd use because of the oils used on it. I used it again and didn't see anymore smoke.

Oh great news!