# Making a BIG costume



## wayoutwalt (Oct 11, 2005)

I am going this year as a crane machine that gives out stuffed animals and my friend is going as Zoltar the fortuneteller from the movie Big. Here are some questions.

1. Is the bigness of these costumes a bad idea? I have my infrastructure built and I can walk around in it ok with it being just a little heavy.

2. I want music and lighting. For music I was gonna stick my ipod inside a speaker, wire it up and use a remote control. Any better ideas? For lighting I was gonna buy some battery powered xmas lights and link them around the "machine" Any suggestions would be great.

3. Gotta make a joystick "mechanism". I was gonna use an old Atari joystick but the response on it was too rigid. Maybe a computer joystick? Any model you can suggest that would look correct?

4. Stuffed animals. I need alot! First I go to friends then to garage sales then to thrift stores. Any other ideas?

Thanks!


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## Chunigor (Nov 1, 2004)

that's a very creative costume idea!

... um... where are you going to attach that joystick "mechanism"?... ;-)


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## FX Pitbull (Oct 12, 2005)

try amusement repair in the yellow pages, these guys repair pool tables, pinball, video games, and usually crane games!


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## wayoutwalt (Oct 11, 2005)

Chunigor, hehe I would do it if I could get away with it. "Free Willy" stuffed animals anyone?

FX Pitbull, I had thought of the yellow pages and those kinda companies but couldn't think of the heading to look under so Mucho Thanks on that one.


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## FX Pitbull (Oct 12, 2005)

no problem


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## chartres (May 18, 2004)

1. Big costumes are great but exhausting. Make sure you can set it down on some kind of legs if you are planning on wearing it for an extended period of time. Suggestion: plumbing PVC is your best friend. It is extremely cheap, relatively strong, and easy to fit together (no drilling). 1mm PVC board is also fantastic if their is a place near you that sells it...such as Charrette in Woburn Massachusetts. I have gone as a 12' troll and a 14' dragon in previous Halloweens.

2. Try adding neon cable for some of the lighting. You can get a medium length pipsqueek driver and run up to 15' of cable on it. It is very light and runs on a 9 volt battery. All you need to do is some basic soldering. A source I have used in the past is coolneon.com. I am in no affiliated them, just purchased from them in the past and was very happy with what I got.

3. From what I gather, when you mean a joystick, you do not mean a joystick that will actually control the arm. So, I assume all you really need is a 1/4 metal rod about 6 inches long, a wooden ball painted red and polyurethaned with a hole in it put the rod into, and then attach the rod to a simple ball joint. There are several options for the ball joint, such as either a small one that is used on a camera tripod such as a Giottos MH1004 Mini Ball Head (about $10) or go to the local junk yard and try to get a ball head from a stick shift...a lot more heavy duty. But really, a mini-ball head should be sufficient and weigh less.

4. Stuffed animals, garage sales would be the best, just make sure you dont get sick from them...we are talking about toys that have been used by a lot of children, some most likely having had colds, flu, bubonic plague and possibly some forms of the hanta virus


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## KSav4 (Oct 17, 2005)

Would you be able to post a picture of your costume? It really sounds like a real doozie!!!! I love the idea!!


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## wayoutwalt (Oct 11, 2005)

chartres... Thank you thank you for the insight on the stuffed animal-contagious issue... The costume is formed with PVC and covered with black cardboard on the bottom half and all around the perimeter. Alot of velcro! Plastic for the windows. I am using my Ipod a remote and a speaker for the music. 7 foot long strands of battery powered christmas lights on the vertical poles. I got the chute made tonight for the animals to exit my costume. Casters to roll the thing along the floor. It is heavy but I can carry the thing around when I need to. I was gonna be Jack Skellington and use extra long arms for the "crane" but now am thinking of being the clown from "Pee Wees Big Adventure" instead so I don't have to wear a mask and not be able to see. Will have the soundtrack from Pee Wee going if I decide to go that way. Still need to make the joystick and then help my friend finish his Zoltar costume.

Will post pics as the costume takes a more final shape. Thanks.

P.S. The costume is 8 feet tall and 40 inches wide. How will I get through the front door of any party?.... hehe o well.


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