- 1). Make the plaster molds. Put on the one-piece spandex bodysuit and cover the suit with a layer of Vaseline. Apply liberally over the entire body. Fill a large bowl with water. Cut the plaster bandages to 24-inch strips. Have your friends wet the bandages, lightly squeeze them out, and plaster your entire body (other than the face), covering the spandex suit. If you wish to do this part of the work yourself, you can use someone else who is the same size as you as a model. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Plaster your back area first, from the feet up, and then apply a fine layer of plaster to the edges of the back strips so that the front section does not stick to the back. Plaster the front of the model. Use a support structure such as a pair of crutches (or anything handy) to help yourself remain still while the plaster sets up.
- 2). Remove the plaster once it has set up. Remove the front section first, and then the back section, taking special care not to crack the molds. Start by gently working at the outer edges of a section while the model gently flexes whichever part of his body is beneath the section you're removing. Work your way from the top down so you can maintain control over the plaster cast while you peel it away from the model's body.
- 3). Cut your fiberglass mat and cloth into rectangles roughly the same size as the bowl you will mix the fiberglass in. Fill a large bowl of water and mix the fiberglass according to the manufacturer's instructions. Put on your rubber gloves. Coat the plaster bandage molds with Vaseline and then begin dampening the fiberglass cloth sections in the resin and applying them to both sides of the armor molds. Cover them in a complete layer of cloth, and then repeat the process with the fiberglass mats. Because the fiberglass is intended to reinforce the plaster, no need to remove it.
- 4). Trim the molds into sections of the armor as you feel they should fit. Cut the edges of the front and back halves to complete the mold and repeat the fiberglass cloth/mat method to mold the edges of the halves together for each piece of armor (legs, chest, arms, etc.). Use the clay to add surface details onto the fiberglass sections and sculpt the armor pieces into your preferred shape depending on the type of Storm Trooper armor you want, based upon pictures from the film or those found on the many "Star Wars"-related websites on the Internet. Allow to dry.
- 5). Make casts of the armor. Mix the plaster according to the manufacturer's instructions and cover the molds in at least 2 inches of the plaster. Use thin sheets of cardboard or scrap plastic to create retaining barriers so you can cast opposite sides of the molds without the two sticking together. Allow to dry, and cap off the ends of the molds with cardboard and duct tape. Smear Vaseline on the inside of the molds and fill them with plaster for the final mold.
- 6). Put on your gloves. Cut your sheets of plastic into sizes to fit the molds. Place a mold onto the vacuum forming machine. Heat the plastic using a heating oven at around 450 degrees (or use a heat gun) and place it straight down over the mold. Lock in into place on the table and turn the machine on. Let the plastic dry around the mold, remove it, and assemble your armor once you have made plastic versions of your armor molds.
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