Thread: Best materials to work with?

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Hello,

I make a lot of my props/structures/stuff using wood and PVC. On halloween night someone made the comment "oh, you still use PVC?" How I don't know how to take that (maybe the lead issue or he has some magical stuff) but it start me thinking.

So, I was wondering, all the vast experience out there in the Halloween community, what is the lightest/strongest material that you use? For my next projust I am thinking of building larger external "arms" that can be worn (Like my Humungousaur castume from 2010) but PVC is kinda heavy.

Thank you for any input,
Eric

(Is this the right category for this thread?)

I can't imagine what else you'd use....nope...I got nothing!! Outside of maybe paper mache but that could get heavy too....nope...still no clue.

my husband welds really thin steel for me about the thikness of a pencil.Surprizing its really light compaired to my other stuff.But welding is not for everyone.Other than that i cant think of anything thats light and strong.Ahhh pvc is fine...if it works for yah stay with it.

Aluminum is a very lightweight and extremely strong substitute. However it's biggest drawback, is that it is very expensive compared to PVC/CPVC. Requires more specialized tooling to work with (especially when welding), and not really necessary for 90% of all projects out there. Imo, mayhap you should have asked them what they build theirs out of in a slightly sarcastic manner. Just for a laugh, you should paint all of the armatures titanium gray, and tell them if you see them again that you machined everything out of 6AL4V Titanium. That will blow their minds