I started watching your channel because of how many times Bill Doran mentioned you. It's fun to here you give him a shout out. It's almost like we all learn from each other.
I'm not gonna lie, I didn't know how I'd feel about your videos. Looking at the length, I thought I wasn't gonna be able to survive, and I thought I'd just click away instantly. But now that I've finally watched your videos, I can see why they're so long. The attention to detail you have is amazing! I feel like the longer videos are a better tutorial than just like a 5-10 minute video. Keep doing what you're doing, man. Don't change a thing!
You could also use those orange fiberglass landscaping markers. They are light flexible, and really hard to break. They would give you much more strength than wood, but not as much weight. For the blade reinforcement you could heat form plastic tubing like pvc, or a solid plastic rod that you can get from hobby and craft stores. And use that type stuff if you don't want to use metal because you will be using it for larping battles and don't want to complain about it hitting too hard, or risk a sharp metal piece ripping through the foam.
Lowes, home deopt, ace hardware, or what ever other local hardware store you have. They are like 3 or 4 dollars a piece. Sometimes they come in yellow, but most commonly orange.
My brother and I are just now getting into making props. back when we were kids we used to always cut apart our old toys and make new ones out of them, and tinker with things in general. For a while we were into black smithing trying to make knives out of railroad spikes. Aside from that another thing that we found useful to use was plastic coat hangers because they are cheap and you can heat them and shape them fairly easily. So that could also be an option if you don't want to go buy stock plastic rods from a hobby shop. They aren't as strong as fiberglass but they are stronger than wooden dowels that tend to break.
phenomenal work, very impressed, with the detailing that you use on every project , as ex aircraft mechanic, I appreciate the time and effort you put into each
Hey Ted, I'm loving your series so far! Just thought I'd mention though, that the middle bit where the shaft enters the axe head is rounded! In the forging process, the hole is made by driving a wedge down the spine of the axe head, out through the bottom, forming a hole just snug enough for the axe shaft to be hammered in, and be stuck! Doing this creates that rounded middle bit you see.
Ted these videos are freakin amazing. They are inspiring me to put together my own arsenal of gear and weapons for my cosplay adventures. Thank you for your dedicated and amazing step by step guides.
I've downloaded your files and I'm going to study. I have the illusion to do a good job with your advice. Thanks for sharing your work. I do different things, but I have to try, hahaha. My jobs: facebook.com/espada.madera/photos_albums
This is going to be useful if I ever get to start on my battle damaged wolf warrior costume! She wields dual axes and wears armor on everywhere but her head(she wears like a facemask but no helmet).
That looks amazing! If I were to make this for my LARP I'd have to use either fiberglass or pvc for the core, but that's an easy change. Another easy way to get a good wood grain is to take your xacto knife and slice your lines in, then hit them with the heat gun. It will expand the cuts. Both methods look really good though.
Thank you so much Ted lol funny thing was I was just thinking after I have got the dagers down and I'm confident enough to move forward I was thinking a axe would be great thank you so much 😅
Public Service Announcement: For anyone who has the basic dremel 200 kit (a.k.a. the cheapest set) don't be a dummy like me and use the soft buffing tip to do the texturing. I know it's the only rounded tip in the kit and it achieves the same effect on the foam, but it is structurally not built for carving. I was halfway through texturing my prop when the buffing tip broke off, ricocheted off my safety glasses and into the void never to be found again. Save your face, buy the stone tip!
I would suggest a fiberglass rod, personally. you can get a 3 foot long one for a buck or so at Home Depot, usually with the little reflectors you put on either side of your driveway... Though the armature wire might be a challenge to attach in that case.
Could you do a similar video for a 5-6 foot staff with a heavy top? Specifically, the staff Megumin from Konosuba carries. My main concern is connecting the elaborate top to the main staff part without worrying about them falling apart.
I know how it feels to make a war axe, I made a Battle Axe that is on display as you come into my room. I should have made it a lot more wicked looking than it is... It is a double bladed axe with a spike at the tip... I made it out of wood about 20 years ago as a Halloween prop for display in the front yard and kept it all these years because it is too good looking to break into wood chips...🤖💗
Hey, Ted! Great video, as always. I get excited each time I see your videos in my subscriptions because I know I will learn all kinds of new techniques and time savers. Now, I really am sorry to be "that guy" but I would like to request that you provide an Amazon affiliate link for a similar craft foam to the kind you purchased at Hobby Lobby. I am confident that many of us would prefer to support you directly instead of that particular corporation!
+Evil Ted Smith....thanks for the great videos! I am using this exact method (I'm using a wood dowel) to create a Roman Gladius for a production I am in. I have the Weldwood Contact Cement and use it regularly to stick the pieces together. In this video you talked about using it to seal the foam. Question: once it dries and is a little tacky I assume you just paint right over it. Does it remain tacky and will it stick to other things or does the paint negative the "holding together" properties of the cement? Do you thin the contact cement at all? Thanks very much for any help you can offer! Dave
Hi there, Thanks this is great. I'm new to this but found this very informative and useful. Just one question though - you refer to the glue as "barge"? What type of glue is it? I'm from the UK and haven't heard the name. Cheers
This question may have been asked already. Im just starting to get into foam cosplay and when it comes to setting the armature into the handle, since you doubled up the foam on both sides before you double it up, can you just cut out the recess that you want on one piece, then glue and double up that way you have a matching recess for it to fall into?
Hey Ted. Love your vids. I've tried to make the Iron Helm from Skyrim, using your Dragon Age helmet video for reference. The Iron Helm has sort of a face mask, and I'm thinking the foam mat may be too thick for it. I'm on my third attempt. Any insight would be appreciated.
Could one use an exacto to cut thin "wood grain" lines and then hit it with the heat gun to widen the gap, like how Bill does with small details? Or is the wood-burner the best option.
Great tutorial as always, Just one question, what is the gauge of the wire used for this build? and would it work for bigger builds, like a two-handed weapon?
Ted is there a way to coat foam that will make it more rigid and hard wearing? I would like to make foam armour and weapons but I would want them to be solid and less flexible to to create a more realistic illusion what would you suggest?
+Twiggy Glitched Just guessing here from experience outside of prop making, but you could coat the foam with epoxy resin and/or fiberglass. Provided the foam has been sealed it should be fine.
@Evil Ted Smith Hey great job! Can you tell me wich kind of glue its the best for foam? im working in a similar axe but dont really know nothing about foam glue. Thanks a lot for sharing!
It is what UK weapon makers use, the reason I mentioned it because a metal rod in something you may get hit with worries me :) Love your work though :)
+Bruno “Brunokuz” Dekeyser No, you can use any other glue like heat gun glue, super glue, most of the other contact cements and such but barge sure gives the best results out there for the seamless look if done properly, you can also do a bit of research by reading or watching peops reviews on barge or other glue, thats what i do before buying any products im not familier with
At ruclips.net/video/i0KDoS2i92I/видео.html, they have Jesse Skellington (LARP Heroes) with the suggestion of adding a hot-glue tip to the core tube to prevent it from cutting through the foam. Possibly more important for sword tips, but they also use this on the bottom of the hilt.
Thanks for making really cool videos, Evil Ted Smith, the sort I want to be informed about when a new one comes out. I’m an absolute beginner at this hobby, and your explanations are clear and complete enough that I think I can actually do this.
I started watching your channel because of how many times Bill Doran mentioned you. It's fun to here you give him a shout out. It's almost like we all learn from each other.
Yes, we do...
I'm not gonna lie, I didn't know how I'd feel about your videos. Looking at the length, I thought I wasn't gonna be able to survive, and I thought I'd just click away instantly. But now that I've finally watched your videos, I can see why they're so long. The attention to detail you have is amazing! I feel like the longer videos are a better tutorial than just like a 5-10 minute video. Keep doing what you're doing, man. Don't change a thing!
Thank you for watching and subscribing.
i been searching tutorials for foam armors and things, thank you are well explained and dont look so hard
+AngelOfChaosNX Thank you.
AngelOfChaosNX ted does some of the best on you tube. When I started cosplay evil ted was like my hand book.
You could also use those orange fiberglass landscaping markers. They are light flexible, and really hard to break. They would give you much more strength than wood, but not as much weight. For the blade reinforcement you could heat form plastic tubing like pvc, or a solid plastic rod that you can get from hobby and craft stores. And use that type stuff if you don't want to use metal because you will be using it for larping battles and don't want to complain about it hitting too hard, or risk a sharp metal piece ripping through the foam.
+TheFireLizard So where would one find fiberglass landscaping markers?
Lowes, home deopt, ace hardware, or what ever other local hardware store you have. They are like 3 or 4 dollars a piece. Sometimes they come in yellow, but most commonly orange.
Thanks.
My brother and I are just now getting into making props. back when we were kids we used to always cut apart our old toys and make new ones out of them, and tinker with things in general. For a while we were into black smithing trying to make knives out of railroad spikes. Aside from that another thing that we found useful to use was plastic coat hangers because they are cheap and you can heat them and shape them fairly easily. So that could also be an option if you don't want to go buy stock plastic rods from a hobby shop. They aren't as strong as fiberglass but they are stronger than wooden dowels that tend to break.
phenomenal work, very impressed, with the detailing that you use on every project , as ex aircraft mechanic, I appreciate the time and effort you put into each
+Johnny Swiney Thank you.
Hey Ted, I'm loving your series so far! Just thought I'd mention though, that the middle bit where the shaft enters the axe head is rounded! In the forging process, the hole is made by driving a wedge down the spine of the axe head, out through the bottom, forming a hole just snug enough for the axe shaft to be hammered in, and be stuck! Doing this creates that rounded middle bit you see.
+ArkonOridan Oh I see that. Oh well, it looked square to me when I was making it.
I'll admit, the square does give it an interesting profile!
Ted these videos are freakin amazing. They are inspiring me to put together my own arsenal of gear and weapons for my cosplay adventures. Thank you for your dedicated and amazing step by step guides.
Thank you for watching. Be sure to tell your friends.
already have good sir. again thank you.
You're a machine. It is a saying that is spoken in my country, as being as effective as an excellent robot. Good time for your work and your videos
Thank you. Yes I am the Machine.
I've downloaded your files and I'm going to study. I have the illusion to do a good job with your advice. Thanks for sharing your work. I do different things, but I have to try, hahaha. My jobs: facebook.com/espada.madera/photos_albums
This is going to be useful if I ever get to start on my battle damaged wolf warrior costume! She wields dual axes and wears armor on everywhere but her head(she wears like a facemask but no helmet).
For Learning Domain, I'm from the UK also and the equivalent to Barge Cement is good old Evo-Stik, one of my personal favorites!
Thank you John. I talk about other glues on Tools Of the Trade 2.0.
That looks amazing! If I were to make this for my LARP I'd have to use either fiberglass or pvc for the core, but that's an easy change.
Another easy way to get a good wood grain is to take your xacto knife and slice your lines in, then hit them with the heat gun. It will expand the cuts. Both methods look really good though.
+blaidemaiden That's a good technique, too.
Cross polinated from Tested. You are amazing Ted. Well done.
Thank you for subscribing.
Same here. I saw your work on Tested and went to Harbor Freight and stocked up on EVA foam and a heat gun!
And I subscribed!
lol, the spider made me look twice!
Awesome video Ted! This will help with some future projects of mine.
Thanks so much for making these awesome tutorials! They are a huge help! :)
Thank you so much Ted lol funny thing was I was just thinking after I have got the dagers down and I'm confident enough to move forward I was thinking a axe would be great thank you so much 😅
Thank you for subscribing.
Public Service Announcement: For anyone who has the basic dremel 200 kit (a.k.a. the cheapest set) don't be a dummy like me and use the soft buffing tip to do the texturing. I know it's the only rounded tip in the kit and it achieves the same effect on the foam, but it is structurally not built for carving. I was halfway through texturing my prop when the buffing tip broke off, ricocheted off my safety glasses and into the void never to be found again. Save your face, buy the stone tip!
+rabbitgear Thanks for the tip and good thing you had your safety glasses on.
+rabbitgear Safety 1st, or you may be last.
ke
Love both yours and Bill's videos but something I've never heard mentioned is just how long a container of barge lasts!
I would suggest a fiberglass rod, personally. you can get a 3 foot long one for a buck or so at Home Depot, usually with the little reflectors you put on either side of your driveway... Though the armature wire might be a challenge to attach in that case.
+William Bostedt (Red Jack Fabrications) Great tip, you're right.
+Evil Ted Smith thank you for the info you gave me
+William Bostedt (Red Jack Fabrications) +Evil Ted Smith an upcycled golf club shaft would be the business as well .. Carbon Fiber
+DALLAS BARNETT aye, but the problem there is either cost or availability.if you can't find it free, it won't likely be too cheap. :x
+DALLAS BARNETT aye, but the problem there is either cost or availability.if you can't find it free, it won't likely be too cheap. :x
Oh my god, that foam dust gets everywhere.
Ha ha yes, it does.
Hey Ted. Awesome vid. I was wondering if at some point you might cover how to do the Sword of Altiar from the Assassin's Creed video game series.
Could you do a similar video for a 5-6 foot staff with a heavy top?
Specifically, the staff Megumin from Konosuba carries.
My main concern is connecting the elaborate top to the main staff part without worrying about them falling apart.
Ufff eso se ve delujo.Muy buen tutorial
I know how it feels to make a war axe, I made a Battle Axe that is on display as you come into my room. I should have made it a lot more wicked looking than it is... It is a double bladed axe with a spike at the tip... I made it out of wood about 20 years ago as a Halloween prop for display in the front yard and kept it all these years because it is too good looking to break into wood chips...🤖💗
Hey, Ted! Great video, as always. I get excited each time I see your videos in my subscriptions because I know I will learn all kinds of new techniques and time savers.
Now, I really am sorry to be "that guy" but I would like to request that you provide an Amazon affiliate link for a similar craft foam to the kind you purchased at Hobby Lobby. I am confident that many of us would prefer to support you directly instead of that particular corporation!
+Kasey Schwieman You can get the same kind of foam I used in the video from TNT Cosplay supply.
'just a little bit of a peep peep dap'' LOL! i just love your tutorials!
Thank you.
+lex kakes: From videos I’ve watched, hot glue should work nicely. In fact, folks seem to use the stuff to diffuse the LEDs’ glows.
Best foam axe vid thx
Gorgeous! Thank you
+Evil Ted Smith....thanks for the great videos! I am using this exact method (I'm using a wood dowel) to create a Roman Gladius for a production I am in. I have the Weldwood Contact Cement and use it regularly to stick the pieces together. In this video you talked about using it to seal the foam. Question: once it dries and is a little tacky I assume you just paint right over it. Does it remain tacky and will it stick to other things or does the paint negative the "holding together" properties of the cement? Do you thin the contact cement at all? Thanks very much for any help you can offer! Dave
+David Downer The paint sticks really well to it, and it won't remain tacky.
Do you think you'll do swords, shields, and possibly bows? (Not sure if that's possible with foam)
where can I find the design of the axe pattern? (You do an amazing work *-* I love it!!)
Here you go .eviltedsmith.com/downloads/iron-war-axe-pattern/
Hi there, Thanks this is great. I'm new to this but found this very informative and useful. Just one question though - you refer to the glue as "barge"? What type of glue is it? I'm from the UK and haven't heard the name.
Cheers
Check out my Video Tools of the Trade 2.0.
and in french what is it name please, i just watch ALL your vidéos and i can't find a translation accurate enough to find this glue here....
Check out my video Tools of the Trade 2.0
This question may have been asked already. Im just starting to get into foam cosplay and when it comes to setting the armature into the handle, since you doubled up the foam on both sides before you double it up, can you just cut out the recess that you want on one piece, then glue and double up that way you have a matching recess for it to fall into?
+shamrock 8810 You could, but I find it easier to cut out when it's all glued together.
Ok thank you for the speedy reply and thanks for these vids they are a huge help.
Thanks so much for this.
Thank you for subscribing.
Silly question, but do you have to have that box cutter blade that far out, or is it better for control? It looks kinda scary.
+rhythmrainbow Yes, I like out longer when cutting 1/2" foam.
Ted can you make a foam Plague Doctor mask please? I think it would look purity cool ; )
+Wolf Blizzard DCM I will add that to my list.
Hey Ted. Love your vids.
I've tried to make the Iron Helm from Skyrim, using your Dragon Age helmet video for reference.
The Iron Helm has sort of a face mask, and I'm thinking the foam mat may be too thick for it. I'm on my third attempt.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Hi Ted, i love your videos, whats the name of the wire you use for the axe blade? greetings from México
+GOLHX 16th inch aluinum rod.
I have a question. Do you know any material that's safe and also translucent because I'm planning on letting it light up by LED.
Could one use an exacto to cut thin "wood grain" lines and then hit it with the heat gun to widen the gap, like how Bill does with small details? Or is the wood-burner the best option.
Yes, you could. I just like the wood burner because it's faster, and it makes deep wide grooves.
Great tutorial as always, Just one question, what is the gauge of the wire used for this build? and would it work for bigger builds, like a two-handed weapon?
+Allison Halsey Sure it will.
Is there any alternatives to plastidip when coating the foam before painting?
+Deadlock Yes, check out my tools of the trade video.
Ted is there a way to coat foam that will make it more rigid and hard wearing? I would like to make foam armour and weapons but I would want them to be solid and less flexible to to create a more realistic illusion what would you suggest?
+Twiggy Glitched Just guessing here from experience outside of prop making, but you could coat the foam with epoxy resin and/or fiberglass. Provided the foam has been sealed it should be fine.
thanks, I completely forgot I asked this XD
@Evil Ted Smith
Hey great job! Can you tell me wich kind of glue its the best for foam? im working in a similar axe but dont really know nothing about foam glue. Thanks a lot for sharing!
I have my supply list just below my video.
Oh, my mistake! Thanks a lot!
No woories.
Is barge cement known by any other names? would a pvc plumbing pipe solvent be too harsh for this foam?
+Beall&endall No PVC is made for ABS plastic. Not foam.
Nice axe
Thanks.
That concavity is called a Hollow Grind.
Is there a tutorial for the handle? It just kind of appeared foamed and grooves cut into it. Thanks!
did you even watch the video? he spent minutes just on the handle
Im doing a He Man sword out of EVA foam floor Mats , any thing that i should use in side the sheild
do you play skyrim? or do subscribers send requests?
Could you please do a tutorial on how to make Sun Wukong's Weapon from RWBY?
+Montgomery551 No, but you can. That's why I make these tutorials.
ted please make daruis sword of league of legends and i couldnt makee it also i love your work
+ynony mehdi Thank you. I made this video to show so how you cam make your own Daruis sword.
thx ted
Have you considered using carbon fibre cores?
Yes you could!
It is what UK weapon makers use, the reason I mentioned it because a metal rod in something you may get hit with worries me :)
Love your work though :)
You should do a plague doctor mask
I have only seen a few templates for them, and many are for leather, plus I would like to see your take on one, and purchase it off of your shop
Food for thought.
so kool!!!!!!
Can you follow a system like this to build a gun? (specifically, an Astartes Bolt Pistol)
I don't see why not..
+Evil Ted Smith would i need a rod for the grip and the length of the gun or would the grip be enough?
Could you maybe make Berukas Axe from fire emblem?
Can you make weapons from Skyrim
Using this to help me with my Sharkbait Roadhog anchor
Can I use the white foam that is sold at homedepo?
Yes, use what ever you can get your hands on.
I would like to see you use PVC instead of foam.
+Michael Fulcher I like foam better. But you can use PVC.
+Evil Ted Smith I know PVC can be used. I plan to make a custom suit using it. Anyway, thanks for the videos.
Does EVA foam only glue with the barge cement?
+Bruno “Brunokuz” Dekeyser
No, you can use any other glue like heat gun glue, super glue, most of the other contact cements and such but barge sure gives the best results out there for the seamless look if done properly, you can also do a bit of research by reading or watching peops reviews on barge or other glue, thats what i do before buying any products im not familier with
Can you make Hecarim weapon from League of Legend ?
so what do I need to buy to make this???
I have a supply list just below my video.
Where did u get the foam
I have my supply list just below my video.
+Evil Ted Smith thx great work
At ruclips.net/video/i0KDoS2i92I/видео.html, they have Jesse Skellington (LARP Heroes) with the suggestion of adding a hot-glue tip to the core tube to prevent it from cutting through the foam. Possibly more important for sword tips, but they also use this on the bottom of the hilt.
+Joel C. Salomon Thank you for subscribing.
Thanks for making really cool videos, Evil Ted Smith, the sort I want to be informed about when a new one comes out. I’m an absolute beginner at this hobby, and your explanations are clear and complete enough that I think I can actually do this.
it's called a hollow grind.
Thanks.
Why is armature wire so Damn hard to find.I've gone to hobby lobby, home depot and even Walmart and no one even knows what it is
Here you go. amzn.to/2ODvJb5. I'm sorry I should have listed it below the video.
W o w
SKYRIM!!!!!
Where can i buy them from you
The pattern is free at eviltedsmith.com
is this larp safe?
If u replace the metal rod with fiberglass it should be
Not a chance. Definitely cool for Cosplay or something though.
Blowtorches: when you need your real tools to be scarier weapons than what you're making...