A gladiator costume inspired by the film 300 isn’t complete without a shield. However, the idea of carrying around something so heavy at a convention probably isn’t so appealing. That’s where lightweight materials like foam or plastic come in handy. Redditor lord_of_vader went the 3D printing route to craft his shield with a goal of keeping it light but strong. It was designed in Magics Pro by his friend — right down to the dents and divots. He shared some building details:
The part was built on a production-level printer in two pieces that had dovetail joints used to join the halves. The joint runs from the top to the bottom of the part. Total machine time: ~160 hours. Material used is standard ABS material, about 180 cubic inches total.
The paint finish was done with Rust-Oleum Hammered Bronze and a mix of shiny gold. He applied a black wash mixed from water and black acrylic paint and applied it to the shield until he was happing with the level of weathering and aging. He sealed the paint with a clear coat.
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