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Technetium09 — Digitigrade Stilts
Published: 2011-10-29 21:03:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 4757; Favourites: 23; Downloads: 13
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Description
stilts I made for a friendRelated content
Comments: 11
This is so cool. Defiantly adding to the Krampus suit.
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Any advice for what to make the actual "foot" of the stilt with? I'm going to be trying to "attempt" stilts for a cosplay, and I won't have access to any welding or anything fancy, just a heat gun
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What materials do you have to work with?
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I have access to a woodshop (so drills, saws, sanders etc) and aluminum bars (like a metal yard stick) I can also use things like pvc sheets since I have a heatgun. I have many hardware stores nearby so any units there could work. Luckily I am very light and petite so maybe wooden bases could support me? Thanks for getting back to me
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When I made these stilts, I had about the same resources. These stilts are made out of 1 inch square tubing like what a street sign post would be made out of, 1 inch galvanized flat bar steel, old 4inch dia PVC pipe, and the foot grip is an old bike tire my friend found on the side of the road. I bought the metal at Lowes or Home Depot. Everything was cut by hand in my garage and then bolted together. And just for the fun of it, I hand drilled any holes I needed in the galvanized flat bar steel while watching TV with an antique hand crank drill. I cut the pvc pipe down the length of it and heated it up in the oven, I believe it was 10-15 minutes at 350. It was so soft and malleable. Used it to make the calf and thigh plates. Everything is held together with bolts.
How long of a use are you wanting to get out of these? I would suggest using metal for any part that will be under strain from "normal" use. I've used plastic on the "heel" of these stilts where the steel "y" cable runs down to the "foot" and those parts have failed. When I have the time (and remember to do it) I need to replace that part with metal.
I have seen videos of people with wooden "digitigrade" stilts, and they were big and clunky. If you can use metal, do it.
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Thank you for the advice, it's very very helpful. I'm looking to make them last a while (at least three days at a convention). They are going to be made into bird feet for a cosplay. So my goal is to make them thin and durable, and I have the option of reinforcing my balance with the bird toes need be. So basically finding metal pieces that can be bolted together is best. Do you think a shaped block of durable wood for that strange shape of the foot-base (attached to several supported metal bits) would work?
again thank you!
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Possibly... If you have time before the con, and enough funds/materials, I would suggest trying it. If it works, awesome, and you have time to practice walking. If not, you have a base to work from and you can figure out how to make it work better.
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Thanks! If it is successful I will let you know! (And credit for helping me. Of course, I'm giving myself a year deadline for working out all the details so it may be a while)
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I look forward to seeing your progress!
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That looks awesome. How comfortable were these to wear?
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eh, in they're current state, they are ok for short walks. but after too long they get a bit painful, or so I've been told by my friend who I made them for. I plan on tweaking them a bit over time to get them to work better and be more comfortable for longer wear.
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