For Halloween 2007, I decided to go as Darth Vader. Carson will be joining me as a Vader underling. At any rate, I set out to purchase a store bought costume, but wasn’t really happy with the authenticity. After reading several internet blogs and forums by Stars Wars fans far, far freakier than me, I decided to build the costume starting with the store bought costume as a base. It’s amazing that you can actually buy just about every part or find an article that tells you how to make it. It’s been one of the most frustrating projects that I have undertaken. At the same time, I pretty happy with how things are turning out and it should be a lot of fun for the kids - not to mention, the 37 year old kid who remembers 1977 like yesterday.  
Becoming Vader
Using a Dremel to open the eyes sockets considerably
Sanding the plastic helmet - going for a glossy look
Re-sculpting the eyes sockets to add needed depth and re-sculpting the nose ridge
Filling the helmet ridge where the factory injection point was
Boiling the mask the reshape the neck
Aluminum rods to replace the plastic chest rods
Chest box after grinding off the plastic rods
Chest box with new aluminum rods installed
JB welding three pieces of metal to form the new belt buckle
Second application of PC-7 epoxy to re-sculpt the eyes and nose
Creating templates on 1/8” acrylic sheets to create lenses for the eyes
Rob Harnage cutting the new lenses at lunch time
The new lenses before tinting
The mask after sanding and forming the eyes and nose
Re-sculpted eyes and nose
You can really see how much depth was added to the eyes - notice the different colors
Me with the seamstress making the underarmor body suit - second time. It took three attempts.
Priming the helmet. This took three times to get it close enough to right.
Grinding out the plastic parts and replacing with metal
Used an auto air filter and double layered the plates with fabric to get a real looking belt box.
Epoxy setting the new metal screens
Nearly completed belt boxes with working lights
The final helmet ready for painting and sanded with ultra fine grit
The mash primed and sanded with ultra fine grit ready to paint
Adding velcro to the buckle to attach to the belt
The completed belt, except for the light saber holder
The mask painted two tone - gloss black and gunmetal. No lenses or screens yet.
Again cutting an auto air filter to create mouth screens. One will be painted and will be left the natural metallic color.
Epoxy setting the lenses. This was a real bitch and took several tries including creating newe lenses.
Epoxy setting the lower mouth grill - air intake.
Lower mouth grill with added fabric to look like a filter and movie accurate.
The mask with lenses, screens, and paint. Now to install the electronics for the breathing sound and cooling fans to make it bearable.
Wiring the speaker for the respirator sound.
Speaker installed at mouth grill. Fans will be installed in lower grill.
Install fan and padding
Finished mask
Finished neck seal made in Spain from a fan
Mask with the seal
Putting on the mask for the first time
Get ready
The Dark Lord Vader
If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can imagine
 
I find your lack of faith disturbing
Me and Dave - the gut who helped me get into the costume the first time
The power of the dark side
I want them alive
Don’t make me destroy you