#automail tutorial

This part will contain instructions on how to make Edward’s Automail hand. I did not make the arm because my black half jacket (that I made in part one) covers it.

For this project you are going to need your pattern pieces, some plaster wrap, masking tape, some metallic silver spray paint, a clear top coat spray, thin craft foam, 1/4 inch black elastic, hot glue, and googly eyes. I wore a very thin black elbow length glove so you can’t see my arm underneath.

I printed the pattern out from this fabulous website, Amethyst Angel, http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking_automail2.html .Simply just print out the pattern for the hand and finger pieces on some printer paper and cut them out according to the directions.

Making the Finger Pieces

After you cut out all of the finger pattern bits I suggest trying a couple of them on your fingers and adjust their size. After you find a size that fits, use some tape and secure them to your plaster wrap. This stuff is normally used for making masks or art pieces so it can be found at any craft store. Cut around them and make them a bit bigger than the patterns. Make sure to cut it big enough so the wings on either side fit around your finger. Plaster wrap comes in large amounts and is relatively cheap so don’t be afraid to make them a bit bigger than they need to be. I suggest you work with it and practice using it before making your final project.

This next part is gonna get pretty messy so you should put down newspaper or plastic bags down where you are working. Cover your fingers with plastic wrap and tape on your right hand so you won’t get the plaster stuck to you. Don’t worry about the plastic wrap being too bulky because your black glove should take up the extra space. This is why I didn’t use a latex glove to protect my hand. Make sure you read the instructions to using your plaster wrap. Now take the pattern pieces one at a time, working from knuckle to finger tip, and plaster wrap them onto your fingers. Smooth them out really well so the finish product will look like smooth metal. You’re going to have to work rather quickly because it dries rather fast.

Wait until they are all dried, a fan helps with this. I suggest watching some Fullmetal Alchemist/ Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood until they are dry. Wiggle off as many as you can. For the ones who won’t come off, cut a through the back and make it a little wider with more plaster wrap after it is off your finger. Be very careful and work slowly so you don’t hurt yourself.  I suggest letting these set overnight before painting them. 

The finger pieces are gonna need multiple coats of silver spray paint, so you can recycle the newspapers or plastic bags from earlier. Follow the instructions on the can and make sure you are in a well ventilated area. The first time I wore these I only did two coats of paint, and that didn’t go well. The finger pieces would rub up against each other and slowly started to come apart. Make sure to use around 3-4 coats of paint and a clear top coat. Remember to let the paint dry before adding the next coat.

The fingers pieces need to be connected to actually form a finger so I used my black elastic. It works very well because it can stretch really easily. You can move your hands around as much as you want and it makes the fingers easier to take off after a long day at a con. Put the finger pieces on where they fit comfortably on your hand. Hold up a piece of black elastic to your finger and mark out where the middle of each finger piece is. Cut the elastic so it can go down to the middle of the back of your hand.

Making the Rest of The Hand

To make the part that covers the hand and palm, I used craft foam as the base. I used the patterns from Amethyst Angel and cut out the foam. Try on the foam around your thumb and make sure it fits comfortably. Use hot glue to secure the base pieces of foam together.

This picture was taken from    http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking_automail2.html   and is not mine

This picture was taken from    http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking_automail2.html   and is not mine.

The way I created the knuckles is really simple. Just cut out the indents drawn in the picture and glue a large rectangle underneath. You should glue the elastic that comes down from the fingers in between the knuckle parts. The rectangle of foam inside will protect your hand from the glue and create depth in the knuckles.

I made the larger circle out of foam and glued it in place. To create the line in the middle, I used a hot glue gun with a clean tip and slowly dragged it across the surface of the foam. To replicate the two rivets, I made the the exact same way I made the rivets for the jacket clip; I spray painted googly eyes. So the hand doesn’t slide off while you are wearing it, I suggest attaching some black elastic to the side opposite your thumb. It should blend right in with your glove.