Gaming Computer Costume

Kid wanted to be her gaming computer for Halloween so I measured her and found a box at about the right proportions. this project was modeled after the NZXT H510 tower. This project depends on what you have on hand. I only spent $13 for the LED light strips and used what I could find around me.

Supplies

• cardboard box (mine was about 12.5"x18"x22")
• extra cardboard
• Paper packing tape
• 3d printer for printing the fan blades (or fabricate out of cardboard)
• black USB wall charger (optional)
• Microcontroller, sound sensor, 2 continuous rotation servos (I used a Hummingbird Bit)
• Clear plastic sheet (I used duralar 0.01 thickness)
• 3/8" spring (whatever you have)
• black acrylic paint
• white marker
• hot glue and regular glue (I used wood glue)
• toothpick
• 6 ft long LED strip (battery powered)
• clear double-stick tape
• duct tape
• paper templates attached to this tutorial
• black computer case screws (optional)

Step 1: 3D Print or Make the Fans

I remixed the computer fan model from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:971944 and added a solid base with a hole to mount a screw from the fan into the servo. Make sure this is the correct size fan you want for your costume. You may need to resize it appropriately. If you do not have a 3D printer, you can still make this with cardboard using the STL model files as a reference.

Step 2: Make the Power Button and Top Case Ports

I found a black USB wall charger and measured out the size of the usb port and cut it on the top of the costume case. I hot-glued the charger to the inside of the box. Also, the prongs stick out slightly so they were wrapped with painter's tape and painted black.

Make the power button! The circle is 1" and I hot-glued it to a plastic wheel and spring. Those are all hot-glued to the cardboard support. I added a secondary support using thin cardboard (cereal box) to make sure it does't flex too much. Cut a slightly larger opening on the cardboard box centered with the USB port and then test the assembly to make sure the button doesn't bind. If it does, you may need to cut a larger opening or support the button better in its assembly. Glue the power button assembly tabs to the inside of the cardboard

Step 3: Cut Openings in Cardboard

Depending on the size of your box and fans, adjust your opening appropriately. I used 1.5 inch borders. The bottom opening is about 5 inches from the bottom to allow room for the fans.

Measure and cut out centered arm hole for the one side that has no opening. Keep the cut out.

Print the back ports and then cut an opening (3" x 9.75") on the back of the case (1.5" from the top left edge). Mount the printout onto larger cardboard (~4"x11") and paint the cardboard around the printout in case your opening is larger. Glue this panel from the inside of the case while centering the image within the opening.

Cut the head opening on the top of the cardboard box.

Check to ensure box fits the wearer's body and adjust the head/arm holes appropriately.

Step 4: Print/Prepare Side Panel

You can take a picture of your own computer. Make sure you try to take the picture directly in front of your case, otherwise the image will be skewed. You can fix that with photo editing software if you need to. Depending on your side panel opening, you may need to resize your photo to that space. Print out the side panel images in tile format and cut/tape together into a larger sheet.

Measure out a piece of cardboard that is larger than the opening you cut out. Use the arm cut out scrap and center it onto your cardboard. Cut out the opening.

Glue the side panel image onto the cardboard. Measure out 1" around the inside edge of the side panel printout (on the blank side) where the cardboard arm opening is. Then cut out inside opening. Cut from the paper to the cardboard opening and then glue those paper flaps to the cardboard. This will give the arm opening hole a cleaner look.

(optional) To mimic the look of the clear panel on the computer case, cut out a piece of clear plastic the same size as your cardboard. Glue it on with double stick tape or hot glue. Leave the side panel aside.

Step 5: Attach Fans to Cardboard

Cut a larger piece of cardboard that is the width of the costume plus 2.75" along the width. The height will depend on how large the opening is from the top of the costume. Measure from the top of the costume to the bottom of the front opening and add 3".

Measure and mark a line 1.5" from the side edges of the cardboard. Measure and mark another line from the bottom edge of the cardboard.

Find the horizontal center line on the cardboard and make a line. Place the fans on top of the line so that there is space between both to spin freely and they will appear centered in the cardboard box opening. Once you have that configuration, use a nail and mark a hole through the fan opening onto the cardboard. You will need to widen the hole to accommodate the servo shaft so the servo body can sit flush to the inside wall of the cardboard box.

Place the servo on the inside cardboard and add a round servo horn on the other side of the cardboard. Add the fan on top of the servo horn and screw into the servo. Repeat for the second servo and make sure the fan blades can spin freely. Hot glue or duct tape servos to the inside of the cardboard box.

Bend the sides and bottom of the cardboard where the lines were marked. Cut the bottom lines to form a box. Glue the flaps and reinforce with paper packing tape. Check to make sure this assembly can slide into the front part of the computer case with the side panel in place already.

Step 6: Make the On/Off Switch and Power Receptacle

The rocker switch and the power receptacle are 2.75 times the size of a normal scale. I just cut out slightly curved cardboard pieces and poked a hole in the same spot one cardboard piece at a time. After that, I hot glued them together and poked a toothpick through as the axle. Use the paper packing tape to cover the top of the switch.

Cut a piece of cardboard to go on top of the switch. Cut an opening the size of the rocker switch so that it can move enough to be in the on and off positions. Too big of an opening will allow the switch to move too much. This will be trial and error. Cut 4 pieces of cardboard that will be the side supports. Poke holes in the center of the cardboard pieces and hot glue 2 at a time for the side supports. Make sure the two side supports can go through the toothpick.

Once everything moves sufficiently. Glue the top cover to the side supports. Trim the ends of the toothpick and hot glue them onto the side supports.

Paint the assembly, wait for the glue to try, add the white marker on off symbols.

The power plug is 2.75x the size of a computer one. Create that, add the prongs using cardboard and reinforce with packing tape. Paint just the prongs silver. The depth of the plug is about 3/4". Cut a long piece of cardboard strip about 3/4" and then slowly bend it around the shape of the receptacle. Trim off any excess and hot glue to the receptacle opening. Paint all the parts black, including the bottom cardboard with the prongs. Hot glue the prong assembly to the top cover.

Measure and cut openings on the bottom back part of the costume. The openings should be smaller than the top covers. Hot glue the two assemblies.

Step 7: Details

Depending on how realistic you want your costume to look, you can add whatever details you want to your costume. I added the back fan vent by taping a piece of paper to the top back of the box and then poking holes using an awl. I also taped graphing paper to the other empty side of the costume for more vent holes. For the smaller vent holes, I used a smaller awl to punch the holes.

Step 8: Painting the Costume

Before assembling the fan and side panels, paint the case with black acrylic paint. Paint the fan cardboard assembly as well.

Once the glue is dry, Place the side panel inside of the costume and hot glue or duct tape.

Step 9: Microcontroller/Coding

Use whatever microcontroller you have to control the continuous servos. I added a LED light that is attached near the top power button. Also, I used a sound sensor so I cut a small hole to position the sound sensor from the inside of the costume, next to the USB wall charger on the top. The sound sensor activates the servos.

Connect your components and code it to your requirements.

Step 10: Assembly

Hot glue or duct tape the side panel in place. Make sure the image is centered in your opening.

Slide the fan assembly into the costume and position it so the fans are centered in the opening. Hot glue or duct tape the fan assembly to the inside of the cardboard. Mount the electronics to the fan assembly. Test to make sure parts spin freely. Add a small dab of hot glue or double stick tape to the inside of the fan caps and glue to the fan opening.

Add the LED light strip to the front opening starting from the top left to the bottom to the right top and string along to the back where the back fan mesh is.

Add computer screws to the back if you want to. I poked a hole slightly smaller and screwed the screws in.

Add foam to the shoulder areas at the top of the box if it is uncomfortable. Have fun!!