Introduction: Saruman Staff From Lord of the Rings

A quick run through with plans to make your own Saruman staff! The proportions are not perfectly aligned to the movie, but they are close. The .svg file of the plans has been included so you can edit the files in the free vector program Inkscape if you wish to modify the proportions or to fit a different sized ball.

What you will need:

  • A pipe/stick of some sort for the staff
  • 5mm foam board such as

    (1 x A3 sheet should be enough)

    https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/west-design-black-foa...

  • 70mm polystyrene ball - you can find these at craft stores

    https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/polystyrene-ball-7cm-...

  • White acrylic paint
  • Silver acrylic spray paint (small amount!)
  • Black spray paint
  • PVA glue / Wood glue
  • Paint brush
  • Heat gun to speed things up
  • Hot glue gun
  • Armature wire
  • Either a printer to print out designs to cut by hand with a blade, or a laser cutter to cut the foam directly, this foam does not contain PVC so it can be laser cut. You should not laser cut anything with PVC.

Step 1: Plans

From these files you can cut out the staff shape, you will need to add a slot to the two main parts that slot together, the slot has not been included in the DXF or SVG as you may use foam board of a different thickness which requires a different sized slot.

Attachments

Step 2: Painting

Here the edges of the foam had to be filled with polyfiller as the foam in the cardboard melted slightly from the laser and i was concerned about the spray paint dissolving the foam. spray all black.

Step 3: Paint the Orb

Whilst the black paint is drying, poke some armature wire into the polystyrene ball then:

  1. Cover orb in PVA glue, you may need a few layers to smooth out the texture
  2. Dry with heat gun
  3. Cover with white acrylic paint
  4. Dry
  5. Cover with PVA
  6. Give a light dusting with the silver spray paint at a distance, do in well ventilated area
  7. Cover with PVA
  8. Dry
  9. Cover with a few more layers of PVA to gloss up

Step 4: Assemble

Assemble the top of the staff with a hot glue gun, being careful to not use excessive amounts. No need to put the orb in yet.

Once the glue has set, poke the armature wire through the bottom of the foam close to the center in several spots so that several pieces of armature wire are protruding from the bottom, then put these into the top of the tub and squirt a very large amount of hot glue into the top of the tube. Then angle the tube in the air with the top of the staff facing towards the floor so the hot glue flows over the armature wire to stick the top of the staff and the tube together.

Now use the black spray paint to cover any excess hot glue, then carefully bend the foam to slip the orb into place!

“I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly, but you have elected the way of pain. -Saruman”
― J.R.R. Tolkien