Blackwood Bat
Registered: 02-2004
Location: ummm...the Batcave
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Cape harness tutorial with photos.
Ever want that perfect movie accurate look for your movie batsuit? You've spent so much time and effort,not to mention another big requirement,and it still doesn't look quite right.
Y'know,that completely 'locked together' look.
Like this...
Or that perfect,flipped back quintessential 89 look?
Like this...
How about how it lays just as it should,all by itself the way it was meant to be?
Like this...
I always wondered about the cape harness. I don't know if what I have is how it was actually done,but I'd say the basic idea and concept is the same.
I tried to come up with the easiest way possible to do it,and I think this is about as easy as it gets.
First try too. :wink
I've had it on about a half dozen times working it out and it makes a WORLD of difference.
I know how heavy these things can get,and this will save your back,BIG TIME.
It's a simple thing,but WOW,what a big help.
It looks like it's sagging on the mannequin because it is,but on me it fit's snug and in place,but is not tight at all.
There's 'give'.
When I get some more screws I'll show exactly how I did it,then anyone can do it just like this,or use it as guide for something else. It can be used for just about any cape for most costumes,using a little imagination.
I wanted to show it because it's so cool.
I know some others have made harnesses,like artsee,I think,and Bob D. did for his Panther suit,but I've never actually seen one in action.
So here's mine in action.
This is the basic harness front and back...
It fit's really well and is easy to get in and out of. Very simple to make using one single strap,with a smaller,7" piece as well. It's a very long strap though,so we'll have to work that out.
Seven 'Chicago Screws' are used to secure it.
Chicago screws are used entirely for this project. Also some washers for strength.
1/16" black styrene is used to cut out the plates. There's one on the harness,with the screws secured from the back,posts sticking up.
The cape has the same plate,but cut in half and secured to both sides of the cape with Chicago screws.
Canvas was used for the flap on the cowl. It's there permanently now,and is not coming off.
I cut out the shape of the emblem,brushed latex on both sides,then bonded it with latex to the cowl,then Plasti-Dip.
Once the harness is on,the chest armor is lined up and the posts fitted through the holes. Yeah,you gotta make holes in the chest emblem cavity.
It also supports the chest piece. It's amazing. It puts it right in place and keeps it there exactly where it should be and supports it,so there's very little weight from the chest itself,and it's very evenly distributed.
Like this...
Then put the cape on...
Then secure it with the two center screws,but leaving the perimeter screws alone.
Now your cape is completely secure and fully supported. This cape is extremely heavy,and is an exact replica of the 89 cape,apparently right down to the weight,but with the harness it's so well balanced it's very easy to move and there's no real weight on your back.
Now the cowl goes on and lines up with thew holes and the velcro. This is the only velcro needed. The movie people used glue for some areas,but also velcro,but for our purposes,velcro all the way.
Now you fit the flap through the holes and secure the perimeter screws.
Then the emblem goes on and you're Batman.
It all stays in place at the corners. The cowl is fitted in the emblem cavity perfectly,so it fits on the chest armor like a puzzle piece. The collar bone of the cowl fits right into the collar bone of the armor.
So there it is.
The cape harness.
My Christmas present to you and I hope you all enjoy it and can get some use out of it. :)
John :flapbat
Last edited by Phantombatman, 5/14/2018, 6:30 am
--- "Wile E. Coyote is my reality,Bugs Bunny is my goal."
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12/24/2007, 10:41 pm
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Brin Londo
Keeper of the Cave
Registered: 02-2004
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 9351
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Re: The elusive cape harness
That looks great John. :up :up
-Brin
--- You don't choose the Bat, the Bat chooses you.
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12/24/2007, 10:57 pm
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reevz666
Caped Crusader
Registered: 05-2004
Location: San Diego
Posts: 2689
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Re: The elusive cape harness
THANK YOU!!!!!!
---
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12/24/2007, 10:59 pm
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Dave Batman
Caped Crusader
Registered: 12-2006
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Re: The elusive cape harness
I really enjoyed your observations about this. You seek the movie solution to be as accurrate as possible and I look up to that. I use velco which locks my urethane cowl to my emblem to my cape. 'Guess I'm cheating because my 89 cape has a strechy drawstring joined by anemblem-sized velco snap-pate in front...thus I just align the cowl and cape with the emblem and it all holds together under the emblem with velco and the cape weight is distibuted around over my chest and shoulders with the strechy drawstring which gathers my cape together. Of course I use an 8 section cape.
Long live the '89 and '89 hybrids.
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12/24/2007, 11:06 pm
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PatrickJ
Caped Crusader
Registered: 01-2005
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Posts: 5879
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Re: The elusive cape harness
Awesome! Thank you John.
My desire's been growing to build an '89 suit. Now I know how to do one of the trickier tasks involved in it. :up
--- Patrick
http://www.facebook.com/patrick.price1
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12/24/2007, 11:07 pm
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crazzierbats
Caped Crusader
Registered: 05-2004
Posts: 1380
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Re: The elusive cape harness
one ques, is that comfortable to wear under the suit??? The top half of my suit fits pretty tight and I'm think after a few hours of that thing pressed against my chest and I might be screaming, but it does give u that perfect look on the mannequin.
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12/25/2007, 12:39 pm
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Blackwood Bat
Registered: 02-2004
Location: ummm...the Batcave
Posts: 6009
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Re: The elusive cape harness
Thanks guys.
Quote: one ques, is that comfortable to wear under the suit??? The top half of my suit fits pretty tight and I'm think after a few hours of that thing pressed against my chest and I might be screaming, but it does give u that perfect look on the mannequin.
Yes. It'll change the way you look at this entire process.
Everything is suspended from the harness. The cowl barely touches the top of my head,yet fits snug and the weight is taken off the chest,so everything kinda 'floats'. The chest and cape stay exactly in place and are balanced and centered,and it distributes the weight of the whole costume evenly.
It is much easier to navigate.
It fits me perfectly and everything falls into place exactly as it should.
It actually looks better and fits better on me than on the mannequin.
The only reason I'm not in the pics is because it's too difficult to go trough the process of putting everything on,the lining up the cowl in the back,and trying to mess with the camera,and so on.
An extra set of eyes and hands would help.
John :flapbat
Last edited by Blackwood Bat, 12/25/2007, 6:24 pm
--- "Wile E. Coyote is my reality,Bugs Bunny is my goal."
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12/25/2007, 1:02 pm
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BatmanALL
Caped Crusader
Registered: 08-2004
Location: Virginia
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Re: The elusive cape harness
Awesome post John!
Its all about the details! That can make or break it and your costume is rocking it dude!
Thanks for the pics and tutorial.
--- Tony Licata
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12/25/2007, 1:39 pm
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89Batman
Registered: 04-2005
Location: London England
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Re: The elusive cape harness
That looks great John!! Somehow I figured the flap from the cowl went underneath the plate so the plate actually secured it down and then the emblem attatched to the plate with velcro, would this work?
--- Things change...
Even Cinderella went on 'till 12
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12/25/2007, 6:05 pm
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NewBat
Caped Crusader
Registered: 12-2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 1069
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Re: The elusive cape harness
Are the straps necessary? Do you think it would be possible to attain the same function with only the plate and screws, maybe even attach it to the underside of the armor?
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12/25/2007, 6:17 pm
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