Custom cosplay props, made to commission
Armor, helmets, weapons, shields, staffs and light-up builds from verified makers. Here's how props are made, what moves the price, how to brief a maker and what to check before you take a prop to a con.
Post your prop commission — free Posting is free. Nothing is charged until you accept a maker's bid.
A commissioned prop is built for you, from your references, at the size and finish you choose. Most are a mix of methods: a foam body with 3D-printed details, a printed blaster with LEDs inside, a shield with a laser-cut emblem. Knowing the basics helps you write a better brief and read bids side by side.
What people commission
Armor
Chest plates, pauldrons, gauntlets, greaves and full sets. Usually EVA foam for comfort and weight, sometimes Worbla or 3D-printed parts for hard edges and fine detail. Built to your measurements.
Helmets
Often 3D-printed in sections and finished smooth, or built from foam. Ask about the visor, ventilation, padding and how much you'll be able to see.
Weapons and blasters
Swords, axes, hammers, sci-fi blasters and prop guns. For con use they are usually foam or lightweight prints with no sharp edges. Blasters may need orange markings (see the convention section below).
Shields
Big and light is the goal: foam, thermoplastic or layered laser-cut sheet, with a grip or arm strap fitted to you.
Wands and staffs
Long pieces usually need a rigid core, such as a dowel or tube, inside foam or printed parts. Length matters for travel and for con rules, so many are built to come apart.
Masks
Full and half masks in foam, thermoplastic or resin. A mask sits on your face, so ask about the inside finish, padding, straps and airflow.
Wearable tech
Light-up chest pieces, glowing eyes, arc reactors, sound effects and moving parts. Electronics add work, plus a battery you'll need to charge, switch on and replace.
Display replicas
Screen-accurate pieces for a shelf rather than a con floor. These can use heavier, harder materials such as solid resin, wood or metal, because nobody has to carry them all day.
Build methods and materials
Most props combine several of these. A good maker picks the method part by part, and a good bid says which methods they plan to use.
EVA foam
Light, flexible and comfortable to wear. Cut from sheet, shaped with heat and glued with contact cement. Foam has to be sealed with heat and a flexible primer (Plasti Dip or Flexbond, for example) before painting, or the paint soaks in and cracks. It dents rather than shatters, but very fine detail is hard.
Thermoplastics (Worbla and similar)
Sheets that soften with a heat gun (Worbla activates at around 90 °C), drape over a form or a foam base and harden again as they cool. Heated Worbla sticks to itself, and offcuts can be reheated and reused. Harder, crisper surfaces than foam, at a higher material cost; its texture needs priming to hide.
FDM 3D printing (PLA, PETG)
Plastic filament printed layer by layer. Good for hard-surface parts, helmets and blasters; big pieces are split to fit the printer and joined. Layer lines need filler primer and sanding for a smooth finish. PLA starts to soften at around 60 °C, so a print left in a hot car can warp; PETG copes with heat better.
Resin printing (SLA/MSLA)
Liquid resin cured by light. Much finer detail and smoother surfaces than FDM, which suits emblems, small parts and faces. Print areas are usually smaller, standard resin can be brittle, and every print has to be washed and UV-cured.
Casting in silicone molds
The maker builds a master (sculpted or printed), takes a silicone mold of it and casts copies in resin or foam. Worth it for several identical parts or a matched pair. The mold is a one-off cost, and hollow (rotocast) castings keep weight down.
CNC and laser-cut parts
Flat or layered parts cut precisely from sheet: acrylic, MDF, plywood, foam or aluminum. Good for blades, emblems, edge-lit acrylic, internal frames and parts that must match exactly.
Finishing
Priming, filling, sanding, base coats, detail paint, weathering and a protective clear coat. On many props this is where most of the hours go, and it's what separates con-ready from screen-accurate.
LEDs and electronics
LED strips or single LEDs, sound modules and small controllers, all running on batteries. Ask where the switch and battery go, how you charge or swap the battery and roughly how long it runs.
What drives the cost and the lead time
- Size — Bigger props take more material and more hours, and large pieces often have to be built in sections and joined cleanly.
- Finish level — Con-ready, photo/competition or screen-accurate. Each step up adds sanding, painting and detailing time.
- Number of parts — A one-piece sword and a many-part blaster with moving pieces are different jobs. Every extra part means design, printing or cutting, fitting and painting.
- Electronics — Lights and sound add components, wiring and testing, plus a design that hides the battery but keeps it reachable.
- Wearability — Straps, padding, ventilation and fitting to your measurements are extra work compared with a display piece.
- Deadline — A con date close to your post usually means rush pricing, and some makers will pass.
- Shipping — Large, long or fragile props need custom boxes and can be expensive to ship, especially abroad. Props that break down into sections are cheaper and safer to send.
There's no price list, because every prop is different: bids from makers who have seen your references give you the real number. Cosplay commission price guide →
How to brief a prop maker
- Character, source and exact version, and which prop or props you want.
- Reference images from several angles: front, back, both sides and top, plus close-ups of details and markings.
- Size: a real-world measurement, or the scale relative to your height. For armor, masks and helmets, the measurements of whatever the piece touches (head circumference, chest, forearm).
- Deadline: the date you need it in hand and the con it's for. Leave time for shipping.
- Finish level: con-ready, photo or screen-accurate.
- How you'll use it: worn all day, carried, photoshoots only, or display.
- Weight or comfort limits, and whether it should come apart for travel.
- Electronics, if any: what lights up, which colors, any sound, and how you want to switch it on.
- Your budget range and shipping country.
- Your convention's props policy, if it sets size, material or weapon rules.
Convention prop and weapon policies
Rules differ from con to con and can change from year to year, so check your convention's weapons or props policy before you commission and send it to your maker.
Common rules include a props check or peace-bonding at the door, no real or realistic-looking firearms, no sharp edges or metal blades, no working projectiles, and limits on length, weight or hard materials. Some cons require firearm props to be partly painted bright orange. Convention staff make the final call.
In the US, federal law requires toy, look-alike and imitation firearms to carry a blaze orange plug in the barrel when they are made, sold or shipped (15 U.S.C. § 5001). Replica laws differ in other countries, so check your local rules and tell your maker what you need.
Shipping and traveling with props
- Ask for long or large props to break down into sections: they are easier to box, ship and pack.
- Ask the maker how they will pack it. Painted props need padding so the finish doesn't rub.
- Flying in the US: the TSA does not allow items that resemble realistic weapons, toy swords and prop guns included, in carry-on bags; pack them in checked baggage. The officer has the final say.
- Spare lithium batteries for light-up props must go in carry-on baggage, never in checked bags, with the terminals protected (FAA rules).
- Don't leave PLA prints in a hot car or a sunny window.
- Shipping across borders: ask about customs and replica-weapon import rules before you accept a bid.
How a prop commission works on The Spool List
- Brief the buildCharacter and exact version, front/back/side references, your measurements if it's wearable, the con or shoot date and a budget range.
- Compare makersFoamsmiths, printers and sewists reply with a price and a timeline. Look through their past builds, completed jobs and reviews before you choose.
- Accept a bid and payCard payment goes through Stripe. The Spool List holds it, and the maker isn't paid until you've confirmed delivery.
- Unbox and confirmFollow progress photos in the app while it's built. Once the piece arrives and you confirm delivery, the maker receives the payment.
Post the prop once with your references, and any verified maker with the right skills and tools can bid. More on how it works →
Con on the calendar?
Brief the build once. Let makers bid.
Post your references and measurements free. Verified foam, print and sewing makers quote, and the platform keeps your payment until you confirm the build was delivered.
Prop commission questions
What's the best material for a cosplay prop?
It depends on how you'll use it. EVA foam is the lightest and most comfortable to wear or carry, 3D printing and resin hold the most detail, and thermoplastics give hard, crisp surfaces. Many props mix methods. Tell the maker how you'll use the prop and let them suggest the build.
Can a prop be built to pass my convention's weapons check?
Send your convention's props policy with the brief. Makers can build to its limits, for example lightweight materials, no sharp edges, orange markings on blasters or a length that fits. Convention staff make the final decision at the door.
Can you add lights or sound to a prop?
Yes, if the maker does electronics. Say what should light up, in which colors, and whether you want sound. Ask in the bid how the battery is charged or replaced and where the switch goes.
How far ahead should I commission a prop?
As early as you can. Each maker states a timeline in their bid, and painting and electronics can't be rushed much. Add time for shipping, and more if the maker is in another country.
Is my payment protected?
You pay when you accept a bid. The platform holds the payment and releases it to the maker only when you confirm delivery. If something goes wrong, there's a dispute process.