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A ToolGuyd writer says a homemade Halloween costume and electronic prop were ready for his son’s school costume day, though a costume piece broke during the day and needed repair. The project used 3D-printed parts, a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 and a seven-pixel RGB LED board; the writer says he may refine the design after the new year.
A ToolGuyd writer says his son was happy with a homemade Halloween costume and electronic prop, even though a side panel broke during the school day and the rushed build needed repairs. The account, titled “My Halloween Projects Turned Out Okay,” describes a 3D-printed costume assembly and a light-up prop that were functional in time for the school event, while leaving several design and wiring improvements for a possible later version.
The costume assembly’s top and bottom were joined with epoxy, with the side pieces epoxied to the bottom. One side came off partway through the school day. The writer said the break tore apart layers of filament, and that difficulty clamping the parts during assembly may have contributed. Before the class party that evening and Halloween, he reattached the panel with CA glue and machine screws.
The prop worked, but its design changed during the build. A revised side panel housed electronics, while the writer dropped planned hose decorations because he ran out of time. The prop used a seven-pixel RGB LED board with individual color controls and a white cover plate to diffuse and protect the light. Its access panel held a battery holder, mounting points for a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 and four switches.
The writer used Wago Lever Lock connectors for wiring splices and said he did not have time to refine the connections with wire-to-wire connectors or terminal blocks. A cheap battery holder proved unreliable, so he replaced it and redesigned its bracket. The switches and other electronic components were not modeled in advance; he said he barely finished soldering in time. His son wore camo pants and sometimes a headlamp and face mask, while declining or not having time to use some additional props.
A Working Costume With Lessons for Next Year
The account offers a specific example of what a deadline-driven DIY costume build can involve: a project may satisfy its main purpose without being mechanically robust or fully refined. The child’s enjoyment was the writer’s measure of success, but the broken panel also showed that an epoxy joint between printed parts did not hold up through the school day.
For readers who make costumes or props, the report identifies practical trade-offs rather than presenting the build as a finished template. The writer says a mechanically joined design, revised straps, removable electronics and better-organized wiring could improve the next version. Those are his proposed changes, not tested results. The project also shows how limited time can shape choices: some decoration was omitted, and the repair happened before the evening events.
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How the Prop Was Built
The post is a follow-up to a reader’s question about how the writer’s Halloween projects turned out. It describes the result after the costume was ready for a school day when children could bring their costumes. The writer characterized the first attempt as successful because his son was pleased, while acknowledging that more time could have made the assembly more reliable.
The prop’s electronics were built around a Raspberry Pi Pico 2, switches and an RGB LED board. The writer assigned cyan to the power-on state and red, green and blue to their corresponding buttons. He said he tried using AI to generate code for a brightness ramp and then a blinking effect, but the attempt did not work well, so he set those effects aside. He also considered possible future additions, including sensors or sound, while noting that they could amount to a separate build.
“I guess they went alright.”
— The ToolGuyd writer
Repairs and Design Questions Remain
The post does not say whether the repaired side panel remained secure through the class party and Halloween, or whether the writer later made further changes. It also does not provide a detailed test of the repair or the costume’s durability beyond the reported break during the school day.
A more refined update is only a possibility: the writer said he might work on one after the new year. He did not give a date or confirm that another version is underway. Proposed changes—including moving the LED module, adding connectors and relocating electronics inside the enclosure—remain ideas rather than completed modifications.
Possible Refinements After Halloween
The writer said he may revisit the design after the new year. Ideas for a later version include narrowing and flattening the shoulder straps, joining printed sides mechanically, mounting the LED directly to the enclosure, and making the electronics removable. He also suggested moving components inside the enclosure to free up side panels for decoration.
Other possible improvements include refining the shape, testing materials such as translucent cast acrylic, organizing the wiring and adding lighting effects. The writer did not confirm which changes, if any, he will pursue. For now, the reported outcome is a costume and prop that pleased his son, with a repaired panel and a list of lessons for future projects.
Key Questions
What happened to the Halloween costume?
A side panel on the writer’s costume assembly broke during the school day. He reattached it before the evening events using CA glue and machine screws.
Did the electronic prop work?
The writer said the prop worked. It used a seven-pixel RGB LED board, switches and a Raspberry Pi Pico 2, though the wiring and some design details were unfinished.
What did the writer say caused the panel to break?
He said the break tore layers of filament and suggested that difficulty clamping the parts during assembly may have contributed. The post does not establish a definitive cause.
Will there be another version of the project?
The writer said he might work on a more refined update after the new year. He listed possible changes but did not confirm that a new version is underway.
Source: toolguyd.com
