Using an Arduino to Make a Star Wars Rebel Pilot Box

If you’re donning the bright orange jumpsuit of an X-wing pilot from Star Wars, the chest box is a key component of the costume. Instructables user badjer1 recently shared his process for making the helmet, and he also posted about using an Arduino Uno to make a rebel pilot chest box that has light and sound effects. He built the box casing using 4mm thick acrylic sheets and glued it together and to age it, he says:

To simulate scratches to bare metal, mix a solution of table salt and water (some people use toothpaste) and apply it on corners and various locations. when it dries, it leaves salt crystals that will be painted over in green that can be broken off revealing the silver paint below. Once crystals are evident, Then I applied green paint over that coat and when dry, chipped off the salt revealing “scratches.” I painted the rear cover silver.

Get full details on how he handled the electronics (including some help from Adafruit!) at Instructables.