From Flickr user rsummer’s Maelstrom – Cavalcade photoset

In response to our Maker Hobbies theme, we got an email from Martin Raynsford. He writes:

My hobby is Live action role play (LARPing). It’s a bit like medieval re-enactment where the outcome of the battle isn’t already decided, and a bit like a real-life Lord of the Rings game. There are many different games now, covering most of the genres, but the really big games are loosely medieval-based and can include over a thousand participants. Each person requires kit and costume and a lot of it gets made at home by the individual, as well as tents require set dressing and other props that may be needed throughout the weekend. It’s all fairly specialized too, so no chance of buying this stuff in the shops. This has led me to make some really interesting stuff to aid my hobby so I’ve added a few links below:

Comfortable masks require a cast of your own face as a base to build upon. This album shows the creation of a foam latex mask, from a simple face cast to a complete mask. The cast allows me to make multiple masks for an entire group of bug people.

This is my steampunk jetpack, for a fancy dress party, but would be equally good in any steampunk LARP

The trebuchet I made for my hackerspace went over extremely well when it actually fired projectiles against a Roman army. (Mostly are poorly constructed and non functional.)

Here’s my District 9 weapon, which has already been featured here on MAKE.

And other people also make equally awesome efforts. Bear in mind that everything has to be taken to a field and brought home again at the end of the weekend. Check out the actual Cavalcade in the above photo (which started this article) and the mini red dragon from here and the full-size version here (and seen above).