Previous suits were more or less experimental. So is Onyx, frankly, but I've learned enough over the years that I can aim fairly straight for the goal. So I didn't end up buying much that I didn't use, or had to use over. Thus I decided to actually keep track of how much I spent on the costume. This'll help me price my work if I ever again sell to others; it'll also help give people who want to follow in my footsteps, using these pages as instructions, some idea of what they're in for.

Just keep this in mind, however: I can't guarantee that what I paid is what you would pay. Prices fluctuate over time and over distance. You may end up paying a bit more, or less, than this, depending on where you are and when you buy. Also keep in mind that, technically, I paid significantly more in the creation of Onyx. I bought things I thought I would need, and didn't, and in several instances bought some very expensive things for processes that I later rejected as technically unfeasable or found a cheaper alternative to. Only what was actually used is listed here.

Multiple Categories

These items are consumed, but are used in various places around the costume rather than in any one spot. Rather than be confued by repeating an item listing, or by eliminating it from all but one area, I'm just going to list those materials here, in a seperate area.

$7.50 - Cotton fabric (7.5 yards x $1/yard) [Feet, Hands, Head, Tail] $30.00 - Biker gloves [Hands, Clothing] $23.00 - Boots [Feet, Clothing] $3.00 - Electrical tape [Head, Hair, Wing Mechanism] $95.00 - Mold Max 10 silicone molding goop (128 fl. oz/1 gallon) [Feet, Hands] $98.00 - Quik Cast casting goop (256 fl. oz/2 gallons) [Feet, Hands, Horns] $15.00 - Quick Cat 10 molding accelerator (16 fl. oz/1 pint) [Feet, Hands] $4.70 - Tacky Glue [Head, Hair, Feet, Clothing, Hands] "Multiple Categories" total (to date) - $276.20

Muscle Suit

Simply put, these materials were used making the foam padding undersuit that gives the illusion of musculature.

$3.00 - 2" wide elastic straps (3') $1.50 - 3/4" wide elastic straps (3') $7.00 - Duck Fabric (6') $0.70 - Nylon needlepoint mesh (2 @ $0.35) $5.00 - Polyester batting filler (15') $3.00 - Thread Muscle Suit total - $20.20

Body

This is the main portion of the suit; the torso, the legs, the arms, etc.

$25.00 - Spandex lycra leotard $80.00 - Spandex lycra unitard Body total - $105.00

Head

This is the head as a whole, not including certain portions that required special equipment. Those get their own categories.

$5.00 - ABS plastic sheet (2' x 2' x 5/32") $3.00 - Black pantyhose $10.00 - Foam padding $1.00 - Jaw & tongue posts $1.75 - Nylon needlepoint mesh (5 @ $0.35) $1.00 - Nylon washers $2.00 - Paintbrushes Head total (to date) - $23.75

Horns

Horns require some rather specialized materials, so they get their own area to list costs.

$13.00 - 1 qt. mixing containers (20 x $0.65) $7.00 - Cardboard boxes (2 @ $3.50) (14" x 14") $1.00 - Cotter pins (6 @ $0.33/pair) $8.00 - Delrin (1/4" x 8' rod) $15.00 - Plestelina modeling clay (5 lbs.) $1.50 - Plastic funnels (2) $140 - Por-A-Mold casting goop (2 orders @ 256 fl. oz/2 gallons) $2.50 - Razor blade sticks $22.00 - Sculpy (2 @ $11) Horns total (to date) - $210.00

Eyes

Again, the eyes have some rather specialized materials, and they can be done in a multitude of ways, so they get their own area as well.

$2.00 - Dark mylar $5.00 - Fry screen mesh $10.00 - Mylar and printing services at Staples $1.50 - Plastic spheres Eyes total (to date) - $18.50

Hair

Hair can be a simple wig, or it can be something elaborate that I make myself. Or it can be nonexistant. I felt it was a specialized enough piece of the costume to get a category of its own, even though the actual number of materials is small.

$144.00 - Black horsehair (3 pounds @ $48) $2.00 - Crochet hook $3.00 - Electrical Tape $2.50 - Extra fabric snaps $4.50 - Fabric snap kit Hair total (to date) - $156.00

Feet

Pretty self explanitory what I mean, here.

$13.00 - Foam (17" x 27" x 1.5") Feet total (to date) - $13.00

Hands

Pretty self explanitory here as well.

$3.30 - 7" Zipper (2 @ $1.65) Hands total (to date) - $3.30

Wing Mechanism

The wing mechanism can be reused for other costumes, so it won't cost as much as it seems here because the cost is distributed. I do not, for instance, need to build a seperate wing pack for Onyx as I do for Xodiac. Still, it definitely costs something to build.

$7.00 - #8 nylon flange (50 @ $0.14) $2.40 - #8 nylon flat washers (40 @ $0.06) $4.50 - #8 nylon spacer (25 @ $0.18) $2.50 - 1/4" cap nuts (10 @ $0.25) $7.20 - 1/4" delrin rods (2 @ $3.20) $4.75 - 1/4" ID nylon flange (25 @ $0.14) $2.70 - 1/4" nylon flat washers (30 @ $0.09) $6.00 - 1/4" nylon spacer (30 @ $0.19) $1.20 - 1/4-20 x 2 5/8" eye bolts (4 @ $0.30) $2.70 - 1/4-20 x 3" bolts (3 packs of 2 @ $0.90) $1.40 - 1/8" to 1/4" hose adaptor (2 @ $0.70) $1.80 - 1/8" to 1/8" hose connector (2 @ $0.90) $4.20 - 2" nylon strapping $1.75 - 2" triglide $1.75 - 2" strap latch $6.00 - 3/8" delrin rod $0.85 - 6-32 x 1" bolts (pack of 10) $0.85 - 6-32 x 1 1/4" bolts (pack of 10) $0.85 - 6-32 x 1 1/2" bolts (pack of 10) $0.85 - 6-32 x 3/4" bolts (pack of 12) $1.60 - 6-32 cap nuts (8 @ $0.20) $5.20 - 6-32 stop nuts (12 @ $0.35) $0.85 - 8-32 x 2" bolts (pack of 6) $0.90 - 8-32 x 3" bolts (pack of 4) $2.00 - 8-32 cap nuts (10 @ $0.20) $5.70 - 8-32 stop nuts (15 @ $0.38) $0.85 - 10-24 x 3/4" bolts (pack of 10) $0.90 - 10-24 stop nuts (pack of 10) $1.80 - ABS 135-degree connectors (2 @ $0.90) $4.50 - ABS pipe (10' x 1.5" ID) $4.60 - ABS pipe (10' x 2" ID) $5.00 - ABS plastic sheet (1' x 1' x 3/16") $60.00 - Beer keg pressure regulator $20.00 - Bicycle pump/pneumatic cylinder (2 @ $10) $4.40 - Brass 1/2" - 1/8" threaded hose adaptor (2 @ $2.20) $7.50 - Brass 1/4" hose barbs (5 @ $1.50) $4.30 - Brass 3/8" - 1/4" threaded hose adaptor (2 @ $2.30) $14.40 - Brass L-shaped threaded 1/4" hose connectors (6 @ $2.40) $4.00 - Brass L-shaped threaded 1/8" hose connectors (2 @ $2.00) $2.50 - Brass T-shaped barbed 1/4" hose connector $5.00 - Cannister cap $3.00 - Cannister filling (per fill) $2.00 - Clear vinyl tubing (10') $4.00 - Double-stick mounting squares $8.00 - Electrical project box $10.00 - Flow regulator $3.00 - Furniture glides $10.00 - High-pressure metal tubing $7.20 - Hose clamps (9 @ $0.80) $2.50 - Magnetic reed switch (Normally Open) $30.00 - Paintball CO2 cannister $1.00 - Pipe tape $1.50 - Plastic tubing (10') $2.00 - PVC 1/2" ID 135-degree connector (4 @ $0.50) $1.50 - PVC 1/2" ID 90-degree connector (pack of 10) $1.50 - PVC 1/2" ID pipe (10' x .5") $1.50 - PVC 1/2" ID T-joint (pack of 10) $1.00 - PVC 3/4" x 1/2" Bushing connector (4 @ $0.25) $2.50 - PVC 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2 T-joint (4 @ $0.62) $9.75 - PVC plastic foamed sheet (2' x 3' x 1/8") $10.00 - Quick-release hose (2 @ $5.00) $2.00 - Rare-earth magnet $6.00 - RC plugs (2 @ $3.00) $15.00 - Rechargable RC batteries (2 @ $7.50) $2.60 - Rechargable plug $5.20 - Recharge sockets (2 @ $2.60) $6.00 - Relays $1.30 - Resistor $5.00 - Speaker cable $2.50 - 8-row terminal strip $15.00 - Three-way sprinkler valve $6.60 - Tubing 90-degree connector (3 @ $2.20) $5.60 - Tubing barb (4 @ $1.40) $4.00 - Velcro straps (pack of 6) Wing mechanism total (to date) - $406.30

Wing fabric

Unlike the mechanism, the fabric is pretty much unique to each suit. That's because this is the covering that people actually see, the stuff that represents the feathers or leathery membrane, and each character has a slightly different color scheme.

$55.00 - Black taffeta (5 yards @ $10.00, plus tax) $12.50 - Extra fabric snaps (5 @ $2.50) $55.00 - Irridescent taffeta (5 yards @ $10.00, plus tax) Wing fabric total (to date) - $122.50

Tail

Most fursuits, including this one, have tails. Suits of some creatures look fine with just a foam-filled sock, and some require a little more work. Onyx is, alas, among the latter.

$2.55 - 1' x 4' vinyl strip $4.30 - 1/4" Delrin rod $5.25 - Fun foam (5 sheets @ $1.05) $4.50 - Giant sized plastic needlepoint mesh (3 @ $1.50) $5.40 - Hook and eye catches (2 packages of 12 @ $2.70) Tail total (to date) - $22.00

Clothing

Some suits, including this one, require clothing over and above the actual suit. This area details what it cost to make or buy those clothes.

$22.00 - Cargo pants $15.00 - Suspenders Clothing total (to date) - $37.00

$884.95 - Total suit costs (to date) $528.50 - Total wing costs (to date) $1413.45 - Total costume costs (to date) $1028.25 - Total tools costs (to date) $2415.35 - Total costs (to date)