In part 2 of my step-by-step Star Wars Rey cosplay costume tutorial, I explain how to make a DIY Star Wars Rey staff from little more than plumbing supplies, cardboard and things you probably have around the home.

Emily’s convention adventures in her DIY Star Wars Rey Costume.

Emily stands in front of Rey’s Speeder at Manchester Film and Comic Convention.

As I explained in an earlier post (HERE), Emily went to her first convention and dressed as Rey from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In this, the second part of my DIY Star Wars Rey costume tutorial, I show you how to make Rey’s staff. For details of how I made Rey’s clothes and recreated her hairstyle, see Part 1, (DIY Star Wars Rey Costume Tutorial).

As with Part 1, I’m back in front of the camera again. Although I explain all the steps of how to make a DIY Star Wars Rey Staff here, my accompanying YouTube video goes into even more detail.

Rey in her dust sheet and Primark Uggs (‘Puggs’), brandishing her staff.

DIY Star Wars Rey staff on a budget: Your shopping list.

• FloPlast PEX Pipe 22mm x 2m (cut to an appropriate size for height) Screwfix Cat. No. 94352 (here)

FLOPLAST PEX PIPE 22MM X 2M (94352) from Screwfix

• 3 FloPlast MDPE Female adapter 20mm x 3/4 inch (You can also use a male adapter as you only need the end piece). Cat No. 32438 (here)

FLOPLAST FEMALE PIPE ADAPTOR 20MM X ¾” (32438) from Screwfix. You can also use male adaptor as you only need blue cap.

• 2 Pf 22mm Straight Coupler Cat No. 13867 (here)

JG SPEEDFIT PEM0422WP STRAIGHT COUPLERS 22MM (13867) from Screwfix.

• For webbing grip – Crepe bandage or suitable strips of cotton twill. I used ScrewFix No Nonsense Cotton Twill Dust Sheet as I will be using this for Rey’s costume. Cat No. 20406 (here)

NO NONSENSE COTTON TWILL DUST SHEET 6′ X 3′ (20406) from Screwfix.

• Cellulose sponges.

Cellulose sponges. I used a thick and a thin one for mine and taped them to the staff with electricians tape and Gaffer tape.

• Black electrician’s tape.
• Black Gaffer/Duct Tape.
• Flesh-coloured stretch fabric strapping 1 inch (here)
• Silver paint/stamp pad ink.
• Black Satin multi-surface spray paint (you may need to use a primer/undercoat first). I’m usually a fan of Valspar paint, but I wouldn’t recommend the Valspar spray paint I used. It flakes and chips easily despite several coats.
• Optional satin or matt varnish spray paint. (this will help prevent chipping and flaking but it isn’t essential, especially if you have a good quality black spray paint).
• Double-sided tape or glue.
• Cardboard to make fins on the staff and circular discs to cover the adaptor holes.
• Standard cardboard tube from aluminium foil or cling film.
• Thin brown leather/leather effect belt or bag strap.
• Cable ties.

Step-by-step instructions for making a DIY Star Wars Rey staff.

1. Cut the FloPlast PEX Pipe 22mm to the required length using a hacksaw. As a guide, Emily is 1.4m so I cut it to 1.55m. Just make sure that when you attach the strap and carry it on the back across body, it doesn’t drag on the floor! Also, if you look at the photo of Emily carrying the staff on her back you will see the strap isn’t attached symmetrically, either, so bear this in mind.

2. Cut a 10cm length of the cardboard inner tube from an aluminium foil dispenser using a hacksaw.

3. Cut a piece of cardboard to a size of 10cm by 6cm and mark it with a pen at 1.5cm widths as shown in the photo below.

4. Construct the ‘fin’ end of the staff as shown in the diagram:

5. Construct the other end of the staff as shown in the diagram:

6. Cut circular cardboard discs and glue them to the open ends of the blue adaptor caps to seal them.

7. The staff is now ready to be painted black. I used Valspar all in one multi-surface black satin spray paint but I was disappointed that it chipped and cracked despite several coats (and it was expensive at £12). You may prefer to use a primer/undercoat first and then spray with a high quality black satin or matt flexible paint.

8. Once the paint is dry you can spray it with matt or satin clear varnish for extra protection.

9. Once the paint was dry I made the staff look more metallic and authentic by using a soft paint brush to lightly brush silver/grey paint or silver stamp pad ink onto the staff, paying particular attention to the exposed edges and fins of the staff.

10. To make the webbing grip for the staff I used 10cm wide strips of dust sheet (or you could use crepe bandage). I fixed the strips to the staff (starting just below the cellulose sponge at the non-fin end) with tape and then wound it tightly around the staff until the grip was approximately 40cm wide. I wrapped flesh coloured elastic strapping (1 inch wide) at either end of the grip to secure it.  Please note that the grip is not in the middle of the staff but closer to the non-fin end.

11. I moistened a tea bag and squeezed out the excess water carefully before dabbing it along the grip to stain it and make it look grubbier!

12. I attached the shoulder strap to the staff just below the telephone cable coils at either end using cable ties.

13. The finished staff.

Voila! The finished Rey DIY staff, complete with shoulder strap.

DIY Star Wars Rey staff video tutorial.

The final reveal: Emily as Rey from Star Wars The Force Awakens (including DIY Star Wars Rey staff).

Over to you.

I hope you’ve enjoyed following my step-by-step tutorials and found part 2, DIY Star Wars Rey staff, easy to follow.

What are your fancy dress triumphs and disasters? Have you taken your children to a convention? What did you think of this thrifty cosplay costume? As always, I’d love to hear from you.

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