Build anthology #2 (Satchmo III, ionHighlander)

Greetings members of the 405th community. This thread will document the creation of a number of Halo-related items.

As a brief introduction, last summer (2011) my brother, ionHighlander, visited me in Minnesota from Wisconsin. During his visit we produced a fairly kick-arse JFO helmet, which was and still is his in-game helmet of choice (JFO helmet build work log). Now, he is visiting me for another three weeks this summer in the state of Nebraska where I now call home. After discussing what kind of build we'd like to reach for we came to the conclusion that we'd expand the scope a bit from the one helmet we built last year.

Items on this year's work log include the following. All PDO files for the following can be found at my modeling portfolio thread (Model portfolio).

1) Reach helmet concept #1
2) Reach helmet concept #3
3) Reach helmet concept #4
4) Reach helmet concept #5
5) Reach helmet elite ultra
6) Reach weapon needler

This build thread will primarily consist of work summaries but will include detail for steps that are unique or not covered in previous build threads. For additional detail on steps that are only summarized here, please refer to my previous build works which can be found at my project portfolio thread (Project portfolio). Detail expected to be covered in this thread includes face-plate work (vacuum-forming) and needle work (molding, although this may change).

I would like to issue a big thank you to Isaac Hannaford for providing his excellent concept artwork which a large chunk of this build is based from. I hope some of the information contained in this thread is helpful to community members. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

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UPDATE #1 SUMMARY (2012-07-14 through 2012-07-20)...

1) Completed concept #1, #3, #4, and #5 helmets through the fiberglass stage.
2) Assembled paper for the ultra helmet and the needler body.

UPDATE #1 DETAIL...

"Final boarding call for flight #666: Shire to Mordor."

ionHilander has been with my for about a week. In this time we've put together six paper models. We began by printing everything but the needler at the beginning of the week (shown below). With the addition of the printout for the needler I think the total page count was 119 (I see it too, the quantity is just two off from what it should be).



The rule of thumb I've discovered after assembling this paper and from previous projects is that it takes about eight hours to complete paperwork. One hour is spent creasing fold-lines, two hours are spent cutting, and five hours are spent gluing pieces together. This time-frame is extended a bit when larger models like an elite helmet of closed-in models like a needler are approached, but all-in-all, eight man-hours is needed per model. That said, roughly 50 man-hours were used this week for the paperwork of these six models. Since ionHighlander and I worked together most of this time it took us over the course of about four days to assemble the paper for all six models. We began with the four concept helmets.



We used chop-sticks to pull the paper of the #1 visor so that it would be straight. This is the same technique we will use to fix any minor skew with the needler paper (it is difficult to eliminate skew from weapon models).







After paperwork for the four concept helmets was complete we moved to harden them. This work consisted of applying resin to the models' exterior, then interior, applying a thin layer or rondo to the models' interior, and applying a fiberglass mat layer to each models' interior. After this we prime-painted the helmets to gauge where bondo work will be required to smooth surfaces and add detail.







When we weren't applying dangerous chemicals (please remember to always where proper safety respirators) or throwing around frisbees (either to each other or chain-link baskets) we were putting together the paper for the ultra elite helmet and the needler.

The ultra elite was scaled to be elite-sized. The idea is to be able to mount this or have it be able to be strapped to a spartan's back (as if it were a trophy from a kill). We may add heavy battle damage indicative to a kill stab or shot or we may keep it pristine.



Being that the needler model is enclosed it makes it more difficult to put together than a helmet model. We soldiered on and got it together with minimal skew. The preliminary plan for the needles is to mold one asymmetric needle model with clear plastic and insert castings into the needler body at different depths and rotations so they appear to be uniquely individual needles. More info on this will come later in the build (as we get to it).



Work for this coming week will include shaping/detailing of the concept helmets and face-plate work and the hardening of the elite ultra and needler models.

Thanks for viewing four-oh-five. I hope you are finding these summer months to be fruitful for building. Keep on.

Simply:congratulation!

When I saw it I looked like this -->



Simply amazing !

I just look at the elite helm and wow!, it's like there's an elite out there missin that helmet

"The Elite Ultra helm was scaled to ELITE proportions"

LOVE this!

The fourth helmet. I can't wait to see what you'll do with the visor!

where did you get the elite pep file? i have been looking all over but can't find it at all T_T
Did you model and unfold it yourself?

otaku for life said:

where did you get the elite pep file? i have been looking all over but can't find it at all T_T
Did you model and unfold it yourself?

Click to expand...

Click the links in his signature.

Satchmo, the pep work looks awesome, can't believe you're able to crank out quality like that in 8 hours, it takes me a week to make a single little piece like a bicep.

Super amazing i love all your work and all your concept pieces
everything youve put out is whats motivated me
im using your SPI forearms and concept shins for my first build and taking them to my first con(dragonCon) in 2 weeks
thanks much

Awesome Sangheili helm!
I'm too using the SPI forearms and 6 concept hem for the Mike-120 MKIV from the cole protocol

Warpath5150 said:

"The Elite Ultra helm was scaled to ELITE proportions"

LOVE this!

Click to expand...

just saw this and i was like "rofl"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!