Best Method For Replicating Armor

[crel45]

I was just running through the site at the different ways of replicating armor. You have the common PEP method and Mold method, seem to be the popular here. I have read and seen a lot of videos on both methods but which one is better? Which will be easier to work with? I Know both have their down sides and such. But watching Adams videos of his Molded armor and other ppls PEP armor, i am leaning towards the Mold one. I know it will cost me, but cost is OK for a good out come. And yes i am a noob and have never done anything like this before so yes i am expecting mistakes. Learning new things is always a joy for me.



Links or explanations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all

 

[bboyfresco]

I was just running through the site at the different ways of replicating armor. You have the common PEP method and Mold method, seem to be the popular here. I have read and seen a lot of videos on both methods but which one is better? Which will be easier to work with? I Know both have their down sides and such. But watching Adams videos of his Molded armor and other ppls PEP armor, i am leaning towards the Mold one. I know it will cost me, but cost is OK for a good out come. And yes i am a noob and have never done anything like this before so yes i am expecting mistakes. Learning new things is always a joy for me.



Links or explanations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all

from my experience with both. I'd say if you can get through the pepping cutting, folding and gluing and didn't mind doing that for every piece and the files exsist in high definition. There's not much work you have to do on them once they are strengthened. I'm a noob at sculpting and i'll tell you . Its very hard to get the clay very smooth especially when you're new. Me for example. I'd have to cast a prototype then sand that all down then re mold it once it was perfect that way if anyone wanted the cast I wouldn't have to put so much work into it.



I say if the files exsist in HD. Do those then mold the final product just to have a more light weight version.



example. my Torso weighs a ton. I'm going to mold and cast it for a more like weight/ durable version.

 

[Adam]

We had a flow chart. Even molded armor sometimes starts as pep. You shouldn't mold someone elses work, but do your own from scratch. You can do a variety of things:

• Sculpt from clay, then mold, cast and wear it
• Make Pep, fiberglass it, bondo it, smooth it out, even add clay, then mold, cast, and wear it.
• Make Pep, fiberglass it, wear it.

Pep is great for those who don't have the eye for making it from scratch.

 

[DaSlacker]

To answer your questions, neither of the methods is better, it all depends on were your talents lie. I am horrible with sculpting so the PEP method is better for me. The easiest of the methods I think has to go to the PEP method as well at least for me, you might find out the exact opposite. As for one being better then the other outcome wise, both methods have produced amazing armor. You've seen some of the sculpted ones, this is an amazing PEP one, with molding of the PEP afterwards http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8175



For the other links

PEP forum: http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showforum=12



Molding forum: http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showforum=1



everything you should need will be in there to get started.



~Slacker

 

[micahmills]

We had a flow chart. Even molded armor sometimes starts as pep. You shouldn't mold someone elses work, but do your own from scratch. You can do a variety of things:

• Sculpt from clay, then mold, cast and wear it
• Make Pep, fiberglass it, bondo it, smooth it out, even add clay, then mold, cast, and wear it.
• Make Pep, fiberglass it, wear it.

Pep is great for those who don't have the eye for making it from scratch.

hey Adam could u please answer this, actually could anybody answer this, i have an old clear football visor, would it fit a mark v helm, it can be small about an inch or two because ill just fill it in. i took a football face mask and put it up to my mkv helm the height was ok but the length looked a little short, the reason i didn't just take the actual visor is because i cant find it 8( but im certain i have it- Thank you

 

[crel45]

We had a flow chart. Even molded armor sometimes starts as pep. You shouldn't mold someone elses work, but do your own from scratch. You can do a variety of things:

• Sculpt from clay, then mold, cast and wear it
• Make Pep, fiberglass it, bondo it, smooth it out, even add clay, then mold, cast, and wear it.
• Make Pep, fiberglass it, wear it.

Pep is great for those who don't have the eye for making it from scratch.

I never intended to copy others work. I meant to replicate the armor from the game not a sole person. That would just be wrong and not fun.

 

[customprops]

i think molding is better

 

[DYSTORTED INC]

It all really depends on whether you will be doing multiple casts. You could pep a suit of armor, fiberglass and the whole nine yards, and wear it. Or you can go one step farther and mold your finished pep and cast it in plastic. The only real debate is whether or not its worth spending the money on molding and casting. It would need to be top notch and something you would want to replicate for friends or people that wanted a cast. The choice is yours.

 

[Xtreme TACTICS 101]

Or you could go inbetween molding/casting armor or peping/fiberglassing armour, and slush cast your armor. Just pep the piece, put 1-2 coats of resin on it, and take some Smooth-cast 300 and swoosh it around on the inside of the piece. The Smooth-cast 300 dries just as tough as fiberglass, and you don't have to buy fiberglass! You would also have to do minimal bondo work (If any at all), and the Smooth-cast 300 is easy to sand, dries quick, and has very few toxic fumes/materials so you won't kill yourself.

 

[DYSTORTED INC]

Oh yeah, or you could do that. Forget my post, palm face.