First Halo Build! (Foam ODST) (WIP)

[CMYKey]

Really impressive work! Can't wait to see the rest come together. I had the same idea with the bandsaw for my build, but with everything shut down now, I don't have access to the shop. So unless I want to wait (which I don't), I'll have to do my bevels the hard way!

Keep it up!

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Oooohh you use a band saw. That's cheating lol. Might have to go invest into a dremel band saw I was looking at now.

Maybe so... but I can't imagine working without it. Out of all my tools, my bandsaw is definitely the workhorse! Mine was the Harbor Freight model, I got it for like $120, and it's a purchase I'll never regret!

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Keep it up dude, it looks awesome! What's your plan for the visor?

Thank you!! I tossed around the idea of buying one of the legit casted ones, but the prices on those are kinda steep for me right now, and there's a chance it wouldn't even fit in my helmet. So what I'm thinking is trying ot make my own out of a welding replacement visor. I just haven't worked up the courage to cut it out yet.

 

[Danger Viking]

Maybe so... but I can't imagine working without it. Out of all my tools, my bandsaw is definitely the workhorse! Mine was the Harbor Freight model, I got it for like $120, and it's a purchase I'll never regret!

Is it one of those big ones with a big blade meant for wood cutting or is it a smaller one?

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Really impressive work! Can't wait to see the rest come together. I had the same idea with the bandsaw for my build, but with everything shut down now, I don't have access to the shop. So unless I want to wait (which I don't), I'll have to do my bevels the hard way!

Keep it up!

Thanks so much! Ah, that sucks. A bandsaw sure makes it easier, but the hard way is still good. I also do a lot of undercuts to save myself from cutting bevels.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Is it one of those big ones with a big blade meant for wood cutting or is it a smaller one?

Bandsaws are on the bigger side, at least when compared to scrollsaws(which is what the Dremel brand tool you mentioned is). I originally had a scrollsaw, but returned it cause the edges it made when cutting foam were really rough! For my bandsaw I got a "soft material blade", which has a lot more teeth on the blade than a wood cutting blade so it's cut edges are cleaner than what I was getting from the scrollsaw. No where near as clean as a knife cut, but not terrible either. The attached pic is the same saw I have.

 

[Danger Viking]

Bandsaws are on the bigger side, at least when compared to scrollsaws(which is what the Dremel brand tool you mentioned is). I originally had a scrollsaw, but returned it cause the edges it made when cutting foam were really rough! For my bandsaw I got a "soft material blade", which has a lot more teeth on the blade than a wood cutting blade so it's cut edges are cleaner than what I was getting from the scrollsaw. No where near as clean as a knife cut, but not terrible either. The attached pic is the same saw I have.
View attachment 288372

Oh ok that makes much more sense. Does it take up a bunch of room. May have to look into getting this one now since I didnt really think about that.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Oh ok that makes much more sense. Does it take up a bunch of room. May have to look into getting this one now since I didnt really think about that.

It has a footprint of about 9”x15” and a height of 28”. So not a ton of room. I have mine set pretty comfortably on my work table and still have plenty of space to work around it. I would post a pic of my setup... but it’s an embarrassing mess!

 

[Danger Viking]

It has a footprint of about 9”x15” and a height of 28”. So not a ton of room. I have mine set pretty comfortably set on my work table and still have plenty of space to work around it. I would post a pic of my setup... but it’s an embarrassing mess!

That is a nice size for a machine like that. It was what kind of machine again? Aren't all of our work spaces messy? Lol. But a messy work space means progress and thats a good thing.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

That is a nice size for a machine like that. It was what kind of machine again? Aren't all of our work spaces messy? Lol. But a messy work space means progress and thats a good thing.

It's a bench-top bandsaw. You can get a free-standing model that has it's own base, but those are usually $50-100 more, so if you were to get one, just go for the bench-top kind.
Haha, true dat!

 

[Danger Viking]

It's a bench-top bandsaw. You can get a free-standing model that has it's own base, but those are usually $50-100 more, so if you were to get one, just go for the bench-top kind.
Haha, true dat!

Ill take a look around see if I can get one. 50 to 100 isnt that bad of a price to be honest.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Last couple days I was able to knock out all the little pieces, those being the hip plates, the belt buckle, the cod piece and the butt plate.

Still waiting for some foam clay to dry on the butt plate, so I’ll be posting pics as soon as I get that all sanded up, but for the most part it’s finished. Also got some zippers I used to close up the sides of my chest piece.
I’m getting pretty stoked with the way this is coming out! Only got the forearms (which I just started today), shins, knees and thighs and then the construction will be over!
But I’m not sure what I’m gonna wear under the armor. Do you guys have any under clothes suggestions? I was thinking some military fatigues would be neat, but I can’t seem to find any, at least not a matching shirt and pants.

 

[CMYKey]

Lookin' good. I'm not sure I've seen anyone use zippers to secure the vest before, that's a neat approach.

 

[PaiganBoi]

Military BDUs are the typical choice of undersuit that most us troopers choose.
The ones I have are python patterned.
Got them from Amazon.

Plain black will works as well.
If acquiring a set of BDUs is an issue, matching long sleeve shirt and cargo pants can work too.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Lookin' good. I'm not sure I've seen anyone use zippers to secure the vest before, that's a neat approach.

Thanks! Yeah, I don't think many people have used zippers, but for me, they worked out alright. I just wanted something that would be more sturdy than magnets or velcro and still be able to open on both sides to make it easier to get in and out of.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Military BDUs are the typical choice of undersuit that most us troopers choose.
The ones I have are python patterned.
Got them from Amazon.
View attachment 288669
Plain black will works as well.
If acquiring a set of BDUs is an issue, matching long sleeve shirt and cargo pants can work too.

Awesome! That was exactly what I was looking for! Now I gotta figure out if a want a patterned outfit or just plain black.

 

[RogueOneSpartan]

Hey, you mentioned foam clay... what is it used for?

 

[PaiganBoi]

Hey, you mentioned foam clay... what is it used for?

 

[RogueOneSpartan]

Wow, looks so useful, I need to get some foam clay. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[SpartanWorkshop]

Wow, looks so useful, I need to get some foam clay. Thanks for the explanation.

It’s great! A little pricey, but it’s definitely worth it! I mostly use it for large gap filling. I normally use Quik Seal to fill in seams and the like, but foam clay sands nicely so depending on what I’m doing, I prefer using the clay over the caulking.