Foam Technique Tutorials

[DocDailey]

Drack,

Seriously you just saved my ass with your lighting tutorial!!! I honestly thought I needed a degree in electronics to do what you did. My projects will no longer stumble around in the dark!! Thanks a million!!

 

[drack]

Drack,

Seriously you just saved my ass with your lighting tutorial!!! I honestly thought I needed a degree in electronics to do what you did. My projects will no longer stumble around in the dark!! Thanks a million!!

No worries man. I was hoping that by showing a brief vid on lighting I might be able show people how easy it is. Before I started my suit I had no idea what I was doing but thought the LEDs are so cheap that it would wrong not to have a go at it. I should learn all the maths really so I can better explain how to do the lighting properly but I am sure there are guys out there that can answer questions of that nature on the electronics threads.

Always there to help,
Tom.

 

[hiroitchi]

Ossum tutorials man, I greatly appreciate them. Serious Kudos man.

 

[drack]

Ossum tutorials man, I greatly appreciate them. Serious Kudos man.

My pleasure! Got a nice amount of days coming up soon so hopefully I can start my CQB video diary. Finding it hard to do any sort of building done atm due to work taking over. Might have to demand the wife lets me have a day of nothing but me time

Tom

 

[vargatom]

Hey Drack, jJust wanted to drop in to thank you again for these videos. The tips have proven to be very useful for making clean foam work at a good pace!

The whole glue gun nozzle trick is perhaps the best in getting nice clean results, but freehanding the 45-degree angled seams with two passes is also something that's proven to be actually better than the X-acto foam board cutter. Now that I finally have some free time to spend at the workshop I'm starting to pick up speed at last

 

[drack]

Hey Drack, jJust wanted to drop in to thank you again for these videos. The tips have proven to be very useful for making clean foam work at a good pace!

The whole glue gun nozzle trick is perhaps the best in getting nice clean results, but freehanding the 45-degree angled seams with two passes is also something that's proven to be actually better than the X-acto foam board cutter. Now that I finally have some free time to spend at the workshop I'm starting to pick up speed at last

Thanks man. When do we get to see some work from you then?

 

[vargatom]

Er... when it's done?

Hopefully I can pick up some speed now, as most of the building related issues have been solved.
There is a lot of work to do but I also have more free time - I can now stay in late working on the 3D templates instead of my tasks

I do understand that it must be a bit frustrating giving all this help and seeing nothing for it, that's actually one of the reasons why I really want to get going.

 

[drack]

Update to the lighting tutorial. It's not a video by me but under my lighting video link on the first page I have added link to a video by James from Xrobot.co.uk that explains the maths involved for lighting. I was going to learn exactly how it is all done but found his video and although I now know how I thought rather than make a tutorial I would just post his. Check out his website at www.xrobot.co.uk cause he has loads of useful info and some very impressive builds.

Tom.

 

[gliderx64]

All of those tuts are great man... I'm just getting to the point of needing the led stuff and this jjumped out at just the right time. Thanks for taking the time, very well done

 

[Dh748]

Hey drack, I was wondering if you're going to do a sealing tutorial, I kinda could use some pointers before I go and do it

 

[drack]

What do you mean by sealing tutorial? If you mean sealing the foam I just paint it with a coat of plastidip, prime it then paint it with acrylic or sprey with car paint depending on the effect I want.

 

[Dh748]

I bought plastidip spray, would work about the same then?

 

[drack]

Not sure but I would assume so. I would test a piece of scrap first to see. If I remember right I think I read that with spray plastidip you have to do a light coat first to avoid it eating the foam. If it does eat the foam then multiple layers of watered down PVA will seal it ready for the dip. On stealths tutorials he says to water it down so it can soak into the foam. If you don't get it to soak in then it peels away easily.

Hope this helps some,
Tom.

 

[DH27]

this is sweet as Tom wish i had tutorials when i started foam building like these

 

[drack]

Thank you man. I wish I had more time to do some more videos but haven't got alot of time atm, well it's getting the wife in the right frame of mind to let me

Might see if she will let me do something either thursday or Friday.

 

[Dh748]

Tried it out, didn't eat the foam whatsoever, but I need to get a can of spray paint (that isn't glossy) to check its er..... effectivness.

 

[drack]

Use some primer. Grey is best because most colours you choose for your final paint scheme will work on it and the primer also helps smooth out the over all finish (a bit).

 

[Dh748]

I Figured that out! really helps smooth seams, my armor is gonna come out a lil glossy, but i'll weather it somehow. Oh any tips on weathering foam? it isn't really the same as hard armor

 

[drack]

The only weathering I have done so far is to use a really blunt blade and hack out some battle damage. Other than that its all down to dry brushing for scratches and brown/black washes for dirt. I still have to finish off my weathering but you know how it is, I got into another project. If I didnt restrain myself there is another build I want to do but 5 would mean none would get finished

 

[Dh748]

I know exactly what ya mean! I only have one and I hardly get stuff done. got my pieces first coat of paiint on, and attached to their according pieces. foam is so light! velcro hold it very well. (I wanted buckles but the store here has em at 2 dollars per! Just for a lil input...




I need to secure it's wideness somehow.... too wide for my tastes.