Halo Reach Emile - London 2013 Comicon foam build

[S272]

templates for the right shoulder plate (I had to play around with the pepakura slightly to make foam ready.

Half done.

Done! Wonky and messy, I know, and some of the parts don't really fit properly, and my cutting is bad, but it fits together and doesn't collapse if you let go of it, so I'm pleased. I'll probably end up redoing it later on.

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

What are u using to cut your foam with?

 

[S272]

What are u using to cut your foam with?

Currently, big scissors. Horrific, and a bad choice, I know, but I have no alternative. I can get a relatively clean cut if I'm careful.
I would get an Xacto heated knife, but that's another expense and the budget is extremely tight, stanley knives just don't cut it (pun intended), so I'm at a loss as to what to do. At a stretch I could probably get an Xacto.

What would you suggest?

 

[Caboose vs Grif]

Use one of these:

I got mine at the dollar store, although I dont think they have "dollar stores" in the UK. They should be fairly cheap though. Hope I could help!

 

[BMP Props]

Hey there, figured I'd chime in since I just completed my foam reach build, check it out here...hope I can be of some help...
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/39611-ChefBZD-s-Foam-Reach-Spartan-Build-WIP

you should definitely get an exacto knife and a couple packs of blades. you will need to cut lots of 45 degree angles for the seams and I'm not sure you'll be able to achieve that with the scissors. also, my foam skills improved vastly after watching these

videos...wicked helpful foam tutorial, seriously, watch this.
Another thing you might consider is using different thicknesses of foam...I use three different thicknesses to achieve detail. I find its much easier to add layers than to try to cut away, if that makes sense...i hope you'll find this helpful.

As for the gear, I love the web belts and straps, I might add some sapper gear to my suit after my first convention this weekend. Good luck!

 

[RTWHOCKEY]

Hey there, figured I'd chime in since I just completed my foam reach build, check it out here...hope I can be of some help...
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/39611-ChefBZD-s-Foam-Reach-Spartan-Build-WIP

you should definitely get an exacto knife and a couple packs of blades. you will need to cut lots of 45 degree angles for the seams and I'm not sure you'll be able to achieve that with the scissors. also, my foam skills improved vastly after watching these

videos...wicked helpful foam tutorial, seriously, watch this.
Another thing you might consider is using different thicknesses of foam...I use three different thicknesses to achieve detail. I find its much easier to add layers than to try to cut away, if that makes sense...i hope you'll find this helpful.

As for the gear, I love the web belts and straps, I might add some sapper gear to my suit after my first convention this weekend. Good luck!

I couldn't have said it better! Exacto knife's where it's at.

 

[S272]

Use one of these:

I got mine at the dollar store, although I dont think they have "dollar stores" in the UK. They should be fairly cheap though. Hope I could help!

Haha, I've got a bunch of those, (that's what we call stanley knives, I mentioned them in the original post), I was just finding it exceedingly hard to get through the foam. And they do have dollar stores, we just call them pound shops.

Hey there, figured I'd chime in since I just completed my foam reach build, check it out here...hope I can be of some help...
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/39611-ChefBZD-s-Foam-Reach-Spartan-Build-WIP

you should definitely get an exacto knife and a couple packs of blades. you will need to cut lots of 45 degree angles for the seams and I'm not sure you'll be able to achieve that with the scissors. also, my foam skills improved vastly after watching these

videos...wicked helpful foam tutorial, seriously, watch this.
Another thing you might consider is using different thicknesses of foam...I use three different thicknesses to achieve detail. I find its much easier to add layers than to try to cut away, if that makes sense...i hope you'll find this helpful.

As for the gear, I love the web belts and straps, I might add some sapper gear to my suit after my first convention this weekend. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, it looks like I'll be ordering an xacto to arrive tomorrow! The foam tutorial was great, I'll try put it all to use when cutting out the bicep piece for my right arm later today. I also have a cr*ap-ton of foamies, so hopefully they'll make up for my lack of varied thickness foam. I can layer them like you said, and we'll see how thing turn out.

I couldn't have said it better! Exacto knife's where it's at.

Damn right! I should have one and a few sets of spare blades by tomorrow. I never knew they were so cheap!

Another question; do you guys have heated Xacto knives or just normal ones?

 

[S272]

Also, big props on the foam build chef, it looks awesome! I especially love your security shoulder, making me jealous already! :rolleyes

 

[BMP Props]

I just use regular exacto blades, not heated. For some parts where it gets tricky to fit everything together, say like a spot where 4 corners come together at one point, a soldering iron can come in handy to melt any tiny imperfections. A soldering iron is also really good for removing excess hot glue from seams. If you hold a hot soldering iron about 1/8" away from a seam (do not actually make contact) you will see that any excess glue will shrivel up into a bead and can be wiped off easily...this makes for super clean seams.

And thanks about my suit, I can't wait to wear it this weekend at Supercon!

 

[S272]

I just use regular exacto blades, not heated. For some parts where it gets tricky to fit everything together, say like a spot where 4 corners come together at one point, a soldering iron can come in handy to melt any tiny imperfections. A soldering iron is also really good for removing excess hot glue from seams. If you hold a hot soldering iron about 1/8" away from a seam (do not actually make contact) you will see that any excess glue will shrivel up into a bead and can be wiped off easily...this makes for super clean seams.

And thanks about my suit, I can't wait to wear it this weekend at Supercon!

Thanks for the tips on glue removal, I'd settled so far for reaheating it with the tip of the glue gun and then spreading it until it was a very thin barely visible layer along the seam. I can't wait to see pics of you at Supercon!

 

[S272]

Scratchbuilt the right bicep piece. Still learning how to handle foam. This should be finished tomorrow. Then I'll start work on the chest, which'll take a while.
Front:

Back:

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

Sorry, for the late reply. If u go and google x acto knife 45, as u scroll through u will find a knife that is really small. I think it cuts at a 45 degee. Or the degrees can be slightly adjusted. Saw a tutorial a while back, this knife seems to be a lot better than the straight handled x acto. Giving u way more precision on ur cuts. Let me see if I can find the website.

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

http://www.xacto.com/products/cutting-solutions/knives/knives/Foamboard-Cutter.aspx. Go and check this website out. I think they are like 4 bucks at Walmart. Havn't seen one at the Walmart that I go to. So maybe any hobby store around ur area, might carry them. Or order online.

 

[Ghost Bear 027]

Are you going to cast this?

Have you thought about heating plexiglass parts (stove, firepit, hair dryer, whatever) and then bending/shaping it as you see fit? It's a lot easier to get clean edges with while cutting and dremmeling, though the burns can get tiresome if you're not careful.

 

[S272]

http://www.xacto.com/products/cutting-solutions/knives/knives/Foamboard-Cutter.aspx. Go and check this website out. I think they are like 4 bucks at Walmart. Havn't seen one at the Walmart that I go to. So maybe any hobby store around ur area, might carry them. Or order online.

Thanks, I may buy one of those in the future when I need to do lots of small pieces for the helmet/etc. I don't think there's any stores which sell them around here, or in Britain. But I can look anyway.

Are you going to cast this?

Have you thought about heating plexiglass parts (stove, firepit, hair dryer, whatever) and then bending/shaping it as you see fit? It's a lot easier to get clean edges with while cutting and dremmeling, though the burns can get tiresome if you're not careful.

I'm not planning on casting it, just coating it in plastidip. It's a possibility I might cast the helmet. Although I know this will give much smoother faces and clean cuts on the edges, it's also an expense I can't really accommodate for. Working with foam will be a steep learning curve.

 

[S272]

Hey guys, quick update!

Ignore the glue and stuff, it'll be fine once plastidipped and painted. Fits around my upper arm snugly, no problems there, it turned out relatively well for my first scratchbuilt piece. I just gotta add on some details and foamies and it'll be ready to go!

And of course, being the klutz I am, I managed to melt some skin off my wrist after accidentally brushing it on the nozzle of the heat gun while I was reaching over for more foam.

(ouch!)

 

[VSMShockWave]

Bro I've done that before a I know I freaking hurts. Stay safe out in the field spartan.

 

[RTWHOCKEY]

Ouch! Heat guns are freakin scary!!

 

[S272]

Hey guys, I'm not dead or MIA, I'm on holiday for two weeks! I'll be back a week on friday! Then a mad dash to get as much of the suit done as possible!
Back soon!

 

[S272]

Back from the holiday everyone, production starts again a little later this afternoon!
It's good to be back.