Hello all builders. Let me re-introduce myself :) And offer all my advice on building techniques!

[EVAkura]

Hey all! Sorry I have been gone so long. I have been super busy working with our beloved company on super secret projects for a very long time. Over 3 years! I have done my best to represent the Pacific Regiment as the Commanding Officer, and hope that I have performed my duties the best I could. I want to thank Chris Pense for all of his diligence as my XO, making sure that things moved along smoothly as possible. I am super happy to take on the mantle of 405th Division Staff: "343I Liaison". With that said, I want to invite you all to ask any question you may have of me. With this, I mean any technique, method, product, or skill. Please do not ask me about anything that I am confidentially bound not to talk about (Infinite, 343 Industries, or Bungie). I am more than happy to tell you all about any skill I have learned in my journey to become a better builder. Please feel free to ask away! My specific areas of expertise is: EVA, pepakura, rondo and bondo, 3d print clean-up, molding, casting, painting, and everything in between. If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find it out

For those who may not have seen this, here is a bit of history of my work:

Enjoy!!

 

[he4thbar]

Any tips or tricks with foam clay? I'm going to have to use some on my elite face in the future and I have yet to even work with the product.

 

[MrJamin]

EVAkura - I just watched that video (first time I've seen it) That is very very awesome!

 

[EVAkura]

Any tips or tricks with foam clay? I'm going to have to use some on my elite face in the future and I have yet to even work with the product.

Hello he4thbar! I have limited experience working with foam clay, but from what I have, it is pretty easy to work with. Just make sure it is fully dry before you start sanding! Personally, for sculpting, especially on another substrate, I use Smooth-On's Free Form Air, or Free Form Sculpt. Both are super easy to work with, and you can use a bit of water to really smooth out the sculpts prior to cure. I also believe the price is much less when you consider how much you get! A one gallon kit costs about $85 and you get two gallons total!

 

[FloodHunter]

I can't help but to ask about one thing. I'm trying to upgrade my gen2 Master Chief armor and I've seen that your Master Chief has slightly articulated armor plates on boots so... how did you do this? And I could use some tips in terms of how to secure these plates (3d printed) properly. I want to attach them permanently to the boots but don't know how.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Rock Lobbster]

Do you cast all your undersuit pieces? Looking at different methods for building a Reach undersuit for my custom spartan and Jorge build

 

[EVAkura]

I can't help but to ask about one thing. I'm trying to upgrade my gen2 Master Chief armor and I've seen that your Master Chief has slightly articulated armor plates on boots so... how did you do this? And I could use some tips in terms of how to secure these plates (3d printed) properly. I want to attach them permanently to the boots but don't know how.
Thanks in advance!

For the boots, I subset "T-nuts" into the armor parts with epoxy, then attached them to a cast rubberized boot (but this could be any footwear you decide to use). It was a major pain to get the screws into the t-nuts through the boot portion, but I managed with patience and thread lock. Since I really couldn't use a full screwdriver, I ended up using just the phillip's head and a short 3/8" ratchet adapter.

 

[EVAkura]

Do you cast all your undersuit pieces? Looking at different methods for building a Reach undersuit for my custom spartan and Jorge build

Yes, all my undersuit parts are cast. For my H3 ab-wrap mold, I simply created it out of EVA craft foam, built up the edges, applied a release agent, then poured rondo to make the mold. Once it cured, I removed the EVA craft foam, and now just pour a couple layers of tinted mask latex followed up with a layer of Lycra to give it strength. Overall, it was a really simple process to create Here is a video of me demolding one of the wraps for reference.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2228389164069752

 

[Rock Lobbster]

Yes, all my undersuit parts are cast. For my H3 ab-wrap mold, I simply created it out of EVA craft foam, built up the edges, applied a release agent, then poured rondo to make the mold. Once it cured, I removed the EVA craft foam, and now just pour a couple layers of tinted mask latex followed up with a layer of Lycra to give it strength. Overall, it was a really simple process to create Here is a video of me demolding one of the wraps for reference.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2228389164069752

Awesome! Thanks for the reply

 

[MrJamin]

Yes, all my undersuit parts are cast. For my H3 ab-wrap mold, I simply created it out of EVA craft foam, built up the edges, applied a release agent, then poured rondo to make the mold. Once it cured, I removed the EVA craft foam, and now just pour a couple layers of tinted mask latex followed up with a layer of Lycra to give it strength. Overall, it was a really simple process to create Here is a video of me demolding one of the wraps for reference.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2228389164069752

Desire to buy one intensifies :-D

 

[MrJamin]

By the way EVAkura - How goes getting settled into the new place + shop?

 

[EVAkura]

By the way EVAkura - How goes getting settled into the new place + shop?

Pretty much all set up! I have a few things left to get worked out/catch up on still. Hoping to work on my website after this weekend and get the web shop up and running again

 

[RandomRanger]

Yes, all my undersuit parts are cast. For my H3 ab-wrap mold, I simply created it out of EVA craft foam, built up the edges, applied a release agent, then poured rondo to make the mold. Once it cured, I removed the EVA craft foam, and now just pour a couple layers of tinted mask latex followed up with a layer of Lycra to give it strength. Overall, it was a really simple process to create Here is a video of me demolding one of the wraps for reference.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2228389164069752

This is what I wanted to ask... I see someone beat me to it xD.
Thanks for the info! I've been dying to know the secret.

 

[TecnicoNinja]

Brand new to the forum, that video was a pretty fun watch

 

[crackhead09]

Dude fantastic work. Need to hit up the pacific when I visit for ECCC

 

[TheTAB01]

Hey all! Sorry I have been gone so long. I have been super busy working with our beloved company on super secret projects for a very long time. Over 3 years! I have done my best to represent the Pacific Regiment as the Commanding Officer, and hope that I have performed my duties the best I could. I want to thank Chris Pense for all of his diligence as my XO, making sure that things moved along smoothly as possible. I am super happy to take on the mantle of 405th Division Staff: "343I Liaison". With that said, I want to invite you all to ask any question you may have of me. With this, I mean any technique, method, product, or skill. Please do not ask me about anything that I am confidentially bound not to talk about (Infinite, 343 Industries, or Bungie). I am more than happy to tell you all about any skill I have learned in my journey to become a better builder. Please feel free to ask away! My specific areas of expertise is: EVA, pepakura, rondo and bondo, 3d print clean-up, molding, casting, painting, and everything in between. If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find it out

For those who may not have seen this, here is a bit of history of my work:

Enjoy!!

Gosh darn it, here I thought I was going to be the very first person to work on making the Gen 2 Tech Suit and making molds. I have had plans on having models with negative molds for casting dragon skin, silicone, or rubber to keep it washable. Where did you guys source models for making the undersuit templates?

I'm currently in the planning/modeling stage of the A055 Recluse armor from Halo 5 and I plan on making the Gen 2 Tech Suit a stand-alone cosplay for under the armor, so high details for me are addictive and are honestly my favorite part of a build.

 

[EVAkura]

Go for it!! Our files were sourced directly from 343i as per the video above and our contract with them (sorry, files are still not share able). However, there are no longer any molds from this suit as I destroyed all of them. If you choose to make your own, that would be awesome!!!

 

[PlanetAlexander]

Just watched the video, that was incredible. I'm focusing on prop making for a career and I'm currently open to commissions. How did you get started with professional prop making?

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Kind of off the topic or maybe a “no no” question. But do you have any idea if anything ever came of that other 343 fella Unyshek asking for input from the community? I don’t remember ever seeing anything else about it.

 

[EVAkura]

Just watched the video, that was incredible. I'm focusing on prop making for a career and I'm currently open to commissions. How did you get started with professional prop making?

Thank you! To be honest, it was a "right place, right time" sort of deal! I had just completed the Halo 4 Master Chief for "The World's Tallest Spartan" and we had gone to ECCC. I made a point of taking him and the suit to 343i's booth with the intention of catching their eye. It certainly did! We exchanged info, and before I knew it we were building them the H5 Master Chief That was the defining moment when I went from casual builder to what I am today.