Jme's H3 MKVI Foam build

[Dirtdives2424]

OMG!!! I needed that laugh so bad!!!! My sides hurt now......

 

[Jme]

Painting is done.

I did the black parts the other night but felt that they were too black. So todAy I did a dirt wash all over and then the highlights.

I may need to do a few touches here and there but major painting is finished.

"I don't know what's weirder, that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing" - Suzie

 

[Jme]

Here is the forearm and glove together

Visor, neck seal and lights and I'm done.


"I don't know what's weirder, that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing" - Suzie

 

[Phule]

wow, the highlights turned out great. Thanks for those pictures.

 

[Jme]

wow, the highlights turned out great. Thanks for those pictures.

Thanks man. I am really happy with it.


"I don't know what's weirder, that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing" - Suzie

 

[Dirtdives2424]

Jme, Dude!!! Looks FANTASTIC!!! I wish my suit comes out 1/2 as good. Ok, now that that was said, a quick observation. The scratches truly accent every seam you have and creates believable battle damage and I understand that it also "conceals" gaps in the armor. But you left the un-seamed areas almost completely bare of any damage at all. If you think about how a soldier moves,crawls, jumps, rolls, dives......ect....ect.....ect......then you get an idea of where "True" scratches would appear on armor. Now if you were going for the "still wet behind the ears" look, you have it. Great job man. When do we get to see the full suit on?

 

[Jme]

Jme, Dude!!! Looks FANTASTIC!!! I wish my suit comes out 1/2 as good. Ok, now that that was said, a quick observation. The scratches truly accent every seam you have and creates believable battle damage and I understand that it also "conceals" gaps in the armor. But you left the un-seamed areas almost completely bare of any damage at all. If you think about how a soldier moves,crawls, jumps, rolls, dives......ect....ect.....ect......then you get an idea of where "True" scratches would appear on armor. Now if you were going for the "still wet behind the ears" look, you have it. Great job man. When do we get to see the full suit on?

Thanks and very Good point.

I was trying to think of the high wear areas without putting in too much damage.

Perhaps I will put it on and then take a look at where I need some extra highlights.

Right now I am not planning on posting a full suit up until I have my neck seal done (working on it now)but realistically that should be this weekend...

Visor is in. Going to post a tut on the inexpensive hex pattern. It turned out pretty well for a $3 visor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jme]

So I got my neck seal done. It was pretty easy, all things considered. I used the "easy neck seal pattern" and made it with crafting foam. I wanted to leave a little space between the pieces for effect and used strips of an old dry-fit shirt as the connector. Some plasti-dip, a little black paint and some Velcro and...

I also tried my hand with my new soldering kit by wiring up a fan.

The wires will be fixed inside the helmet and hidden after I finish all of the electronics (I plan to wire in the search lights and a wireless transmitter for my voice amp)

Space is a little precious inside the helmet, I had to sand down a spot for the first battery box.

Second battery box will go in the roof, part way into the brim.

Voice amp is a single AA so should fit beside the rear battery box.


"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie

 

[Dirtdives2424]

Looks great Jme!!...​Neck seal looks fantastic!!!...........So.....you shop at Costco eh?

 

[Jme]

Looks great Jme!!...​Neck seal looks fantastic!!!...........So.....you shop at Costco eh?

Haha, we go to Costco like twice a year but always get lots of AA batteries.

I was surprised at how easy the neck seal was to make. Very comfortable too and it is nice not to have to wear a balaclava.

I am really enjoying soldering the electronics. I did my first test run wiring lights last night and they lit up! I have to get better solder though, the stuff they sent with the kit is total crap.


"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie

 

[Dirtdives2424]

Does it slip over or velcro close? .....Same here w/ lights just last night also!!!! cool.

 

[Jme]

It velcros closed and fits together so well that I have trouble finding where the Velcro is!


"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie

 

[Dirtdives2424]

Ok so now to the helmet, did you make any vent holes or left it solid?

 

[Jme]

I left vent holes in the top and around the tubing at the front (I didn't completely seal
In the accordion tubing). As well, the visor isn't completely flush all the way around.

I was actually testing for fogging when I snapped the photo with the neck seal and the 5v blower fan does a perfect job or keeping the visor clear.

These holes are smaller now that everything is sealed and painted but it is the only shot I have on my phone right now that shows them.

Edit - the blower fan is located directly over one of the accordion tube openings to draw fresh air into the helmet.

"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie

 

[Dirtdives2424]

So the fan goes over the vent hole or elsewhere?

 

[Jme]

On the inside right over this tubing.

It draws air in from the gaps between the tubing and the helmet. Then the blower is aimed right up at the visor.

I love that picture app


"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie

 

[Private Jenkins]

JME, can i just say that i have followed your build and alot of the lessons you learned i have applied to my sons batman build. which is my first foam build. great work... i cant wait to try my hand at a build like yours..

fantastic work friend, FANTASTIC! Even the electronics, i have seen alot of people use those fans for Storm trooper helmets over on the 501st!

Kudos!

 

[Jme]

JME, can i just say that i have followed your build and alot of the lessons you learned i have applied to my sons batman build. which is my first foam build. great work... i cant wait to try my hand at a build like yours..

fantastic work friend, FANTASTIC! Even the electronics, i have seen alot of people use those fans for Storm trooper helmets over on the 501st!

Kudos!

Thanks very much. It means a lot to me that this thread has been in any way helpful, even if it is just in avoiding some of my mistakes!

Love the batman build for your son btw, building for the kids is awesome (my kids are helping me with their costumes this year which is so much fun).


"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie

 

[Reclaimara]

Wow, you're doing progress fast! O_O

Your costume looks great!

 

[Jme]

Wow, you're doing progress fast! O_O

Your costume looks great!

Thanks Mara!

So good news and bad news.

First the good news. I did a light test the other day and I think I can get away with drilling a hole for the LED and using a trench to make the port rather than cutting all the way through the armour.

Here are my test pieces. I am using a blue led just pressed against a button light as the tester.

Here with just a hole drilled in the test piece.

Normal light

Low light

Now with the trench

Normal

Low light

Now with a complete hole

Normal

Low

I think that using the trench lights up the port cover sufficiently for my purposes. The benefit is that if I find that the port doesn't show up enough I can always cut all the way through later.

Now the bad news. I was trying on my chest piece to see if my voice amp fit in the booster and the opposite side from my buckle ripped. Not completely awful as I will just add a buckle on that side but it means a new seam.


"I don't know what is weirder - that you're fighting a stuffed animal, or that you seem to be losing." - Suzie