Jorge Project - Decreasing noob level.

[ventrue]

Great pepping, as usual

 

[Britannicus]

It is risky but if you would like to shave your sanding time down, get some rough grit sandpaper (60 grit) and get the basic shape of it right. Then do a few more layers of Bondo, and shape it again. Then go back with finer sandpaper (120 grit) and do the finer sanding / smoothing. It is risky because if you aren't carefull, it will sand way to fast. But it does greatly help with time. Also the Spot Putty only works well with very tiny holes, for larger holes it will take too long to dry, so you should fill those in with bondo, and by the time you do that and sand it smooth the spot putty wouldn't have been dry yet. But use it on the small holes.

Thanks for the tips, I shall try that. Luckily, time is something I do have right now. Usually when I build a costume, there's always a deadline because of some sort of convention or event I want to show it off there. For once, I have nothing planned, so I will take my time getting it just smoothed out. I want this to have a seriously positive wow factor when it's finished. I just hope I can put my money where my mouth is! To answer your other question, I do have a black and decker mouse sander, seems to work rather well. Should I be hand sanding as well to achieve more control. Btw I love your Halo scratch build dude, looks perfect and shiny.

 

[JUSTINIAN 117]

Thanks for the tips, I shall try that. Luckily, time is something I do have right now. Usually when I build a costume, there's always a deadline because of some sort of convention or event I want to show it off there. For once, I have nothing planned, so I will take my time getting it just smoothed out. I want this to have a seriously positive wow factor when it's finished. I just hope I can put my money where my mouth is! To answer your other question, I do have a black and decker mouse sander, seems to work rather well. Should I be hand sanding as well to achieve more control. Btw I love your Halo scratch build dude, looks perfect and shiny.

Just for sanding the fresh/ rough bondo down I would use the mouse sander. For some of the smaller detail use a sanding block, not sand paper. The sanding block puts even preasure on the entire thing, and it just works better. To give it an almost polished look, use a very fine grit sanding block, to get it perfect. Then do a coat of primer to see how it looks. Then most likely you will have to sand some more. It is a long process, but if you really want that wow effect it is definately worth it.

Thanks for the complimanet, and if you really take your time sanding it can look as shiney as mine. I used this same process.

 

[Britannicus]

Second stage of sanding and bondo on the helmet done. Based on JUSTINIAN 117's suggestion, I got some fine sanding blocks, and they are working great. Sanded and detailed a bit more, need to really clean up the visor now in the final stage before dremel detailing. I think it's starting to look a lot cleaner, one or two more layers of sanding and detail and the helmet should be completely smooth.

Also managed to put the last coat of resin on the shoulder attachments, so now they are awaiting rondo for the interior.

Took the helmet attachment and just rested it on the helmet, still not attaching it until after painting. I wanted to get an idea of how it's going to look.

 

[Night Fury]

Looks awesome. Keep up the good work.

 

[LongShot X]

EDIT: I think that I will have to end up adding on some extra padding or the like to make the blast shield work with the chest piece. Otherwise they will keep smacking into each other when I move. I believe that it is set slightly raised from the upper arm piece, so experimentation with padding will occur down the road I'm sure.

Wow! Your making pretty good speed there.
As far as I can see:
- Excellent pepping. They look sharp and clean.
- Excellent resining. I can't see any drips or runs or warping caused by the resin.
- Glad to see that your testing the size of the pieces to see if the scaling is good.
- Also happy to hear that your thinking about the other stages of the project like "how to attach them"... I found that thinking about the future stages helped with the preparation and procedures for those stages.

As for the blast shield and the chest piece. Experimenting with padding is a good idea. After that, you can also use automotive door guard trim around the edges to help deal with any of the rub zones. (ie. pieces that rub against each other)

I'd say your on track and making excellent progress. Keep up the excellent work.

Cheers!

 

[Britannicus]

Wow! Your making pretty good speed there.
As far as I can see:
- Excellent pepping. They look sharp and clean.
- Excellent resining. I can't see any drips or runs or warping caused by the resin.
- Glad to see that your testing the size of the pieces to see if the scaling is good.
- Also happy to hear that your thinking about the other stages of the project like "how to attach them"... I found that thinking about the future stages helped with the preparation and procedures for those stages.

As for the blast shield and the chest piece. Experimenting with padding is a good idea. After that, you can also use automotive door guard trim around the edges to help deal with any of the rub zones. (ie. pieces that rub against each other)

I'd say your on track and making excellent progress. Keep up the excellent work.

Cheers!

Wow thanks man. Praise indeed! - Yeah, it's cranking steadily along. I have to work when I am tunnel visioned or I don't get a piece done. The pepping is so tedious after the first 10 hours or so. And I'm not even to the chest piece yet! Oy.

I actually have the Noble team statue that came with the Reach legendary edition. One of Jorge's upper arms has a wedge attached to the armor to raise the shoulder piece. So it explains how the 'floating shoulder piece' does so.This might be a good tactic, but I'm going to worry bout that, once the pieces are complete. Assembling will seem like a cakewalk compared to the rest.

The biggest thing with the bondo which you can attest to, is the sanding. The helmet has gone through 3 layers of sanding and patching and I'm still not happy with it. But the visor is getting nice and crisp now. I realize it will be cut out, but if the rim looks like garbage, it will stick out like a sore thumb when I put the visor in.

Thank you so much for the encouragement!

 

[ventrue]

The pepping is so tedious after the first 10 hours or so.

This isn't going to help you... but I know exactly how you feel!

By the way, I think the black colour looks really cool

 

[Britannicus]

This isn't going to help you... but I know exactly how you feel!

By the way, I think the black colour looks really cool

Haha Vent, misery loves company. lol!

Yeah the black helps me see where I'm screwing up honestly. I do a round of patching and sanding. Pray to the lord above, then spray another layer of primer. Then curse loudly when I see the stuff I missed. Thanks though!

 

[LongShot X]

Haha Vent, misery loves company. lol!

Yeah the black helps me see where I'm screwing up honestly. I do a round of patching and sanding. Pray to the lord above, then spray another layer of primer. Then curse loudly when I see the stuff I missed. Thanks though!

LOL!!!! Yup... Same here. Hate it when you spend UBER amounts of time going from the lower grit papper to the higher grit and so on until you get to the final fine grit paper. Ya clean it all up and then apply the 1st light coat of primer and... . . . . . . . . . . AAAAAAAARRRrg! You find some pits and defects. Apply more bondo or glazing putty and start over!

Happend with every piece of my suit. Just gotta go back to the forums for some inspiration and then sand away some more.

 

[Trooper114]

Great job so far, looking good.

 

[cfh935]

Very nice... I see your noon level decreasing exponentially

 

[Britannicus]

Alrighty folks, work has been flogging me recently like the lowly pirate I am. However, did manage to pump out a upper arm piece and a hand plate at the very least. Just playing with the fit seeing how the shoulder attachment will look. No padding obviously, but planning now so I can attack it later on. Need more resin and a lot more beer.

The upper arm looks a little buckled in that last pick, it isn't resined yet so there are areas where the paper wobbles. I'll be sure to pop out those dents before I harden it.

 

[savage22]

nice.
that design on the shoulder piece was a pain wasnt it?

 

[ventrue]

Wow, those are some massive pieces! I'm curious how the whole suit is going to look

 

[Britannicus]

nice.
that design on the shoulder piece was a pain wasnt it?

For my first project, honestly, this whole suit is a pain haha! It's a lot of detail in it. But I've found that when I screw up on a pep piece, which I am up to 5 screw ups now. The second pep is a lot quicker, cleaner and smooth because I've built it already. But dammit I'm loving how Jorge is starting to come to life.

@Ventrue - Dude I know! I'm going to be a tank in this armor. The chest piece is going to be the next fun ;3

 

[savage22]

ive tried 2 times on his helmet addition, that thing is just tough!

 

[Britannicus]

Another layer of sanding. Another round of holes. I picked up some extremely smooth sanding paper and it's made a huge difference. Switched the primer coat to a rust color so I can see better where I am at. Cut the little visor detail at the front just below the 'nose' piece. Cleaned up the visor a lot, but still needs some work. Need to rebondo the pits in surface. Almost smooth all around. I'm tired, anyone else spot any obvious defects. I could some honest critique here.

 

[M071]

You asked for honest criticism on your helmet . looks like all you need is just a little finishing standing and you will be ready for paint I’m hoping my helmet comes out that nice. What are you going to use for sanding in the earpieces ? On your forearm piece how are you planning on attaching the additional armor ?

Your work is coming out great for your first time building !

 

[ventrue]

I agree. It may have kind of a "bumpy" look, but those are all just holes and scratches from spreading the putty, nothing big. The only thing I'm not sure about is the mouth section. That looks really round, don't know if it's supposed to be that way.