Mark VI high-def foam armor WIP

[GunGryphon]

You sir, have some awsome foamage going on. I gotta ask, exactly how do you do the thermoforming? A tutorial or guide would be great. Also, how would you clean up edges that dont quite meet up or have a thing layer of hot glue messing it up. Example:

These are the foam shins that I threw together for my own armor. The right shin above was my first piece, im getting better.

Any tips on cleaning these up would be awsome.
-Gryphon

 

[LongShot X]

I think I can chime in on this since this build is both Gamemasters and mine. Gamemaster has been doing most of the work, while I have been doing most of the painting and detailing.

What we discovered is to NOT use the pep file as is.

Reason: Too many seams to deal with.

Solution: Reduce the # of seams and pieces as much as possible. Hint. We would pep the piece out of paper and then have a look to see what seams could be eliminated. eg. we would use a low def pep file. pep it. Look carefully at it, the reference pics, my suit and the rubies suit. This is where we need to be CREATIVE! We carfully design our own pattern. Alot of the shin can be made out of just a few pieces instead of a lot of pieces. eg. to make a curved area, the pep file uses lots of polygons which then must be bondo'd and sanded. We found that this can be achived by using one piece and then just bend it into the curve we need. The heat gun is great for this.

FYI: Were not going to give out our patterns as we are still trying to perfect them. Also the patterns that we do have are not in any kind of digital form. They are quite litterally large pieces of paper taped together.

As for the glue and the seams themselves: We found that having a clean and perfectly straight cut of the foam helps. (ie a HOT KNIFE) As well as using a high temp glue gun. Practice, practice and more practice to figure out just how much of a glue bead is needed and where and how to apply it. My recomendation is to take some scrap foam bits and practice. That's what we had to do.

Gamemaster: Feel free to add to this, I'm sure that you have a few more experienced tips to share.

Cheers!

 

[Gamemaster]

Looks like you did the same thing I did for my first piece. Longshot pretty much covered what you will need to do if you want to achieve results like this...

As for cleaning up what you have you can use your glue gun to smooth your seams, or heat up a metal putty knife and wipe the excess off. You can use spot putty as well and sand it down. Also a good paintjob can hide much of your rough work.
Here are my shins before paint

And here they are after paint

So the pep files will give you the basic shapes, however, my patterns are heavily modified, and even after I've cut the shapes out I still find I am cutting and trimming the foam in certain areas to make it all fit nicely.
As for tutorials I have the first 2 videos up on my squidoo page, as well as anything else you may need, like spot putty or a heat gun. I've almost finished strapping the undersuit, then I will paint the inside black, post more pics and see if I can find time to edit more of my tutorial video footage and post it.
Squidoo page --> www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-halo-armor
Happy foaming

 

[AbbyWanKenobi]

Amazing, simply amazing! Great job, Gamemaster and Longshot, Kind of makes me want to switch over to foam!
Very nice tutorial, by the way!

 

[Jester1014]

Nice Looking Foamie!

Though if I can make a sudgestion Long-shot; When you use the pep to edit the print out, Find out what is symmetrical in the build, you don't need to print what you can just flip, it'll eliminate a lot of time and wasted paper. Also I took notice that things went a lot smoother in the cutting and assembly area by making as big of pieces as possible. I only cut out pep parts that had to do with any kind of thickness. I never removed anythin that had to do with detail.

I can't wait to see what you do next Long-shot. I just finished a Handcut Visor with .030 Acetate sheeting for my second Foam Helm.

 

[LongShot X]

Thanks for the suggestion Jester!

Yes, we discovered that early in our build phase. Flipping our patterns over where ever possible saved us lots of time.
As for those areas where thickness is an issue, we are doing the same.

For my next project:
1) I'm hoping to make a custom left MK VI foam forearm to hold my iPhone. Then I can eliminate the belt and mess of wires around my waist.
2) I have been reasearching the Gravity Hammer and want to make it with LOTS of custom LED's and perhaps with EL wire. I'm still in the "Thinking" stages on this.
3) A custom right MK VI foam forearm to hold a pico projector. This will be connected to my iPhone. That way I can project videos and such from the iPhone onto a wall or similar surface.
4) A custom full MK VI foam suit. It has many benifits over my fiberglass suit. Such as: Flexibility, light weight, better durability, way less maintenance, less toxic, easier to strap to the undersuit, etc...

Nice work on your Visor!

Cheers

 

[Gamemaster]

Amazing, simply amazing! Great job, Gamemaster and Longshot, Kind of makes me want to switch over to foam!
Very nice tutorial, by the way!

Thanks for the kudos. I like the foam over the fiberglass, however, there are a few areas where the fiberglass turns out better, like on the torso shoulder boxes where you want nice crisp edges. I've been watching your WIP and if you did half as good job on the foam as your pepping you will easily make a suit as good or better than this one. Maybe a foam stormtrooper?...

@Longshot
Still in the "thinking" stage with the gravity hammer huh? That's where I am at with the shotgun. We call this stage the "stare at it" stage. You keep staring at it until epiphany comes to town!

Longshot (emerges from the painting room) "I just had an epiphany!"
Gamemaster "what was her name?"
Longshot "no really, she just spanked me, now I have this great idea..."

*TUTORIAL UPDATE*
The 3rd tutorial video is now up on my squidoo page, it's a heat gun tutorial, and the 4th tutorial is uploading as I type, it's a gluegun tutorial.

*UNDERSUIT UPDATE*
I've added velcro where needed and padding inside the shins, boots and forearms, plus painted the inside black. I was going to post some pics, but I've decided to do a tutorial vid instead. Coming soon to a YouTube near you...

 

[LongShot X]

@gamemaster. Lol. I wish it was like that. Hehhe

 

[Road Kill]

wow!!! great job man, the armor really looks awesome

 

[Gamemaster]

@gamemaster. Lol. I wish it was like that. Hehhe

OK, so maybe I exaggerated a little on the spanking part, you did make an awesome painting booth though.

@roadkill Thanks! I started this project 2 months ago as a noob, I hope it inspires anyone thinking of making thier own armor MKVI or otherwise, to see what you can accomplish with dedication and persistance (and a good buddy like Longshot to buck up for all the materials, tools and painting)

*UPDATE*
4th tutorial vid is up, I hope those 4 vids help out all you up and coming foam armorers. Find em all here: www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-halo-armor Remember, if you like my stuff give my squido page a thumbs up!

Cheers!

 

[Road Kill]

yah sure thing man, he really does help others a lot

 

[Gamemaster]

Hey everyone, I just entered my happy spartan picture in a photobucket contest, help me win an iphone for the arm addon by voting me up here: http://photobucket.com/ibeatyou?entry=1650929
Thanks in advance!

 

[LongShot X]

OK, so maybe I exaggerated a little on the spanking part, you did make an awesome painting booth though.

Cheers!

LOL... I still have to post all those pics too. Getting so behind with all my projects and things. hehehe

 

[LongShot X]

Hey everyone, I just entered my happy spartan picture in a photobucket contest, help me win an iphone for the arm addon by voting me up here: http://photobucket.com/ibeatyou?entry=1650929
Thanks in advance!

OMG... I'll have to do that too!

 

[Road Kill]

nice man

 

[Gamemaster]

OK, last update and I'm gonna sign off for abit, I need sleep and to clean my house!
I've finished strapping the undersuit with velcro and added padding to the armor itself. I did a video to show where I put it and you can also see me putting the suit on, and how easily I can move about in it. (everything but the helm)
The video is, of course, on my squidoo page (follow the link in my signature) and I warn you, it's a little long at 1/2 hour, so grab some chips, sit back, and relax.
Peace out 405th
Dave, aka Gamemaster

PS- next update should be from Longshot with the completed helm

 

[LongShot X]

I should be starting the black paint detailing tonight (after work)
I'll see about posting some of its progress pics here.

 

[Gamemaster]

The painting is done! Hooraa! We might be putting lights and a fan in the helm, but other than that I am moving on to the next project. Here are some of the pics from our last photo shoot, enjoy.

Thanks to all the 405th members for watching this thread and for all your encouragement and kind words.

 

[Jabenbetz]

The chief dual weilding Lightsabers? Lord have mercy on us all...
Thats a really clean suit man, the paint job is particularly well done.
Kudos!

 

[Gamemaster]

The chief dual weilding Lightsabers? Lord have mercy on us all...
Thats a really clean suit man, the paint job is particularly well done.
Kudos!

Thanks! And special thanks from Longshot-X, he did most of the painting. He is a wizard with a brush, that's for sure, twice as fast as me!
And don't worry, The Master Chief is a good jedi knight, if he was a Darth Chief he might look like this...

I would run away if I saw that in a dark alley...