RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pics)

[RobotChicken]

I have personal experience with only two: a Cricut Expression and a Silhouette Cameo. The Expression can only cut from proprietary media cartridges and cannot do any ink work. The Cameo can cut anything vector-based, including any non-bitmap font, and also hold ink pens or colored pencils instead of a blade. As you'll see in an upcoming video I'm finishing up, the Cameo can do optional Edge IDs, fold line highlighting, fold line scoring, and of course cut line cutting. I've read about people using some RoboCraft thing, but haven't personally used it.

The Cameo can cut parts any size that will fit on a sheet of paper, and supports paper size up to 12" x 24". As for small parts, I've used the machine to cut out parts only a few millimeters in size for my kid's costume. Although the machine is capable of cutting tiny parts like that, I'm not far enough along yet to have comparison data against hand-cutting such small parts. I may end up cutting the minuscule parts by hand and have the machine do the other parts, but I don't know yet. Other people may recommend other machines, but I like the Silhouette Cameo.

Check out the second photo in post #201 of this thread to see a part cut on the Cameo so small I'm holding it with tweezers.

 

[Tom117]

I have personal experience with only two: a Cricut Expression and a Silhouette Cameo. The Expression can only cut from proprietary media cartridges and cannot do any ink work. The Cameo can cut anything vector-based, including any non-bitmap font, and also hold ink pens or colored pencils instead of a blade. As you'll see in an upcoming video I'm finishing up, the Cameo can do optional Edge IDs, fold line highlighting, fold line scoring, and of course cut line cutting. I've read about people using some RoboCraft thing, but haven't personally used it.

The Cameo can cut parts any size that will fit on a sheet of paper, and supports paper size up to 12" x 24". As for small parts, I've used the machine to cut out parts only a few millimeters in size for my kid's costume. Although the machine is capable of cutting tiny parts like that, I'm not far enough along yet to have comparison data against hand-cutting such small parts. I may end up cutting the minuscule parts by hand and have the machine do the other parts, but I don't know yet. Other people may recommend other machines, but I like the Silhouette Cameo.

Check out the second photo in post #201 of this thread to see a part cut on the Cameo so small I'm holding it with tweezers.

Personally to me that sounds perfect! it would speed up my build by the sound of it. especially as i dont get time most days working two jobs lately. thank you for the very detailed response

 

[RobotChicken]

Assuming you're starting with an unfolded model that's compatible with the Cameo ("compatible" defined and demonstrated in the video) and not doing the extra steps needed for Edge IDs, you can get all the parts cut for an entire model in just a few minutes.

 

[RobotChicken]

Another delay, but worth it I think. Playing around in Silhouette Studio version 3 tonight, I finally figured out what's been going on with its file importing and got it working. This is cool because version 3 introduces a convenient Select By Color feature that version 2 doesn't have (which makes it much easier to define cut styles for different line types). I also had a moment of genius and came up with an even easier process for Edge IDs, eliminating several steps from the work flow while keeping them perfectly aligned with the cutting. So of course I'm going to redo the Edge IDs portion of the video.

"Sleep? What's that, some kind of virus?"

 

[Gaming239]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Wow,looks good.

 

[SirPalesAlot]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Another delay, but worth it I think. Playing around in Silhouette Studio version 3 tonight, I finally figured out what's been going on with its file importing and got it working. This is cool because version 3 introduces a convenient Select By Color feature that version 2 doesn't have (which makes it much easier to define cut styles for different line types). I also had a moment of genius and came up with an even easier process for Edge IDs, eliminating several steps from the work flow while keeping them perfectly aligned with the cutting. So of course I'm going to redo the Edge IDs portion of the video.

"Sleep? What's that, some kind of virus?"

Glad to hear the delay allows for improvements and it's not due to some disaster. Anything to speed up the work flow will be a welcome addition.

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Yeah, eliminating 3 steps from the flow, while at the same time increasing Edge ID alignment accuracy even further. Kind'a sucks because two months of work is now cut from the project. If only I had this revelation earlier. Oh well.

Don't jinx me with that accursed "disaster" word! I've already had two "scares" where I thought I had lost everything since starting the project. I don't get much time during the week to work at this, and it feels like every weekend something gets in the way. Last weekend was Independence Day, this weekend is Rollerdrome skating (been postponing the kid's request too long so this weekend we're going), next weekend my orthodontics starts (so I need to get my re-shoots done before then!), and the weekend after that is leaving for a week in Seattle. And that's all on top of "normal" day-to-day business, so yeah, it's taking me awhile to get this dang thing done.

Edit: Just noticed the truncated title in my thread. Do we not have as many characters now for thread titles...?

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Well, I thought I'd step in and dust off some of the cobwebs here. There's still a ton of stuff going at the moment, including wife's birthday this weekend (so there goes another weekend of no project work) and son's birthday coming up in less than a month. Anyway, here's a pic to show I really am making the video. If you think it looks very busy, well, you're right - there's a ton of stuff going on in the video, too!

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Saw this on my way in to work this morning and just had to snap a photo. Although it's (supposedly) dairy supplies, from the perspective of 405th members you now know where the Chief gets his toys....

 

[AsphyxiaOrange]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

I'm probably super late on this train, but

Thanks guys - I think the peps are turning out pretty good, and I will love to see them smoothed out and painted. I tried to convince him that it should be white armor with a pink bow on the helmet, so he could be Halo Kitty. That received a very stern "No".

I want to see someone actually do that now, though. It would be the most gloriously horrid pun.
Heck, I'd do it if I didn't already have other plans. (Maybe someday...)

For serious, though, that forearm piece on the page before was so beautiful that it didn't even look real, I had to remind myself it wasn't rendered in a 3D modeling program.
Besides that, finding a way to quicken the entire pep process- you're probably paving the way for a revolution on this site.

Are you ever amused when you consider this entire span begun just because your son really liked halo?

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

I think white armor with a pink bow on the helmet and whiskers painted on the visor would be hilarious.

The forearms I pepped don't look so good when compared against the new model that SirPalesAlot and I put together. I'll be unfolding it when getting back from vacation. Right now just trying to wrap up a video project, and asphalt is indeed being loaded up on the warthog.

It's been a year since starting this journey, and I'm anxious to get back to pepping. 'Course, now I'll be needing to size everything up a bit. (The kid just keeps growing.)

 

[GeekGuardianDee]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

RobotChicken , I am REALLY looking forward to your video tutorial of how to program the Cameo to cut Pepakura files. I just got my hands on a Cameo myself and am going to be printing a Scout and Sarah Palmer from Halo 4.

*Subscribed to make sure I don't miss the video.

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

I just got in the house 10 minutes ago after 12 hrs of driving from Mt. Baker, WA and will resume work on the video tomorrow. I had planned to reshoot the ending tomorrow because I don't like how the first take turned out, but I got very sunburnt on a whale-watching cruise and will now be waiting until returning to my normal color before filming. In the meantime, I'm wrapping up the remaining screen recordings for Silhouette Studio. Most of the bug issues in version 3 are resolved, and Silhouette America got back to me last week stating that they're still working on the remaining ones I've reported. (By the way, you don't need to "print" anything for your pep if using a Cameo unless Edge IDs are being used. It's a very fast process when not using Edge IDs.)

 

[GeekGuardianDee]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

I just got in the house 10 minutes ago after 12 hrs of driving from Mt. Baker, WA and will resume work on the video tomorrow. I had planned to reshoot the ending tomorrow because I don't like how the first take turned out, but I got very sunburnt on a whale-watching cruise and will now be waiting until returning to my normal color before filming. In the meantime, I'm wrapping up the remaining screen recordings for Silhouette Studio. Most of the bug issues in version 3 are resolved, and Silhouette America got back to me last week stating that they're still working on the remaining ones I've reported. (By the way, you don't need to "print" anything for your pep if using a Cameo unless Edge IDs are being used. It's a very fast process when not using Edge IDs.)

Well get lots of Aloe on that burn so it gets back to normal tone fast! Just kidding, you do what you gotta do and I will be nice and patient. From the shots and mentions in your build above I thought that you were probably putting this through the cameo without pre-printing. I was reading through the instructions that come with the Pepakura viewer designed for Cameo printing and thought 'Nuh-uh, Robot Chicken doesn't have registration marks on his pages.' I don't use edge id's, just the computer screen with the file open in front of me while I glue. No one's told me my pep work is awful yet, so I guess it's working out so far. I figure if you are using the cameo to cut then removing that printing stage would save a lot of extra time and ink.

Still looking forward to the video, I hope you had a good time on Baker.

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Yes, don't waste your time with Pepakura Viewer for Silhouette Cameo. The unlocked registered version of Pepakura Designer is what you'll be needing.

 

[WandererTJ]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

I remember there is another brand of paper-cutter but I forgot what the name of it was, I know there is a thread around here somewhere about it.

Anyways, it will definitely be good to have another option, and on top of that, a tutorial to boot.
Cutting out the pepakura is probably the worst part of building armor in my opinion.

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Probably RoboCraft...?

 

[SirPalesAlot]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Probably RoboCraft...?

Close enough...Craft ROBO lol.

 

[RobotChicken]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

Yeah, my mind always jumps to Robocop whenever I see that name and then it warps into Robocraft. lol Anyway, I like the Cameo.

 

[WandererTJ]

Re: RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pic

For reference, I thought I'd share a link to the Craft Robo thread that was started:
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php...-for-CraftROBO-guide-FAQ?highlight=craft+robo

I haven't had a chance to read it myself, in fact, when I first heard about the Craft Robo, no one had tried using one yet. So it is definitely good to see that people here started to and I'm also glad that other paper cutters have also been made such as the Cameo and I can't wait for the Tutorial!!!

I'd love to know which machine did a better job at making the cuts, or at least which one gives you a better bang for your buck.
Maybe I'll change my mind again and do fiberglass instead of foam, since people have been getting the paper cutters to work with pepakura.