Sandbagger's Iron Man builds - Now in STEEL.

[BuildsByBaz]

Hands down this has got to be the most difficult part of the suit. (See what I did there?

I really want to be able to grab things, shake hands etc and all the gauntlets I have seen and tried have severe range of motion limitations.

So, it was decision time again to perhaps for-go a little movie accuracy for function.

Steel is so versatile in that it can be beaten into curves and shapes that can ball-pivot inside other plates of armour. With this in mind I have designed a gauntlet that can fold along the crease inside the palm, plus let the heel of the thumb roll in to oppose the fingers.

Cardboard and hot glue does the trick. Looks a little rough, but this is the part where you nut out all the challenges and come up with solutions. It's going very well.

 

[PEPAKURA TURTLE]

Damn...I am envious of your craft skills XD keep it up

 

[RBF]

This is intense!!!! Have you ever considered doing Venom Snake's arm like this? I mean.... if you play MGS ofcourse...
Incredible work man!! Keep it up!!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Thanks dudes.



Update:

House full of sick kids..... staying home today to help out the mrs.

What to do while stuck in the house? Learn how to become a tailor of course! Found some shiny metallic red stretch cloth to simulate the gauntlet under-armour. Instructables, youtube, you rock.

I cant take all the credit. I did all the trace and pin, wifey operated the sewing machine. Team effort!

Amazing what you can do in less than an hour.

The cut is comfortable and stretchy. Much like a second skin. It's very thin and strong and doesn't take up too much room under the armour. I was worried about using material that added too much bulk and restricting movement. Not a problem with this stuff. Only cost me $12 for the linear metre off the roll.

 

[PerniciousDuke]

Ha! That is awesome. Yay wife!

 

[Chiefwannabe]

I think that material would also be useful for a Spiderman, Deadpool, Superman or Batman !!

The possibilities are endless!!!!
This suit is looking amazing as always keep it up!!!!

 

[rorywatts]

I think I'm on this website to look at this thread more than my own. Amazing work

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Thanks guys.

Something I have discovered - If you can make it in cardboard, you can make it in steel.

 

[Chiefwannabe]

NNNIIICCCEEE!!! so shiny!!!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Tonight I cut out plates for the rest of the hand. Modified them slightly. I can't do any beating though as it's late at night and the neighbours might get a little upset.

Instead, I trimmed finger pieces and conducted range of motion test. I can touch all fingertips to the opposing thumb. So far so good.

I'll see if I can get the rest of the hand beaten into shape and welded tomorrow.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

I worked through lunch and stayed back in the workshop after work for a bit of un-interrupted tinkering today.

Lots of fiddly panel-beating. I got a rough and functional form in place, now for trimming and clean-up, before brazing in the steel cables to join the fingers.

 

[Kyre]

That looks good! Can't wait to see the steel over those gloves you made.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Tweaking, trimming, bending, sanding and smoothing edges, every tiny adjustment yielding improved movement.

You might notice the knuckles on the fist are a little out of alignment and open a bit. I will be brazing in a thin steel cable either side of each finger that will keep the pieces together and aligned.

At least I can grab and hold a can now... need to find something that tastes nicer than etch primer though....

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Thanks to the donated cash kept aside, I can grab bits and pieces for iron man as soon as I need them. Bike cable to braze into the fingers and self adhesive Velcro to mount the padding so it is removable for washing.

Starting on the next gauntlet with lessons learned from the first one, saving time and metal. See the difference? New template cutout top, old one on the bottom.

 

[hopkins77]

Man, I gotta know. How do you get thru the day with so much awesomeness surrounding you all the time!! Still looking great, and I really enjoy watching this build.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Man, I gotta know. How do you get thru the day with so much awesomeness surrounding you all the time!! Still looking great, and I really enjoy watching this build.

It's hard sometimes...

Starting on some under-armour chassis work to hide some of the big gaps.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Trial fit some 5mm foam padding with a bit of hack and slash while in the helmet. It's a little snug, especially on the extremes of the zygomatic bones - so now I have it all worked out in shapes I can trace it onto 2mm foam and fit that in with nicer cut edges.

 

[Reclaimara]

Damn, this armor looks very sexy on you, Mr Stark! :O

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Damn, this armor looks very sexy on you, Mr Stark! :O

Careful, if my head swells too much I won't be able to get the helmet on....

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Brainstorming in the shed tonight but my brain wasn't cooperating much. Still, after a sit down and a few uppercuts, I managed to get the grey matter to work for a living.

1. Experimenting and making a DIY linear actuator for the helmet face plate.

2. Building tiny mounting plates for micro switches.

3. Micro switch mounted on the upstroke hinge. I've made them adjustable so I can tune their height once the actuator is connected.

4. Micro switch mounted under the downward faceplate hinge. This bracket will be re-made as one piece. I had to make it in two for prototyping to get the angles right.

5. The plotting continues. Linear actuation concept drawing. How to attach the actuator to the hinge.