Work in Progress: 3D printed Reach armor

[ThreeEvening158]

Hello everyone! I'm Ethan or ThreeEvening, and I'm attempting a 3D printed Spartan. My current plan is to start by making the helmet fully as a test run, and then build the rest of the armor if that goes well. I'm collaborating with my brother on this build, he knows a lot about 3D printing and I figured it would be a great project for us to attempt together. I'm also planning to print more helmets after the build is done so I can have options, as I'm always messing with my armor customizations. This'll probably function as a build thread, with side doses of me needing help/advice. So far I've printed half the helmet out of PETG on an Ender 3, but I screwed up the scaling and it won't even fit on my head haha. However, the print went well and the pieces looked great!

Helmet: CQC
Chest: Tactical Patrol
Shoulders: CQC
Knees: Mark V
Primary Color: Blue
Secondary Color: Silver

 

[MarrowofStar]

Looking forward to seeing it! Id recommend holding onto the failed helmet prints, as They make for good test pieces! (If you are new to the sanding/filling/painting process). Ive used helmets that didn't fit to test out my paint schemes and painting methods, so i have more confidence going into painting the print that fits.

 

[antrodite]

I’m excited for this build! Love the idea of being able to switch out helmets. Keep us posted with progress pics!!

 

[ThreeEvening158]

Had an epiphany last night… I was watching @Electraknite’s video of her Jun cosplay, which uses the Patrol chest as well, where she tied the chest piece on with wire ties (I think) through holes in the armor. That got me thinking, “what if I could do that to switch out chest pieces as well?” Like the extra helmets, this would come much later, but it would add another interesting element that I don’t think I’ve seen before. Any thoughts on the viability of that?

 

[SgtSaint]

> is to start by making the helmet fully as a test run,

Just my personal opinion-A segment from my regular 'new armorers posts':

Helmet probably should be last, not first. Yeah yeah, everyone wants a helmet to drool over. But it's the thing everyone stares at so you want to do it AFTER you've developed a process, techniques and skills.
Personally I always recommend starting at the feet & hands then working up & in to the body.
• You're going to weather and distress the boots more than anything else... and they get looked at with the least critical eye.
• Then shins which have to ride on the boots.
• Then thighs since you have to avoid joint conflict so you can sit etc.
• See how this goes? Up from the boots, and inward from the hands to forearms to biceps to shoulders.
• By the time you get to the chest and helmet; the parts at eye level that everyone stares at, looks at first, is right there in your face in every photo - you can make them look stellar.

And if you start at the boots you're looking at parts that are only a day or two per part not 6 days per part. So you can hone your scaling skills.

And I think you've maybe run in to this already with the scale of your helmet being off
> So far I've printed half the helmet out of PETG on an Ender 3, but I screwed up the scaling and it won't even fit on my head

 

[ThreeEvening158]

Great idea, I hadn't thought of that. I'll probably try sanding/painting one of the failed helmet pieces first, but then I'll move onto the boots.

 

[Carr]

Hello everyone! I'm Ethan or ThreeEvening, and I'm attempting a 3D printed Spartan. My current plan is to start by making the helmet fully as a test run, and then build the rest of the armor if that goes well. I'm collaborating with my brother on this build, he knows a lot about 3D printing and I figured it would be a great project for us to attempt together. I'm also planning to print more helmets after the build is done so I can have options, as I'm always messing with my armor customizations. This'll probably function as a build thread, with side doses of me needing help/advice. So far I've printed half the helmet out of PETG on an Ender 3, but I screwed up the scaling and it won't even fit on my head haha. However, the print went well and the pieces looked great!

Helmet: CQC
Chest: Tactical Patrol
Shoulders: CQC
Knees: Mark V
Primary Color: Blue
Secondary Color: Silver

I’m super psyched to see how it goes! Just make sure you keep up the progress reports so we can see how it’s coming along!

 

[ThreeEvening158]

Just make sure you keep up the progress reports so we can see how it’s coming along!

Will do! I'm going to try to start painting the failed helmet today, I'll send pics of the progress if I get to that.

 

[ThreeEvening158]

Progress was not made on painting sadly. I tried to use JB Weld to assemble the helmet, but the welds snapped apart the next day because I'd left it in a cold garage. Should I try that again or use something else? Also, I did write up some lore for my character as well!

Ethan-B158

Spartan-III, Beta Company

Birth date: December 16th, 2530

Orphaned during the Covenant attack on Vodin, B158 was selected for the SPARTAN-III program for training in Beta Company. Deemed too valuable to waste on suicide missions, B158 was pulled out of Beta Company before Operation: TORPEDO and was trained for expertise in melee combat. He was outfitted with specialized CQC MJOLNIR armor, which he would often modify for different missions. As Cobalt Two, B158 engaged the Covenant in Casbah City, the capital of Tribute. He stayed behind with his fireteam so the remaining civilians could escape, and the entire team was thought killed. Despite that, he survived and was given secret orders by ONI, fighting alongside the Sangheili forces around Tribute during the Great Schism. Post-war, he worked as a secret ONI operative, and played roles in many classified operations against Jul ‘Mdama’s Covenant and human Insurrectionists.

 

[ThreeEvening158]

The official build plan/checklist for this build! I’m hopefully going to actually get started on work this weekend, I have had a chaotic few weeks but this weekend should be fairly calm. I ended up switching to the Recon shoulders because, after flipping through the shoulder options, I realized I’d rather have something a bit lighter and easier to move around in. If anyone has any suggestions or tips, feel free to put them here since I’m always looking for input. I'll also attach a photo of my chosen armor in game below, though it's not great quality considering I'm taking photos from my screen haha.

 

[Ben626]

Progress was not made on painting sadly. I tried to use JB Weld to assemble the helmet, but the welds snapped apart the next day because I'd left it in a cold garage. Should I try that again or use something else? Also, I did write up some lore for my character as well!

Ethan-B158

Spartan-III, Beta Company

Birth date: December 16th, 2530

Orphaned during the Covenant attack on Vodin, B158 was selected for the SPARTAN-III program for training in Beta Company. Deemed too valuable to waste on suicide missions, B158 was pulled out of Beta Company before Operation: TORPEDO and was trained for expertise in melee combat. He was outfitted with specialized CQC MJOLNIR armor, which he would often modify for different missions. As Cobalt Two, B158 engaged the Covenant in Casbah City, the capital of Tribute. He stayed behind with his fireteam so the remaining civilians could escape, and the entire team was thought killed. Despite that, he survived and was given secret orders by ONI, fighting alongside the Sangheili forces around Tribute during the Great Schism. Post-war, he worked as a secret ONI operative, and played roles in many classified operations against Jul ‘Mdama’s Covenant and human Insurrectionists.

Hopefully you were able to fix your helmet! If you haven't yet, I usually just use super glue but lately I've also been using a wood burner to melt the seams on the inside of my armor pieces.

And, if there isn't, there needs to be an official Halo ttrpg, your backstory sounds awesome.

 

[ThreeEvening158]

I ended up supergluing the failed parts together, but I've been focusing on my SummerCon Red Hood for now. Depending on how well the foam armor goes for that, I might try a mix of foam and 3D prints on the Spartan armor.

your backstory sounds awesome.

And thank you!