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 Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2 - Approved! Now for upgrades

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Malakier Vhett


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So, after wearing my kit for a minimum of 44hrs (total) in 4 days for C7, a number of issues popped up that need addressing. First and foremost, my kit left me with nasty bruises on my forearms and legs (and a few blisters) due to my gauntlets and shin plates being too small. The more I look at other people's kits (and my own), the less I like my shins (plus...just wearing them bruised my knees and calves, and also left me with blisters on the later). And I've always thought my left gauntlet looked rushed. Finally, the fans in my back plate were the wrong type for the purpose I was using them for, and changing fans would be a major pain (note to self: next time, don't superglue in the fans). As such...I'm rebuilding all of the above. Plus my ab plate and collar, because I think I came up with some ideas that at least look like they give better mobility. I'm also starting brain storming on a survival pack for when I eventually go for desert ops. Currently, I'm in the process of getting ready to (hopefully) move to a new place, so there won't be any real work for a while, but the planning stage has begun! Goal is to have mk 2 done by C8.

Initial sketches (not to any sort of scale):

Legacy-inspired backplate, and RC-inspired pack.


Jango-style shins, Legacy-inspired ab plate, and SWG inspired collar plate.

As much as I love my current bucket, Mk 2 might include a new, custom built one. Or heavy modifications to my current bucket. I haven't made up my mind about that though.

Update: 4-25-15
Did a cardstock mock up approximately the correct size of a design for a segmented back plate. It started out life as a SWG Mando back plate. Will need to make a duct tape dummy before I go much further though (already did one back plate solo with no dummy, not going to attempt a second)

« Last Edit: Mar 18, 2018, 10:30 PM by Malakier Vhett » Logged
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Serim Merec


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #1 on: Apr 26, 2015, 06:24 PM »
I like the ideas you've got going! I'll bet they'll look pretty sweet on your kit ;)

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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #2 on: Apr 29, 2015, 01:06 PM »
Nice designs!  I especially like the backplate   :D

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Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2015, 12:13 AM »
So, slight update. Did some refining of my back plate design, and an initial mock up of my new collar plate done.


Lengthened the back plate about 3", and reworked the bottom couple plates to make it 'flow' better


Started with the SWG collar plates, and tweaked them to fit my vision. Still needs some refining of course.

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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2015, 11:35 PM »
So the idea of the functioning backpack got to you eh? It will be a nice touch  :D

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Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2015, 01:46 AM »
I always planned a functional backpack...just when I get it done that's the question. I'm actually leaning more towards a sandtrooper - style pack then the RC pack, but I've got a lot of work before I'm ready to settle on a design. And I'm not going to be able to do that work until I geg a new place. Good news isi think I found the house I want to buy! Hopefully starting the process of buying it tomorrow.

Anyway, since I forgot to include it, here's some more progress from this weekend:

Starting to lean away from having shin armor, and going with this for a knee plate. It's actually a RC knee, that I plan on tweaking a bit. I like the amount of coverage it provides. Might be a bit of a pain in the shebs to hold in place though


Mk.2 v.1 ab plate. As you might be able to tell, I'm going for a legacy influenced look with this kit (without going full-blown legacy). One issue that I realized might pop up is that 6mm Sintra might be too thick to really work well, and 3mm melts too easily to be of much use where I live. So this might have to wait until I start working steel. This plate is too big, but can be trimmed down easily enough later. It serves it's purpose for prototyping.


On an only slightly related note, made up these hemet macros so I can use them as a base for prototyping my eventual helmet visor. exact finished design will depend on what I do with my helmet, of course.

« Last Edit: May 05, 2015, 02:07 AM by Malakier Vhett » Logged
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Evren Jaira


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2015, 01:26 AM »
Everything's looking really good! Looking forward to see this all done :D

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Havelock


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #7 on: Jun 02, 2015, 09:48 PM »
Eagerly looking forward to seeing more, vod.

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Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #8 on: Jun 03, 2015, 11:20 PM »
I'm in the middle of yet another backplate redesign, as well as tweaking my ab plate design a bit. The only 'progress' of note is that I have another knee design mocked up:

This is a standard Galaxies-style knee plate. I like the 'primary/secondary' plate look, but the coverage of the primary plate i a bit skimpy for my tastes. Might try something that's sort of a cross between this, and the RC knee next.

Since the house hunt continues, my next major project is mocking up my custom buy'ce, which will eventually replace my beloved Juggernaut. The juggernaut is awesome, but it's size is causing a lot of headache for me (semi literally...)

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Kando Falco


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #9 on: Jun 05, 2015, 07:09 PM »
You know there are ways to get superglue to debond.  If you want to get stuff apart just let me know.  Sometimes its as easy as a hammer because CA is brittle but hard.  Intense heat will make it depond as well.  Sometimes a blow torch or just a heat gun. Ive found laying down piping hot glue over a CA bond will cause it to deteriorate.

Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #10 on: Jun 05, 2015, 08:13 PM »
You know there are ways to get superglue to debond.  If you want to get stuff apart just let me know.  Sometimes its as easy as a hammer because CA is brittle but hard.  Intense heat will make it depond as well.  Sometimes a blow torch or just a heat gun. Ive found laying down piping hot glue over a CA bond will cause it to deteriorate.
Yeah, I know, but in order to get my fans out of my back plate, I would litterally have to destroy the entire housing they are in. And I like the idea of a segmented backplate for a desert ops trooper. More flexible, and breaths a bit better. Though a survival pack will counteract that somewhat (depending on my pack design)

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Kando Falco


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #11 on: Jun 05, 2015, 08:15 PM »
If I had to do it I would go in through that back.  Then you will never really see where you had to do surgery.  But a segmented pack works.  I just like how the built in life support to the backplate leaves you with flexibility.  Ofcourse the larger pack might help offset the comments you get about your helm.

Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #12 on: Jun 05, 2015, 08:37 PM »
If I had to do it I would go in through that back.  Then you will never really see where you had to do surgery.  But a segmented pack works.  I just like how the built in life support to the backplate leaves you with flexibility.  Ofcourse the larger pack might help offset the comments you get about your helm.
Flexibility with loadout is why I went with the cooling system in my back plate. Whether I'm using a pack (once I make it) or not, I'll still have my cooling system.

I was a genius and glued (admittedly, not really intentionally) my fans in on 5 sides. All 4 sides of the fans, and when I put the 'mounting plates' for my hoses in, they also got glued to the fan housing a bit.

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Avidem


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #13 on: Jun 05, 2015, 08:38 PM »
Love the macros. Those are the same type I want for my kit. Can't wait to see it finished.

Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #14 on: Jun 07, 2015, 03:52 PM »
So...went to print out the templates for my mk 2 helmet...and my computer decided to be on crack. It won't print the WoF templates at all, and the Pep templates it prints solid black. Tech fail ftw?

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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #15 on: Jun 15, 2015, 12:14 AM »
I am loving the scalloped back and ab plates.

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Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #16 on: Jun 24, 2015, 11:22 AM »
So, after not much progress, I think I might have found a store-bought helmet that will work for me. It's a medium stalker (I might have to actually get a large, but it's only marginally wider). Before I go and spend $200 on it though, I decided to sketch out a scale drawing of what it would look like on me (+ a few customisations of my own). The vertical scale isn't quite right on the helmet (the helmet is taller then I drew it, and I believe will come down farther over my neck), but the horizontal scale on both the helmet and body are almost dead on.

What to you guys think? Is it narrow enough to work without having to bulk out my shoulders artificially?

Also, because my  helmet idea has a very Legacy-esq look, I sketched up legacy-inspired chest armor to go with the ab plate I'm already working on. Direction of layering was dictated by how the body moves, the idea being to allow the chest and collar plates to move with my body better.

« Last Edit: Jun 24, 2015, 12:43 PM by Malakier Vhett » Logged
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Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #17 on: Jun 28, 2015, 01:41 PM »
New templates made! This time for my segmented chest plates:


Still need to tape these to a t-shirt or something and cut them to size. Once I have the design finalized, I'm seriously considering seeing if I can commission someone to make these (and the back plate, once that design is completely finalized, including air box) for me out of steel or aluminum, since the house hunt is pretty much stalled currently.

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Havelock


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #18 on: Jun 28, 2015, 02:25 PM »
Really digging the look of this.

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Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2 - Going Metal
« Reply #19 on: Jul 02, 2015, 09:20 PM »
Hopefully sometime this weekend I will have another update of templates. possibly even of them on me. My last set of chest plates were too big, and downsizing layered plates is a pain in the shebs. However, besides the chest plates, I'm also working on a segmented cod to help with the flexibility issues pretty much everyone has with them.

In the mean time, I have been working a osik amount of overtime lately, and am looking to spend some of that money on armor stuff. Because...I'm an addict. Anyway, as I have been designing my plats, I keep running into the same question: how am I going to build this in a way that both looks good, and can hold up to both the wear and tear of trooping, and the weather where I live. The only good answer I can think of is: Go metal! Probably aluminum, because it's easier to work. I will still likely end up having to commission some pieces (such as gauntlets), but my hope is that I can make most of it myself by hand (IE-almost no power tools except a dremel and a drill, even if I don't move any time soon (because I'm crazy like that) even if I don't move any time soon. With that in mind, I have 2 questions for anyone that's made their kit out of aluminum before:
- What gauge would be recommended? I know most people use 18 gauge steel, and Dres uses 9 gauge aluminum, but would it be ok to go with 16-14 gauge aluminum? Or should I get a couple different thicknesses and experiment?
- What alloy is recommended? Or should I, again, get a couple different choices and experiment?

I have some metal working experience (though mostly steel, and of the HVAC variety) so I have a pretty good feel for the sorts of tools I'm going to need.

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Armor does not make a Mandalorian. The armor is simply a manifestation of an impenetrable, unassailable heart.

Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #20 on: Jul 03, 2015, 07:10 PM »
Ok, so, real update with pictures!

Think I have my  chest plates finalized, or at least mostly finalized. Need to do some trimming, but that's relatively minor

Anyway, pictures (sorry for the bad quality)



Testing how it flexes. the right side (my left) flexes properly. not sure why the other side doesn't, but I'm not that worried about it.

Now for the back plate.

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Avidem


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #21 on: Jul 03, 2015, 11:24 PM »
Looking good ner vod.

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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #22 on: Jul 05, 2015, 02:46 PM »
Nice!

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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #23 on: Jul 05, 2015, 03:23 PM »
I love segmented plates *__*
F

Malakier Vhett


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Re: Malakier's Desert Ops Mk 2
« Reply #24 on: Jul 06, 2015, 09:21 PM »
I love segmented plates *__*
F
I love the look. The creation process, at least of a custom build design...less so.

Speaking of, i have progress! First off, one of the ideas for shoulder armor:

Unmodified SWG shoulder plates. It's a bit heavier then I was planning, but it's an option

Second:

That's right. I got some aluminum sheet! 14 gauge aluminum to be exact. I didn't roll any edges or anything like that on this piece. It was mostly an experiment, though I might go ahead and make the entire piece of armor this is part off (It's the bottom piece of the ab plate, if you can't tell) and see how I like it.

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