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[z2the4]

Decided to start work on my gauntlets.

The plan is a 4" PVC pipe for the base, then a metal "platform" for mounting weapons and/or accessories.

The cardboard will be the template for the metal platform.

I will add a little 1/4" spacer to make the platform straight, as the PVC is slopped.

I'm planning on making the front edges of the metal smooth so it sits flush with the PVC, so there aren't gaps to fill in.

[Second Son]

Taking the gauntlets to 11, vod. This is better than my earlier thoughts on the gauntlets so you can safely ignore what I said before!  Once again, digging the geometric flair, lots of edges and creases to catch that weathering.
I'm seeing this and thinking about modular attachment points for varying greeblies and zappy things. You could start basic and make upgrades on the same type mounting plate for later on. Food for thought.
I gotta say, I feel like you could make the bases in metal as well, using the outside of the pipe to size it. You'd get another ~1/4" of space for padding and I bet it would turn out lighter - the ones I've made are metal and feel like they weigh less than the 3D printed ones I made for H'ween last year.  Just remember to flare or roll the edges to protect your soft goods and the skin beneath. Armor bites SUCK. 

The little gaps on the hand end, where your round base meets the angled platform will want something, I'm thinking a pair of exposed dart launcher looking things?  Lots of other vode have used pocket air tools from Menard's or similar to make things like that. It could also be a pair of tubes sticking out.  But it needs something other than being filled in with a  blank panel. If you haven't already, check out The Welding Geeks you tube videos about making gauntlets, there's lots to be gleaned from his work.

Calling back to your collar plate - once you have the raw shaping and forming dialed in, at the neck opening consider a gentle roll/flare of the edge up and away from your neck. Option two would be to roll the edge over completely, but if you do that I'd say roll it over to the underside. It'll reinforce the shape a bit, and more importantly direct the edge of your metal away from your neckmeat.  A more solid neckseal will help with this as well.

Chest plates you're right on, the lower extensions will need to come inward a bit to prevent floating.

I think the width of your girth belt is fine, and adding a second belt over it for pouches and maybe a holstered sidearm would create a nice layering effect. Your waist items shouldn't be overlapping the bottom edge of your vest, going wider on the girth might cause them to touch.  You can alleviate some of the 'flip' that the cod wants to do by dishing in the...functional area of the plate. Moving material in the center outward will cause the edges to pull in and back a bit, which will draw the bottom edge more towards the rear and provide better fit and protection. The creasing operation you did for your knees would provide a similar result if you want to do more orthogonal shaping.

And beyond hemming and tailoring the legs in a bit, your flight suit looks good to my (admittedly not expert) eye.

Strong work, looking forward to more (and getting motivated to buckle down and finish my own stuff and get my app in...).

[z2the4]

Taking the gauntlets to 11, vod...

Calling back to your collar plate...

Chest plates you're right on, the lower extensions will need to come inward a bit to prevent floating...

I think the width of your girth belt is fine...

And beyond hemming and tailoring the legs in a bit, your flight suit looks good to my (admittedly not expert) eye...

Strong work, looking forward to more (and getting motivated to buckle down and finish my own stuff and get my app in...).

Thank you!
I broke down your reply so I can reply easier to each comment.

Gauntlets;
I have considered using the PVC to form some metal 'clamshells', I probably will later down the road.
But for now, I'm content enough to move on to other projects *stares at you knee armor*.
I've got the shapes traced onto some metal, hoping to cut it out today and work on it tomorrow.

Collar Plate:
I'm most likely gonna re-cut the whole plate, with a better sized neck opening, and problem even longer ... uhh.. "shoulder straps"? so they cover more of my shoulders, so the back plate wont have so far to reach(May reuse the front plate for the back armor).

Chest plates:
I have been studying Jango's chest armor and I feel like I have a few ideas now for bending it better.

Girth belt/Cod
Thats really good to hear, cos I love the brown/leather color as it matches my gloves and shoes,
Hoping to order a belt and some pouches in the next week or two.
As for the Cod, I believe I am going to do a "Boba Thong" of sorts, have a few plans to try...

Flightsuit:
I'm gonna try to hand sew some to take up some of the slack, as it's already proved to cause issues with placing my knee armor(when I bend over to mark where the knees sit, the pants go slack and when I stand up the knees dont sit where I intended them too *sigh*).

[z2the4]

well, lets skip several updates and go right to my first 'full' kit up on halloween night.



it was mostly a success, however obvious issues, have do I lol

my waist items was way too low, easy fix.

my 'schnees' suck, so they need replacing.

flightsuit? way too baggy, fix eventually,

my gauntlets? no good, need replacing.

torso armor? some tweaks but okay for building on.

helmet also a no go as it broke and i had to glue it together for Halloween night.



how am I gonna remedy these issues?
stay tuned.


but a teaser  involves a printer and a lone wolf.

[z2the4]

So lets start with the biggest.. "upgrade", I guess?

I got a Ender 3 V2 3D printer.
So I plan on making 3D printer gauntlets and eventually new Schnees, and of course my weapons - which I have decided on(but that will be a future post).

I decided to use the wonderful Deathwartch files April Storm so graciously donated for all of us to use as a start.
Not a fan of the Right side, so I will use the left(mirrored of course) as my right as well.

Right now, its an issue of sizing it up so it fits my gorilla like arms.
105% was a little better, 110% was even closer, I'm hoping 115% will be just right.
Will print the matching right Gauntlet for both the 100%, 105% and 110% and help someone else out for a few dollars to cover shipping and material(not gonna sell a "free" print), give someone else a nice base to start some gauntlets with.

If it still wont fit right at 115%, I guess I will look for a different Gauntlet style to print.


On a side note, decided in the long run I want to go for the Droid hunter Brigade.
So I have a few ideas of things to incorporate into my build now.




Now, Lone Wolf Customs had a black Friday sale AND a birthday code on the same day, so I absolutely could not pass it up.
I bought his "Rebels "male" Grunt helmet" in the large size.
And boy is this thing beautiful.

Couldn't wait and got the visor slot cut out, still need to go back tomorrow and clean up whats left that the cut off wheel on my Dremel missed.
I had one little slip on the mandible, but hey "Battle damage".


Gotta figure out how I'm gonna secure the visor inside, I definitely wanna be able to remove it for cleaning or working on it in the future.

But I finally have room inside a helmet I own lol
Got lots of ideas for electronics and proper padding.

Stay tuned!

I'm excited to start making steps towards a kit that's worthy of OM status.

[Second Son]

Heck yeah, incidental weathering! I got a LoneWolf too - Blank Mando, and I love it.  Sounds like you're finding your work points and hitting them, getting tools to help yourself succeed. Keep it up vod, looking forward to another update.