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[Kebii'tra Verda]

EDIT 3-31-2011: The kit is now available in the Trading Station. See the Comprehensive Sales List for more details!
EDIT 9/6/2015: PLEASE SEE THE POST ON PAGE 4 OF THIS THREAD FOR AN UPDATE ON THE HOOD STATUS!

Well, not exactly, but I have a few out there so I decided to make it all one thread with new information since its been a while.

As a lot of you know, last year as a 'dare,' I created a Neo Crusader mask complete with optional hood. Not long after it was completed, A'den Skirata fabricated NC armor and shipped it to me to make copies. Because of A'den's and my work, a CRL for the New Crusader was officially created.

The process was aided by a few of you, and again I say thanks, and the helmet was completed ready for sale - or so I thought. Through the process of fabrication, I discovered that the helmet mold I made simply didn't work. The seem down the middle was simply too unstable for me to justifiably sell it to anyone, even though I had a few paid orders already. To those of you who have been patient all this time, again I say thank you.

Now, the other reason this NC project went by the wayside was the economy. I am still unemployed and simply didn't have the disposable cash to devote to finishing what I started. But thankfully, now I am going back to college to get the degree I've always wanted. And in that, I was able to come into some extra funding to finally get back to this project and get it done!

This weekend, I will be finally able to finish modifying my new oven that will be able to handle the larger plastic sheets for larger molds. Once that is done, my first order of business will be to make the final pulls of the helmets that have already been paid for and get them shipped out. After that, I plan on finishing the premier set of NC armor for A'den...and possibly reopen the Mandalorian Arsenal for Neo Crusader armor sets. Any prices anyone has seen before will be revisited, modified, and whatnot to make sure the sets are affordable for anyone who wants one.

So stay tuned to this thread for all future MA NC updates!

David.

[Slade Kel]

I've been awol, so I'm just seeing this, but I'm looking forward to it, ner burc'ya . Can't wait for my NC helmet, and if you do decide to go ahead with doing pulls of the NC armor, I'm definitely interested in, at the very least, buying a chest-plate .

[Kebii'tra Verda]

The oven is done! I think the vac-table is too, finally. I'll be ordering plastic probably this weekend to get the previous helmet orders done and start work on pulling the NC armor. Once that is done, I'll be able to tweak the molds and start pulling sets for anyone interested. I'll be reworking the prices - especially since it seems the other threads on this disappeared in the server transfer.

David.

[Slade Kel]

Kandosii . I'd wondered what happened to the threads; I searched for them when I started checking the board again. They might have been dumped due to inactivity. I think I remember Novall or Tag or someone mentioning a while back that they were working an automatic deletion program for threads left inactive for a certain amount of time to save server space.

[Kebii'tra Verda]

Yeah, I figured that's what happened. I'm glad they did that anyway. I don't even remember how many I had, but there were too many. The ONLY bad outcome of dumping inactive threads was that it also affected the links in the "Look here first" threads in each section.

But a fresh slate is always a good thing.

David.

[Kebii'tra Verda]

Just letting everyone know that once I get a new modem, I will be uploading a video showing the latest progress in the head mold.

Long story short, I improved on how the face plate will sit on the shell. Also, after doing one test pull of the plastic and having it turn out too thin on top, and talking with other mold makers, I've decided to go back to the two halves approach. But this time the mold will be stronger and able to withstand multiple pulls.

It shouldn't be too much longer now.

David.

[Kebii'tra Verda]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIRlV6JqJnE

David.

[Slade Kel]

Excellent, looks like you've made some great improvements. At this rate, I'll be able to have my modern, Neo-crusader and late era crusader all done for Dragoncon . Might just have to do an early crusader just to complete the set .

[Dar'manda]

Very nice!

[Kebii'tra Verda]

It's almost there, vode!

Here's the mold cut in half and ready to pull. The back half, on the right, has a 2 inch riser for securing it to the front. The front is sitting on a removable riser to get a straight edge around the seam.


As you saw in my video, I worked out a chin cup for the bottom of the mask.
The two halves pulled in 2mm Sintra.

And holding it together...


The mask fits perfectly!


Now all I have to do is some trim work and work out a good way to connect the two pieces together. With the addition of the chin cup, you won't be able to glue the two halves together all the way around. But, I'm figuring a hinge-type of thing on the top with either velcro or snaps for the bottom of the sides. This way to take it off, you can reach under the hood and either unsnap it or pull apart the velcro. Since this is my test helmet and I happen to have both snaps and velcro lying around, I'll try both and see which one I like better.

Also, on the front piece, you'll see in my pic that I didn't cut out the face area yet. I will be soon, and I'm thinking about including a strip of the same material you use for the brow of a TK helm to make sure no one cuts themselves on the plastic.

Thoughts? (SHUT UP SQUIRREL!!!)

David.

[Kebii'tra Verda]

Just a few more shots. This is after trimming and using tape to temporarily hold it together so I can be a model.


And here it is with the hood on it.



(Disclaimer: This is the test hood and mask. The final product will have better stitching and will not use an elastic strap to hold the face mask on.)

Almost ready, folks!

David.

[Cdr. Ch'ren Jud'se]

looks sick! do you have any idea on how much do you think the set will run for?

[Hagen Nor'ak]

Ok I said I was going to yell at you in Makris Neo thread and I am a man of my word , so here it comes.

What ever happened with the seamstress that you had working on the hoods with way back in the day? Did she actually ever finish any of the three original hoods (at least I think there were three of us). Since you’re showing a test hood (is that the original test hood from back in the day?), I’m guessing she never came thru though since you were showing the helm with the test hood instead of one of those hoods?

Have a good one,
Hagen

Oh wait I didn’t do any yelling yet… SEND ME A PM ABOUT HOW MUCH EXTRA ADDING ANOTHER FACE MASK TO THE PREVIOUS ORDER WOULD BE  there I feel vindicated now

[Slade Kel]

I do believe that is the OG test hood, ner vod. And yes, I'm fair certain there were three of us from back in the day, you, A'den Skirata and myself. When this is done, it's going to be, ah, what's the word kids use these days? Dope? Does anyone still refer to things as dope? Anyway, it'll be great, possibly even worth the wait .

[Kebii'tra Verda]

Gah! I'm getting yelled at! I can't take the pressure!!!

Just kidding!

Okay, let me take this one step at a time.

According to my records, Slade (green), A'den (yellow), and Hagen (red) all ordered what I called the "Whole Deal #1" which was the helmet kit, face mask and visor, painted your choice of color, and with a hood - with everything else (glue, velcro, earth magnets) being left up to them. Since the mold was modified, the new kit #1 will have the two-piece shell, the face mask, and visor. Not much different, but I had originally said the four pieces included a strip of ABS to put it together. Also, I changed from ABS to HIPS. I did and still do have a seamstress working on this. She has finished the red and green hoods and is waiting on me to deliver the new shell to her to finish the yellow hood. It took her a long time to get the hoods done due to her personal work schedule (too much to go into )

I also show that kir'manir ordered what I called the "Half-Deal #3" which was the three piece kit (mask and two-piece inner shell) no visor and unpainted with a pattern for the hood.

These four are the only orders I took since I had to shut down for a while. But, in the next few weeks, they will all be pulled and readied for shipment.

Hagen, I'm not sure what you are asking. You are already supposed to get one painted red to go with the kit. Are you wanting a second mask as well? I'll send you a PM on that price.

Ch'ren - I'm considering starting up a regular production of these, but I will probably not be making the hoods to go with them, as there was too long of a delay and too much drama with trying to get them done. But I won't be posting prices until I have something to sell.

There are a couple of very important things I learned through this experience. 1) Never offer something to sell until it is 100% ready to ship out. 2) Never offer something to sell until I have completed a full set to show as an example.

In the next few weeks, I will be getting with each of you personally to reconfirm your orders.

David.