activation email

[Serim Merec]

...and i still have to restart the helmet again...

Ahh that's what I've been wondering about. How is that secret helmet design coming? 

[Zophar Ptay]

Ahh that's what I've been wondering about. How is that secret helmet design coming? 

It is coming along secretly :-P

[Kel Toi]

They remind me of Herman munsters boots 

[Zophar Ptay]

picked up my flight suit today after work and another huge jug of bondo.  the new shoulder is smooth wetsanded up to 600 and looking good.  pics tomorrow when the sun comes back up perhaps.  I am hoping to get started in on glassing the chest this weekend.

[Zophar Ptay]

We have our first bright day in over a week today and when I got the painted shoulder outside next to the new one I couldn't believe that I had thought that was even close to finished.   I sanded it back down and I'm going to do another fill coat and reshape it a bit today.  One of the problems with metallic paints is that they show every blemish and wave pretty clearly.

Also, I had what might be a great idea this morning for connecting the sides of the chest to the back to make the one-piece I had in mind.  I'd like to bounce the idea off you vode as I am thinking "out loud" on this.  Once I have two coats of resin on the chest and the back to give them some structure I can mount them to ZAPPA, then snag a tube/bar/length of that foam pipe insulation like the one in the pic below, cut it into lengths, tape then vertically onto the sides of ZAPPA, and wrap the whole thing in Saran wrap. That will give me my width plus an inch [or whatever width of foam tubing I get] on either side for standoff so it isn't form-fitting.  Then cut an old tshirt in half up the center of the, slide the shirt onto ZAPPA and tape it down.  Resin the shirt in the three gaps between the plates [both sides and the collar] that I want to fill, then shape that by cutting off the excess and shaping the curves as I need.  Fiberglass cloth the back of the whole lot [both plates and the shirt part] together to join them into one piece, two more coats of resin on top of the whole lot to create a solid exterior gelcoat.   I think that should get me a solid and reinforced single-piece upper torso with integrated chest, back, sides, and collar.  in fact, if I use a v-neck t-shirt, i can easily get the look i had sketched.... I think I might be on to something here...   any killjoys want to point out how mean the real world is before I ruin my chest and back and have to start over?  The only problem I forsee is trying to get it back off of ZAPPA since he's [only slightly] less agile than I am and can't lift his arms.  ZAPPA may have to turn into the Black Knight.  i had thought up a way to give him removable arms so maybe it's time to do that... LOL
 

[Dresdon Acacin]

Thing about ARMA-FLEX is that it is made of a foam that easily/quickly come apart. We use it at work a lot, the problem with it is that once you get a little tear in it, it will widen and go all the way through. And it is VERY easy to mess it up...i.e., you rub your finger on it a lot and it will shred...well, the top layer will roll/peel off...You could try rubber boot material though...that stuff wouldnt tear...I would chop up som rubber boots or over-all style fishing.......gators?   Well, you know what I mean....rainboots that have the over-alls built into them with the bib thing going on.

[Zophar Ptay]

I'm not following.  why would I use boots?  All I want is to use the tubes [still rolled up, not opened/unrolled] as spacers with the plastic wrap to protect them.  I'm not seeing where the boots would come in.

[Zophar Ptay]

I know the lighting isn't the best, but I got a flight suit last night and want to make sure it is good before I take off the tags and start wearing it around and weathering it.  The chest pockets have to come off, but i can't remember if the butt pockets do as well.  I also want to take in the cuffs a bit so they stay in tighter to the wrist instead of flaring out so much,  and modify the collar so it will stand up as it is in the pictures, but I don't think it needs any serious modifications, does it?

[seugtai]

Okay first up.
My concern with the foam pipe insulation is that foam has a tendency to melt when fiberglassed. I'm not sure with the addition of the Saran wrap and t-shirt if that will be enough to keep it from doing so. I guess there's only one way to find out for sure right, test, test, test it. 

Next up, the flightsuit.
I like it, looks great on you! (By the way you've lost weight, looking good my friend!) Personally, I would take the pockets off if they will be visible. If something is going to cover them completely than you should be fine leaving them.

[Ghostwalker]

I left all my pockets and stuff on both my flightsuits, I like the aesthetic.

ceran wrap will keep the resin from chemically interacting with the foam. the foam should be able to take the curing heat without issue.

the helmet looks awfully narrow on you, I wonder how much more pronounced that will be once you are plated up.
are you going for that particular look?
really digging that bucket design though!

[Dresdon Acacin]

I'm not following.  why would I use boots?  All I want is to use the tubes [still rolled up, not opened/unrolled] as spacers with the plastic wrap to protect them.  I'm not seeing where the boots would come in.

the boots would be a substitute material. ARMA-FLEX gets damaged very easily, and if you used strips from some rubber boot(the material their made of) it might work better than the foam.   You could also chop up one of those  small outdoor/entrance carpet with the rubber bottoms.

[Zophar Ptay]

Okay first up.
My concern with the foam pipe insulation is that foam has a tendency to melt when fiberglassed. I'm not sure with the addition of the Saran wrap and t-shirt if that will be enough to keep it from doing so. I guess there's only one way to find out for sure right, test, test, test it. 

We'll have to see, I guess.  I was thinking the saran should be enough of a vapor barrier and the resin supposedly doesn't stick to it.  i had assumed that the plastic/foam melts due to chemical reaction, didn't think of the heat of curing that was melting it... this calls for an experiment!

Next up, the flightsuit.
I like it, looks great on you! (By the way you've lost weight, looking good my friend!) Personally, I would take the pockets off if they will be visible. If something is going to cover them completely than you should be fine leaving them.

aww shucks... *blush*   I need to wear flight suits more often, apparently they flatter my figure

I am planning to use the material from the chest pocket to modify the collar so those are coming off, the butt pockets are top-stitched too so i may just take them off as well.   i don't think there will be anything covering them.  Also, they have a pair of slits behind the hip pockets so you can get into the pockets of the pants you presumably are wearing underneath.   Would it be alright to just velcro those shut?

I left all my pockets and stuff on both my flightsuits, I like the aesthetic.

The other benefit to taking them out would be that i could perhaps use the two rear pockets and spare chest pocket to make either a sporran-style pouch for my belt or to add a thigh pouch similar to a cargo pants pocket on the left thigh, opposite my thigh holster on the right.

ceran wrap will keep the resin from chemically interacting with the foam. the foam should be able to take the curing heat without issue.

ah, hadn't realized the heat was what the issue was; see above.

the helmet looks awfully narrow on you, I wonder how much more pronounced that will be once you are plated up.
are you going for that particular look?

both, actually.   this is my prototype bucket.  there is  a  new one in the works which adds roughly an inch and a half.  i was/am going for the Demagol style face-hugger rather than the modern standard that flares out.

really digging that bucket design though!

Thanks.  I roughly documented the build earlier in this thread [there is an index in the first post, i forget exactly where it is]   I'll throw together a proper WIP for it with a more complete documentation process once the actual one is finished and ready for the world.  The actual one looks quite a bit less organic and quite a bit more aggressive I think.

the boots would be a substitute material. ARMA-FLEX gets damaged very easily, and if you used strips from some rubber boot(the material their made of) it might work better than the foam.   You could also chop up one of those  small outdoor/entrance carpet with the rubber bottoms.

I see what you are saying.  If it comes down to it, I'll keep that in mind.

[Kora]

  Also, they have a pair of slits behind the hip pockets so you can get into the pockets of the pants you presumably are wearing underneath.   Would it be alright to just velcro those shut?

Have no advice on anything else. Did just want to pop in to say that my very first flightsuit (back when I still used a one piece lol) had those, and I just sewed mine shut so I wouldn't have to worry about velcro or anything popping loose.

[Zophar Ptay]

I have some of the foam pipe insulation in hand and saran wrapped some of it to a 2x4 and resined over it.  It is almost done curing, so we'll see what comes of that in a few minutes.  worst case I'm out a whole $2 for the experiment.

I also just ordered my ammo pouches.  three sets of Tokarev pistol pouches
and two sets of Turkish Mauser pouches

I asked that they try to pick similar coloring and condition, but we'll see how nice and how bored they are feeling when they get the order I guess.  i don't plan on using all of them at once, but I wanted the flexibility to figure out what looked good so i got more than i think I'll need/use.  I'll be on the lookout for a 2" leather belt to match I guess.

[Dresdon Acacin]

just ask Visciousvestments abour girth belts.

http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=48114.0

worst case I'm out a whole $2 for the experiment.

   your INSANE throwing toonies around like that! 

[Zophar Ptay]

actually may have found found the perfect belt:    2" milsurp turkish leather ammo belt.  They didn't list a size so I'm waiting on that before ordering, but it looks like it should be good.

[Dresdon Acacin]

That is indeed a pretty kewl belt...what's the price on all your leather goods being ordered?

[Zophar Ptay]

Including shipping, I am sitting at just under $100 for the pouches, the belt will add another $25.

I bought them all through Liberty Tree Collectors.   I found individual bits cheaper here and there but I have a shipping address in Washington which charges $5 per package so i end up saving by having it all in one box.  Plus, in the end, I got tired of hemming and hawing between a few different styles and just bought the ones I was looking at.  I think the pouches I got will be enough for two kits, but we'll see.

[Dresdon Acacin]

Thats a tad bit more than I'd spend...but then again, I'm cheap.......quite nice pouches though.....if you have extras, you put put some on holster webbing or bycep plates as well...

[Zophar Ptay]

I had planned to scratchbuild them as well, but time is ticking.  I'll use them on this kit for now then pass them on to my wife for hers when I get this one "done".


Also, for posterity, the pipe insulation tubes survived the fiberglassing wholly intact.  I saran wrapped them to a 2x4 and dumped resin over them.  after it cured, the resin had dripped down the sides attaching the plastic to the cardboard I had laid under it, but the 2x4 slid out easily and the foam was perfectly fine.  The plastic wrap was wrinkled so it didn't pop off perfectly, but the parts that were smooth on the edges proved that the resin would not stick.  I'm calling it a successful proof of concept and moving on.   a little research also stated that resin will not stick to duct tape so here is the plan:

 I will duct tape the tubes in place against ZAPPA's sides to create a gap between my actual stomach and where the shirt will rest. Saran wrap the whole torso tightly.  Slip the v-neck shirt onto ZAPPA over the new spacers, possibly having to remove his arms in the process.  Mount the plates where they are supposed to go using tape.  Resin the outside of the entire chest/shirt/back area with a couple (three?) layers.    I'll have to see how strong it is at that point and go from there as it will be getting manhandled quite a bit int he next step.    Once i am convinced that i can get it off without destroying it, I'll cut/slide the entire thing off in one piece if at all possible.  Where the shirt meets the plates I want to keep the excess and resin it to the bottom/back sides of the plates to make the joins as solid as possible.  Where shirt doesn't meet plates it will be trimmed and shaped.  Hopefully I now have a single piece upper torso.  The inside of the whole lot gets a couple layers of fiberglass cloth for unified strength and start in on the outer bondo and back to the fun game of bondo, sand, bondo, sand, bondo, sand, beer, sand, bondo, sand.  There will almost certainly be a ZAPPA mk2 made in there somewhere so that i can mount the plate and work on them while worn I think.  It seems safer for the plates than pressing down on them and taking the chance of snapping them.


So, anyone with relevant experience care to either confirm my concept or correct me?  I am hoping to get started on that process come Tuesday.

[Dresdon Acacin]

Yea...drink the enitre can before you continue sanding-don't wanna be drinking Bondo-brew.... 


So you makeing a Tshirt/resined cast over Zappa for the side plates, then cutting them off and mounting them to the pre-existing carboard torso plates?   Which will then be resined and attached to the side plates?

[Zophar Ptay]

nope.  If I stretch the shirt over the tubes as I think it will, then the entire thing will be resined at the same time, not done in separate steps and then trying to attach hard parts to hard parts.  I think it will go much easier if I resin the whole lot at once, then trim the excess shirt where needed.

[Dresdon Acacin]

I suppose.....

[Zophar Ptay]

Liberty Tree emailed me today that they only had one of the Tokarev pouches in so they cut me a deal on shipping and got my email in time to add one of the belts in as well.  Total with shipping in is now $88 USD, Dresdon.  Though, admittedly, that is shipping to Washington and I'll run down one evening and pick it up when it comes in.  Shipping to Canada I think they said would have been $15 more.

[Dresdon Acacin]

No worries, couldn' afford them anyways