Ok, so after many months of planning, and several more months figuring out how to post pictures on the forums, ive finally got a WIP thread to show off all my work. Am going with a somewhat eclectic build, in that im using standard modern chest and shoulders, but legacy back plates, legs and arms. plates are all made from 6mm Sintra and rough beveled with a dremel for that hand-hammered look.
So first up, chest plates
so first batch to be made, have had the most time to work on these. as you can see, theyre cut, beveled, and have been primed (except for collar). After i catch up on the rest of the plates, will move forward with these. but for now, theyre sitting.
Backplates (courtesy of Old Vharts Legacy templates Thanks Rob)
got them cut out, and beveled. not much else. have been playing around with them, to see how they'll overlap and where I want to attach strapping and how. Just got to figure out how to shape correctly.....
Knees, Greaves, and Thighs
This is where the problems started. As you can see in the top left, I started to form a knee plate. now, im not sure if I did something wrong or what, but the darted sections just dont seem to line up. not maybe its because of a curve to the plate that im just not seeing or something, but i am having a (amphetamine parrot) of a time heating and forming this here plate. pretty sure ive scorched it pretty bad. Then again, if i can ever get it correct, that just means free weathering. Greaves will work out great as I can adjust as necessary for fit, but thighs were just a little too long. [(Old Vhart's Large templates were designed for 6'0+ and 220+lbs. I'm 215, but only 5'7". so I meet the stockiness, just not so much on the height)What do you mean there arnt short Mandos?! BLAM! HERESY!] So since the width seems right on my ham-hock of a leg, I just cut a little off the end, re-shaped them to maintain the chevron stylings of the original template aaaand there ya go.
Soft parts. Flightsuit & Vest
went with a black flight suit by Rothco as i couldnt find a dark grey. Am considering how to uniformly fade or dye it. but will go with black if need be, and just weather the (amphetamine parrot) out of it. Material for vest in a nice brown duck canvas. Should hold up well to the weight of the plates.....i hope. Am including a neck seal in the black vinyl. Yes I know, this is all just material, to the nay-sayers, I have a date with a sewing machine this weekend so *raspberry*
Crushgaunts
ready-made, off the shelf, motorcycle gloves by excalibur. no fuss, no muss. A friend of mine came over one day on his bike and it hit me instantly that they would make perfect crushgaunts. A couple weeks and $50 to amazon later, and I have my own pair. Might have to dye the yellow stitching though......either that or incorporate some yellow into my kit somewhere hmm....
Blaster Belt
A gift from my late grandfather, this belt has dual removable holsters and cartridge loops across the back for 24 rounds of .45 ammunition. has a lot of sentimental value and I refuse to make any permanent modifications to it but its got soooo much potential I just cant resist using it. gotta figure out what to put in the cartridge loops.
removable buckle I found at Spencers. Seems just.....right. not sure why.....cant quite put my finger on it.
Next up will be to finish forming and priming plates. (second coat of primer is a must) Then a coat or 3 of rustolium silver or steel hammered-texture paint followed with a thick coat of clear epoxy. Followed by my actual surface paint scheme (which i have yet to finalise. with a thick enough epoxy, im hoping that i can "naturally" weather the plates to show the silver/steel paint underneath and avoid painting the weathering as my attempts to paint weathering on models always looks obvious and fake.
UPDATE 2/11/15
So drove up to Raven's nest for our weekly BS-and-carve-on-sintra session and somehow there were plates when we were finished!? how?
I even managed to fix the mangled kneepad i screwed up
the next day theres a package at my door
YAY MY SHIPMENT OF STYROFOAM PEANUTS HAS ARRIVED!!!1111!!!!11!!!!!!!11!!!
Well, what do ya know, its a bucket.
May I present to you, Ladies & Gents, The Headshot Props, Grunt Helmet
Immediatly went to work triming the flash off. Resin dust everywhere (just like sintra) so i grab my mask and pro-glasses, when suddenly, my dremel wheel rips apart
And that, boys & girls is why you wear safety glasses when using rotary tools. Otherwise i'd be wearing an eyepatch for reals.
For size
UPDATE 2/17/15
plates are formed, articulated sections joined together, and undercoated with metallic texture paint. Bondo-ed the kneepads and sanded them down. made an articulated cod off of the pattern for the top plate of the greaves.
Glued on the earcaps and filled in gaps with bondo. Yet to be sanded
have started on vest & neckseal, but needs to be re-worked
. no pics atm. also have finally gotten the material for cloak. Hopefully pics tomorrow.
Next is a couple coats of resin for the plates (extra layers for knees and shoulders and possibly a reinforcement cloth), internal support for knees, and snap placement.
UPDATE 2/18/15
shoulder cape
