Darktrooper Progress Thread 8MAR2011: Getting back to it

Just to keep you guys updated, I went ahead and sealed the inside of the box and acquired some saw horses for it. I built two equal holding frames as well. What I have left to do before its ready, is I have to attach some hinges, and improv a locking/ mechanism for it as well. Then, I need to construct an oven. I plan to build a box, equal to the holding frame, line the inside with that heat resitant, reflective metalic tape, and then put together 3 rows of 3, of those IR bulbs, the red ones that are meant for generating heat. So those are the only things left for that.

To add to this, a fellow Tuba player, who is actually just short of my height, and general size wants to help, so he as well can have a Darktrooper suit. I plan to go to home depot this sunday, and pick up some MDF sheets, and start constructing the arm piece, wrist gauntlets, hand guards and possibly biceps. These are what Im planning but it still depends on when I get the proper tools. LOL I put my poor dremel through hell getting it this far.

-tubachris
 
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Arg... Update

I just finished weatherstripping the platen (table top surface of the machine) and it looks like that will keep it airtight with the frame on top. About the frame, I had built two "almost" identical frames, but I mathamatically screwed up the measurements, making them too narrow, and not even with the box itself, plus, I need to use a different method of attachment between each piece as well. I learned that my grandfather has a whole garage of power tools, and that I may use anything thats in there for this project, so Im going down there tomorrow, which will speed up the project. Also, I went to lowes and was looking at the Halogen bulbs, and I was trying to find what are called "IR bulbs," sopposed to be for generating heat. I saw a lable saying "internal reflective" bulbs, but I was not sure exactly if that was it. If anyone knows what Im trying to find, please let me know. Thanks guys!

-tubachris
 
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Dang dude, nice work there. Oh and since its one o'clock AM. You must be hardcore at making costumes! :lol:
 
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Dang dude, nice work there. Oh and since its one o'clock AM. You must be hardcore at making costumes! :lol:

Ah nerts........Well, I lost track of time, well, dosnt matter, what ever gets me closer to finishing this thing. You have no idea how much I want to get this thing done, not because im tired of working on it, I just want to have it lol, and know that I am actually capable of building this...no matter, I told myself regardless, Im finishing this, end-of-story :)

-tubachris
 
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I went down, and got some power tools for making the molds. I acquaired a hand powered circular saw, a jigg saw, belt sander, and a hand planer. I still need to get one of those smaller hand sanders though. I can start making the molds this week once I get the MDF sheets from home depot. One major step closer to getting this completed!!!

-tubachris
 
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Chris,

Nice to see you still going full bore on this. Do you know of any other members in your area that could help you out instaed of you making it a one man project?

Two heads are always better than one, and it makes the work go a lot faster as well.

Good luck, and I look forward to more progress pics..
 
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Chris,

Nice to see you still going full bore on this. Do you know of any other members in your area that could help you out instaed of you making it a one man project?

Two heads are always better than one, and it makes the work go a lot faster as well.

Good luck, and I look forward to more progress pics..

I have actually been trying to get pthers to come out and help me out, but they are fellow students at my school, and out scheduals limit us to only weekends if we do get together to work on it. I have 3 people who want to make TK suits, but I told them that they would have to pay for the MDF if they were dedicated enough for the project. I hate to say it, but a few of them say they want to, but when I ask them to come down, or even really talk about it, they always "have something else to do," and I find that they arent as dedicated to the project, that I need them to bee. I'd ask the 501st members, but they live way too far to come down to really help me out. So in the end, it is going to be a one man project all the way. Im settin a goal for myself, to get this built and ready before I leave for college (if I get accepted, I find out on Valentines day, nervous)
But If I get accepted, I'll be leaving for FSU in June, so I have a fe months.

Commander Voltairecant wait to see the finished armor!


You know, thats exactly what Ive been thinking too! lol

-tubachris
 
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Alright........

I just got my first hand introduction into the world of power tools and the world of sawdust....

I began making the layers for my first mold. It is for the helmet modification of the backpiece, for the FX helmet. My jigg saw busted on me (its old, and just bought $10 saw blades too!(n)(n)) So I was reduced to using my larger circular saw, to cut around the lines, and then use my dremel to cut partially in the excess to weaken the wood, and then sanded it down with the belt sander. I cut out two shapes but my tracer piece is sanded down to its final shape before I go ahead and glue all needed 14 layers....Enjoy.

helmetmodcutout.jpg


helmetmodview1.jpg


helmetmodview2.jpg


helmtmodview3.jpg


-tubachris
 
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cutting out mdfs sheet, glueing them, and planing them down....

now you know how i feel.

Unfortunately i've had a lot less time to work on mine now that school started. By the time i'm down with that, and work, it's 9 and most people are already asleep in my house, bad time to run scrollsaws and hand planars.

looking good tho

-=QuinN!
 
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Good news.....

Remember DARKTROOPERNUT? Well since what he did really ticked people off here and myself, in order for him to make it up, Im having him help me get some of this done as payback. Hes gonna spend a few days with me when he gets down here for his spring break from college. Payback is always fun...:)

-tubachris
 
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Getting there, 2 sanding belts, wrist cramps and looking like a tusken raider, got me to 8 layers so far. Im thinking i may need to make at least 2 more, then i'll just add one or two layers of the semi-circle "wall" pieces..

8layershelmetmod.jpg


8layershelmetmod2.jpg



On top of this taking longer than it should be, seeing that my current jigg saw does not work, I covinced my parents to get me a new one, but I will have to wait till next week or so. Starting to take some shape.

-tubachris
 
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Another update as I wrapp up tonights work.



Im showing alot of this mold only because this you might say would be the Darktrooper's most unique piece of armor, despite the jumpjet pack. Tonight, I added 2 more layers, glued them together, and began to shape it out. I got alot of it done, but theres more sanding to do. I mainly started on the top left (if your looking at it from behind) As you can see, I put it next to the FX pieces to show a really rough preview of what its gonna look like in the end.



helmetmodshape4.jpg



helmetmodshape3.jpg


helmtmodshape2.jpg


helmetmodshape1.jpg




On a side note...MDF sawdust smells like cat ****.....



-tubachris
 
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Looks good. IMO the point needs to slant down more.

Yea, like I said, it needs more sanding. Where the bottom curve ends, is where the top one will slant to. You cant really tell from the pics, but I have lines drawn on the top to show where the helmet curves around, and I have yet to sand the area up to that line, once that is sanded, it will slant more, and be farther down. lol, this sanding took me about 4 hours....

-tubachris
 
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On a side note...MDF sawdust smells like cat ****.....
-tubachris

wear a respirator and dispose of the dust.

mdf contains formaldehyde, which will mess you up.

you definately don't want to inhale this stuff. sand somewhere that gets good airflow.

just a friendly tip. the back of the helmet looks great

-=QuinN!
 
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