OK Guys/Gals, this is my post #2 after introducing myself like the n00b video said and I've been browsing these forums for quite a while now. I started doing a Mk. VI build a few months ago, I fiberglassed the torso, and thought to myself "Wait a minute.... I haven't even PLAYED Halo 3!!!" LOL so I set that project aside and started looking in to Mk. V builds because Halo: CE is one of my favorite games ever

Anyways.... Here's my plan. I have about a day and a half per week to work on this thing because my job has me all over the country most of the month. I just started working on this thing a couple weeks ago so all-in-all I have put about 3 or 4 days in to it. I used the MOZ pep files cause they're all that there is for the Mk. V right? I have the body pepped and resined and I'm waiting on the helmet for when the body is completely done (like I've seen many of the veteran members recommend...).
Here's my work so far (minus the stomach piece cause I forgot to include it in the pic LOL)



I think I did a pretty good job scaling the model. I am 5"11" 195lbs with an athletic build. It's a little wider than I am but it's just for the picture so imagine smaller gaps between armor. I know the legs and shins need to be spaced out a little more but that's just a screw up on my part laying them out. I spent a while making supports out of cardboard and reinforcing pieces that would most likely warp with cardboard as well. Oh, and I'm using a Mk. VI belt cause the V is boring (and yes, it needs to be a little wider...). How does it look?

SO.. here's my plan (I posted this on the backup site while 405th was down).

I have an idea of cutting off the black armor pieces from the inner portions of the bicep pieces, the cuffs of the gauntlets, bottom portions of the shins, top of the torso, and most of the thigh pieces and attaching black fabric covered neoprene. Not very thick neoprene, maybe something like 2mm or 3 mm like what a thick surf-shirt would be made of. Also, I was going to attach the stomach piece to the chest with neoprene. I figured this would allow the pieces to stretch and comform to my body shape, be less bulky while wearing the armor, the armor pieces would rub against each other less, and allow for a snug fit. Of course I am still going to use straps and foam padding on the inside. What do you think? Anybody done this?

For the helmet, I am going to do the RunDown version of the Mk. V. I have it mostly pepped. My idea is to complete and fiberglass the helmet, and then cut away the rear black portion of the helmet so it is 2 pieces, and then reattach it with thin bungie or elastic straps so i would be kind of sealed in to the helmet and not have to cut away a lot of the bottom portion of the helmet OR have too big of a scale so it would be either too cut away or too big. THOUGHTS??

My last idea is for the boots. I haven't seen any Mk. V's on here with boot covers (maybe a bad search??) I test fitted the boots and they fit PERFECTLY over the boots im going to use for this armor project. I plan on fiberglassing the OUTSIDE (so i don't lose the perfect fit) and then putting a ton of bondo over them to make them look good, cut them in half on the black detail lines, and attaching them together with a hinge so they can move freely and not lift up after i attach them to the boots. THOUGHTS??

OH. and I plan on doing LED lights in the thighs, biceps, chest, back, AND helmet!!! I'm going all out!! LOL

Don't mean to make such a long 2nd post, but hey, I've been trying to put some research in to this and not be such a n00b and it's something I've been thinking about for a while. Any help, suggestions, tips, etc would be cool. I have 2 weeks off starting next week and I want to get some work done on this.

Thanks everyone!!