Did some digging around here and to celebrate getting my deployment Tier 1. And to show how an armor can progress over time as you keep working on it. I dug up some pictures of the 3 versions of my suit that currently exist.
Version 1. Foam body. Pepakura helmet. This sucker nearly gave me heat exhaustion in the middle of winter. Things I learned from it. Sizing matters a lot. I was so wide in this sucker I couldnt get through a 36 inch door because of the shoulders. I did not have good range of motion. My detail and precision in my builds seriously lacked.
Version 2. Was built based on the basics of version 1. I build it over a 4 month period from the wearing of v1 at setsucon to the time of Sci fi valley con last year. I rebuilt the chest and ab sections as well as the shoulders bringing them more into scale. The chest in this version has a lot more detail in it/more 3d as do the shoulders.
Version 3. I wore this to Sci Fi here in 2016. Helmet still the same. Amusingly so are the forearms, Legs, and shins. But there days are limited for a reason that is about to be explained. After Sci Fi last year my armor got put away in storage in our garage. About 2 months after Sci Fi I simply lost interest nothing on the horizon to encourage me to work on my gear. I did some messing around with my M247 and some 3d prints of M6 pistols for our costumes but I simply didnt take the time to pull my armor out of totes. fast forward to about 2 months before sci Fi. For some reason I decided to pull my armor out. I think I was debating the repaint of the current colors. Suddenly I discover that I had seams splitting in the chest, Ab and shoulder pieces. I could of tossed some hot Glue at them and fixed them. But this had been the second time that we have had hot glue separate on us and I happened to remember the small lecture I got about not using Hot glue from a certain other gentlemen in our ranks that I rather respect the work of. So I rebuilt those pieces using contact adhesive and my trusty band saw to achieve a higher level of cut precision in my parts. So going forward Hot glue and anyone who encourages people to use it and or even suggests it in my presence is very likely to find themselves short an ear or two from me chewing it off.
I also added groin and butt plates to my armor. The belt buckle is currently MIA because it simply does not fit well with my spare tire. But I do have a completed one. Also added this year was a cooling fan in my helmet as well as I removed the front center section of my flak vest under my chest and ab armor so I could install a fan behind the chest plate and also increase my ability to move around smoothly and do things like bend over.
So where do we go now. The pictures above are the ones I submitted for my deployment status and I got excellent feed back from the folks who handle that. They ranked me as a tier 1 which I find perfectly correct at this stage. I need to add boot covers, Hand armor, and Neck cover. They suggested a full flak vest to hide a bit more of my strapping. Which to be honest I eliminated the front portion of my flak vest in the transition from v2 to v3 due to heat issues. I will be doing some snooping in the days to come to hide the strapping. I am currently working on replacing my forearms finally got a file that I can work easily and simply need to build them now. I have also gotten the files for new shin pieces that will add a lot of detail to them. Boot covers should also be done in a few days. Neck cover is already done. I noted some gloves at the one sporting goods store near me that have armor on the back of the hand they will do nicely to fill the void. The only other major piece on my radar is my thighs and I need to go unfold/find a file that I can work. Once those pieces the last of the hot glue will be gone from my armor. And never again. My pepeakura helmet continues to soldier on but its replacement is sitting beside me now. I just finished a foam build of a halo 4 ODST helmet and I am rather happy with it. It still needs a visor and some cleaning/gap filling on the outside. But I am also working an unfold of my own of a Halo 3 ODST helmet. Some small differences that are obvious between the two.
I am also going back and forth with my wife ashuraa and building a me a screen/lore acurate ODST field dress uniform to wear under my armor. Hopefully next year it will be ready. We are also going to try to add a few more small con's/events to our schedule every few months to keep us motivated and excited about working on our stuff. To give us deadlines to encourage us to move along.
I will continue to build and improve on my ODST but it is also going to have to share my time as I am also starting a Halo 5 Guardian Helljumper. Still staying with the ODST concept but moving forward
