Montana Spartan

This is my first build, so I decided to start off with the Spartan MKVI armor.

I started this back in December of 2010 after stumbling onto thossoli's blog about his Haloween project and consequently the 405th forum, which has been so much help I can't even begin to describe where I'd be without this place so thank you to everyone who has contributed here.

I am using robogenisis' pep files where low def is seen and crackhead09's files where I am doing high def pieces.

I'm using SmoothCast 321 to harden the armor, so far I have started with Helmet and Chest piece and it is going well. I'm going to try and avoid using bondo to smooth out the pieces since the smoothcast is sandable. So far it is going and I've had to repair the helmet a few times where the plastic has gotten thin while I've sanded. Using 80 grit sandpaper it isn't too bad and is coming into shape nicely.

My armor is in the current state:
Pepped: Left Shoulder/Bicep(too big needs to be redone), Right Shoulder/Bicep, Left Forearm, Left Shin, Left Thigh(going to redo in HD), Codpiece, Right Thigh(50% pepped in HD)

Being hardened/sanded: Helmet and Chest.

Now for pictures:

First Piece I completed was the Forearm


Test fitting the Helmet after it had been pepped


Current state of the Helmet, sorry for the bad lighting


Current state of the Chest Piece


Let me know what you think.

ahhhh bro! good work. you have it easy! i am pepping the hd chest right now! it's kind of a pain but good luck on your build.

Your resin looks a little gloppy. Dont make larges batches of resin to cover the whole thing. resin in sections with enough resin to cover them and just work your way around.

Other then that, looks good.

Cool, the pep work looks very good so far. Keep it up.

PS: That's a cool OU shirt.

You're helmet is way better than my first try, just take it easy and it will turn out looking great. Work with the smooth cast from the inside out, that way you you'll never have to worry about the uneven finish on the out side. You'll start to love the smooth cast tho... its far better than fiberglass for use and ease. I would pour it a little think on the inside also to give it more strength.

All in all you're doing great for a first build. Keep us posted.

You're doing nicely so far.


Also, w00t~ another Montanan! (I'm originally from there.)

Superb pep work! My first helmet was warped beyond belief. Are you going to use all low detail files or are you going to use HD?

Thanks for the comments! Sorry it has been so long since I've updated, progress is slow and I have had a new roommate move in.

thorn696 said:

You're helmet is way better than my first try, just take it easy and it will turn out looking great. Work with the smooth cast from the inside out, that way you you'll never have to worry about the uneven finish on the out side. You'll start to love the smooth cast tho... its far better than fiberglass for use and ease. I would pour it a little think on the inside also to give it more strength.

All in all you're doing great for a first build. Keep us posted.

Click to expand...

I love the smooth cast. The globs on the armor are from slushing the inside. If there is the slightest hole it leaks out and globs, and since it will leak out near the bottom where it settles it gives that rough look. Its not too bad to take care of with some 120 grit sandpaper and on the thicker ones my dremel.
My only complaint about the stuff is that for my Low def builds it is proving to be too expensive for how detailed and smooth I want it. Easily fixed by me rebuilding the parts I was going to keep in the low def builds to the HD builds(helmet, chest, arms(both upper and lower) and shins), and probably will do so for the ones that I haven't already used material on.

Murnhead; said:

Superb pep work! My first helmet was warped beyond belief. Are you going to use all low detail files or are you going to use HD?

Click to expand...

I am going to use a combination, currently going to keep Helmet, Chest, Shins, Forearms and Shoulder/bicep Low Def, and cod piece, thighs, boots and hand plates will be High Def. Why am I doing it this way? I don't see that much of a difference between Low Def and High def Shoulder so went with what I already had made, and then Helmet, chest and forearm I have used material on. Codpiece and thigh I had to rebuild due to sizing problems on my first try and decided if I was going to repep I was going to go ahead with the High def versions since I got some practice with the Low def ones.

I have separated my chest piece and am working on smoothing it down before I do a few more layers of Smooth-cast on the inside and install the buckles to rejoin it. The Helmet is coming along nicely, my visor came, but haven't done any work to install it, still need to get the materials to do that.

I will post more pictures on my next update.

Been working on the helmet some the past week. Got the mounts in place and the visor cut so it will mount correctly, and have begun bondoing.

Pictures!
Visor installed


Mounts for Visor


Had to secure the mounts as the epoxy wouldn't hold correctly, maybe I overdid it by making them apart of the helmet?


Bondo shots

looks great, keep up the great work =D

A new roommate is no excuse. All a roommate is...is someone to hold the camera for you!

Just kidding. Take your time. Rushing just sucks in general.

You should seal your pep pice with modpodge or resin the outside before you put smoothcast in. It should help you with those leaks.