(Kindly) Please help A Noobie

I've been reading through everyone's forms and trying to get a grasp of things. First I'd like to let everyone know their armor looks absolutely phenomenal. However it seems that everyone has their own methods of making them. (pepakura, foam, steel) I have tried the pepakura method, only to find that 3/4 finished gluing, it was going to be too small for me. If its possible, can anyone help me step by step sizing and how to use pepakura properly? Or better yet, a possible meet with someone who is building or has built their own suit, to help get me started? I am an hour from downtown Chicago in a small town in Indiana, and only 10 minutes from the Michigan border. I have no problem traveling to get a "hands on" grasp of how to get things moving on my own armor and to possibly make a new friend. All help is appreciated, but I'm a 25 year old man so please no negativity for asking for help.

HaloGoddess' scaling (sizing) tutorial: http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/31627-HaloGoddess-quot-How-To-Scale-quot-and-More-Tutorial

Cereal Kill3rs how to scale pepakura:

- Gray

Adjusting the scale is kind of interesting. I guess I was lucky to have a helmet with just a small opening, but quite roomy on the inside. You are right when everyone has there own technique. This is a very helpful community here on the 405th. If you need anything just make a thread or something like you did here. Hope to see you on the forums spartan.

Termhn recommended some good tutorials on scaling. A good "shortcut" is to use the "measure distance between" tool in pepakura designer/viewer. This is accessed by right clicking in the 2D window and selecting it form the menu there. Then move the cursor over to the 3D model and pick two points. A measurement will come up to tell you the distance between these two points.

For example with a helmet, you'll want to pick either the center point along the edge at both the front and back of the opening, or from side to side at the widest point. I would suggest taking the side to side measurement as helmets typically have plenty enough of an opening front to back. You'll want this measurement to be as close as possible to the distance from one earlobe to the other. If you wear glasses like I do, that measurement can be taken fairly easily by measuring from one arm to the other. Figure out the difference between that measurement and the distance that came up on the screen and adjust the scale accordingly. For example, if the measurement on the screen is 115mm and the measurement for your head is 145mm, then you'll want to click "2D Menu," choose "change scale," then "scale factor." Then increase the width by 30mm.

The same method can be applied to any piece that has an opening. I also have found that just taking a measurement along the body for where the piece should fit also works fairly well. Such as bending your elbow to put your arms at a 90 degree angle, forming another 90 degree angle between your palm and wrist, and measuring the distance (keep the ruler straight along the "line" of your arm, don't angle it to measure from the crook of the elbow to the heel of the hand). This will give you a good measurement for forearm armor.