First Pep/foam build. Mark VI helmet

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Tanker Mech 16

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Hey guys, so I'm doing a Mark VI Full Armor. Doing the Pep and fiberglass method. This is my first time doing anything like this so I'm learning on the go and getting cleaner as I learn.

I'll be starting the armor pieces soon as I have the helmet bondo'd. Shouldn't be too long from now. I haven't decided what armor to build yet, any advise from the community on that? I want a big beefy costume im not concerned with the weight. My frame will carry it.

Here is my progress so far. About 8 hours worth of work.
 

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I see you haven't pep'd the visor with your helm, this could be an issue later on as, quite often, helmets seem to warp at the front as the 'brow' causes the top to droop.
You may want to include the visor before you resin, and just avoid applying resin to it and cut it out later. Or brace it with small wooden sticks or reinforced cardboard.

If you've already applied the resin, but not fibreglass, you may still be able to get away with bracing it with strong supports, then once fiberglassed you should be good.
Better to be safe than sorry!
Looking great though, pal.

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Just read 'as I have the helmet bondo'd'
Must have missed that the first time.

Hope everything turned out okay!
 
I was thinking the same thing when I started to do the resin, I decided to support it with some popsicle sticks like you suggested. Seemed to work out nicely, also I applied it very lightly and slowly, no need to rush resin. Thanks for the info, I'm gonna need tons of help when I start the foam body, as I've never done any of this before.
 
I'm glad it turned out okay, I'll try to help with any questions you have. :)
I'm looking forward to seeing this progress. Try to upload some pictures of your helmet when you have the time. I'm interested to see how it's going. :)
 
Here is a quick pic from the outside resin stage of things, I picked up all the things I need for the foam building and excited to start it soon as I get back to my computer and pep files.
 

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Here is a picture of both the gauntlets next to each other. I'm happy with the symmetry of them. Some minor pep issues but I worked it out as I went. Hope they look OK to the community.
 

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So here is my first real issue with scaling and sizing pieces to my body style, in the picture you'll see what is supposed to be my shoulder/bicep armor piece(gauntlet in back to show size comparison). You'll notice it's GIANT. Well in order to get the arm to fit over my 17inch arm's it made the shoulder armor 13 inches wide and far to large to look even remotely realistic.

So to combat this I am making the bicep and shoulder piece off the same template but removing the shoulder and scaling the bicep, then removing the bicep and scaling the shoulder armor independently. It's a headache but I can't think of another way around my physical attributes.

First world problems of a big guy lol
 

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Great build quality so far! Keep up the great thread.

Thanks man, I'm building this suit (mostly) while at work. No i dont work at a costume place lol, I'm an aircraft mechanic for air tanker(forest fire fighting airplanes) So i can only make more parts when we arent flying the planes on fires. So oddly enough wildfires in California and Oregon control my build progress... But nothing beats a slow day when im getting paid to build armor!
 
Just finished pep on the front section of the shoulder. Since they are hallow I'm making them in two pieces so I can resin and fiberglass them internally. Pretty happy with the sizing. Now I have to build the bicep pieces and hope for the best. The sizing on those is a headache because of my arm size... hope you guys enjoy my progress so far. It's slow going I know.
 

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Here is my bicep pieces finally finished with the pep faze, some of you will notice my sizing seems off. IT IS... I messed up on the first one but decided I would just finish them both and cut out a section on the back and add elastic straps. They might even work with some sanding and finesse work, but we shall see.

Sorry for the triple post. No love from the community between pieces being built....

What should I do next? Chest or legs?
 

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I'll have the check out the pics on the post once I get home. Super excited to see them. I would say if you are comfortable enough with sizing do the chest. Otherwise do legs or just do legs for the sake of them being easier and smaller pieces to assemble to get some more practice in before tackling the chest. I did a foam build so the process and methodology is slightly different.

For me the chest took the most work and I had the paint mess up and could have built it better myself in the end, still happy though!
 
I'll have the check out the pics on the post once I get home. Super excited to see them. I would say if you are comfortable enough with sizing do the chest. Otherwise do legs or just do legs for the sake of them being easier and smaller pieces to assemble to get some more practice in before tackling the chest. I did a foam build so the process and methodology is slightly different.

For me the chest took the most work and I had the paint mess up and could have built it better myself in the end, still happy though!

Thanks man, im not sure, with the size of my legs it might be about the same size as peping the chest lol. I feel like im going to have issues scaing them to my thigh width and keeping the length in check. I'm gonna start on the chest today hopefully. if work allows me too
 
You can do point to point measuring in the pep designer. So you can measure your leg and be sure it will fit.


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