Back in duty. Need YOU to (help at least) finish the fight

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Hello everyone
Sword Breaker here. Due to various reasons including but not limited to :Summer classes, Hard drive going corrupt, and of course, some pepakura issues, I am back in business!
Or so i hope to be.
First and foremost, I'd like to thank every single person ive met on this site so far for getting me to this point.
Here are some pictures of my current progress (I know its small but hey, i dont have so much free time on my hands as i would like to have)
IMG_20151004_230416_647.jpgNo, that isnt a dent. It just needs some support :)
IMG_20151004_230431_820.jpglooks kind of odd with that piece just hangin there. Thats where my problem sits or rather, it doesnt.

And now, to the main section of this post.
Another question from me (seriously, you must be getting tired of seeing me around so often eh? ;D)

My main problem is this:
????? ?????.pngI hope i dont need to point out the fact that the piece itself, is embed in the piece (you guessed it) itself.
As foreboding and mysterious that may sound, in practice, the problem can be easilly explained as our good friend Pauli would say. Two pieces of paper-to-be-armor can not exist in the same space (well. If he was making a pepakura suit that is)
His quote was: two identical fermions (particles with half-integer spin) cannot occupy the same quantum state simultaneously (put even simpler: You cant have two things in the same space)


So, back to english now, how do i solve this? The most obvious solution would be to cut the piece from pepakura designer into two different ones, and then glue them together as one, this time without overlapping pieces.
I have two problems with that
a) How do i even even? I seriously know not of a way to do this. . .Any helpful tutorials you can direct me to?
b) When i last tried to re-print a piece but it camt out on the wrong scale. I dont know what went wrong. Probably an error on the printer shop's part? It was the same file.


Thats about that with the pep problems.
My OTHER problems are simple enquieries.
so lets get on with them
i) was my idea of going with a very high quality chestplate (the piece seen above is from it) good? should i have gone for a lower and easier resolution? You know, since most of the detailing is done in the putty stage
ii) Ive seen many tutorials on fiberglassing the helmet. What about the chest? is it any different?
ii) My fiberglass mat pieces are falling apart.Strand to strand. Should i cut them larger or something?
iii) I take it the inside of the helmet also needs bondoing?
iv) is fiberglass supposed to be sticky etc, and you need to bondo it before touching it ( i of course mean after its applied. my helmet is still kinda. . oddly textured. But its hardened alright! :D)
v)How does the chest attachment attach to the chest? Shoulders too.
vi)Do you think i should do the back-off strategy with my helmet or not?
vii) Do i cut out the visor after bondoing or after? right now its paper, and seeing (or not seeing. hehe) that i cant see through paper, i have to cut it out sooner or later. Will it be just as structurally secure?


Thats all i can think off the top of my head.

Before i leave you guys to go to bed, i have a small piece of advice for everyone.
IMG_20150612_212708_175.jpg If you so happen to get mad because a piece got stuck in the wrong place, dont apply force. You will possibly hurt another piece as well. But if you so happen to do, paper and glue are your friends!
 
So, back to english now, how do i solve this?

It's a bad unfold. If you can attach the file to your next post using the 'Manage Attachments' tool in the full editor, I'll take a look and resolve the issue for you if I can.

i) was my idea of going with a very high quality chestplate (the piece seen above is from it) good? should i have gone for a lower and easier resolution? You know, since most of the detailing is done in the putty stage

Depends on your skill level with bondo and fibreglass resin, in more ways than one. A skilled bondo user can take a low-definition piece and build up all the detail in bondo - likewise, an unskilled user might splatter all over the high-quality detail with bondo and absolutely ruin all the intricate assembly work beneath it. If you're going for the HD route, then remember you'll need to be sparing with your bondo in order to preserve the detail you created in the Pepakura stage.

ii) Ive seen many tutorials on fiberglassing the helmet. What about the chest? is it any different?

Nope. Same principle applies - just be aware that you don't want ten pounds of fibreglass and resin sitting on your neck. Work sensibly, don't slosh too much about; you only want enough to strengthen the helmet and preserve the shape. You're not building to withstand the nuclear apocalypse.

ii) My fiberglass mat pieces are falling apart.Strand to strand. Should i cut them larger or something?

I'd suggest trying to source fibreglass tissue if you can, rather than mat. Tissue can be cut a lot more easily without it falling apart - mat is generally useful for large surface areas only.

iii) I take it the inside of the helmet also needs bondoing?

Nope. Bondo has no structural strength value at all, it's there only for detailing, and will only add weight if added internally. Don't bother with trying to slosh it about on the inside.

iv) is fiberglass supposed to be sticky etc, and you need to bondo it before touching it ( i of course mean after its applied. my helmet is still kinda. . oddly textured. But its hardened alright! :D)

Not sure what you're getting at here, but if you're asking whether fibreglass should be sticky before applying resin, then no. And, you'll never need to bondo over fibreglass - fibreglass goes inside, bondo goes outside. They're like polar bears and penguins - they should never meet.

v)How does the chest attachment attach to the chest? Shoulders too.

Get inventive. Screws and bolts? Velcro? Magnets? Sky's the limit, do some searching to see how other people have done it. I'd suggest aligning some bolts, myself, but it's up to you.

vi)Do you think i should do the back-off strategy with my helmet or not?

Only if you're having trouble getting it on. Otherwise, don't bother.

vii) Do i cut out the visor after bondoing or after? right now its paper, and seeing (or not seeing. hehe) that i cant see through paper, i have to cut it out sooner or later. Will it be just as structurally secure?

Definitely not before fibreglassing. Afterwards, it's up to you if you remove the visor before bondo or not, depends on your technique.
 
Not sure what you're getting at here, but if you're asking whether fibreglass should be sticky before applying resin, then no. And, you'll never need to bondo over fibreglass - fibreglass goes inside, bondo goes outside. They're like polar bears and penguins - they should never meet.

I mean, i touch it and i can still feel it being kind of sticky. I will upload something to help you understand tommorow

Get inventive. Screws and bolts? Velcro? Magnets? Sky's the limit, do some searching to see how other people have done it. I'd suggest aligning some bolts, myself, but it's up to you.
Alright. It was practically a question of "what do you usually do" but i guess i do have some ideas i could work with. Thanks again!
 
After reviewing the file, I can honestly say that you're better off trying a different file. I would suggest THIS file, personally.

EDIT: also, please use the EDIT feature to add to your posts, rather than double-posting.
 
Originally Posted by Chernobyl viewpost-right.png
It's a bad unfold. If you can attach the file to your next post using the 'Manage Attachments' tool in the full editor, I'll take a look and resolve the issue for you if I can.



Quick and to the point as always i see.
Pleasure to see you again Sir
Oh, and its not really my unfold. I just scaled it and re-aranged the pieces. This was the file i used:
http://www.405th.com/file-archive.ph...ownloadid=1056



After reviewing the file, I can honestly say that you're better off trying a different file. I would suggest THIS file, personally.


Isnt that foam?

Also, i can admit im a bit reluctant on doing that. I mean, ive been doing good so far.
You're the veteran here though. I trust you. Ill get to scaling it then!

Originally Posted by Chernobyl viewpost-right.png
Not sure what you're getting at here, but if you're asking whether fibreglass should be sticky before applying resin, then no. And, you'll never need to bondo over fibreglass - fibreglass goes inside, bondo goes outside. They're like polar bears and penguins - they should never meet.



I mean, i touch it and i can still feel it being kind of sticky. I will upload something to help you understand tommorow


Originally Posted by Chernobyl viewpost-right.png
Get inventive. Screws and bolts? Velcro? Magnets? Sky's the limit, do some searching to see how other people have done it. I'd suggest aligning some bolts, myself, but it's up to you.



Alright. It was practically a question of "what do you usually do" but i guess i do have some ideas i could work with. Thanks again!

EDIT: also, please use the EDIT feature to add to your posts, rather than double-posting.
Noted. I will get to deleting my other posts now
EDIT: how exactly do i delete them? Excuse my lack of experience.

No. I literally just added a non-foam variant to the download section, it's entitled 'Reach Torso V3'.

Ah. i see. Thank you!

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I'm pretty sure that's the torso file that I used for my spartan build, it's very good, only a couple of details need to be added afterwards, and that's only if you want to be picky.
 
I'm pretty sure that's the torso file that I used for my spartan build, it's very good, only a couple of details need to be added afterwards, and that's only if you want to be picky.
Hah! funny thing! Your build was actually what inspired me, what i used for some basic first level scaling as well as to give me a general idea of the build!

Thank you sensei :D
 
Hah! funny thing! Your build was actually what inspired me, what i used for some basic first level scaling as well as to give me a general idea of the build!

Thank you sensei :D

No problem, glad to help out :)
Just make sure when you make the chest to reinforce it heavily with wooden rods and tongue depressors before applying resin. I had a full wooden skeleton made for all my pieces to avoid any warping. If there's one thing that will ruin your day, it's a piece being permanently asymmetrical and warped because of inadequate supports.
 
UPDATE: I expressed some of my concerns/plans better in the following video
[video]https://youtu.be/9CNDh3l3KUY[/video]
Chernobyl i hope this helps you understand what i meant :p
(Please ignore my terribly greek accent. I was pretty tired when i made it)
GOD DARN IT.
i forgot to include the part about it being sticky.
Oh well. Its not so sticky now.
 
Right. After a good look at your video, let's address some concerns:

Firstly, the suggestion was to use fibreglass tissue over fibreglass mat (sometimes called chopped strand fibreglass). Fibreglass tissue uses much finer strands than the stuff you're using, and is much closer to a cloth-like material than the rough, coarse material you're currently using. It's easily cut up using scissors and won't flake apart when you clip it into smaller pieces. You can find an image example of what fibreglass tissue looks like HERE.

Secondly: the smell. Polyester resins do tend to retain a residual smell for a while after application and curing, even if you're using the correct mixture of hardener, since the chemical reaction between the hardener and the resin is still ongoing and producing fumes. If you're finding that your pieces smell for more than a few days after you've hardened them, try storing them somewhere warm, dry, well-ventilated, and sprinkle the surfaces with talc (referred to commonly in Europe as talcum powder). This should serve to help the small, trace amounts of un-cured resin dry out and stop them from smelling.

Thirdly: the file. No, you haven't done anything wrong - the details you're talking about are only included in what's called a texture file - the image that's laid on top of the model to make it look a certain way in-game. This is to save memory and space in the game, rather than modelling every small feature directly onto the file. If you want those features on your model, you can either model them yourself in a 3D modelling program, or detail them onto your file later using bondo/filler.

Fourth: trim your opening. If your head still doesn't fit, you may want to look at creating a flexible foam seal first, and then considering a back-off modification only as a last resort.

That should help you out somewhat. If you're still concerned, let me know and I'll try to answer your questions.
 
Right. After a good look at your video, let's address some concerns.

Perfect. Chernobyl, you have probably been the most helpfull person in my armor making quest yet.
I seriously with you all the best
Oh and something else. How was that condition you had going? Hope you're doing fine!
 
Perfect. Chernobyl, you have probably been the most helpfull person in my armor making quest yet.

A lot of these tips are just common knowledge things you'll pick up on your own during the armour-building process. You'll find methods and small things to do here and there that will improve your overall skill, and the best thing I can suggest is for you to practise on smaller pieces first until you have the confidence you need to progress onto larger things. A shoulder plate might help you with figuring out a method for the process, since they're generally quite small, inexpensive if the process goes wrong, and simple to put together.

Oh and something else. How was that condition you had going? Hope you're doing fine!

There are things happening to my body that defy conventional science and reason. Trust me: you don't want to know.

Otherwise, peachy, thanks for asking.
 
Ok so a tiny update:
i decided to start over fresh with the helmet and chest with better files this time.
So far, ive made the right shoulder and the sniper shoulder attachment
(pic will be below)
and before i start on the second one, i just have to ask: what exactly is that piece on the page?
The uncut part
IMG_20151114_125157_418.jpg
Sword breaker signing off!
cheers!
 
If I'm not mistaken, it's the little part that sticks out from the top.

halo_reach_male_bicep_by_forgedreclaimer-d3aro1j_zpsr173abwh.png
 

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