2024 Monthly Build Projects

[Fallen]

This will be encompassing projects in various areas include costume updates, props, woodworking, and home so Off-Topic makes the most sense.

Back in December I decided to make a goal for myself that I wanted to attempt to finish 1 small project per month this year. I have no idea what all of the projects are, but I had a rough idea of things that I wanted to accomplish in 2024.

Goals:
- Finish props that have been sitting in my "pile of shame"
- Update my Mk VII before HCS Seattle
- Finish my garage shop
- Stretch Goal: replace flooring on main level of house

As it's already March, and I didn't decide to make this thread until now, this first post will go ahead and cover January and February's projects and lay out the plans for March, April, and possibly May.

January
January's project was a pre-requisite in my mind to my garage shop. I have a bunch of leftover lumber and plywood from projects I've worked on in the past couple of years that I wanted to get up off the floor and make more easily moveable around the garage for while I'm working on things like electrical and drywall. Lumber cart it was. Made a quick mockup of the original plan using mostly materials I had leftover or had bought for projects I no longer intend to do, adjusted for my needs, and got to work.

​

By the end of the month I had it functional sitting on 6 casters and loaded up w/ any materials I had lying around. Best part was getting old plywood moved off the back wall of my garage where I plan to be running 4 outlets for some workbench spaces. I do plan to paint it if for no other reason than I like to walk into my working spaces and not get overstimulated by visual clutter, but for now it's functional and that's enough.

February
This one was a prop to knock off the list. A long while ago I'd printed TurboCharizard's Skewer model at 83% scale, and I was finally going to finish it. For fun I opted to go with the Volatile Skewer as my color scheme just 'cause. I did end up doing some reprints because I'd gotten a better printer since my original batch that worked better for tolerances. One thing I also experimented with was the idea of using flexible filament for the knife and possibly the dart (more on that later).

​

For ease I sanded each part separately first to 120 grit before assembling, filling, and the sand, prime, repeat dance before paint.

​

Even at 83% this thing is big, coming up to about my shoulders w/ the blade affixed.

​

One of the last steps was dealing with the dart. First attempt I printed entirely in flex PLA like the knife blade but decided to try my hand at casting it, so using Orcaslicer I was able to create a mold of the top of the dart and slice the mold with registration points. I printed it at .08mm layer heights and didn't bother to sand down the layer lines as I wasn't sure if it'd even work as planned. Using some armature wire for stability and black and metallic blue mica powder to tint my silicone I made my first attempt at moulding the dart. I printed the main body of the dart in flex pla and adjusting the model (again in Orcaslicer) to have a cap on the top that I could glue the silicone top to using a silicone adhesive. Ultimately I did end up re-doing the dart, and I'll probably do so one more time before C2E2.

​

Prior to Planet Comicon I did some simple weathering with just some oil paints. I still want to go back and do some silver and edge weathering, but that'll be either right before or while I'm at C2E2 as I don't have it back home with me at this time.

​

Since I only suited up for maybe an hour on Friday at Planet and was in my H3 Marine setup, I didn't make sure to grab any shots of me with it, but I did grab a fair number of pics of other members holding the Skewer. Hopefully with some Mk VII updates happening prior to C2E2 I'll be able to get the photos I want there. Here's some of the photos I grabbed at Planet of others though.

​

Tentative Plans

• March​
  • Mk VII updates for C2E2​
    • Upscaled Mk VII helmet to account for audio system - Construction Complete​
    • Turbo's Mk VII Chest and Back printed to replace parts used for Peppermint Laughter - Construction Complete​
    • New boots using the same method I did for Peppermint - Construction Complete​
  • Garage​
    • Remove anything remaining on walls from previous owners - Complete​
    • Start running electrical - Delayed to April​
    • Hire company to install door to backyard - Delayed​
• April​
  • Mk VII updates for C2E2 Continued​
    • Seal and paint​
    • Update electronics​
  • C2E2 Flagpoles (2)​
  • Garage​
    • Run electrical​
• May​
  • Garage​
    • Order Drywall​
    • Insulation​
    • Install mini-split - Delayed​

 

[Fallen]

March is over, so what got completed? What's in the works? What's been pushed off?

Mk VII

• 3D Printed Parts - printed, sanded, and primed
• Boots - foam construction, seams filled, sealed
• Partially through paint
• Materials purchased for electronics

Garage

• Delayed in general due to logistics with helpers
• Getting some bids on door installation because that's a job I don't enjoy doing

Anything else?
Closer to the end of the month I started a couple of things for C2E2 that I didn't list in my project list, 2 flagpoles and 2 new helmet stands (tutorial and files coming soon). I still need to do the tall parts for the flagpoles, and I'll wait until I post the tutorial for any helmet stand photos.


The framing of this wasn't planned that way, but I kind of like how it looks like the skulls have horns.

---

So based on what got done in March how does the plan change for April and May?

• April
  • Mk VII updates for C2E2 Continued
    • Seal and paint
    • Update electronics
  • C2E2 Flagpoles (2)
  • Helmet Stands (2)
• May
  • Garage
    • Electrical
    • Insulation - stretch goal
  • Prop
    • Either Plasma Rifle or Grenade Launcher - sand and prime