another noob with an HD MKVI build

agordon117 · Oct 14, 2012

more pictures!

dang, look at dat ass!

if I didn't take this last pic it would have seemed like I didn't do a lot of work today but I was working on the thighs till about 2:00pm and then moved to the codpiece. the codpiece is much easier than the thighs because you really only have to worry about the upper and lower tiers on the butt plate and even then you are only worrying about applying the bondo around it, not in between two raised spots. school tomorrow and home depot (need more sanding pads for my hand sander and I need some more activator for the bondo).

I'm not sure exactly what it is, but there seems to be a lot of "gunk" on the non bondoed areas of the piece that can't be sanded (or they will gum up your sandpaper beyond being salvageable) and they can't really be scraped because there is only a thin layer of resin between it and the paper. and it isn't just appearing as I'm working, it was there to begin with. I have a feeling I mixed lots of bad batches of resin or something when I first started this project because short of that I have no clue what it is. and, none of the pieces I resined and fiberglassed after the helmet (chest, boots, shins, hand plates, forearms, biceps) have that. the only thing I can think of to get rid of it is some kind of chemical (either lighter fluid or lacquer thinner depending on what it's made of) but that will start removing the resin coat. hopefully I'll come up with something. it's just preventing me from getting a totally smooth surface sometimes and it's really annoying.

/rant

@ T117, I honestly don't know where I got the straps and buckles (my uncle ordered them for me way back) but just type in 1.5" parachute clips on ebay and check usa only (so you don't wind up getting something on the slow boat from hong kong) and you should be able to find everything that way.

1.5" parachute clips
1.5" nylon strapping (get a big roll of it)
1.5" tri slide gliders (pretty sure that's what they were called)

same stuff for the 1" strapping

foxleader · Oct 14, 2012

i get all my strap stuff found an army surplus guys clips $1 straps .50 a foot, and the gilders a buck each. so much did it cost you in all.

SpartanT117 · Oct 14, 2012

Side release buckles are what they are called. And you have some great work goin on with those armor pieces!

agordon117 · Oct 15, 2012

Thanks man. I jusy keep thinking how much i can't believe i actually made that with my own hands. I'm pretty concerned about hlackwashing though. Last time i tried it the resultsbwere less than stellar. I wound up having to repaint my whole piece.

SpartanT117 · Oct 15, 2012

well, longshot-x could probably give you some tips.

agordon117 · Oct 15, 2012

Yeah, i'm hoping he chimes in. On the agenda for tonight is finishing the codpiece and getting the straps in the thighs. I'm picking up a grommet kit, some bondo activator, and some sandpaper on my way home. Helm is fully rondoed and i'm pretty comfortable with rondo now.

SpartanT117 · Oct 15, 2012

great work! I've started on my codpiece gonna work on my other bicep and if need be skip my boots until later on but I think I can get em by the 6th. Found foam mats four for 7(I wonder if they know about foam armor and Bungie's fascination with 7? lol) at Harbor freight but I have to make sure they are available. crossin my fingers. found some buckles on ebay but trying to find non Chinese buckles. xD so wish me luck!!

agordon117 · Oct 15, 2012

Nice and good luck. Keep me posted too. As for me. I've just realized my upper lip outer edge (that's the inside of the top of the piece where it. Points away from your body) on the thighs was poorly glassed so more rondo it is. I really wish i had rondoed the whole suit but oh well. Even if you aren't convinced about the strength of the rondo, you can always glass over it. But once the glass is in place it is harder to fill the missed areas.

SpartanT117 · Oct 15, 2012

I've come to love Rondo. Every spare minute is being put onto my armor, so I'll keep you posted.

Macattack64 · Oct 15, 2012

This looks really good! Reminds me of my suit a lot! What problems did you have with blackwash before?

Skullptura · Oct 15, 2012

Well, nice collection of pictures showing your progress. Awesome work. Your bondo work is better than mine lol. I'm in a rather hot and humid climate. So i cant just leave a bit of hardner out. Otherwise it ends up tacky and doesnt set properly. Your build looks excellent. Want to see all of it now! lol keep it up.

agordon117 · Oct 15, 2012

I tried applying the black spraypaint with a rag and it stuck before I could wipe it off and I tried spraying on and wiping off and had the same problem. I'm not really interested in trying an acrylic paint then clearcoat either because I don't really want to have to worry about painting a 3rd layer on each piece perfectly. 2 is hard enough.

thanks skullptura. I do find that I am liking how my bondo work is turning out but sometimes I do get lazy and cover over some tiny detail that would have taken an extra two hours to keep perfect or something like that, but I make sure I get all of the big stuff.

so the codpiece... well I thought it was done, and then I took another look at it and noticed a spot that needed filled on one of the pouches and I noticed two spots that I missed at the very bottom of the codpiece (marked with a black X for the pics). I also took up the buttplate about 1" as I like the look this way a lot better. and for those keeping track, I used a dremel cutting disk and made the cut in one pass with no touch up afterward.

so progress for tonight (in the 4 hours I actually worked on it) is 95% done on the codpiece, straps rondoed into the left thigh (since I can rondo the whole inner surface of the thigh while I can only epoxy a small area. taking statics really makes you appreciate destributed loads, lol.) and I started the right forearm. it's at roughyly 25% bondo. the forearms are pretty quick from what I remember but I stopped early tonight as I have to be on my A game when bonding the topside of the forearms. last time I did the forearms (yup, through the bondo stage) I wound up getting bondo into the details on the top and screwed the whole thing up.

also, something weird happened tonight while I was cutting the led slot in the right forearm. I was using a routing tool (though for metal) and the tool started shaking uncontrollably (taking the dremel with it, not like it was coming out of the dremel) and it took a nice chunk of the pep with it. I did get it nice and cleaned up but I can't let that happen again, so I may have to come up with a plan B.

alright, enough ranting, you want pics. sorry they are so crappy tonight but my phone is dead and my tablet only has a 3.2mp camera.

ViperB77 · Oct 15, 2012

GREAT job sir! I totally wish I had a garage like yours right about now... it has been getting quite windy lately, and I know I need to get moving on my bondo work on my armor. I totally sympathize with your priorities as far as a timetable goes... haha... rush rush!

You'll get it done in time dude. Good luck!

Macattack64 · Oct 16, 2012

agordon117 said:
I tried applying the black spraypaint with a rag and it stuck before I could wipe it off and I tried spraying on and wiping off and had the same problem. I'm not really interested in trying an acrylic paint then clearcoat either because I don't really want to have to worry about painting a 3rd layer on each piece perfectly. 2 is hard enough.

You really wouldn't need to clear coat it. It is all personal preference though. Here's an example of doing it with watered down acrylic:

thorn696 · Oct 16, 2012

You don't have to clear coat Acrylic. It's just a added protection for the paint and gives it certain look. I my self give everything 2-3 coats of Mat clear coat.

agordon117 · Oct 16, 2012

Maybe i'l give it a shot on an old piece i have laying around but i like the "used but well cared for" look way better than the "mucked and dirtied up over time" look. Though i admit, macattack's boot it pretty close.

LongShot X · Oct 16, 2012

Here is what I did and used for my "black shading" detailing:

The surface must be super smooth for best results.
I used a BRAND NEW (out of the package) sock. Reason: It has not been washed. The detergents used in washing a sock change the properties in how the paint is absorbed into the sock.
I then filled the end cap of the spray can with spray paint. Enough for a paint brush to pick up the paint.
Paint the area with the paint brush. Then 1-5 seconds later I would wipe the paint off. Be sure to try to do it in ONE wipe (2 wipes if you must) and only in a straight direction. (no "s" curves) Waiting for 1 second would result in a light deposit of paint. Waiting for 5 seconds would leave a deposit of lots of paint.
Let the paint dry. Then clear coat.

agordon117 · Oct 16, 2012

Thanks for that longshot. Looks like i'll be buying 12 cans of matte clear, lol. Anyway, i had a small (not really) mishap when painting. The buttplate fell on the ground and cracked some of the bondo. Not anything overly important, but i know if i don't deal with it i'll regret it.