1st Build First Project

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JoshSeles

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This will be the first time I've done a costume of this sort and the first time I'll be doing anything at all with a costume in years.
In my introduction post, I mentioned that I'm intending to do my lightly customized Halo Reach PC appearance, I'm 3D printing it, and that's it.
Time to get more specific. I'll add updates to this thread as I go along.

First: I'd like to apologize for the somewhat low picture quality. What I've got here is...
Halo Reach Appearance crop.jpg
Helmet: Mk. 5 base
Shoulderguards: FJ/PARA
Chestpiece: Default
Wrist: Default
Kneeguards: FJ/PARA
Utility: Tactical hard case
Primary color: Blue
Secondary color: Silver
Visor color: Default



Second: My ultimate goal is to have this done for Halloween this year at the latest. This would allow me to build this thing over the summer and without interfering with my post-secondary school. I've done some looking through this forum before even joining and it's been good reading.

Third: Some other info and concerns:
- The look above was based on a kind-of minimalist-but-functional idea that I had. My only gripe is that the FJ/PARA shoulders would look nicer if they were silver instead of blue.
- I found the 3D models in this forum. Nice stuff. My question here is if a 3D printer can accept these filetypes or do they need to be converted to a special, separate filetype in order to be printed.
- 3D printer model and material suggestions. Summer in Alberta can get pretty hot.
- Visor: I'll get to that later.
- Electronics: may need to grab suggestions on LED bulbs and fans. Planning on using 3x AA battery holders for all that stuff. Ebay will work if I can't find stuff locally.
- Scaling: smaller concern as I have read that Armorsmith should be able to help with that. I'll need to reread this forum's Armorsmith tutorial.
- Undersuit: smaller concern as I may be able to ask a person I know for help make it. Designing it on paper could still prove troublesome, though there are several sketches on this forum to help me. As I mentioned above, Alberta summers can get pretty hot.
 
First of all, I am really looking forward to see progress.

- I found the 3D models in this forum. Nice stuff. My question here is if a 3D printer can accept these filetypes or do they need to be converted to a special, separate filetype in order to be printed.

About files, I think it depends, but MoeSizzlac shared 3d printable parts for all noble team members.


- 3D printer model and material suggestions. Summer in Alberta can get pretty hot.

I don't think i could help with specific 3d printer, but for materials my guesses would be PETG or eSun PLA +, but I don't know how hot it gets. For my costume I use eSun Pla +.

Can't wait to see pics.
 
- I found the 3D models in this forum. Nice stuff. My question here is if a 3D printer can accept these filetypes or do they need to be converted to a special, separate filetype in order to be printed.
If they are moesizzlacs 3d models, then you are fine. If they are pepakura files, you would have to convert them in order to be compatible, but I would not recommend this because of how low poly the models are and how much detail is missing. They are designed for paper, and accommodate for thus
- 3D printer model and material suggestions. Summer in Alberta can get pretty hot.

Any material will do just fine, but some will hold up better in certain situations. Work with what you are comfortable with. Pla wont be too sturdy, but filament such as e sun, petg, or abs, will hold up rather well. You dont need to worry about temperature as long as you dont leave your parts in direct sunlight for an extended period of time, or it is left in a place that can get superheated, like a car.
- Electronics: may need to grab suggestions on LED bulbs and fans. Planning on using 3x AA battery holders for all that stuff. Ebay will work if I can't find stuff locally.
CPU fans for computers work really well. They are small, fairly quiet, and can run with minimal power. As for LEDs, I cannot help you here.
- Scaling: smaller concern as I have read that Armorsmith should be able to help with that. I'll need to reread this forum's Armorsmith tutorial.
Just triple check your measurements, check every angle, and add an inch or two to accommodate for spacing. It also doesnt hurt to print an outer skeleton of the peice to make sure it isnt too big or small.
- Undersuit: smaller concern as I may be able to ask a person I know for help make it. Designing it on paper could still prove troublesome, though there are several sketches on this forum to help me. As I mentioned above, Alberta summers can get pretty hot.
Since you are doing a reach suit, a black morphsuit will work just fine without looking out of place. If you want, you ccanadd some detail in sections to further improve it. If you are going to make an entire undersuit, ductaping yourself to make teplates scaled to you is a great way to go. Just grab a partner and stand in an air conditioned area to keep you cool. Just be careful about the material you make it out of in the end
 
Alberta summers are stupid hot depending on where you are but SpartanProps and iac300 both live around Calgary and have 3D printed buckets so it's doable.

Basically just don't leave the armour in the car and you should be good.
 
For anyone with 3D printed helmets, how's your ability to hear and talk through said helmet?
I don't really want to put together mics and speakers for both inside and outside my helmet but I will if I have to.
 
For anyone with 3D printed helmets, how's your ability to hear and talk through said helmet?
I don't really want to put together mics and speakers for both inside and outside my helmet but I will if I have to.
This applies to all helmets, be it foam, pepakura, 3d print, whatever. If it covers your whole face it will be hard to talk and hear. In some helmets there are places where you can add mesh to allow air and sound to better enter and leave your helmet (I have noticed the odst helmet is great for this), and it isnt very noticeable. If you have your helmet on, you may not be able to communicate very well with someone else, but if you raise your voice, you will be heard just fine. Same with people trying to get your attention...
 
Helmets suck for hearing but you look cool so its a worthy trade off. mine was paper and it was difficult still, luckly I have "vents" in the odst helmet which I cut open so it allows me to hear people in front of me very well.
However if you are speaking to my back or side, good luck getting a response from me unless you physically touch me.

Not to mention the sound reduction of fans.
 
Alberta summers are stupid hot depending on where you are but SpartanProps and iac300 both live around Calgary and have 3D printed buckets so it's doable.

Basically just don't leave the armour in the car and you should be good.
I did that with my old Chief gear and I just about had a heart attack lol
 
For anyone with 3D printed helmets, how's your ability to hear and talk through said helmet?
I don't really want to put together mics and speakers for both inside and outside my helmet but I will if I have to.
NobleofDeath16 hooked my helmet up with a bluetooth mic and I store the speaker in my chestpiece. Probably the best tech addition Ive made to my suit as my helmet is very tight fitting (casted Halo 5 Deadeye Helmet) and my voice tends to get very muffled. So If youre worried about people being able to hear you I would go that route!
 
I did that with my old Chief gear and I just about had a heart attack lol
Where I am, summer temperatures get to +30* here, easy. And that's just a thermometer sitting outside, not even direct sun exposure.

Thank you all for your replies. Seems I'll be hunting for some slim mics and speakers, whether in person or Ebay. I'm not opposed to making holes in my helmet either, should help with airflow anyways. I have Armorsmith now, so my scaling should be mostly solved (all I need is to size myself). That will also allow me to begin designing the undersuit too.

I don't have a 3D printer yet and I'm more concerned with school currently. I'm doing a high-level finance course as well as managerial accounting right now so I may end up updating here a bit less while I work on that. I'll still put up some updates, so don't count me out yet.
 
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If you are still looking for 3d print files.you could also look on thingiverse.com the website is entirely for 3d printing so all of the files there are 3d printable. There's also a ton of non halo files as well.
 
I haven't been around for a bit have I? I've been dealing with school so I've been focusing less on this. I did start designing an undersuit on paper and started scaling the solid pieces in Armorsmith. So far I think I've gotten the helmet and chestpiece scaled right and working on upper arm pieces now.
Initially I was wanting to create an undersuit entirely from scratch, but that's probably too ambitious. After all, I only have hand-sewing experience. Now, I'm planning to modify pre-made clothing to make this. The amount of detail I want isn't super high, but it's more than just what plain black clothes can do. The undersuit I'm drawing out could be used to build a suit from scratch though. It is something I want to do eventually.
 
Ok, update here.

-I've been having work and school, so I've been quiet but plugging away slowly.
- I have all the solid parts scaled relatively well in Armorsmith.
- I've also started looking for clothing for my undersuit and I did find some possibilites and Costco and Winners. Mainly Costco.
- Given this, I won't be able to really start building this suit until I'm done this term of school and I get a 3D printer. That true start won't be until late April at the earliest; depends when my last final is.
- Speaking of a 3D printer, the one I've been considering a Prusa I3. It's been mentioned around here as decently reliable and on the affordable side on top. Another possibility is a Tevo Tornado. It too has been mentioned around here, but if I have enough money.

However, I'm wondering if Armorsmith can do something other than scaling and colors.

The yellow arrow indicates the issue I saw. The colors are just for contrast in the program. The kneeguards imported as a single piece when it should be 2 separate items, like the shoulderguards are. Is there some way to split this into 2 separate kneeguards or should I just find new 3D models? I'm not opposed to that, and occurred to me as I was writing this post.
Costume screencap 2.jpg
 
Ok, update here.

-I've been having work and school, so I've been quiet but plugging away slowly.
- I have all the solid parts scaled relatively well in Armorsmith.
- I've also started looking for clothing for my undersuit and I did find some possibilites and Costco and Winners. Mainly Costco.
- Given this, I won't be able to really start building this suit until I'm done this term of school and I get a 3D printer. That true start won't be until late April at the earliest; depends when my last final is.
- Speaking of a 3D printer, the one I've been considering a Prusa I3. It's been mentioned around here as decently reliable and on the affordable side on top. Another possibility is a Tevo Tornado. It too has been mentioned around here, but if I have enough money.

However, I'm wondering if Armorsmith can do something other than scaling and colors.

The yellow arrow indicates the issue I saw. The colors are just for contrast in the program. The kneeguards imported as a single piece when it should be 2 separate items, like the shoulderguards are. Is there some way to split this into 2 separate kneeguards or should I just find new 3D models? I'm not opposed to that, and occurred to me as I was writing this post.
View attachment 285021
You can slice it and save it as two different files, or if you are satisfied with the scaling of the one side you can build it as it is, since with a physical object you would be able to position it correctly on yourself and the other knew is just a mirror
 
- Speaking of a 3D printer, the one I've been considering a Prusa I3. It's been mentioned around here as decently reliable and on the affordable side on top. Another possibility is a Tevo Tornado. It too has been mentioned around here, but if I have enough money.
Tevo fanboy checking in. When they go on sale (often) you can snag two for the cost of one Prusa i3 and with their larger print volume you can absolutely burn through a full suit print. With a single Tornado I did a full MkV set in a month of print time for reference.

However, I'm wondering if Armorsmith can do something other than scaling and colors.
Armorsmith does a bunch of weird and wonderful things. For the sake of 3D models it's primary use is making sure that everything is scaled properly but you can also convert a 3D model into a 2D unfold for crafting in paper/foam.
 
My apologies for going radio silent for so long but my finals are done now but I have to delay starting on this project. Originally I said that I was looking at a Prusa 3D printer or a Tevo if I have enough funds. I'll be getting a Tevo Tornado instead of a Prusa since I have enough money to get that. However, there are no units for sale that I can find. Ebay has none, Amazon is sold out, both Tevo Canada and Tevo USA are sold out.
 
My apologies for going radio silent for so long but my finals are done now but I have to delay starting on this project. Originally I said that I was looking at a Prusa 3D printer or a Tevo if I have enough funds. I'll be getting a Tevo Tornado instead of a Prusa since I have enough money to get that. However, there are no units for sale that I can find. Ebay has none, Amazon is sold out, both Tevo Canada and Tevo USA are sold out.
It looks like Tevo is currently undergoing a rebranding and all of their stock is being transferred over to their new stores under the title "Homers".
The worst part of this is all I can think of is the No Homers Club from the Simpsons.
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