H3 Chief Armor - Build Progress

[master_colt_117]

*sniff sniff*
They're beautiful!

Thanks man! I've seen your work on instagram dude. You have amazing talent!

 

[master_colt_117]

Nice, brotha! Looking way good. Keep up this motivation and get it DONE!

Yeah buddy, hoping to have the boots started by the weekend then it's on to lights and wiring!

 

[PaiganBoi]

Thanks man! I've seen your work on instagram dude. You have amazing talent!

Oh stop! You're making me blush.

 

[xXDashIVXx]

So what paints did you use? I image that the latex ones would be better, but what did the expert recommend? Also, record a video of you squishing a peice and prove its might!

 

[master_colt_117]

That's pretty cool! Ok so this will actually be pretty mind blowing as it was for me... I was talking to Justin Branfuhr who is a professional prop builder. He swore to me that acrylics are much better to use on Eva foam as it flexes better with the foam than spray paint (whether latex or oil based) and is incredibly durable to wear. I had a hard time believing him but he gave me his list of colors and the brand he used to make his h3 chief.. and the best part, his entire suit color is brushed on with a brush and fine detail is airbrush work. So I went to the local Michaels and for about $10-$15, I stocked up and got home to start playing with mixtures and got pretty close to his color with in a couple of quick attempts. The even better part.. no fumes obviously! So I'm thinking, I see the perks already, I can do this entirely inside. Once I let it dry which it's pretty much dry in about 15 minutes and ready for use, another perk. I was shocked but it's crazy strong, flexes and I mean flexes, I stretched the crap out of that forearm piece (which still hasn't torn cause of shoe goo) not hardly a single wrinkle and what wrinkles it has is because this piece has plasti-dip which I've notice plasti-dip does wrinkle with stress, however luckily an awesome 405th member on here recommended rustoleum leak seal, he was right, far better than plasti-dip, it seriously is way stronger and does not wrinkle with extreme stress. So to summarize: I will be hand brushing this suit with a custom mixture of acrylic paints from Deco art and Leak Seal rocks! I will use my air brush for shadowing detail. Oh Btw... I scrapped this elbow piece against carpet really fast and the paint didn't even wear off down to the rubber coat. I'm impressed
(This is justins h3 chief)
View attachment 264489

Hey xXDashIVXx check out this post. Pretty much explains his process with a pic of his suit. Basically, latex based spray paints wrinkle especially with plasti-dip. Rustoleum Leak Seal. Recommended by a fellow 405th member, by itself is definitely better and does not wrinkle when flexing with the foam. Much more durable. Justin is a pro prop builder and gave me advice to try the acrylic paints as they flex really well with the foam. He recommended and I purchase various metallic colors from decoart found at a local Michaels. Brushing on the paint is actually very nice cause it can be done inside with no fumes and very controllable. I want the inside of my armor to look as good as the outside unlike most people, it's important to me so I will have the inside black and outside chief green. With a brush, it's very controllable to get the colors exactly where I want them instead of spray going everywhere. The acrylics also dry really fast which is nice and also, if you're not totally happy with the color, change the mixture and brush on another coat until it's desirable. Much better than just laying into it with a spray can getting possible runs or bubbling in the paint. If you're smooth enough with a brush, there are literally no brush strokes either. Basically all pros and no cons to the method other than it will take a little longer. Which the way I look at it, I spend 4-5 months building a suit, I'm not just going to slap a 1 day paint job on it and call it done. Haha I don't mind spending the time. Durability of the acrylic paint in my testing is very good. No wrinkling with flexing or squeezing and also after vigorously scraping against carpet, the paint remained on the surface and edges. Of course any paint will wear off eventually but this method has proved durable in my tests. I may try to upload a video with my findings

 

[Dire]

Psssh hey you, yeah you, If you are going to do a clear coat, I recommend spray varnish, it's meant for acrylic paints and it's like a nice satin finish, my one and only clear coat I will ever use!

 

[master_colt_117]

Psssh hey you, yeah you, If you are going to do a clear coat, I recommend spray varnish, it's meant for acrylic paints and it's like a nice satin finish, my one and only clear coat I will ever use!

Awesome man, I will definitely test that out! Is it rustoleum brand as well? I think you were the one that recommended the leak seal also.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

I will have the inside black and outside chief green.

The inside of the chief's armor (H4/5) is actually an off-white. There's a black "frame" around it, but the rest is almost the color of fiberglass...

 

[master_colt_117]

View attachment 264542

The inside of the chief's armor (H4/5) is actually an off-white. There's a black "frame" around it, but the rest is almost the color of fiberglass...

Haha true! I was just going to keep it black inside so that no odd colors stick out from the inside while wearing the suit. Basically creating dark area on stuff I don't want showing and so it looks good when on display and people look it over. I have been wrapping all the foam in the really cool honeycomb material so all the padding looks very finish. Plus it makes it so I can add velcro to the padding so that it's all removable for maintenance. It works like a champ. My visor system is also removable.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

I've got a lot to learn, man.

Making me want to redo my suit!

 

[SI3RRA 117]

And..... I saw you mentioning a printed under suit at some point some where. Please don’t go that route. I think your armor deserves better. The printed stuff just looks I don’t know ummm “printed” and blah. Need something more dimensional and something that has that leather/vinyl/rubber look.

 

[master_colt_117]

And..... I saw you mentioning a printed under suit at some point some where. Please don’t go that route. I think your armor deserves better. The printed stuff just looks I don’t know ummm “printed” and blah. Need something more dimensional and something that has that leather/vinyl/rubber look.

Yeah I agree man! I think what I'm going to do is get black knee, elbow, waist sportd compression wear stuff and glue foam undersuit texture from the game to it to get the chief look.

 

[master_colt_117]

I've got a lot to learn, man.

Making me want to redo my suit!

Dude yours is awesome!!! But I understand rebuilding pieces till its perfect too, as you guys have noticed. I have grown to understand with this hobby, don't get sentimental with the piece itself but the execution of how the piece is built. I'm never afraid of starting over if necessary. Haha

 

[Dire]

Awesome man, I will definitely test that out! Is it rustoleum brand as well? I think you were the one that recommended the leak seal also.

Nope was not me man, and yeah rustoleum or krylon, I think I have a can somewhere, I'll take a pic of it if I do

 

[Dire]

This mofo, is great, flexible and a clear coat for any type of paint, mainly acrylic:

 

[master_colt_117]

This mofo, is great, flexible and a clear coat for any type of paint, mainly acrylic:
View attachment 264548

Awesome I will definitely grab this to use!

 

[master_colt_117]

New handplates are money! So much better and straight out of the game.

 

[Badkitty]

New handplates are money! So much better and straight out of the game.
View attachment 264609 View attachment 264610

Looking good!! How long did it take you to make these? Keep it up!!

 

[Dire]

Niiiiice, way more accurate sire

 

[master_colt_117]

Looking good!! How long did it take you to make these? Keep it up!!

Once I got the pep files edited for foam building, about an hour a piece give or take. Scaling is now spot on the game. My last ones were just a little small. Oh and I also added the subtle little vent lines to the shoulder plates too.. huge difference.