halo 3 marine radio pack wip

[Shadow the ODST]

been meaning to make this thread for a while but i am currently working on the radio pack for my halo 3 marine cosplay which is also a wip. with me being the pain i am, I'm also trying to add as many features as possible like a removable phone and dials that actually rotate as well as adding led lights which will be my first time working with electronics so going to have fun learning/figuring that out.

 

[Shadow the ODST]

Quick update I started work on the handle which I am reinforcing so it can be used as a handle as apposed to be just for aspherics but sadly I now have to put this on hold for a bit as I kinda slice my thumb with a chisel which makes working on anything difficult

 

[N8TEBB]

It ain't prop making unless you literally pour your own blood into making stuff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

hope it heals soon

 

[Shadow the ODST]

It ain't prop making unless you literally pour your own blood into making stuff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

hope it heals soon

Oh I know I keep a box of plasters at my desk. Thanks I hope it does, I really want to crack on but it still hurts but at least I can still do some research for the electronics

 

[Shadow the ODST]

quick update: I have wired up the leds for the radio pack's buttons which thankfully work, I was so worried that I went through all this effort and for it not to work though the yellow ones are a bit dim but don't really want to sort that out as it works now and I don't want to change that.

Next up is getting a diffuser and glueing the buttons into place then I think it's just a matter of glueing all the peices together.

Progress might be slow from this point though as my room is getting redecorated and my work space is in said room but I'll try to work on it when I can.

 

[SalLyrisse]

Looking really good so far, great idea on the reinforcement. Never know when it's going to get bumped into at an event or otherwise.

 

[Shadow the ODST]

Looking really good so far, great idea on the reinforcement. Never know when it's going to get bumped into at an event or otherwise.

Thanks it probably would be ok as its fairly contained and the pack shouldn't be too heavy but better safe than sorry. I know about bumping at a con, made my odst pack too big and I felt like a pinball at mcm london so i learnt my lesson there

 

[Shadow the ODST]

Buttons have now been glued in (not square which bugs my ocd a bit) just need to get all the lights to somehow be in the middle of each button.

I was planning on having these red panels have leds too but I could not get them to work so I decided to just add some red plastic to the diffuser instead which didn't turn out grate (I'm not very good with super glue) but I have to remind myself it does not need to be perfect as that usually ends with it being thrown across the room.

And finally I've got the whole circuit wired up after having to replace an led that popped some how.

Still got a fair amount of work to do but it's coming along well and I can't wait to get it finished

 

[Shadow the ODST]

ok so it's been a while since the last update to the radio pack as I decided to prioritise the main halo 3 marine armour for megacon london in January but now its finished I'm back to work on the radio pack

so with a new Soldering kiting got to work implementing a solution to the led light issue I've been having with the radio which was suggested to by user N8TEBB (thanks again for the help) it's not pretty and the last column are very dim but I decided to mount the leds anyway

here's the leds all mounted

I wanted some red leds on the bottom section but I couldn't get a single battery holder and I could be arsed to get the Soldering kit set up so I came up with this cheap mount

I've also managed to add my wireless speaker to the radio pack too which I plan to use to play radio chatter from halo games and some rvb easter eggs to give a more real feel to the pack. currently working on foam claying all the seems and imperfections so hopefully I remember to update again when I get round to painting.

also here's a pic of the finished marine

 

[N8TEBB]

Love the marine!

It’s weird that only the last line is dim… is there a second resistor there that I can’t see? Or perhaps there is a bad connection. It could also be a bad LED

 

[Shadow the ODST]

Love the marine!

It’s weird that only the last line is dim… is there a second resistor there that I can’t see? Or perhaps there is a bad connection. It could also be a bad LED

thanks
I think it's a bad connection as it would flicker when moving the leds around but I didn't really want to mess around fixing it but the circuit is removable so i can fix it at a later date

 

[Shadow the ODST]

radio pack is really coming together now but still a lot to do. all 3 modules are now glued together and Weathered though there is still a black wash to do

 

[Shadow the ODST]

another update on my radio pack which is very close to being completed.

so the radio pack has some Pouches which i was originally going to sew myself but decided to go the arguably easier and faster route of wrapping fabric around EVA foam which works out just as well i think. i also came up with the idea to make the side Pouches hold 330ml cans which if anything helped me scale and shape the design even if i dont use them for cans

next up is adding the details to the Pouches which really makes them pop and even with some gluey mistakes and forgetting I have velcro as well as magnets they turned out amazingly.

here's the almost finished radio pack lights and all

I also decided to add some extra details to the radio display as it's just blue on the in game model. After looking at some actual military radios I came up with this design which I promptly added 4 easter eggs

just waiting on some fidlock buckles to arrive so I can attach the radio pack to the marine. all though I am not finished yet I am so proud of this as its all from my own design/templates and it looks so good

 

[SgtSaint]

You should be proud of that. Clearly shows a lot of attention to detail, patience and workmanship.

 

[Shadow the ODST]

You should be proud of that. Clearly shows a lot of attention to detail, patience and workmanship.

thanks I really appreciate that.

 

[Shadow the ODST]

while I waited for the fidlock buckles to arrive I started work on the marine Pouches for my phone and wallet. annoyingly I mixed up the colours for the pad where the magnets on on the wallet pouch which and is taking a lot of will power to not fix it as all glued and no one is going to notice it.

with the fidlocks finally being delivered it was time to figure out how to arrange/mount them and man was that some mental gymnastics as I wanted the radio pack to sit in a certain location on the back, to be able to unbuckle them easily and I have an large access panel which takes up most of the area I need to attach the buckles. eventually I've come to this arrangement which I think looks good and works (hopefully) not all glue in yet as I have work but I'll get to work on it Thursday.

 

[Shadow the ODST]

i can now finally say my halo 3 radio pack is now finished. fidlocks are working grate though the draw strings will need replacing with longer ones and I still need to sort out a radio track to play on it while at my next con which will be mcm may.

thanks to everyone who helped and liked my project. After I've done some upgrades to my marine I'll be working on an halo 3 battle rifle next which I'm sure I'll over complicate.

 

[Rock Lobbster]

Now that is a thing of beauty! You've got to make sure to always have your back turned for photos

 

[Shadow the ODST]

Now that is a thing of beauty! You've got to make sure to always have your back turned for photos

thanks

 

[Shadow the ODST]

Now that is a thing of beauty! You've got to make sure to always have your back turned for photos

managed to get one at HCS in Twickenham