he4thbar's 1st Build(complete) - ODST

[he4thbar]

EDIT Current Progress: suit completed

Hi All, After browsing the forums for a couple years I finally have moved somewhere with a workspace to dedicate to cosplay.
A few hundred dollars later after buying all the suggested crafting tools/mats/materials I am finally getting into crafting. I have decided to go with ODST as it has always been my favorite halo character(s).
This is my first ever cosplay.
For his build, I have decided to go with a pep helmet. Then once that is complete move onto crafting my armor with foam.
I have to say I have a new found respect for all of you here, after how much time and effort it's taken just to get to this point in my cosplay alone...
My plan is to have this build complete before Halloween of 2019. With how much I have learned from all of you i'm sure I can hit this target if not even sooner.

Here is some picture updates. I had to go and buy a Fiskars hobby knife, because that crappy chinese hobby knife and blades were just horrible on cardstock.
(using helmet-rookie-a from the Halo 3 ODST armory files)



I will post more as this build comes along.

 

[CollinMcCaf]

Going off of personal experience with my first pep, its absolutely necessary to make sure the tabs are lined up as perfectly as possible. I got a little sloppy towards the end of my 8 hours of cutting and gluing only to have to start over from scratch. Being misaligned on a little less a quarter of the tabs ended up distorting my helmet past any point of redemption. Best of luck!

 

[he4thbar]

Going off of personal experience with my first pep, its absolutely necessary to make sure the tabs are lined up as perfectly as possible. I got a little sloppy towards the end of my 8 hours of cutting and gluing only to have to start over from scratch. Being misaligned on a little less a quarter of the tabs ended up distorting my helmet past any point of redemption. Best of luck!

Thanks for the advice! So far I have been able to get all the tabs exactly where I wanted except for maybe the tail end of 1 spot that I kind of jammed to make it align correctly. It's good to know that so I don't get restless towards the end.

 

[Dire]

Instead of using alot time tracing your mountain and valley folds, they are distinguished. Valley fold is "line dot line" and mountain fold is "line line line etc."

Also superb folding guy!

 

[Harri51]

I don't miss those days. BUT, very good work! taking your time is paying off.

 

[he4thbar]

Instead of using alot time tracing your mountain and valley folds, they are distinguished. Valley fold is "line dot line" and mountain fold is "line line line etc."

Also superb folding guy!

Thanks for the advice and compliments, but I actually got this idea from this tutorial and am using the pens as a way of scoring the folds to make bending easier and leave less to chance(at least for me). I think its working so far as here is where I got to last night and it doesn't seem toooo lobsided but I have some more update pics...(I have to still glue a few more folds on the inside that will probably fix any more lobsiding but the girl wanted me to sleep)

I don't miss those days. BUT, very good work! taking your time is paying off.

Thanks man, i've seen you post a lot here, and those are encouraging words.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

Scoring the paper is definitely the way to go. It's the only way to get crisp, clean folds.

So far so good, man! Take your time and don't rush it! You have got PLENTY of time between now and Halloween, so just take it steady and keep us posted!

 

[John pardee]

Just finished my helmet now I just got to harden it keep up the good work definitly will be following your thread

 

[he4thbar]

Small update... Got a couple hours to work on the helmet and it's coming together well I'd say and not distorted.

Question though regarding the visor, do you guys typically cut the visor out after fiberglass resin, after fiberglass cloth(interior), or after rondoing the inside of the helmet. I'm trying to be ready for the next step. Thanks

 

[John pardee]

I usually do it after resin and cloth. Typically I rondo the top of helmet and than brush the rest if I even rondo the sides

Small update... Got a couple hours to work on the helmet and it's coming together well I'd say and not distorted.

Question though regarding the visor, do you guys typically cut the visor out after fiberglass resin, after fiberglass cloth(interior), or after rondoing the inside of the helmet. I'm trying to be ready for the next step. Thanks
View attachment 268478View attachment 268476

 

[he4thbar]

I usually do it after resin and cloth. Typically I rondo the top of helmet and than brush the rest if I even rondo the sides

Thanks for the advice, I always wonder how rondoing the inside was done if you take the visor out. I would think you wouldn't want to rondo or fiberglass cloth the visor because it would be a b***h to cut out then.

 

[John pardee]

Thanks for the advice, I always wonder how rondoing the inside was done if you take the visor out. I would think you wouldn't want to rondo or fiberglass cloth the visor because it would be a bitch to cut out then.

Not really I use a dremel and cut it out I just rondoed the inside of my helmet last night

 

[Sean Anwalt]

If you keep the visor in thr entire time it makes a great buck for vacuforming.

 

[he4thbar]

Update (with pics)! Got to spend about 5 hours or a little more on the helmet this friday night.
Was kind of worried approaching the end that it was going to be distorted. But all my my worries went away when connecting the final pieces on the top.
The fit is pretty well too! Will probably look more proportioned once I have armor installed but so far I am happy with it... Now to move onto fiberglass...(hopefully this week)

Here are the update pictures.

 

[xXDashIVXx]

Update (with pics)! Got to spend about 5 hours or a little more on the helmet this friday night.
Was kind of worried approaching the end that it was going to be distorted. But all my my worries went away when connecting the final pieces on the top.
The fit is pretty well too! Will probably look more proportioned once I have armor installed but so far I am happy with it... Now to move onto fiberglass...(hopefully this week)

Here are the update pictures.
View attachment 268988
View attachment 268987View attachment 268989View attachment 268990

Looks good! My OCD is really kicking in because the tabs are on the outside XD

I would recommend using something stronger than hot glue when popping as the glue on the outside may be a little troublesome with getting smooth after applying resin, and it doesnt always stay glued, but this looks great!

Also dont do what I did! I will save you the hundreds of more hours it will take sanding if you just paint it on! Make sure the bondo is thin and smooth! You can always apply more paper thin coats later instead of sanding and sanding and sanding and wiping away tears because your getting nowhere! You did a great job!

 

[he4thbar]

Looks good! My OCD is really kicking in because the tabs are on the outside XD

I would recommend using something stronger than hot glue when popping as the glue on the outside may be a little troublesome with getting smooth after applying resin, and it doesnt always stay glued, but this looks great!

Also dont do what I did! I will save you the hundreds of more hours it will take sanding if you just paint it on! Make sure the bondo is thin and smooth! You can always apply more paper thin coats later instead of sanding and sanding and sanding and wiping away tears because your getting nowhere! You did a great job!

Looking at it now, I don't know why the top of the visor is the only place I had the tabs on the outside.

I assume you meant pepping, but I found hot glue to be pretty forgiving because if I messed up a tab I could hold the glue gun metal against the tab and it would melt it enough for me to detach the tab without ripping the paper.

Thanks for the advice on the bondo, i'll be sure to take that into account and maybe try to melt some of the excess glue off before bondoing.

 

[Parzival]

Great job thus far! I started with AndrewDFT foam templates, completed the helmet and got halfway through the chest before deciding to scrap that (Give it to my twin bro to finish) and begin anew with pepping foam ODST. On that note, I'm looking forward to seeing and following your progress to learn from.

 

[he4thbar]

Fiberglass resin is probably one of the messiest/stickiest things I've worked with in a long time
(just the outercoat)

 

[he4thbar]

Question for those skilled in pep helmets... Before I go ahead with the fiberglass interior. Would it be ok to do ONE(or would 2 be better?) full layer of fiberglass cloth, followed up with rondo after it(fiberglass) drys? Also There is no need to fiberglass the visor if it is getting cut out eventually correct?

 

[Sean Anwalt]

I would do two layers, make sure each piece is completely flat and the ENTIRE inside is covered between each layer.

The visor is going to be cut out, but if you plan on using it for a vacuform mold, you'll want to glass it.