Hello! My first build thread - ODST

[IMP3RIOUS]

Hey all, new guy here from the UK! I started this build a few years ago, but after a few health scares i never got to finish it, so only recently picked it back up again and actually looking forward to making some progress with it now! So i'll give you the run down
I have no background in making anything like this, so just kind of making it up as i go along with the help of all the resources available

So this is the beginning of my first ever build! I've always loved the ODST and been following a number of peoples builds on the 405th Facebook group for a while now so decided this is the route i wanted to go down for my first ever build. My idea/plan is to do the full armour set but starting with the helmet.
After looking at a number of different files available online, I decided to purchased the BrinkStudio Halo 3 ODST files for my build!
I own a Ender 3 V2 Neo Printer, and as you guys know, the bed size is rather small, and there was very little files online for broken up models to print on smaller beds and i didn't want to have to go down the MeshMixer route. I know the basics of Fusion360, so i decided this is where i would convert a mesh to solid, and then break up the helmet into 9 pieces and glue together to begin with!

So, here's how i stared, by breaking up the helmet into 8 pieces in Fusion360. Before i knew about ArmourSmith, i decided to measure my head, make a sphere in Fusion360 and then size the helmet based on that!
So below is my broke up model and how i planned to print the pieces.

PRINTING

So, i decided to slice my files in Cura, using a 0.6 printing nozzle, 0.25 layer height with 15% infill with some tree supports for some places, brim bed adhesion , printing with PLA+ at 100mm/s. Each part was roughly take between 10/15 hours to print, and over the course of 8 days i began to slowly get all the pieces printed for my helmet!

Test printed a visor to see what route i wanted to go down with the visor!

I will try vacuum forming my own one at some point, but for the time being, on ETSY i found a seller called ReconService in Italy.
Giulio has been very helpful. When my first visor turned up (and i can appreciate that dying a visor probably isn't the easiest of tasks to do! The first visor was covered in a fair amount of dye spots, which he was very quick to admit and get a replacement visor sent out for me! So top notch service from ReconServices!
I placed my 3D printed visor over the top of the vacuum formed one, drew out a trimming line and trimmed out my visor for the helmet!

The fit was spot on for my build and the fit is very snug and nice. Visibility is good and overall very happy with the outcome!
(Nothing is currently fixed in place as i still need to prep the helmet, fill in the seam build lines, sand and paint) So everything is currently loose fitted.

INTERIOR

So, padding out the helmet.
I searched online for a number of hours, from other peoples builds, to helmet linings, and eventually came up with my own plan.
I found a helmet lining that looked like it would fit real nice! I liked the way the cheek pads were angled and i thought this would work nice with the visor alignment!
I also purchased an number of other basic padding for the helmet. I have attached them loosely for the time being but overall this plan seems to/will work really nicely for the route i'm going down with padding out the helmet.

(LINK TO HELMET LINER IS ANYONES INTERESTED)

ONeal Helmet Liner Kit Cheek Pads Brand New Sierra 2 Series 3 Series O Neal | eBay

Race & Sports Boots. Chest Protectors. New Arrivals. All goods are subject to availability. Back Protectors. Motocross Jerseys. Armoured Vests. Armoured Shirts.

www.ebay.co.uk

AND FIRST TEST FIT WITH PADDING TO MAKE SURE ALL WAS FITTING CORRECTLY

So next, while i am prepping the helmet and getting it ready for paint, i started the shins ans the thighs! These are currently all printed and sizing looks good. Used ArmorSmith for the sizing for everything apart from the helmet.

And that's basically where i am up too with this build!!! I'm currently printing the main central chest piece, i have the tactical vest on the way from AliExpress which ill use to mount everyone onto.

I work in the graphic design industry, so i've currently been going through the HaloWiki, and all other resources for references to aid with the build and making logos into vectors ready for printing on large format printers i have at work.

Thanks all for taking a look at my current build thread and looking forward to progressing and posting more

 

[ItsRaven]

wow youre like me but actually have the dedication to do this
looking good lol

 

[Lojak]

This is all looking great! Keep it up, I'm looking forward to seeing those decals and other details get worked in.

 

[Hein B287]

This looks like its going to be a wonderfull thread to follow. Funny thing is that i might have the same helmet liner as you. So i look forward to see how you will install it

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Thanks everyone for the love!
Just trying to churn out the rest of the printing!
Managed to get the central chest plate done, and just starting on the forearms/lower abdomen now!
Slowly but surely coming together though

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Tactical vest turned up!

ordered one from AliExpress as i liked the look of the thick shoulder straps and mounting points
LINK HERE

i saw two really convenient clips on the chest so would make for mounting the chest plate with ease! I unstitched the lower clip from the vest and mounted it onto the chest plate so it just clips into place! Will need to sew on a clip for the top so the chest plate stays in place.
I've also began sanding down a lot of my prints, just waiting on some bondo to turn up so i can fill in some of the heavier print files before finer sanding begins!

Placement of the two clips on the vest were ideal though for mounting.

Also begun printing the forearms and began the sanding process on the first one. Again, just waiting on some Bondo to turn up so i can really get into the finer sanding of all the prints! But for now, just started off with a handheld electric sander for the bigger print lines.

Still been adding to the references and making more vectors from all the images available!

Excited to see it all coming together a lot more now and once again still carrying on churning out the prints. A long way to go, but nice to finally have some progress!!

 

[xPointbreakx]

Looking great, I like the idea of using a motorcycle helmet liner. I think I might do the same myself.

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Looking great, I like the idea of using a motorcycle helmet liner. I think I might do the same myself.

Thanks very much! The liner works really well for the ODST helmet and with some additional padding it’s a solid helmet interior!

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Not much to add update wise though, currently still cracking on with printing parts. I’ve decided I wasn’t happy with the scale on the thighs pieces so I’ve decided to rescale and print those again! -5% scale to original

Also been working on cutting some of the thigh padding/liner. Really fortunate to have a large format cutter at work, that can draw, contour cut and die-cut so been using that for templating and cutting the thigh padding inserts, and will use it for other areas!
Also wanted to do a ‘We are ODST' trailer style flag and have that behind the chest piece, so ordered a flag and going to also weather that so it’s a little battle torn!!

 

[BrightestDayACX]

Looks great so far

 

[xPointbreakx]

Is the material your using for the inside of the thighs stretchy?

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Is the material your using for the inside of the thighs stretchy?

It’s flexible but not stretchy. Was more a ‘mock up test cut’ for the thigh inserts. I plan to get some foam cut in replacement once I’m happy with the sizing/template itself.

Still trying to figure out if I want to print the back piece or do a foam torso currently, so I’ve traced the whole back Pepakura file into a vector so I can cut it on my machine at work so all the pieces are accurate! So just deciding what route I want to go down with it as i've seen some great foam torso sections, wo this is the section i am still trying to decide how i want to approach going forward.

Also started with some sticker templates and printed a few on my printers at work. Went for a reflective vinyl for the upper arm piece. (Test fit/print) so far to see how that would come out!

Starting to wish I had a second 3D printer but carrying on churning out some prints as much as I can.

 

[HauntedWolff]

Tactical vest turned up!

ordered one from AliExpress as i liked the look of the thick shoulder straps and mounting points
LINK HERE

i saw two really convenient clips on the chest so would make for mounting the chest plate with ease! I unstitched the lower clip from the vest and mounted it onto the chest plate so it just clips into place! Will need to sew on a clip for the top so the chest plate stays in place.
I've also began sanding down a lot of my prints, just waiting on some bondo to turn up so i can fill in some of the heavier print files before finer sanding begins!

View attachment 342092 View attachment 342093

Ive been look upgrade to a better tactical vest and was gonna drop 100 on the yakeda one on amazon recommended by larry at vulture productions but this one is basically the exact same and half the price glad I found this thread !

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Ive been look upgrade to a better tactical vest and was gonna drop 100 on the yakeda one on amazon recommended by larry at vulture productions but this one is basically the exact same and half the price glad I found this thread !

Anytime!!!

Literally arrived within 5 days from AliExpress so real quick shipping. It's a solid base to mount armour too and love the thick shoulder straps.
For £36 i really can't complain with the quality! And yeah it's very similar to Larrys!
I've taken the high density foam out of the front and back plate to make it more durable and less restrictive. Works really well!

 

[HauntedWolff]

Anytime!!!

Literally arrived within 5 days from AliExpress so real quick shipping. It's a solid base to mount armour too and love the thick shoulder straps.
For £36 i really can't complain with the quality! And yeah it's very similar to Larrys!
I've taken the high density foam out of the front and back plate to make it more durable and less restrictive. Works really well!

Yeah man its gonna look sick. I have a full sean bradley kit ive been spicing up but just seeing larrys and the rest of november black has me upgrading and making it more modern tactical before it goes fully future tech. It really screams “what would the first foundation of an ODST look like in the past.”

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Yeah man it’s gonna look sick. I have a full sean bradley kit ive been spicing up but just seeing larrys and the rest of november black has me upgrading and making it more modern tactical before it goes fully future tech. It really screams “what would the first foundation of an ODST look like in the past.”

Ive got a Sean Bradley helmet and visor knocking about but I just wanted to try doing my own kit first, which is turning out great so far!!
I think his kit is amazing though and the realism on it is spot on! Think a lot of people strive for that level!!

I test fitted the templates thigh inserts and they work great! I’ve ordered some 10mm Eva foam matt to use for all the proper inserts so that will arrive within a few days!
Began sanding everything down though while the back plate is on the printer!! So great seeing it all come together slowly but surely!!

Also got the first shoulder piece done and graphic tested on it! Going to change the graphic though to match a more ‘game accurate’ shape instead of covering that whole top panel. So will make those amendments for the final version!

And got the first part of the neck/back collar printed. Added clips onto it for easy removal/assembly!!

 

[Marcus]

Using a real tactical vest is very smart, awesome build so far!

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Using a real tactical vest is very smart, awesome build so far!

Thanks very much! I thought that’s what most people did with this type of ODST project! Seemed like a solid thing to do to mount everything onto!

I’ve currently got a different one on the way to see which one will work best!

Got a few things on the way though. I’ve ordered an ‘undersuit’ that I think will work well for this project!

Second, I’ve got a shoulder pad attachment that I’d be able to sew onto the tactical vest, this would give a nice solid base for the shoulder plate to attach onto!

And finally just got some tactical gloves on the way which I should be able to add some Eva foam onto to get more of an ODST Rookie look!

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

Few bits turned up and starting to figure out how I’m going to mount a few things! Currently mounted the shoulders onto the new style tactical vest! Think I prefer the second vest over the first so will be using this one!

Changed up the medical graphic on the plate to be more accurate! So will go with this version after painting!

Going to mount it with some clips as it’s currently just mounted with Velcro, so will be easier to attach/release in future for any reason.
Had a padded shoulder pad come, which I have mounted the shoulder plate onto and then onto the tactical vest itself.

Holds up really nicely and fits well when worn!

Also started on the back plate/torso and got some nice looking eva foam padding onto it! Will start to figure out more mounting options soon for what I’ve currently got printed, then go onto a mass sanding spree ready for paint!!

 

[IMP3RIOUS]

That feeling when you suit up everything you’ve printed and mounted so far!
Real happy with how it’s all coming together though. Pretty happy with the sizing of everything so far!! The under suit is really nice (black tactical pants and compression top).

Got a tactical belt and added two thigh holsters that will be used to hold the thigh plates up.
Will need to add some padding to the inner of the thighs so they sit off the body a little more. Added padding to the forearms so they now hold up on my arm. Coming to the end of printing now, just got all the smaller details like belt, hip plates, kidney plates, forearm details and bits to now finish printing. Sucks when you only have 1 small printer
But for a first suit up, I am happy!

 

[elNoX]

Wow. This looks awesome! Well done!