1st Build Kaz's ODST Build

[Kazick]

With RTX2022 confirmed to be in person next year, I have 9 months to get into gear! Been making some good progress the past few weeks though with a new motivation, drive, and set of skills. It's also helping me cope with my motorcycle being stolen. Roommate said "Focus on the things you can control, not the things you cant." I can control my combat robots. I can control my ODST armor.

Any who, the chest plate is now held in with Velcro, a much better way of holding it. Magnets are cool, but Velcro is easier. Its also 90% done! I need to add one more part of my emblem and do some filling in on the back side. I keep forgetting to add the one strip to the right forearm. I found a cheap shirt at Walmart that sort of works for an under-suit, though Chief373 showed me one on Amazon that is better so I'll get that ordered up soon.

Shoulders are sliced, need to get them started soon as well. And I am wearing everything as I typed this because its my day off and I want to lul.

 

[Kazick]

Back from the dead? Yea, I'll necro my own post. But hey, life uh....gets in the way.

Let me start out by filling in that 4 month gap between when I last posted a build and today. So mid September I had a rush to build to cope with my motorcycle getting stolen. But then in October I was dealing with a few things. Mostly me being 100% done with my job and hardcore looking for a new job. I was also planning on going to RTX 2022 this summer as stated last post. However in October I was in a position with some money and had two choices. Go to RTX this year, or buy a new motorcycle. I bought a new motorcycle. This push's my plans to suit up and go to RTX to next year, 2023. Also in October I decided to go to my first combat robotics event that was held in November. This mean that I had to commit my free time to robot building and not armor building. And boy did I get my but kicked. But I at least lived though all my matches and had a ton of fun.

Also in November I got a new job. I had my interview on my birthday. Though I didn't start till December I now have weekends off. So I've been using the last few months and weeks to catch up on all the things I've missed the past 4+ years working weekends.

With things starting to settle back down, and more opportunities for me to actually cosplay I've gotten so build energy and knocked out one of the shoulder plates. (I have to reprint the second one.) It's not done yet, but heres a little look at it so far.

Bondo and primed, I have sanded it all down before one more coat of primer.

Base colors down. Need to do a lot of detail paint and touch up, but I'm happy with how these colors tuned out.

Test fitting it all together. I need to adjust the straps a bit. Not photoed are my helmet, and one thigh that I do have mostly done. The shoulder is held on with 3 parts. 1 is a strap that holds it to the plate carrier. 2 is a strap around my upper arm. 3 is velcro on the inside to a velcro patch on the under shirt.

So far I can put all of this on by myself. And I hope to keep it that way. I also feel like the forearms and shoulder plate are a little underscaled But I'll play around with positioning so see if I can get it to feel right. If not, I'll power though this build as a learning build and do another that is properly scaled. And now that I type that out I hate everything lul.

 

[Kazick]

So with way more effort than it should have been, I was able to save the one shoulder that had uncured bondo on it. The bondo was to hard to just scrape off, but to gummy to sand. Solution? I took a metal rasp and file and was able to get most of it off that way. Then several layers of primer and sanding that down still most of the bondo was forced by my shear will to cure. Slap some backing foam in, a few buckles, and some Velcro and bam! Both shoulders still need detail paint but I am mostly happy with them.

However more and more I look at them and the forearms the more I am aware that they are scaled for someone shorter than me. Not an issue now, I just have to scale the rest of everything up a bit. I'm using Moesizzlac's files for this and I am a bit taller than 5'10". But the plan remains, finish the fight the rest of my armor then go back and remake all the parts I am not happy with using the skills I learned since making them.

Here are a few photos of the armor as is. Left and right shoulders, left and right forearms, torso, chest pate, helmet (still need to source a visor), and left thigh started. (these are large photos so click to make them bigger.)

 

[Kazick]

It is (was when I started) 4 am and I've lost control of my life lul.

With the Halo TV series dropping this week my favorite bar here in Vegas, Millennium Fandom, is hosting a Halo night. Being that I love this bar and I love Halo I've put in an effort to at least have something presentable. Yea there are a lot of parts still to make, but to just go out as a dry run and wear for more than 15 minutes at home. So not any sort of official 405th deployment or anything. It will also be an opportunity for people to see the armor in person and I can get feedback that isn't my own self criticisms. I've worn armor in the past, for LARP, but this armor moves different, feels different, is bigger and bulkier just not heavier. So it will also be a opportunity to get a feel for how to move in it.

All the 3D printed parts, I am happy with. Even if they are slightly too small. The foam stuff, not so much. I tried something different for the right thigh and I like it more than the left thigh. But I don't have time to make a new left thigh. But I am getting a little bit better at foam smiting I guess.

The mannequin has arms, but the armor doesn't fit with them on. So a few bungee cords will do for now.