Mark VI (first build) WIP (Pictures)

[Oak Man24]

Finally got an update for you 405th. School has started up again and it has been laying the smack down on me. I Have not really had too much time to do anything besides homework. Stupid engineering classes. Well I am not as far as i would like to be with roughly a month left until Halloween which is when I was hoping to premier the suit. However, I still think that I can make the deadline.

What I have done since the last update is sand all of the pieces and started to bondo the biceps, thighs, shins, and forearms. Sorry no pics on that for now, but hopefully I can get some pics up soon.

However as always I have some questions .

Firstly, when using bondo, should you bondo the entire piece or just the parts that need to be smooth? (Sorry for such a noobish question, but like I said before I have not had too much time to search the forums)

Secondly, more of a process question after I put the first coat of bondo on I am sanding it with some 50 grit sand paper. Should I then sand it with some finer grit like 80 or 120. Then apply a second coat of bondo, then sand with 50, then 80 or 120 or both, then 220 then 400?

Thirdly, Kind of a general question, but most of my pieces are the Mark VI LD files, which pieces can I get away with not bondoing? Or do I need to Bondo most (assuming all the pieces are perfect and have no flaws)

Next, I have a slight (actually HUGE) problem. My shins don’t fit… As you can see in the picture below, my foot (I mean canoe) gets caught and I cannot slide my foot all the way through. So I have decided that I must cut the shins because remaking them is not an option since I cannot resin anywhere and time is in short supply. So thoughts on where I should cut or if someone has a better idea I would really appreciate your thoughts.



Finally, my chest piece broke on the car ride to college. It is not a huge problem, but it is enough to make we want to fix it, I was thinking of trying to resin and glass it again, but I do not really have a good spot to do that. I was also thinking hot glue, but that might not hold so again if you have any ideas I would love to hear them.



I will try to get more updates more often since it is crunch time and Mid Terms are around the corner IDK if that will happen but I will try my hardest

Thanks 405th!!

 

[HistoryFox]

Hot hot glue should probably work just use a good amount that will hold the area. Really you only need to hold it with the hot glue until you bondo, since the bondo is crazy strong.

 

[Hyperballistik]

Nice job so far, for the Bondo process, you want to only apply it in the areas where it may be warped or there are imperfections or parts you want to look rounded, I wouldn't cover the whole thing in Bondo unless you enjoy sanding, best way to do this is to apply the Bondo in thin coats, I use a old plastic gift card so I can get it on thin, let it harden then sand it down, you start with something like 80grit sandpaper to take the high spots down in the bondo, then switch to the 220 grit etc from there to get it smooth, I just experiment with the grit sandpaper till I find one that shapes it the way I want, once you done with the sanding you will probably have to repeat the Bondo sanding process again till you have it where your happy with the way it looks
For you shins, you will most likely have to cut them to get your foot thru, I had the same problem, if you want to see how I did this, llok at the Hayabusa build in my signature, page 10 post#98, I also seen where someone cut the shin completly in half and put elastic around the 2 parts so they could slip it over their legs, good luck which ever way you choose to do this but its not that hard of a process to get them to fit

For your chest piece that cracked, don't repair it with bondo alone, the bondo will just crack off, you will have to back crack up with cloth and resin so its strong, especially that area because its somewhat flexable at that section, if you don't feel like mixing up resin for a small repair like that, what I so is I use some 5 minute 2 part epoxy glue rub it over the crack then take a piece of fibeglass cloth to cover the cracked area put more epoxy over that and it dries quickly and seems to be as hard as the resin, I had to do this to several parts on my Hayabusa build and so far so good

Good luck on your build

 

[Oak Man24]

Good luck on your build

Thanks so much for the help! Really appreciate the help!!

 

[DragonWarrior24]

nice work so far

 

[Oak Man24]

nice work so far

Thanks man!!

UPDATE: Yesterday I went shopping and got the foam, straps, more bondo, LEDs, etc that you need for the later stages. Hope to have some pics up soon!

Question, I am looking to get my visor soon, and i have searched ebay and stuff with pretty limited success, I have found this gold mirrored visor but I am thinking it is too big. So I was just curious to see if there was a site that many people go to get their visors.

 

[DragonWarrior24]

well, from what I hear, people mostly chop off the visor of motorcycle helmets

 

[TheGimpMaster01]

So will you be attaching your chest piece together with velcro straps or buckles? Also, how are you attaching the padding and buckles/velcro to your chest piece?

Nice work so far!

 

[Oak Man24]

So will you be attaching your chest piece together with velcro straps or buckles? Also, how are you attaching the padding and buckles/velcro to your chest piece?

Nice work so far!

Well I have some Velcro but most of it will be attached with straps and buckles. And for the padding I am using spray adhesive to the black cloth and then spray adhesive or super glue to the armor. As for the buckles I will be using super glue and see how that goes.

UPDATE:
I am about 95% done sanding and hope to finish either later tonight or tomorrow morning. Pictures coming soon when I have better light (aka tomorrow morning).

Question what paint should I get? I am going to do Master Chief’s color scheme. I know I need to get a primer, but what is the best way. I have not done much research on this because I have been busy trying to bondo so if anyone could point me in the right direction that would be awesome.

Thanks for reading!!
Oak Man24

 

[TheGimpMaster01]

Well I have some Velcro but most of it will be attached with straps and buckles. And for the padding I am using spray adhesive to the black cloth and then spray adhesive or super glue to the armor. As for the buckles I will be using super glue and see how that goes.

You might try using 5-minute epoxy. I got some for super cheap at Lowe's. It'll hold way better than superglue, and the buckles are kinda important.

Also, a trick I think I'm going to employ is using rods to align the chest piece when I split it. I'm going to go out and find some aluminum rods, probably 1/4" diameter, and some hollow rods that will accomodate a 1/4" rod. I'll epoxy those into place at the cut seam, which will allow the chest piece to fit together perfectly once buckled. It's possible that I won't need it, but it would be nice to know that my armor is being held together by more than just 4 buckles, lol.

 

[sithinstructor]

I'm going to go out and find some aluminum rods, probably 1/4" diameter, and some hollow rods that will accomodate a 1/4" rod.

It would be cheaper and easier to use wooden dowels, would accomplish the same thing as well. Just trying to help.

 

[Hyperballistik]

Quick tip for attaching the straps to the armor, hot glue the straps where you want them to be placed, then pour a mixture of Rondo over the straps, this is your best bet, I tried the epoxy and super glue method when I was strapping my MKVI it just came loose with a little pressure, you don't want your armor falling off of you at the wrong time causing damage better to be safe than sorry

 

[Oak Man24]

Finished!!!!

Well 405th I got the armor done in time for HALOween!! I was and still am pumped. The entire process was worth it! I have some pictures for you guys to enjoy so here you go!

working on taping the armor for black paint!

Black paint, but i had to go over with a paint brush to get all the black missprays I put on it. Advice do not spray paint at 3:30 in the morning...

Got suited up and my buddy Mark agreed to take pictures on Saturday night here are some of the best

They thought it was the coolest thing and that I made it even cooler, but they thought I was a stormtrooper jedi...fail

This guy was in shock, you can tell by his face

 

[Oak Man24]

FINISHED Pt 2!!

Sorry for the double post, but Mark (my personal photographer) and I went on a photoshoot around Marquette's campus. Here are some pics!

Enjoy!!

First gotta beat up a scrub lol

In front of the library...

Even buses stop for the Chief

Just lookin cool

Taking a breather...like a boss

Its fall I had to play with the leaves

Even Spartans need milk!!

 

[TheGimpMaster01]

SOLID WORK, OAK MAN. My favorites are the bus pic and MC getting some milk. Too funny. GOOD WORK! It's nice to see the project go from start to finish! Too many of these don't ever make it to the final stage.

Ready to troll downtown together yet?

 

[Oak Man24]

SOLID WORK, OAK MAN. My favorites are the bus pic and MC getting some milk. Too funny. GOOD WORK! It's nice to see the project go from start to finish! Too many of these don't ever make it to the final stage.

Ready to troll downtown together yet?

Thanks! Yeah I am ready you just have to get yourself up here, you do have a car with you...

 

[Oak Man24]

Alright 405th! Time to update you on what I have been spending my time doing. In case you did not know I am a college student and I go to Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. So long story short I decided to make an appearance in my Master Chief suit at one of the basketball games being televised by ESPN. Guess what? I was named SuperFanatic of the game (no surprise there) and got a nice little time on TV. Here are some of the pics from the game!

And if you were wonder Marquette won the basketball game.

Thanks

Oak Man24

 

[I AM J0HN RAMBO]

I stumbled across this thread while doing a search on strap attaching techniques, but the above photo's are great. Way to rep Halo and wear that to the game, thats something I plan on doing. Last NFL season I was watching a monday night game and a Saints fan was in gold chief armor and they kept giving him camera time.

 

[DragonWarrior24]

Alright 405th! Time to update you on what I have been spending my time doing. In case you did not know I am a college student and I go to Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. So long story short I decided to make an appearance in my Master Chief suit at one of the basketball games being televised by ESPN. Guess what? I was named SuperFanatic of the game (no surprise there) and got a nice little time on TV. Here are some of the pics from the game!

And if you were wonder Marquette won the basketball game.

Thanks

Oak Man24

dude link us that vid

 

[TheRabbit]

dude link us that vid

This thread is so incredibly dead. The last time the OP even visited this site was over 4 months ago.