Mjolnir Armor Mrk Vi - Spartan 442 - Ake

[akewataru]

//INDEX//​

//FILES ACCESSED ...
[ Materials Pt 1 - Pepakura]
[ Pepakura - Helmet, Torso]
[ Pepakura - Test bicep Final Bicep ]
[ Test Forearm ]

//PROCESSING ...
[ Arms: hand plates ]
[ Legs: Shoes, shins, thighs ]
[ Crotch Plate ]
[ Sniper Rifle ]
[ Resin ]
[ Fiberglassing ]
[ Painting ]​

// Current process...
. . . Doing Final Robogenesis Forearm Left.


// Files downloaded...

[ Materials Pt 1 - Pepakura]​

[ Material list:]
1. Lightbox
- The lightbox, in case you've never seen one before, is something that animators and calligraphers typically use to see more easily between papers (I'm the former of the two). The box, depending on how expensive it is, has one, two or more light bulbs inside that you can change the brightness of to better trace/see through the paper. It really isn't necessary but it's been a LIFESAVER for saving time doing valley folds.
2. Ruler
- Kind of self explanatory. Keeps those cuts straight! I prefer the metal ones with a grip on the bottom so that the cardstock doesn't shift while I'm scoring.
3. Cardstock paper
- Masterfully stolen by my father from his work. He's a ninja, I swear.
4. Hot Glue gun + Glue sticks
- I use a mini-hot glue gun because it's small and handy. You really get around the pep sometimes and you risk ripping the paper or not seeing what you're doing if you're working with a monster big glue gun.
5. Scissors
- Self explanatory. Aha...
6. USB Drive
- I carry this baby with me wherever I go. It has my reference files, my armor files, the pep programs themselves, etc. Since it's a 4 GB drive, I've literally installed the pep programs on there. That means no matter what computer I run into, I can use Pep programs without having to install a thing.
7. x-acto Knives
- I've used two kinds: heavy duty #2 cutting and one designed for cutting paper (the gold one). After using both, I prefer the heavy duty cutting because I'm light with my fingers so I generally don't cut too hard. With the heavier duty cutter, it just takes one light score to get it bendable enough without cutting too far. The paper cutter is too light for me, and sometimes I have to score twice to get it to bend properly.
8. Ziploc bags
- Handy for keeping all those little teeny tiny pieces in check. Haven't lost a piece yet. It also helps me keep track of what I've scored and what I haven't cut already. Be careful where you put it, though because ziplocs can bend the pieces. Maybe pop it in between a folder or something...

-----

[ Progress shots: Helmet]​

Credit: Flying Squirrel's HD Mrk VI Helmet
Head measurement: 23cm top of head to chin
Test Size: 29cm - cm added for room/padding leeway. Helmet too big.
Final Size: 27 cm - 2 cm subtracted. Final size correct.

​

Wow... That was my first pepakura and I'm finally starting to understand why everyone takes so long to make these. It takes a lot of time and care to get these right. Every piece is dependent on another, and if one piece is screwy it just steadily gets worst unless you take great pains to fix it or compensate by shifting other pieces around. I just thank goodness that I did a tester for this one first.

I'm just really, really excited about continuing the work.



<div align="left">---------</div>

[ Progress shots: Torso]​

Credit: Flying Squirrel's HD Mrk VI Chest
Chest measurement: 36 cm from left side to right side at widest point.
Test Size: 37 cm. Chest size too big.
Final Size: 36 cm Final size correct.

​

The torso is all glued together. It fits, but it's really hard to get into. I'm doing the method of resining and fiberglassing it first, and then cutting into it at the shoulder and the lower parts going around the waist to the back of the armor. I'm planning to attach buckles on the inside of the cut ends. It'll continue to be a close fit but I'll still be able to take it off and put it on with ease. Hopefully...

A lot of finished armors end up top heavy because they made it big enough to fit through the bottom, but in effect, made the armor too wide. I really don't want to be top heavy especially if I have a small waist/body.

The torso armor was the most time consuming pepakura to assemble so far with the most frustrating little pieces (still enjoyed it, though). If I hadn't read in another thread to do the smaller parts and indents FIRST and then build around them, I would have committed pepakura suicide.

Working on the testers for the arms/shoulders now! Wish me luck!

 

[Radioactiv]

It all looks perfect man, like the way you set it all up.
Are you going to fiberglass it soon?

 

[godsarmor]

REALLY great pep you got there cant wait to see how it ends up how long did it take you to get to that stage im only on my shin and cod piece its taken me 1 month

 

[akewataru]

RadioactiV777:
Thanks! I had fun setting up the forum . Anyway, I don't plan on fiberglassing just yet. I plan to finish making all the the parts in pepakura so I can make size comparisons and see how it looks on my body with other parts . After that, it's off to get aqua-resin for me. I guess its only until I've resin'd all the pieces that I'll go for fiberglassing the inside. A lot of people like to finish the helmet first, but I'm working on it overall.

Godsarmor: Mmm... well, I like working with my hands a lot, so I'm a little more at home with an x-acto knife than most people. I cut my time by not using a ruler to score with on my testers, and i use the lightbox so I dont have to constantly flip them back and forth for the valley folds. I guess if I had an estimate, I tend to spend maybe 2-4 hrs on the testers depending on how many pieces it has, and then I spend long hours doing the main one. The helmet took maybe 6-8 hrs and the torso took maybe 8-10 hrs. I've been working on it for maybe 2 or 3 weeks on and off when I have time. My hours are pretty out of whack because I'm terrible at estimating, but I THINK that sounds about right...

 

[spartanx360]

why do you use different colors if paper?
i like it, it isn't boring
keep up the nice work

 

[Enrisan]

nice job..but try to keep everything to one post.
Triple posting is a no no.

 

[akewataru]

Enrisan: aw bloody hell.Thanks for the heads up! I'm glad I messed up in the noob forum first XD

Spartanx360: I used different color paper because its just easier to identify pieces for me if all the pieces are different from each other. Plus, since most of the parts of the armors are symmetrical, the pieces that reflect each other sometimes end up being on the same piece of paper and I know what color to look for. That and sometimes i run out of one color of paper and I only have so much of another color lol.

 

[Enrisan]

no worries. You can make new posts when you have updates, questions, etc. but you generally don't want to post two times in a row.

 

[eggfooyoung]

*Whistles* Da-ym. You are set, straight up.

 

[akewataru]

[ Progress shots: Test Bicep]​

Credit: Robogenesis, Test Right Bicep
Height measurement: 62 in
Test Size: 62in, 60 in, 58 in, 56 in

​

Robogenesis's model was based on Maste Chief's height, so I had to decrease it down to my size in inches: 62 in. That is 5'2 lol. (I'm a little short.) It took just about 4 testers before I found the ideal size that I wanted. I was caught between making look accurate to the game through all the reference shots and not making it look too small. It was also big around the arm, since there was about two or so inches extra room, but the length was ideal. I suppose it'll all be fixed with padding, but just in case, I've decided to make the final length 55in.

I'm excited! Now all i have to do i just cut out the pep for the final bicep! All the papers are printed, the pep numbered, the supplies ready the... pep ... is... I... just...

Oh... oh good god.

 

[eggfooyoung]

Hahaha I know how you feel. Just look at the model on the computer and see if it looks any better.

 

[gamerguy55]

Everything looks great so far! Scaling is, in my opinion, the hardest part of making armor from pep. Everything else just takes time, but if you screw up your scale everything else is f*ed up too. lol

The chest piece shouldn't fit over your shoulders. ^.^ When you 'glass it and Bondo it, and all that fun stuff, you cut it in half, then attach the two halves around you.

...

Oh... oh good god.

Heh. You should take a look at FS's first HD chest piece, the one without the floating faces.

*shudder*

My fingers hurt just thinking about it.

 

[akewataru]

[ Progress shots: Final Bicep Right]​

Credit: Robogenesis's HD Mrk VI Bicep Right
Armor measurement: my height is 62 in or 5'2
Test Size: 62 in, 60 in, 58 in, 56 in. Arm too big.
Final Size: 55 in Final size correct.

​

Arm length and fit around the arms seems to be fine, and will be snug or just right with padding or underarmor. I'm working on the left Bicep now.

I don't know if its just me, but sometimes I get secretly excited gluing pieces together and finding out I've just completed an entire section of even a small piece of the arm or bicep. I know I have a long way to go, but I still can't wait to wear it. I wish I could fast forward time.

Thanks for everyone's help, support and advice! I really appreciate it! I'm really glad I found this place. Everyone's so nice and helpful. They've even got veterans running around the n00b forum watching out for all the rookies. What a place.

-----

Confucious T: Definitely. If not for the pep designer/viewer I think I would have thrown myself out the window trying to figure it out.

gamerguy55: that's the hardest part for me as well. Sometimes I get a little overexcited or lazy and I'm tempted to skip one or two testers and guess for the final. But I'm always glad when I go through the extra work of so many different sized testers and I actually get the final right lol.... oh thank you so much. I'd been worried that I'd done something wrong, but the whole thing on the torso about how you're not supposed to fit through the bottom really reassured me.

 

[Jessmo]

Looks like you're keeping it extremely organized and taking your time. Nice job!

 

[Outlaw Tiger]

wow... you final scalings look like they are 100% bang on, and everything looks so perfect. REALLY great job, when i get around to making my armour out of card stock i REALLY hope to be this methodical and have as good a final copy. haha i REALLY can't wait to see your whole suit when its all done. from what i have seen here its going to drop every jaw that "sees" it lol

 

[LastSpartan]

Good start, and well organized!

For tough folds or 10 numbers all mixed up one on top of the other, get in pepakura, press Ctrl+K and click on a piece. It will be highlined in red.

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

Damn, that looks really good. Well done. Although, I think you mean cm and not inches for the bicep measurements, seeing as that original test size of 62 inches would be as tall as you are... Just a thought

Keep it up!

 

[pooper]

Looking pretty damn good there! Keep it up!

 

[baconmaster6969]

amazing work.

 

[gamerguy55]

gamerguy55: that's the hardest part for me as well. Sometimes I get a little overexcited or lazy and I'm tempted to skip one or two testers and guess for the final. But I'm always glad when I go through the extra work of so many different sized testers and I actually get the final right lol.... oh thank you so much. I'd been worried that I'd done something wrong, but the whole thing on the torso about how you're not supposed to fit through the bottom really reassured me.

Ha ha, yup!

I've tried to guess the final size of a few pieces, and it doesn't turn out too well. lol Usually too small. The Biceps are hard to scale, because you have to find a balance between what fits on your arm, and what looks proportionate to the rest of your armor.