1st Build MJOLNIR Mark V [B] Custom

[pinoyfiasco]

Forgive me if this write-up is a bit jumbled and lacking in visual aids! I've been backing up my photos and some of the older images I needed haven't been sorted yet.

ODST shoulder is pained and weathered. Right now it's just a collection of flat greys, though I'm thinking of putting a painted stripe in there just to break up the monotony a little.

The pain point I'm trying to address right now is my undersuit. Suit 1.0 used TPU for the soft parts: neck seal, shoulders, ab wrap. Long story short, TPU was just not the ideal material for this application - at least, not wholesale. TPU is flexible, but not in a way that can supplement mobility around the joints and extremities. I can get more long-winded about this if you'd like, but maybe another time.
The shoulders were a huge pain point. The TPU was just not flexible enough for me to comfortably put my arms down. They dug into my armpits, which was a nuisance. My bicep armor kept getting forced down, which prevented me from flexing my elbows well. I also wanted a boxier silhouette around the shoulders, and I just couldn't shape them well. All in all, not ideal. None of this is the designer's fault - it's just the material and how those particular pieces fit my body.

I decided to go a different route and try my hand at silicone. InstinctCreative3D has some specially designed undersuit molds, and I've seen them used to great effect when Noble Team showed up at DragonCon. With how challenging my suit's shoulder/bicep mobility is already, this really seems like the way to go.
I've got one shoulder mold printed, which will need to be assembled (had to plane cut them for my P1S), seams filled, and sanded. I don't need to go crazy with the layer lines, fortunately, since I'll be applying a coat of truck bed liner on the inside so the silicone can take on the texture. The nice thing about this, too, is I can easily line the shoulder pads with foam to help it maintain its shape without sacrificing its pliability.

Granted, I could be biting off way more than I can chew with Halloween being my deadline (with two other suits I'm working on, lol). For now I'm just trying to get shoulders and a neck seal done, and I can worry about the ab wrap later. I have some Dragonskin 10 on the way. Should I fail to finish this up, my backup solution is a BDU which will be easier to don and walk around in.

I did try a quick little solo sunrise shoot the other days. Unfortunately I was alone so I wasn't able to get the whole suit on by myself, and I opted to just wear everything over a hoodie. Needless to say it's hard to operate a camera like this! I'm happy with the couple of photos I was able to get, though, since I get to show off a bit of my new chestplate and left shoulder, as well as my new resin printed visor.

 

[MooseCast89]

This is amazing my dude. Keep up the great work. also bookmarking this for the TPU Silicone crossover when I get that far so thanks for that my brother.

 

[pinoyfiasco]

Small update.

I started reprinting some of the smaller detail pieces in resin. While it's certainly a messier, more involved process, it's hard to deny the results really speak for themselves. Other than cleaning up any support scarring, the prints come out ready for paint with very little post-processing needed since the layer lines are practically non-existent.

The first ones I got done were the side pieces on the chest plate, which I painted with matte black acrylic and dry-brushed for edge wear.

I'll be doing the same thing with these back vents.

Quick test fit. They slipped right in. No fitment issues whatsoever.

 

[Alhoida]

Everything looks really good man. Great work.

 

[pinoyfiasco]

I've got both shoulder molds printed, but I still need to get silicone. I'm thinking I'm going to have to spring for the full gallon buckets of Dragonskin 10 Fast. It won't be cheap, but the good thing is I may have enough to even do the neck seal and ab wrap. Fingers crossed.

Before and after of the torso. I've been going over every piece of my suit and "updating" the paint job to add more details using acrylics. Nothing major, just bringing in more parts separation so each piece has more of a layered, multi-part look. For very little work I think it really brings each piece to life.

As you can see I've also begun adding lights (finally). Titlewave Designs supplies STLs for the clear "lenses" that cover the light ports, so I printed those in clear blue resin. Well, technically, clear resin that I dumped a bunch of blue alcohol dye into. I haven't gotten the wiring quite figured out, though I do have the power supply and blue LEDs on hand. I did, however, have these stick-on LEDs that I bought last year when I was rushing to get this suit done for Halloween. History repeats itself, but they work pretty well in a pinch. They're supposed to have 17h of life in them, which will be plenty for trick-or-treating.

There are a couple more spots on the backpack that are supposed to be lit up, but they're not modeled in. At the very least I want to hole out those three little pips on the bottom right and cut slits into the vent array in the middle to match this in-game screengrab.

That's all for now!

 

[Brother Drim]

I've got both shoulder molds printed, but I still need to get silicone. I'm thinking I'm going to have to spring for the full gallon buckets of Dragonskin 10 Fast. It won't be cheap, but the good thing is I may have enough to even do the neck seal and ab wrap. Fingers crossed.

View attachment 367090​

Before and after of the torso. I've been going over every piece of my suit and "updating" the paint job to add more details using acrylics. Nothing major, just bringing in more parts separation so each piece has more of a layered, multi-part look. For very little work I think it really brings each piece to life.

View attachment 367091View attachment 367092​

As you can see I've also begun adding lights (finally). Titlewave Designs supplies STLs for the clear "lenses" that cover the light ports, so I printed those in clear blue resin. Well, technically, clear resin that I dumped a bunch of blue alcohol dye into. I haven't gotten the wiring quite figured out, though I do have the power supply and blue LEDs on hand. I did, however, have these stick-on LEDs that I bought last year when I was rushing to get this suit done for Halloween. History repeats itself, but they work pretty well in a pinch. They're supposed to have 17h of life in them, which will be plenty for trick-or-treating.

View attachment 367095​

There are a couple more spots on the backpack that are supposed to be lit up, but they're not modeled in. At the very least I want to hole out those three little pips on the bottom right and cut slits into the vent array in the middle to match this in-game screengrab.

View attachment 367093​

That's all for now!

You will need the full gallon but it should be enough for both shoulders and the neck seal easily. (Both parts of the neck seal even). I would need to go back and check my notes, but I think I ended up using nearly 3 gallons to make all of the pieces of mine. So worth it though. The detail is next level!

 

[pinoyfiasco]

You will need the full gallon but it should be enough for both shoulders and the neck seal easily. (Both parts of the neck seal even). I would need to go back and check my notes, but I think I ended up using nearly 3 gallons to make all of the pieces of mine. So worth it though. The detail is next level!

I figured I would need at least that much! My priority right now are the shoulders and neck seal, since I still have my TPU ab wrap and it worked fine last year. Depending on how much I have left over I'll try to tackle the ab wrap. I'm not too concerned about the elbows, knees, et cetera.

 

[Brother Drim]

I figured I would need at least that much! My priority right now are the shoulders and neck seal, since I still have my TPU ab wrap and it worked fine last year. Depending on how much I have left over I'll try to tackle the ab wrap. I'm not too concerned about the elbows, knees, et cetera.

Feel you about the elbows and knees. I made them, but I rarely wear them. They become too constricting. Used them for photos and that's about it

 

[pinoyfiasco]

Feel you about the elbows and knees. I made them, but I rarely wear them. They become too constricting. Used them for photos and that's about it

Right, like maybe for a con I'd do it, but for now it's just trick-or-treating with the kids and an ab wrap/shoulders would more than suffice. I'm not trying to go that hard with it.

 

[zekybomb]

Your details in how you are keeping everything connected and up are very helpful!
but, how do you manage to take photos with such aura? Your first photos look like they were taken as part of a photo-shoot, the shadows, the selective focus, it just gives such gravitas... I'm so jealous

 

[ArcaneGhoul]

Figured I'd swing by and look through your build thread after you gave me very helpful TPU advice in the Discord and holy crow!! Your suit and build breakdown are both phenomenal!! Definitely keeping this thread marked for when I start my armor for tips and tricks.

 

[Zackurai]

Figure I peep at your build since you peeped at mine, gotta say, very clean, I see why you love the 3D print stuff, I could never, but I get it, guess I’ll watch your thread.

Also sexy bucket, I don’t recognize it, wanna say Artaius but like manlier angles

 

[ct5953]

Absolutely amazing work, you should be proud
You make the whole UNSC proud

 

[pinoyfiasco]

Your details in how you are keeping everything connected and up are very helpful!
but, how do you manage to take photos with such aura? Your first photos look like they were taken as part of a photo-shoot, the shadows, the selective focus, it just gives such gravitas... I'm so jealous

Thank you! I'm a part-time photographer/videographer. It's fun to find ways to bring my hobbies together.

Figured I'd swing by and look through your build thread after you gave me very helpful TPU advice in the Discord and holy crow!! Your suit and build breakdown are both phenomenal!! Definitely keeping this thread marked for when I start my armor for tips and tricks.

Glad I could help some! TPU's a fun material to work with. I just bought a couple rolls of Siraya Tech's new TPU Air so hopefully I can find a good way to incorporate that into my build.

Figure I peep at your build since you peeped at mine, gotta say, very clean, I see why you love the 3D print stuff, I could never, but I get it, guess I’ll watch your thread.

Also sexy bucket, I don’t recognize it, wanna say Artaius but like manlier angles

Thanks! That's the Morrigan by Titlewave Designs! It's based on the original concept art for Fred-104 by Kory Lynn Hubbell. MoeSizzlac has his own model of the concept helmet here, which I'd love to build sometime when I'm not crunching on this suit.

Absolutely amazing work, you should be proud
You make the whole UNSC proud

Thank you! It's getting there and I've been learning a lot here.

 

[Crimson]

I'm very impressed with your scaling, seems bang on!