Project Romeo (Wip)

[yccars]

[Nevermind the words that used to be here]

Romeo has some kind of sliding mechanism for his goggles (like a pilot's helmet), the goggles themselves, and an oversized left shoulder plate. I assume the plate is there because he is a right-handed sniper and his left arm will be first thing a carbine round hits if he were shot at from that side, as it is extended to stabilise his rifle. Other than those details, it will be a traditional Landfall build.

 

[yccars]

I KNOW, double posting is the devil...but this is an update as well as sort of a booster if I can get away with it.



Today I went out and bought my resin, Bondo, fiberglass mat, plexi for the visors, and materials to build a vacuform table. I also finished pepping my helmet.



Here it is on the resining stand (I didn't provide eleven different views because ODSTs are currently the most popular build and NZ-TK probably doesn't care whether I put up even more pictures of his helmet model.) just to prove that I actually made it.

And again on the top of a medusa lamp I was trying out as a stand. It failed.

Here is the resin I'm using. I found it at Lowe's with the help of a middle-aged halo fan employed there, who was ecstatic that I was making an ODST suit. I'm thinking about finding out when he works and visiting him when it's finished. Yes, I used gloves and a respirator.

I had to take the pictures with my BlackBerry because my camera shuts off after being on for .7 seconds, so sorry about the quality. Also, I'm shooting after dark in a 2-car garage lit by two flourescent bulbs, so the lighting was not on my phone's side.



Next, I'm making Romeo's signature sniper goggles and oversized shoulder plate. I'm not going to make it to the Bondo stage here first though; I want to Bondo and paint the resined pieces all at once.



But I need some help before then...My brush was rendered useless after 3-4 minutes of coating with the resin...So I only finished half the helmet. The resin recommends that 7 drops of hardener be mixed with each teaspoon of it. If I lower this to 3 or 4, can I put off the hardening process without ruining it? I only have so many brushes and would prefer to not waste a dozen per outer coating of each part.



Thanks.

 

[Haloplayer]

i also used the elmers resin

 

[yccars]

i also used the elmers resin

I tried a few batches where I added 4 drops hardener per teaspoon of resin. I believe that is the best way to do it. You get more life per brush and the resin still hardens fast enough that the saturated paper doesn't warp.



I guess I'm going to Dollar Tree or something to get bulk brushes for my Romeo suit.

 

[Harding29]

I wanted to ask u if ur visor for it seemed small when u were gluing it together cuz mine does and i scaled it at 279mm(11in)

 

[yccars]

I wanted to ask u if ur visor for it seemed small when u were gluing it together cuz mine does and i scaled it at 279mm(11in)

It was difficult to put in because I constructed the rest of the helmet first. But if you take that route, it's supposed to fit rather tightly, and you should experience some stretching around the edges where the front of your helmet is being pulled into shape. I'm not sure about the scale you used, but it shouldn't make a difference. Peps are unfolded strategically so that one piece can snap an assembly into shape. In this case, it's your visor snapping your helmet into shape. I'm sure you had some minor symmetry/integrity worries before putting it in, which were rectified afterwards. Am I right?

 

[Harding29]

It was difficult to put in because I constructed the rest of the helmet first. But if you take that route, it's supposed to fit rather tightly, and you should experience some stretching around the edges where the front of your helmet is being pulled into shape. I'm not sure about the scale you used, but it shouldn't make a difference. Peps are unfolded strategically so that one piece can snap an assembly into shape. In this case, it's your visor snapping your helmet into shape. I'm sure you had some minor symmetry/integrity worries before putting it in, which were rectified afterwards. Am I right?

thanks a lot cuz i was worried it would be too small since the first helm i made i scaled wrong and that was to small.

 

[Keegan]

Erm, the helmet looks great, but you are endangering yourself greatly.

You have a respirator that is used for dust. A dust mask, if you will. The respirator that is required to be kept safe from the toxicants in Bondo products would be like this.

You are going to be harming yourself very much if you dont buy the proper equipment.



But still, like I said, helmet looks goo.d



Good luck.

 

[HaloFreakX]

What Keegan said. You could also buy that respirator or something similar at Lowe's for $30.

 

[Shaymin Sky]

Any respirator that filters for dust and organic materials will keep you protected. Helmet looks great.

 

[yccars]

Yeah, I figured that out after a few minutes. I think I have an army gas mask and some replacement canisters sitting around, so no worries. If not, 30 bucks isn't a very high price to pay for my safety.



The resin warns for severe burns. Is this a chemical burn or just a heat burn as a result of the resin and hardener reacting? I'm using cloth gloves coated in something for grip. I haven't had anything happen to me, but I did feel some slight warmth when I accidentally grabbed a wet spot on the helmet.



I still need to brush a batch of resin on the outside, but I should be able to get to fiberglassing the inside today

 

[the stig]

I'm loving it, Can't wait to see this finished,

Trust me you'll get attention in that suit.

Chicks dig Snipers

 

[Nightmare451]

I'm loving it, Can't wait to see this finished,

Trust me you'll get attention in that suit.

Chicks dig Snipers

And I thought chicks liked Rocket Jockeys...



yccars, I can't wait to see it finished!!

 

[Malechei]

The resin warns for severe burns. Is this a chemical burn or just a heat burn as a result of the resin and hardener reacting? I'm using cloth gloves coated in something for grip. I haven't had anything happen to me, but I did feel some slight warmth when I accidentally grabbed a wet spot on the helmet.

The burn warning is really for a combination of a bit of both chemical and thermal burn. In most fiberglass resins, the SEVERE warning is really nothing more than the company covering their own butts. I tend to err on the side of stupidity, and I've gotten plenty of fiberglass resin on my skin. For me, the "burn" is almost non-existent. However, if you're going to go through the trouble of wearing gloves, which is a great idea, you should use rubber (or similar chemical barrier) gloves.



Mal

 

[HaloFreakX]

Yep, for me it's just a sticky smelly nuisance on me arms and hands.

 

[yccars]

Thanks for the attention and compliments you guys.



Today I found my gas mask and some canisters, as well as a buttload of other army stuff in my dad's quadbox that will be fantastic for the ODST. I also bought 15 small paint brushes at Dollar Tree today. 3 for a buck is pretty good, since they will all fall victim to fiberglass resin.



There were also BDUs in there that I will probably dye black and have my handy granny sew so that I can wear them as underarmor.



As you read on, check this out to give you an idea of what the undersaid items can be used for:

Here are the MOLLE vest, gas mask, some kind of backpack frame thing I will use as a base for the ODST backpack, and various pieces of armor (shrapnel interceptor, I suppose) for the throat, crotch (maybe?), and neck. The piece of armor in the bottom left is the same thing Rookie is wearing around the base of his neck in the top picture.

These are 6 or so black belts, something that looks reminiscent of a rifle strap, several backpack straps, three pouches for the MOLLE or whatever, and a satchel containing a manual and waterproof bags for the mask.

This last image is of some gloves I want to cut to be the base for the ODSTs' shooter gloves, a magazine I can stick in a pouch for looks (I also have an AR-15 mag and some 7.62 rifle cleaning kits i can clip onto the MOLLE), and my mask again.

So let me know what you think while I go finish the resin and start glassing the inside.

 

[the stig]

That's alot of sweet gear there

Nice find,

 

[Robbymrodriguez]

I get resin on my hands and arms sometimes and it burns like hell(ironically only after I try to remove it). But afterwords there isn't even any marks.

 

[yccars]

That's alot of sweet gear there

Nice find,

Yeah, I'm feeling very lucky. Compare the $40 MOLLE vest on CheaperThanDirt or even the velcro/snap buckles on nylon straps that you can pick up for a few bucks at Hobby Lobby with FREE actual military-issue gear. The only expense to me as far as underarmor is going to be a packet or two of dye at walmart.



I've only had time to fiberglass a square foot of my dome this far...FELLOW ODSTs CURRENTLY IN THE PEPPING STAGES! LEARN FROM ME: When you glass your peps, it is going to be best to produce a lot more resin than you would for coating the outside of your pieces. Lay a good, thick amount down first, press your fiberglass strips into it, and then take your brush to it. I made a mess of fibers because I didn't put down enough resin. Thus, when I started brushing the strips of mat, fibers came loose everywhere. And, obviously, you'll be using a lot more resin to cover the same amount of area than your outer coat because you're throwing mat with the mix.

I get resin on my hands and arms sometimes and it burns like hell(ironically only after I try to remove it). But afterwords there isn't even any marks.

Are you not using gloves at all? Like someone said above, the SEVERE warnings on the can are just the manufacturer covering themselves. But even still, it is possible depending on the amount of resin you're using/misusing. Just protect yourself and you probably won't have that problem anymore.

 

[Ral Partha]

I've only had time to fiberglass a square foot of my dome this far...FELLOW ODSTs CURRENTLY IN THE PEPPING STAGES! LEARN FROM ME: When you glass your peps, it is going to be best to produce a lot more resin than you would for coating the outside of your pieces. Lay a good, thick amount down first, press your fiberglass strips into it, and then take your brush to it. I made a mess of fibers because I didn't put down enough resin. Thus, when I started brushing the strips of mat, fibers came loose everywhere. And, obviously, you'll be using a lot more resin to cover the same amount of area than your outer coat because you're throwing mat with the mix.

Well, there's your mistake right there. You don't brush the fiberglass mat with resin. The fibers are going to end up all over the place. Instead, you dab resin onto the mat. The dabbing motion actually helps push the mat and the fibers into the corners. And I don't use resin to hold down the mat the first time. I layer the inside with spray adhesive.