Suitcase Build

[RandomRanger]

So, crazy question.
Has anyone tried to make an easy storing, self contained suit before (not necessarily Iron Man)?
I want to make one.

Edit: I've been thinking about this build for a day now, and now I'm committed. Tune in next month for another crazy experiment with RandomRanger, cause I want to design and build it in July while I'm out of town.

Also, could someone kindly move this to the Non-halo costume and props thread for me please? I messed it up. I know there are those among you who like to fit all my posts into neat little categories *cough* as if my passions could be so easily contained.

 

[RandomRanger]

Ok, so my napkin math says this is theoretically possible using cardboard as a building material. Using an online calculator, my body's surface area was estimated to be about 22 square feet. Assuming that I use cardboard that's a quarter inch thick, thats 0.45 cubic feet. If I assume an acceptable suitcase size is 2ft x 1ft x 0.5 ft, then that's twice the amount of volume I theoretically need to store the material.

Hold your fire, I know that that's an ideal situation, and nothing is stored 100% efficiently. But if I can get it even 50% efficient with some clever engineering, then we're go for green! I plan on starting design drafting and prototyping next week.

You're allowed to contribute to this thread as long any math is conducted strictly on napkins.

Also, where's your pepakura now?! Free handers rule!

 

[SGT Razor]

How much Adderall have you taken?

 

[Sean Anwalt]

Cardboard is going to give you amateurish results. Worbla or pvc sheets or similar would be better and thinner.

Also, you cab get away with a suitcase being 8 inches thick instead of 6, and in that clip the case is more bulgy.

Now show us what you got.

 

[RandomRanger]

Cardboard is going to give you amateurish results. Worbla or pvc sheets or similar would be better and thinner.

Also, you cab get away with a suitcase being 8 inches thick instead of 6, and in that clip the case is more bulgy.

Now show us what you got.

Hmmm, I wasn't even aware of those materials. I plan on building this whole I'm out of town on vacation for a month, so what I may do is prototype it in cardboard (because availability) and then polish and rebuild in one of those materials.
Thanks the suggestion :+)

 

[RandomRanger]

How much Adderall have you taken?

None lol, this is default. My roommates have a running theory that if I did take adderall I'd own the planet.

 

[RandomRanger]

Sean Anwalt I just looked up worbla, holy cow that stuff looks like magic! Definitely wanna use that for the final build.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

You're welcome

 

[RandomRanger]

Mechanical prototyping has begun, I've even done some math. Even though this version of the built is only intended to test the feasibility of the mechanics, I can't help but realize cardboard is not as much fun as I remember.

 

[RandomRanger]

Ok, I've now built half a chest, and almost half of an arm. That said, I'm leaning heavier and heavier into what Sean Anwalt said about cardboard. I didn't come into this prototyping expecting a suit I'd want to wear, but with the results I'm seeing so far I'm honestly not sure I want to even prototype it with cardboard. I may have to put this project on hold until I can simply buy proper materials, because building something you know you'll never use or like is pretty demoralizing. On top of not looking good, it's simply not a fun material to work with, contrary to my nostalgic impressions.

I'm going to look into seeing what kind of magic PVC sheet's offer in comparison to worbla as well.

 

[Sean Anwalt]

Maybe you SHOULD take a small dose of riddlin and just hyper focus on the project.

A thought:

You know those devices where you push on the center and the sides spread open? That technology will be a huge necessity for this build.

 

[RandomRanger]

Also, dayum worbla is expensive. A sheet of 3x6ft Eva foam cost me $15, this is 3x5ft for $86. And I used 5 of them to make my suit.

Worbla's Finest Art.

Worbla's Finest Art is a brown, non-toxic thermoplastic used throughout costuming, cosplay, stage and screen applications.

www.cosplaysupplies.com

 

[TurboCharizard]

Also, dayum worbla is expensive. A sheet of 3x6ft Eva foam cost me $15, this is 3x5ft for $86. And I used 5 of them to make my suit.

Worbla's Finest Art.

Worbla's Finest Art is a brown, non-toxic thermoplastic used throughout costuming, cosplay, stage and screen applications.

www.cosplaysupplies.com

Don't look into silicone and casting resins. Worbla is the tipping point.

 

[RandomRanger]

Don't look into silicone and casting resins. Worbla is the tipping point.

This is what I saw.

 

[PaiganBoi]

This is what I saw.
View attachment 273147

HA! Tunnel vision!

 

[Phauxelate]

Well crap. You're talking about using the equivalent of what seems to be solid gold for your suit, and for my 3D printed suit it's like I'm making glass armor out of the lost sands of time.

Time, money, they're both the same things right?

 

[Sean Anwalt]

Well crap. You're talking about using the equivalent of what seems to be solid gold for your suit, and for my 3D printed suit it's like I'm making glass armor out of the lost sands of time.

Time, money, they're both the same things right?

Well, even if they're not, at least your suit will be priceless! Watchout, though...

 

[Drsalmon616]

The biggest challenge is going to be figuring out how to both fold and attach panels to each other. In the video you posted the guy is using strings which works but is a little clunky. I would suggest a system similar to that collapsible blades on toy lightsabers, where one piece is smaller than the other and upon extension they press into each other and lock with friction. This would look like the tiles on Samurai armor which is what the Iron Man suit kind of looks like anyway.

 

[RandomRanger]

The biggest challenge is going to be figuring out how to both fold and attach panels to each other. In the video you posted the guy is using strings which works but is a little clunky. I would suggest a system similar to that collapsible blades on toy lightsabers, where one piece is smaller than the other and upon extension they press into each other and lock with friction. This would look like the tiles on Samurai armor which is what the Iron Man suit kind of looks like anyway.

Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about, that telescoping style. This is actually exactly how I intend on doing the legs and arms. I've decided to retry building the suit here using cardstock. Definitely not a production material, but it should be cheap and easy enough to prototype the mechanics without many of the downsides of cardboard (e.g. boxy edges, flat curves, etc.). Idk why it took me so long to think of cardstock, but now I've lost a week of development, so I'm going to need to scurry into a hurry for a prototype.

Take 2, annnnnd action!

 

[RandomRanger]

Got my supplies, let's do this. I hope.