Hello all. Long time lurker here wanting to start a project.
I've decided that I'm going to [very] gradually print out a full set of Halo 4 style mkVI armor. That seems crazy, right? Maybe not so much actually.
In this thread I will:
PROS OF 3D PRINTING
CONS OF 3D PRINTING
Q. But it still must be expensive, right?
A. Well, if you factor in the savings on fiberglass, fiberglass mat, and a good amount of bondo, the cost of forming the parts for a full suit are only slightly more expensive via 3D printing (maybe 1.5x). Looking forward, I'm estimating $150 to $200 spent on filament (which of course is probably underestimating).
anyway
ON TO THE BUILD!
First of all, this right here is my girl:

I've got an xyz Davinci 1.0 flashed with repetier. It's got a 20x20x20 cm build volume, a heated bed for abs, full enclosure, and a pretty large amount of sensors. I've had to fiddle with it a lot to get it to print just right, but It's tuned in very well. In addition, I've had to perform several maintenance tasks and upgrades to some of the hardware (cheap chinese parts), but overall it's a pretty good printer for $400-500 if you're a tinkerer.
Using said printer I gradually fabricated the parts from this helmet on thingiverse. I was mostly using it to test/calibrate my printer, but then I had a full set so I just had to put it together. I finished it with bondo and a good bit of sanding, installed a visor, and painted it a dark blue for the following result:

I'm not too happy about the paint job... I think I went a little overboard on the distressing/battle-scarring. Overall it turned out fairly well, which convinced me to make an attempt at a whole set. I'm just enjoying the ride, so I don't mind that it's going to take forever. I'll just have my printer running in the background while I do other things for a semester or so. (or so I tell myself) After all, it's not like it's doing anything when it's just sitting there collecting dust.
While looking for a set of complete stl's, I found either horrible ones, incomplete sets, non-sliced parts, or people unwilling to share the stl's that they've made. In response I got a few 3D modelling programs and picked up a copy of pepakura. Using pepakura I can export any pdo as an obj, and from there I can thicken it however much I need in various suites. Using that workflow I can basically print any pdo, and make adjustments when necessary. The first piece I'm trying this on is a shoulder. Below you can see the result of thickening the obj, then cutting the pieces up and the product of the first piece I printed:

The print turned out detailed, lightweight, and pretty damn strong. I'll attach the stl's to this post, but keep in mind you'll need a 20x20x20 bed to get the full use out of them unless you split them down yourself. I'm now printing the second piece:

When it finishes printing I'll update this post or post again in this thread with some tips and tricks to combine the pieces, finish them, etc. I'm looking forward to sharing this project with you guys, should be pretty fun. All feedback is appreciated!
Edit: removed shoulder stl's for now. Master Builder doesn't want people modifying his file and redistributing it. Going to send him a message asking for permission to convert to stl and release.
I've decided that I'm going to [very] gradually print out a full set of Halo 4 style mkVI armor. That seems crazy, right? Maybe not so much actually.
In this thread I will:
- Talk about my reasoning to 3d print, and pros/cons as I go through the process
- Show off my build as I piece it together
- Take a bunch of feedback from you guys (hopefully)
- Give how-to's on finishing 3d-printed pieces
- Provide .stl files of what I am printing so that others may join in
PROS OF 3D PRINTING
- Not that expensive anymore - Cheap filament costs around $7/pound (Inland ABS from microcenter)
- Lightweight - Due to the nature of 3d printing, armor should come out lighter than fiberglass
- Because of this, a full set would be cheaper than you think...
- STRONG - Using the right settings and a tuned printer, 3d printing can make very strong pieces.
- ABS (material they make legos from) will bend a little bit before giving way, very rarely cracks
- PLA will be more brittle, closer to fiberglass over cardstock.
- Gets the figure juuuust right - including symmetry and minor details that might warp with a pepakura approach
- Not limited to 2D geometry (in a 3d plane)
- Set and forget - not much work goes into forming the basic shape of the armor
CONS OF 3D PRINTING
- Not very accessible - a good printer to use with abs (and have a large enough build volume) will run around $400-500
- Long hours for printing. VERY long.
- Still have to finish with sanding/bondo
- Has to be a little thicker than pepakura builds
Q. But it still must be expensive, right?
A. Well, if you factor in the savings on fiberglass, fiberglass mat, and a good amount of bondo, the cost of forming the parts for a full suit are only slightly more expensive via 3D printing (maybe 1.5x). Looking forward, I'm estimating $150 to $200 spent on filament (which of course is probably underestimating).
anyway
ON TO THE BUILD!
First of all, this right here is my girl:

I've got an xyz Davinci 1.0 flashed with repetier. It's got a 20x20x20 cm build volume, a heated bed for abs, full enclosure, and a pretty large amount of sensors. I've had to fiddle with it a lot to get it to print just right, but It's tuned in very well. In addition, I've had to perform several maintenance tasks and upgrades to some of the hardware (cheap chinese parts), but overall it's a pretty good printer for $400-500 if you're a tinkerer.
Using said printer I gradually fabricated the parts from this helmet on thingiverse. I was mostly using it to test/calibrate my printer, but then I had a full set so I just had to put it together. I finished it with bondo and a good bit of sanding, installed a visor, and painted it a dark blue for the following result:


I'm not too happy about the paint job... I think I went a little overboard on the distressing/battle-scarring. Overall it turned out fairly well, which convinced me to make an attempt at a whole set. I'm just enjoying the ride, so I don't mind that it's going to take forever. I'll just have my printer running in the background while I do other things for a semester or so. (or so I tell myself) After all, it's not like it's doing anything when it's just sitting there collecting dust.
While looking for a set of complete stl's, I found either horrible ones, incomplete sets, non-sliced parts, or people unwilling to share the stl's that they've made. In response I got a few 3D modelling programs and picked up a copy of pepakura. Using pepakura I can export any pdo as an obj, and from there I can thicken it however much I need in various suites. Using that workflow I can basically print any pdo, and make adjustments when necessary. The first piece I'm trying this on is a shoulder. Below you can see the result of thickening the obj, then cutting the pieces up and the product of the first piece I printed:



The print turned out detailed, lightweight, and pretty damn strong. I'll attach the stl's to this post, but keep in mind you'll need a 20x20x20 bed to get the full use out of them unless you split them down yourself. I'm now printing the second piece:


When it finishes printing I'll update this post or post again in this thread with some tips and tricks to combine the pieces, finish them, etc. I'm looking forward to sharing this project with you guys, should be pretty fun. All feedback is appreciated!
Edit: removed shoulder stl's for now. Master Builder doesn't want people modifying his file and redistributing it. Going to send him a message asking for permission to convert to stl and release.