The "official" Rellik Nissassa Wip

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

What's up 405th?

I hope that you find this useful and inspiring as you journey through your Halo armor experience, and mad props to all on the 405th. We all belong to a great thing here.

BREAKDOWN OF ARMOR SPECIFICATIONS:



Armor Class: Mark VI

Armor Base: Pepakura

File Types: Frizzle Fry -full body// Flying Squirrel-HD Helmet



TOOLS LIST:



Paper Used: Georgia Pacifc White Card Stock// 110 lb Weight, 150 count

Adhesive Agent: Hot Glue

Glue Gun: Obvious

Cutting Device: Large X-ACTO knife

Cutting Board: Smooth finished scrap plywood

Straight Edge: Hard Platice, thich square (aprox 6-8 inches in length)

Scotch Tape: Used as a temp. holding agent for complicated bends

Red Rock Gloves: Used durign hot glue application. Able to hold parts and glue in place while experiencing no burns or discomfort.

Great Freakin Music to keep me going: Very important



EXTRA X-ACTO BLADES

EXTRA GLUE STICKS

possibly EXTRA CARD STOCK (this is for when you cut a flap off a piece, or have to cut a piece off you project and reprint the part)

PLAN OF ACTION:

To complete all peps before continuing onto the resin stage.

Once pepped, all parts will be coated in Smooth Cast 320 to solidify the base.

Parts then detailed, re-coated, and silicone/rubber molded.



PURPOSE OF ARMOR:

To have a functional suit to wear, ski in, play paintball, and rock out in.



GOAL:

To have the entire suit finished by 10/30/09. My real goal is to creatan armor so thich and durable that it will withstand any beating. I want this stuff to be ass thich and strong as a bike helmet, not just another pretty costume.

We're talking real, functional armor.



So.... on with the pictures.

I will not post a tutorial or video tutorials unless requested. so comment and reply away.



NOTE TO SELF: DO YOUR HELMET LAST!!! Look at everybody who has done their helmet first. They never seem to finish any other parts. I suppose they become so satisfied that the hlemet is finished and they have something cool to wear, so they give up on the other stuff. Pep all first, and save the best for last.



Don't forget to thank God for this forum and all who post on it.

 

[yccars]

Looks fantastic, structurally speaking. However I am going to stop blatantly forsaking your advice and do no cosmetic (bondo, paint) work on my ODST helmet until the entire suit is Bondo'd (I figure painting the suit all at once and then the helmet a week or so later may make the latter a bit off?).

Could I ask some more advice though?

I could very easily construct a metal frame/lining/whatever for the inside (or out!) of my entire ODST suit. Do you recommend doing that? It's with regular corrugated tin barn siding (the flat parts) since it's readily available to me. I want the extra weight so I feel like I'm wearing something more significant than some fiberglass. But will building my internals from metal make the resining and Bondo'ing steps more difficult/impossible?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

If you're looking for something to help make your armor stronger, I suggest spraying on coats of truck bed liner after the bondo stage. You'll get the metallic texture, plus extra durability, and you can paint over it and keep the texture. so just bondo, sand, spray, then lay down primer and paint and you're good.

 

[yccars]

I'm not too experienced with car stuff; does the bed liner expand? Or are you thinking of a completely different product than I am? I'd hate to put a lot of detail in with bondo and the liner mess it up.

Thanks.

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

Looks fantastic, structurally speaking. However I am going to stop blatantly forsaking your advice and do no cosmetic (bondo, paint) work on my ODST helmet until the entire suit is Bondo'd (I figure painting the suit all at once and then the helmet a week or so later may make the latter a bit off?).



Could I ask some more advice though?



I could very easily construct a metal frame/lining/whatever for the inside (or out!) of my entire ODST suit. Do you recommend doing that? It's with regular corrugated tin barn siding (the flat parts) since it's readily available to me. I want the extra weight so I feel like I'm wearing something more significant than some fiberglass. But will building my internals from metal make the resining and Bondo'ing steps more difficult/impossible?



Thanks in advance.

All I have to say is, you are one step ahead of me.



I am planning to do a metal suit in the future, so I do encourage you.



Thin metal, such as sheet metal or what you have mentioned.



It will be best to do the metal shell on the outside. This will give your suit the best strength, it will withstand whatever, and it will be quite easy to shell your base.



The inside is the soft inner layer that protects against shock, and is comfortable enough to wear.



Think of a helmet. The hard part is outside to take the brunt, the inside is the cusion that absorbs the impact.



A metal suit will be functional, but it will take work. I would suggest that you reprint your peps and scale them larger, you can adhere the paper to the metal to make the precise cuts and bends.



OR, you can just cut the shell as you go, shape it to the outside of the suit.



Get out your snips, and experiment with adhesion. You can weld the outer shell, which is more dangerous and requires skill and tools, or if you are willing you can bolt it to your base.



DO YOUR HOMEWORK, and research every possible way to do this before you begin. Experiment, and take the best ideas from every theory to make your own way.



Practice, and be prepared to scrap some work because it will take time and trials to get this right.



Reply, and we'll go from there.

 

[Loganius]

This thread kinda makes me want to do Mark VI for my first pep... I have to decide between Mark V, Mark VI or recon. The armor looks great so far

 

[yccars]

I'm not sure you completely understand me (my fault). Perhaps if I changed my question?



I want to use hotwire (as used in electric fencing applications. It's a very rigid, heavy wire, if you don't have experience with it) to build frames for my pepped pieces and use some kind of liquid weld that i found in a hardware store to secure the metal plates to the internal frame. I understand now, however, that plating the inside won't help me at all. On the other hand, I'm not equipped to shape sheet metal to fit such parts as the helmet dome or the backpack. I don't want metal boots and shoulder plates, and then end up with a fiberglass helmet.



And I know I am probably being a picky pain in the neck, but I REALLY don't want to scale my armor larger. I would rather have to put more work into the metal than paper. It fits me snugly, which is important because of the fact that I am very short (5'6").



What do you recommend in this situation? Thanks again.

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

Now I got you.



Yes. Use it on the outside.



Run it along each edge, and to every corner, making a frame.



You can cut the lines into the armor so that the wire sinks in, then just resin and bondo over it.



The outside wire frame will surely make it heavier, stronger, and durable.



Post some pictures of your materials so I can see what we are working with.

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

This thread kinda makes me want to do Mark VI for my first pep... I have to decide between Mark V, Mark VI or recon. The armor looks great so far

I can't tell you what to do, but I would recommend the Mark VI. If nothing else, do it as your first project to be your starter. Your experiment. Your "First Car" if you will.



If you need any help getting started, let me know.

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

Update on the progess.



I want to share with everyone the next method that I will be using in my build.



What I have done so far is taken the best ideas from each different category to do my suit.



Take a look at this video to understand (and for some reason the YouTube embed with the BB Code help is not working, so please click on the link):

Casting Resin in Pepakura

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzzrX1RBAec[/media]

[Fixed the code for ya - Magnum]



Supplies:

Measuring Cups

Casting Resin (see details, link, and photo below)

Big Gloves

Stirring Stick

Paint Tray

Mixing Cup

And last but not least, my handy dandy Respirator



Continue........



So, I started out with Pepakura, phase 2 is Casting Resin and not Fiber Glass.



Reasons why:

Casting Resin is easier to work with and apply.

Less dangerous, and usable indoors.

VERY Durable, stronger than fiberglass (I have bounced these pieces off the ground more than once to prove this).

Faster. You can mix the Part A+B, wait for it to thicken, and pour. Move the mix around the inside of the armor, let harden. Then, coat the outisid of the armor.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CASTING RESIN USED BY RELLIK NISSASSA.....

This stuff is smooth, it's able to be sanded, and I will find out if Bondo works on it for the detailing puposes.



So, as you can see, I am combining the pepakura approach, with the Mold and Casting to achieve a faster, better, more durable build.



I'll keep everyone posted, and please let me know if you want tutorials.

 

[Jonny]

VERY Durable, stronger than fiberglass (I have bounced these pieces off the ground more than once to prove this).

Faster. You can mix the Part A+B, wait for it to thicken, and pour. Move the mix around the inside of the armor, let harden. Then, coat the outisid of the armor.

I don't think resin alone is stronger then resin and fiberglass.

 

[yccars]

What your saying is that a single coating of that resin on the inside and out is stronger than 2 layers of fiberglass resin on the outside and 3-4 layers of fiberglass on the inside? If that is true and Bondo works with it, I may have to check this out.

 

[le yo ra]

i believed that resin with fiberglass is stronger,because it is enforced by fiberglass, and please don't forget that resin and bondo are the same materials, so there's no problem with using both....

the manufacturer just add anti-sag to resin, that's why the bondo is more thicker... hope this helps....

nice work there dude...keep it up....

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

Ok, guys.



I have been working hard all weekend and this week to finish up the suit (excluding the helmet of course. if you don't know why, just check out my signature).



Here are the progress Shots:

And back to the resin conversation, this is Casting Resin, not Fiberglass Resin, and you can shoot this crap with a paintball gun and airsoft with no damage.



Can your fiberglass do that?



Comment away, everyone....

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

i believed that resin with fiberglass is stronger,because it is enforced by fiberglass, and please don't forget that resin and bondo are the same materials, so there's no problem with using both....

the manufacturer just add anti-sag to resin, that's why the bondo is more thicker... hope this helps....

nice work there dude...keep it up....

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'd like to see more of that on this site and in this post.



Special Thanks to Magnum for fixing the previous YouTube link.



Like I said, comment away, and let me know if you have any questions.

 

[ponchato]

Here's what I understand so far, please correct me if I'm wrong.



You've finished pepping the entire suit (other than the helmet, good idea!).

You've coated some of the parts with resin.

This resin is not fiberglass resin, it is casting resin, specifically Smooth Cast 320. You (I think) used the trial size kit from Smooth-Cast, as in the video.

This single coat of resin is stronger than multiple coats of fiberglass resin and fiberglass.



Now, the questions



Are you going to completely finish the suit before starting the helmet?

Did you put a single coat of this casting resin on the inside of the parts you've resin'd so far, as in the video?

How many/which parts have-you/are-you-able-to coat with the trial size kit (assuming that's the kit you bought)?

Is the resin coat you applied flexible or hard? Is it brittle?

 

[ponchato]

Sorry for the double post, but another two questions.



How many coats of the smooth cast did you put in?

Did you put a coat of fiberglass resin on the outside before putting the Smooth-Cast in?

 

[RELLIK NISSASSA]

Here's what I understand so far, please correct me if I'm wrong.



You've finished pepping the entire suit (other than the helmet, good idea!).

You've coated some of the parts with resin.

This resin is not fiberglass resin, it is casting resin, specifically Smooth Cast 320. You (I think) used the trial size kit from Smooth-Cast, as in the video.

This single coat of resin is stronger than multiple coats of fiberglass resin and fiberglass.



Now, the questions



Are you going to completely finish the suit before starting the helmet?

Did you put a single coat of this casting resin on the inside of the parts you've resin'd so far, as in the video?

How many/which parts have-you/are-you-able-to coat with the trial size kit (assuming that's the kit you bought)?

Is the resin coat you applied flexible or hard? Is it brittle?

1. Now that the entire suit is pepped, and almost all resined, the helmet will now be pepped and resined. Then alll parts will begin the bondo stage.

2. I used at least one coat on the inside of the armor, and one coat on the outside as well.

3. I was able to inside and outside coat the entire suit, but I did not buy the smooth-cast trial kit, I bought this instead:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CASTING RESIN USED BY RELLIK NISSASSA.....

This resin is just as great, cheaper, and the guy that answers when you call is the owner. He will answer all your questions.

I bought the 1/2 gallon kit, which you will notice is WAY more resin than the smooth-cast trial kit, for almost the same price!

4. The resin is nice and flexible. You can squezze on the part, and it will flex. If you have a flap coated, it will move a little. Obviously it is not indestructible, so don't go crushing part and breaking flaps. I can tell you that this is better than fiberglass, and it doesn't dent.

Sorry for the double post, but another two questions.



How many coats of the smooth cast did you put in?

Did you put a coat of fiberglass resin on the outside before putting the Smooth-Cast in?

Once I hade at least one coat on the inside, I did one coat on the outside. On the parts that I wanted to be very durable, I did like 3 coats inside. (the point that you need to under stand here is how easy this process is, and how well it works. You don't have to coat fiberglass cloth, you don't have to use a little brush, you don't have to get your hands inside the parts. You literally mix and pour, and your pepakura is now tough, and smooth, and sandable)

2. No, no fiberglass, that is the point. This way is easier, better, stronger, faster, and safer.



With all of the questions, I am tempted to do some tutorials on this, but I won't until someone requests it, that way I don't waste my time.



So, spread the word on this intigrated method, and let's see what the people want.



Keep posting, I'm here to help, and thank you for your interest.

 

[CPU64]

Funny, I had a totally finished helmet before I started everything else

 

[Dagger06]

Good find with that cheaper casting resin.



This method is very nice, though I find it tricky to do with some of the parts that aren't shaped as conducive to roto-casting, but with a little ingenuity that can be worked around. Definitely what I'm going to be trying with my next suit. Gotta finish up using the 'ol glass/resin for my current one though.