Thorssoli's MkVI Costume Buildup

[tlither]

Once again Thor your work is excellent. This thread is excellent just for the pics let alone the knowledge you are sharing.

Now - be safe in the Stan and watch your a$$.

 

[JediStumpy]

You are doing awesome work here! The detail work means you are putting alot of work into this and that gets everyone excited on here. Stay safe in Aff-stan!

 

[Tentei]

Dude, this is some serious epic going on here. Any idea when you're gonna be back to make us all drool again?

PS I wish you safety and good health in the coming weeks/months

 

[Massiveheadpain]

amazing attention to detail! best of luck to you!

 

[Skullcandy Girl]

More amazing work Thorssoli Congrats on the marriage (if I read honeymoon stuff right). Be safe in Afghanistan!

 

[rowan]

Do you ever sleep? Amazing stuff thor. Good luck in Afghanistan, make it home safe, we need more armor goodness.

 

[thorssoli]

Do you ever sleep? Amazing stuff thor. Good luck in Afghanistan, make it home safe, we need more armor goodness.

Sleep? No. Not if I can avoid it at least.

This week I've averaged five hours a night worth of sleep. I had it set in my head that I'd be able to finish these up before I ship out, but it may not quite work out. I've got all of the molds poured for the toe caps and the forward parts of the soles, but the texturing hadn't dried yet on the heel soles so I'll have to mold them up in the morning. The silicone says it's ready to pull in six hours, so I'm trying to work my day so I can get this done. Originally I'd planned to have it done a day earlier, but I lost most of a day to car troubles (fixed) and boat troubles (never fixed) so now it's down to the crunch.

I fly out on Sunday, so tomorrow's schedule goes like so:

0?00-wake up and meet friends for breakfast.
0900ish- pull silicone jackets for toe soles, set them aside to air out, and build mother molds for heel soles.
1000-pick up one more 4lb. kit of RTV silicone at my local plastics supplier.
1100-pull mother molds, clean masters, pour silicone for heel soles.
1200-meet some family members for lunch.
1300-do some cleaning and entertain a few guests on the boat.
1500-kick everyone off the boat, put on one last coat of varnish on the topside brightwork.
1600-pull the silicone jackets for heels and set them in front of heater to air out.
1730-catch up with my grandfather in his shop.
1830-meet up with a couple of friends for dinner.
2000-pour first casting of the boot soles with donor shoe cast in.
2100-begin packing for deployment.
2200-make sure all of my paperwork is organized and easy to find for the folks who need it.
2330-Pull the first pair of boots from the molds and try them on.
2400-Post pics and/or videos of the first pair in the forum.
Whenever-finally collapse from exhaustion, the only way I can ever get any sleep at all.

Since I've decided to limit myself to one part of one project this week, this will be a pretty easy day. Usually there'd be more to do on the boat as well as research or design work for tank parts, as well as fabrication for other costume projects, managing a handful of things being bought or sold or shipped, making runs to pick up parts or materials for any of a number of reasons. This being an easy day, I've actually slated in three whole meals.

I took a handful of pictures at close of business today, but they're just more pictures of molds in progress. I figure that's all old hat until I've actually got a pair of boots to show off. In other news, I'm now using the stormtrooper poster as my myspace default pic. I'm that kind of cool.

Stay tuned. I may actually be able to pull off the boot making in the next day.

 

[d1omede5]

Right on, man- take care in Afghanistan. I'm in Iraq, but i'm coming back on leave in a few weeks. Then it's back for another three months and I'm home! So a few months? At my first guess I'm going to say Navy/Marine.

 

[tb364757]

RESPIRATOR ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Finish

Dude thats pretty beastly. i might have to use that technique for my movie that I'm making.

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

Good luck in 'stan, Thor. Be safe.

 

[thorssoli]

So I've had my first failure of the project so far.

Everything's okay, but I didn't meet the deadline I set up for myself. With all of the running around I ended up getting about two hours behind on my schedule yesterday. By the time I arrived at my local plastics supplier they told me that someone had come in a while earlier and bought out their entire stock of RTV silicone mold rubber.

The next closest place I could get the materials I needed was an hour in the wrong direction. So when I did the math (1 hour driving each way + 1 hour to set up and pour the molds + 6 hours cure time for the silicone + 12 hours cure time for the urethane rubber soles = 20 hours) I realized that the best I could hope for is to finish the first pair of boots about 2 hours after I was supposed to be at the airport to fly out.

The good part is: when I get back to the shop all I'll have to do is make one more mold and I can start cranking out boots. I've got a friend who might be able to sort it out and build the molds and boots while I'm gone, but he tends to be pretty busy most of the time so I'm not holding my breath.

Hopefully nobody will lose or destroy any of my work while I'm away.

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

So I've had my first failure of the project so far.

Everything's okay, but I didn't meet the deadline I set up for myself. With all of the running around I ended up getting about two hours behind on my schedule yesterday. By the time I arrived at my local plastics supplier they told me that someone had come in a while earlier and bought out their entire stock of RTV silicone mold rubber.

The next closest place I could get the materials I needed was an hour in the wrong direction. So when I did the math (1 hour driving each way + 1 hour to set up and pour the molds + 6 hours cure time for the silicone + 12 hours cure time for the urethane rubber soles = 20 hours) I realized that the best I could hope for is to finish the first pair of boots about 2 hours after I was supposed to be at the airport to fly out.

The good part is: when I get back to the shop all I'll have to do is make one more mold and I can start cranking out boots. I've got a friend who might be able to sort it out and build the molds and boots while I'm gone, but he tends to be pretty busy most of the time so I'm not holding my breath.

Hopefully nobody will lose or destroy any of my work while I'm away.

Why would ANYONE want to do that? Don't say that...

Anyways, that sucks... that always seems to happen, someone gets there and takes it before you do. >.<

 

[thorssoli]

Why would ANYONE want to do that?

Same reason I'd do that. Big project, little time. Oh well, c'est la vie.

 

[LastSpartan]

Same reason I'd do that. Big project, little time. Oh well, c'est la vie.

I DO understand that! ^^


Well I'm sure no one will touch your mold, and I'm sure it will be even better when you come back because you won't have to rush everything.

Anyway, good luck in Afganistan, and stay safe buddy, we'll be waiting here

 

[jwright]

The urethane resin is listed as a respiratory irritant. The fumes aren't dangerous (in fact, they're not even detectable), but when it cures the sanding dust will cause you problems. All of this stuff is some sort of bad for you. I also mixed milled glassfibers and some silicate into the resin to make it harder. This makes it even more likely to kill you dead if you breathe enough of it.

In short: NONE OF THIS STUFF IS SAFE TO BREATHE!

If you don't have a respirator, don't play with any of this until you've got one. Make sure it's the proper type for the application you're using too. There are different types that filter out either vapors (fumes) or particles (dust). The filter elements are only good for a limited amount of exposure too.

Can I use one of those cheap doctor ones or do I have to buy an expensive one?

 

[tlither]

You can get a respirator that will protect you just fine for 30-50 dollars. The cheap doctor one is fine for dust only.

 

[thorssoli]

Can I use one of those cheap doctor ones or do I have to buy an expensive one?

I suppose it depends on how much of your health you're willing to destroy in order to save money.

Read the warnings on the packages. Heed the warnings on the packages. The whole hobby is expensive, so don't skimp on the safety equipment. Lowe's or Home Depot carry proper respirators that will serve you just fine.

If you want to kill yourself to save a few bucks, I suppose that's your business. Bear in mind that long before you die from them, many of the fumes we work around will make you stupid and impair motor functions. These effects tend to be cumulative, meaning the more exposure you get, the worse your symptoms.

In short: BUY A RESPIRATOR!

 

[Bloodl3tt3r]

I suppose it depends on how much of your health you're willing to destroy in order to save money.

Read the warnings on the packages. Heed the warnings on the packages. The whole hobby is expensive, so don't skimp on the safety equipment. Lowe's or Home Depot carry proper respirators that will serve you just fine.

If you want to kill yourself to save a few bucks, I suppose that's your business. Bear in mind that long before you die from them, many of the fumes we work around will make you stupid and impair motor functions. These effects tend to be cumulative, meaning the more exposure you get, the worse your symptoms.

In short: BUY A RESPIRATOR!

This man speaks the truth!

I used to volunteer in a hospital for AP Government hours, there was this dude who worked with fiberglass/resin on (I think it was construction) his jobsite, and he didn't use a proper respirator, he didn't look too good.

Believe me, the cost of a proper respirator is definitely less than the cost of a medical bill.

 

[fightstar]

Wonderful stuff you have here. Be safe and Godspeed when you ship out.

 

[lilyankee93]

Your work is like nothing I have ever seen before! Absolutely amazing! Stay safe out there man, and I hope you're back soon. Good luck and remember be safe!