Iron Man Mk II (wearable) Arc Reactor and Faceplate

I've decided to go as Tony stark for Halloween this year, but a very specific one.

It's funny, Halloween is the only time I have any real "difficulty"* being Asian as I have no interest in going as "Asian" Luke Cage, "Asian" Malcolm Reynolds, or Captain Asia...actually that's a pretty good idea. I could base it off the WWII era look, and... but I digress.

I'm going to be Tony Stark from Iron Man (the first one is the best obviously), post- Mk II Flight test while looking though his marked up faceplate at the screen showing the red carpet of his Third Annual Benefit for the Firefighters' Family Fund (timecode 1:06:52) at Disney Hall (whew). That way I could go as actual Tony Stark.

Originally, I was going to make a down and dirty arc "light" to go under my shirt and call it a day (since I have basically no previous electronics experience), but then I fell down the deep and glorious black hole of Arc Reactor Posts here at the rpf. Then I wasn't even going to make a faceplate at all until I saw Matt at Surreal Studio's pictures of his faceplate (http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad70/kagn/Lst.jpg) and knew I had to have one. He kindly offered to cast one for me, but I figured making it myself is where half the fun is (please do not believe anything I post to the contrary during my pep build and bondo sculpt).

After an exhaustive first-phase research session (I've seen so many arc reactor and helmet build videos now that I hear Black in Black when I'm just reading the RPF now), I've decided to go for the whole thing.

* We all know that the quotes show I don't mean for this to be serious, so let's be adult about this.

The Plan:

Build an arc-reactor front that will be thin enough to wear and accurate enough to be placed into a back cage assembly made at a later date making it a costume and prop replica, possibly the proof that Tony Stark has a heart display that I think would work gang busters combined with a wireless charging matt some how. Yes, I know what you're thinking. Technically that would be a Mk I Arc Reactor, but I figure it'll be a great conversation starter. If someone comes into my house and notices that it's the Mk II and not the Mk I in the display, that person will earn major geek points with me and probably become my best friend...or mortal enemy (again talk to me after this is done). I only have basic tools, I'll be casing and sourcing pre-existing parts that I can find (I'm in Los Angeles).

I will also make a pepakura-resin hardened-bondo'ed-molded-cast faceplate (if I have time), so I can have my costume and also possibly metalize or metal cast one to later get vashdstampedes kit (http://www.therpf.com/f9/vashdstampedes-iron-man-faceplate-reveal-wip-60313/) and make a display unit for it similar to HollywoodHardware's ridiculously awesome display (http://www.therpf.com/f9/iron-man-reveal-electronic-faceplate-pic-heavy-vid-too-72780/). I figure just the faceplate is a very doable project (at least for just my costume).

At the same, time I'll be teaching myself more intricate soldering as I basically know only how to solder two wires together (I've been meaning to learn more advanced practices so I can finally build my planned temperature controller box and "sous-vide"/ bbq smoker units** My Sous Vide Controller Box), electronic wiring, pepakura, molding, casting, finishing, and who knows what else.

This sounds like madness, but I've got a rare bit of free time, decently dexterous hands, youtube, and the RPF. If it all ends in a terrible failure I'll just buy this led light strip (Flexible Light Strip 300 SMD White LED Ribbon 5 Meter or 16 Feet By Ledwholesalers, 2026wh - Amazon.com), which I probably won't even bother to unroll, stick it under my shirt, and go as "Asian" asian guy who has discovered that his britches are way to big for him.

If I am able to pull this off it'll be due to all the amazing resources that have been posted for me already. I'm standing on the paper, resin reinforced, sculpted, iron painted shoulders of giants, and I've done my best to keep a list of what I'm going to use, where I learned it from (my Evernote notebook for these projects is an uncharacteristic mess), and I plan on listing them in my posts for credit and future reference to anyone coming after me.

I would obviously appreciate as much help as I can get even if it's just mentioning sources I've forgotten, constructive criticism, tricks you've learned, or parts sources you found in the Los Angeles area.

I've done my best to read through all the FAQ and rules about posting, and I am doing this all in good fun so if there is anything you find offensive please let me know and I'll correct it immediately.

With that, here we go:

** Might be out of line posting this unrelated link here

Day 1 : T-minus 22 Days

After looking through a lot of builds and youtube videos, I've decided to go with Skarkman's HD v2.1 model unfolded by Dunbean33's pep file fro the faceplate. At this point I'm honestly at a complete loss as to where I originally got the file but I think it can also be found here (Dubean33 - Sharkhead HD Iron Man Helmet v2.1 - Unfolded by Dubean33 - Download - 4shared).

It was really between that and Dancing fools helmet. Originally, I assumed that the more complicated and multiple piece in the pep design, the more "curving" it would appear, but I've seen a number of posts and vids, where the maker had to correct the cheek curvature in the sculpt. I've also seen a lot of super talented artists make amazing builds of the dancingfool files too, so here it is (IronMan2 - Download - 4shared).

I've gotten 100 sheets of 110lb card stock at staples ($8.99), which I am concerned is not going to go through my Canon i900D "rolling paper feed" printer (so I might be headed to FedEx office here in a bit). Then I'm going to steal my girlfriends sewing rotary cutting mat, new xacto knife ($6.99 - this really burned me having to buy as I have SO many, but they are back home in Georgia). I've got some rubber cement that I saw an technique for: waiting for it to start hardening then place tabs together to have some give and quick sticking (can't remember where I saw this), and if that turns out terrible I'll just hot glue.

Hopefully, if that goes well, I'll get some "fiberglass" resin or epoxy resin (any thoughts on which would be appreciated), modeling epoxy resin and epoxy sculpt for arc reactor parts and start reinforcing tomorrow with fiberglass (I saw someone mention using paper towels instead somewhere? - remember this is just for a faceplate that will hopefully be cast later anyways) while looking over my sources for the arc reactor parts and blue-print sizes (though I haven't been able to find a great accurate 3" one in one post. Just individual parts in pieces).

Now, to printer!

If you've made it this far thanks for reading,
Cory

Me and my big mouth. "Oh I've got so much free time..." Ugh.

Day 2: T-Minus 21 Days

So after a few test runs of printing out correct sizing (for some reason my my printer is connected via parallels it wouldn't print (i'm guess the I never bothered to download the drivers etc), so I decided to get the files to my mac so I could also take the PDF to fedex if my printer couldn't' print 110lb card stock. My first try of exporting to bitmap, opening in Photoshop, and "printing" to PDF to print has some scale issues, so I followed this site's suggestions of "printing" to the free program CutePDF writer, then moving the file to my mac to print (? View topic - How to make PDF files out of your Pepakura file ). Then I had some issues getting the numbers to print (pepakura designer->2D menus->show edge ids), or having the outlines being nice and clean (pep designer->settings->print and paper settings->print lines clearly (vector print). Finally it was time for "the" (but really the first of many) moment of truth.



Turns out my printer is able to print out 110lb card stock. I knew you could do it girl!

It all went well except for the fact that a couple of the smaller more intricate pieces printed with overlapping numbers.

So armed with a back log of Alton Browncasts, I started cutting.



I found that with lines shorter than 7mm or so it was easier to go free hand and to use my ruler for lines longer than that (man do I miss my padded xacto back home). Mid-way through the first piece on the first page, I got a call to talk over a new project and to see if I could come to a development meeting tomorrow morning, and then another call to ask if I could help a friend out on a show for Friday [see first line of post].

Now I'm struggling just to get all my pieces cut out (does anyone have a craft magnifying glass they'd recommend? I'm sure it'll come in super handy for electronics later, and right now I'm finding myself hunched over a lot trying to keep an eye on the lines), nor have I had time to hit up an auto store or home depot (from Atlanta so I gotta support) for resin, fiberglass cloth, and see what parts for the arc reactor I can find, and a craft store for molding epoxy resin (has anyone one used this for reinforcing the card stock?), and epoxy sculpt.

Now, back to the cutting mat.

Thanks for reading,
Cory

PS. these posts are going to get really boring without pictures (note the two pictures I have now are still really boring) but I'm having some issue posting them directly from the files on my computer (running chrome and tried on firefox) with the insert picture button. For some reason not all the buttons load all the time. It's totally bizarre. That happen to anyone else?

I am in a world where numbers no longer have any meaning.

Day 3 - T-Minus 20 Days

I ended up getting everything cut yesterday, and I scored appropriately (I turned the pieces around and help them up to the light to score the back of the card for the valley folds.The larger pieces (forehead, mouth) glued together in a flash though the cheek valley folds are a bit tricky at the moment. Right now I am currently gluing together the intricate eye pieces that every says is potentially the biggest time taker and in the end they can bondo sculpt better anyways so I'm trying to figure out why the heck I'm doing these pieces. remember when I said that some of the pieces' numbers print on top of others? Yeah it's these pieces. On the larger pieces some of the flaps are so thin that they barely hold, and on these tiny intricate pieces the flaps are often times larger than the pieces it is glued behind. Very strange.I got to the point where I was literally just laughing hysterically, listening to the iron man theme song and it took about 30 minutes to realize that I was not actually listening to anything but was humming it myself. Found that for the most part, using rubber cement worked really well, but with the eye pieces not so much and I'm going to switch to glue gun I think.Also, I'm going to get my resin and bondo stuff tomorrow, but I think it'll be a miracle if I can resin and fiberglass reinforce before tomorrow is over especially they way these eye pieces are coming along.Ugh.Thanks for reading,Cory

Why oh why didn't I just listen to everyone else when they said hot glue?

Day 4 : T-minus 19 days

So I've gotten it all put together.



I have to admit the eye parts were making me go crazy, but it all ended up working out in the end. Seriously, if you are reading this thinking to yourself, this is never going to work, just take a deep breath, check to make sure you have all the parts (check by numbers and not necessarily but clicking on the pieces in pep designed to see which pieces come up in the 2D view like I...ugh have read some people did), and go slow. Also just use a glue gun. While the timing takes a bit of getting used to, it ended up saving me a lot more time in the long run, and when my patience was running a little thin, and I was being a little rough than I needed to be, some of the other thin joints I rubber cemented ended up popping. That being said, I'm glad I had both because for some joints it work better (and I had the space) to have a really good bond with the wiggle room with rubber cement (the eye pieces).

The intricate pieces where the numbers overlapped ended up coming together with a lot of going to my pdf and searching for the numbers I was looking for (could not figure out how to do this in pep designer), and while the physical break lines aren't nearly as crisp as I'd like, I'm hoping I can re-"find" them in the sculpt.

I had considered just not doing the eyes pieces other than the edges, but I was concerned (and rightly so) that they would help give the mask its form. If you are doing the whole helmet (and after what I just went through hats off to you).

I'm still not entirely sure that I put it together right either because it seemed that there was one pieces (and its mirror on the other side) where the only wait it would work was to assume the numbers were printed on the opposite sides of the piece. This sounds like classic n00bism, but looking at photos of other builds, it looks like that is just the way it is modeled. If I am correct (serious IF), I've noticed that it's a lot more intricate than reference photos and and not quite correct. there are two "lips" that dip down at the bottom of the eye socket and up one that goes up from the eye socket and then is flush up against the lens. I might have to also correct this in the sculpt but I'm not sure.

Here is a picture of the socket (as close to I can get it) and the back.




This might sound ridiculous, but I'm not as happy with my performance as I'd like. Everything was done pretty meticulously until the eyes where I got frustrated, couldn't figure it out all the way, and things got messy and all my lines got pretty unclean. There are sections of the mask that are slightly out of alignment and not mirrored to the other side, but I'm hoping after the resining, I can use a hairdryer (source at the bottom of post) and actually mold it back into alignment before reinforcing to save myself some bondd-ing time.

OK, quick break and time to pick up some resin, fiberglass cloth, and bondo stuff. Might be another update today but I doubt it.

If you are interested in making a mask, post-pep assembly (his first video is just pictures of assembly) , this detailed tutorial series by boochieboy814 is the best I've seen for instruction while watching a really nice product get fabricated. Seriously this guy is good. Here's the second video IRON MAN HELMET BUILD PART 2 ~ RESIN & FIBERGLASS - YouTube Check it out.

Thanks for reading,
Cory

Day 5 : T-minus 18 days

So I ended up getting (at unnamed hardware store) 8 oz epoxy resin ($15.97), 1 qt all purpose bondo* ($11.98), 3M fiberglass cloth ($6.93) and 3x cheap brushes ($2.94 total). I also ended up having to get a box of gloves for project and bbq ($9.75).

I'm not sure I got the correct type of epoxy resin substituting poly resin, as when I mixed it (I used it by weight on my .01g scale) I ended up only getting about 3 minutes. 5g of each part was too much, 3g/part or each was good for larger parts, or 1.5g/part when doing detail work. It was also a lot thicker than I anticipated. I'd say it was the texture of rubber cement as opposed to paint like I was expecting.



I tried to use the hair dryer to adjust the mouth plate and the right cheek edge as best I could (I'd really never go for anything thinner than 110lb card stock now).

I ended up doing two coats on the inside and outside (waiting an hour between each coat). The fiberglass cloth was a huge pain in my ass honestly. When cutting it into pieces it frayed all over the place. I did one layer around the big flat parts, which seemed to be sufficient for hardening, but two edges for the layers. A good technique I figured out was to overlap the edges by half, wait a bit for it to cement slightly (we're talking 30 seconds here max) then folded it over to have a clean edge.



Today, I got to finish the edges and patch some small holes.



After it was complete, I it was still not excited about the warping of the mask. The right cheek is built up and the chin line is crooked.



I used the hair dryer to adjust as best I could (and I think it's a lot better), though I'll still have to build up the left cheek..



Hopefully I'll get my first thin bondo coat tomorrow after work (though tomorrow will be longer than today and I'm super exhausted now...I might even come back and add to this post when I'm not so tired-- there was something about the resining that I wanted to comment on but can't remember-- oh well).

Anyways, time to pass out.

Thank for reading,
Cory

*swapped out for Bondo Auto-filler for $10.98

Umm...what the hell do you think you're doing?

Day 6 : T-minus 17 days

I am exhausted, so I'm only going to get to file down the high edges (via this video Smoothing and Shaping your Pepakura (Episode 04) - YouTube). I also got general use bondo rather than car filler bondo, so I'm going to swap that out tomorrow then do my first bondo coat (like IRON MAN HELMET BUILD PART 4 ~ BONDO FIRST COAT - YouTube -- seriously this guys tutorials are awesome).

Short one today.

Thank for reading,
Cory

-- So I was about to start filing my edges but was so tired I decided to do my small file I use to take out the burrs on my Albion liechtenauer (post-training with edge-edge idiots). I was also in the house--in my bedroom, in my bed over an old amazon box when my girlfriend was asked me umm what the hell are you doing? Yeah, ok. Bad Idea. Too tired. File too small. Going to get a replacement rasp file tomorrow when I switch out bondo.

Day 7 : T-minus 16 days

At a quick trip to (unnamed) hardware store I swapped out the general use bondo for auto-filler bondo (at a dollar cheaper holla), picked up an 8in dual sided wood file (I don't like that the rasp is on the curved side so I might try to take it back to get a real file at home depot) for $7.98, a wire brush for $2.98 to clean the clogged file and even works on sandpaper, spray primer for $3.98 (for later).

I filed down the edges until I got to paper, then I hit it with one more coat of epoxy resin, and then used the hairdryer to do a final shape adjustment (and boy am I glad I did).



Then it was time for the bondo. I was both scared and excited for this step. Kinda looking forward to doing some sculpting.

At first I couldn't figure out how much bondo to cream hardener to use but I decided to just go by weight (778g bondo to 21g cream hardener) or 37g to 1g (or just multiplied .02648 x however many grams of bondo I used). Originally I went with 30g bondo to .8g hardener but it ended up being way to much bondo. Then I went down to 20g which seemed to be good then 10g for the more intricate parts that I needed to spend more time on. Mixed it up by smearing and not stirring like this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPvCR2osKT8&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PL43D27B96B86684A9

Additional tools I used were some cut up bondo spreaders $2.74, set of cheap needle files for $6.42, and single edge razors ($8.04 for pack of 100).

I knew it was going to be a lot of work since I knew I was going to have to do some building up on one of the coats-- like here:



I ended up cutting the lid of an old chinese take out container to use as mock cards to get the bondo out like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcotY9s5Zjw&feature=c4-overview&list=UU2kInwJRdwJxJvvOGqwggAw

The first coat was basically a trial (covered the top scoops and upper-mouth plate) to filled in the low spots, and then I tackled the more serious issues (building up the right cheek, matching the eyes, and other such).



Rough I know, but it was more of a shaping than a covering, but I'm getting closer.



Then it was just a series of filing using the flat edge of the file and a well cut apple chunk I use for barbecue (real bbq, I'm from the south) for a sanding block, and reapplying bondo to sides at a time.



I marked up the mask ad then filled in and filed down as I saw fit. Originally, I was using the bondo spreaders but I changed to the mock cards. I really liked the flexibility. Made it a lot easier to shaping.



It's been a pretty long series of checking photos and making changes. The sides of the forehead plate that meet the mouth piece are level and I had an indentation. The bottom wings of the mouth piece are angled back and not straight like I had them, and a million other small changes.

I consider this to be the first bondo coat (though it looks a little like black panther's mask for some reason).

*

Others more skilled in pepakura wouldn't have had to do so much shaping, but I'm glad I got the experience.

Now, I'm going to do one final sanding and then head to bed.

Thanks for reading (it's been long one),
Cory

*I haven't really figure out how to do the eyes. It looks like there is some build up right up against the lens, and I haven't done any bondo in the eyes at all. Not looking forward to that honestly.

Reading your posts gave me a needed chuckle. Stay with it sir...you are doing great. I hope you realize that your face plate and arc reactor build is opening Pandoras Box...soon you will be building a whole suit....arms and legs will be scattered around the house and your girlfriend will really think you have lost it. Have fun. Keep us updated. I am rooting for you. It really does get easier the more you do it, and sanding Bondo will become strangely addictive.

texxxan said:

Reading your posts gave me a needed chuckle. Stay with it sir...you are doing great. I hope you realize that your face plate and arc reactor build is opening Pandoras Box...soon you will be building a whole suit....arms and legs will be scattered around the house and your girlfriend will really think you have lost it. Have fun. Keep us updated. I am rooting for you. It really does get easier the more you do it, and sanding Bondo will become strangely addictive.

Click to expand...

Hey thanks for reading, seriously. I was beginning to think I was all alone in here. I'm glad you got a chuckle out of it. I'm having a good time making the mask, so I'm glad that's coming across.

It's funny about the sanding addiction. After I posted that last one, I decided to sand for like an hour later ha.

Thanks for the kind words,
Cory

I'll take some cake and eat it too...actually not. The cake is bondo.

Day 8 : T-minus 15 days

So I've been seeing and reading so many videos and posts about people slathering on so much bondo and having to sand the heck out of it, but I think I went in the complete opposite direction. I was basically putting on such a thin coat of bondo other than the areas I was building up that, I wasn't really doing anything.

Now, I'v decided to add a little more bondo per section. It's weird I feel like I'm really caking it on but I'm having a lot more play in the sanding to get some fine details...or at least I'm hoping I will, I got home late from work and I'm waiting for my first cake coat to dry (it's the third one I'm done ha).

My crafting epoxy ($14.16) came today, but I'm still trying to find out dimensions for the arc reactor. Any tips? I know everyone keeps saying to check the rpf but I feel like I've checked through hundreds of builds and none of them really have good measurement for a 3" diameter build. I'll keep looking though, but for now I'm heading to bed.

Thanks for reading so far,
Cory

Day 9 : T-minus 14 days

Been over a week and only two weeks left. Getting a little nervous.

So after my "caked" coat dried I still was worried that I wasn't getting the right shape based on reference photos (I've found that having on the Iron Man special features in the background was kinda nice. Not as monotonous as watching the movies over and over), so I got the old hairdryer out again and used it to heat up the backside of the mask where the fiberglass is. I used it to make the bottom wings flare out a bit, and to flatten out the side flaps (they were a bit too rounded). Then finishing out the eye lines and nose lines. Still haven't been up to doing a final smoothing coat over the shaping one, but I need a break. I need a little reprieve from bondo (though I do like sanding bondo), so I'm going to start up on the arc reactor.

Couldn't really find source reliable measurement, so I just took a couple screen captures, and I'm going to take photoshop measurements. Will update later tonight.

If not thanks for reading,
Cory

Part II

Man, I am definitely going to take a 24 bondo break (maybe I'll sand to relax some). All I see is imperfections (though logically I know that it's come a long way and is getting much closer). Here's where I'm at now:



(man looking at that picture looks rough, but I'm coming into the final stretch here. I"ll sand then re-evaluate, and then finally do a "finishing" bondo coat then prime for spot putty. I'm considering bondoing the edges on the inside just to give myself some nice clean lines but for right now, I just need to be clear of it for a little bit.

Work on getting stuff to cast the ring tomorrow.

Thanks again for reading,
Cory

Why the lack of replies to this thread I wonder!

Super interested in your project, I subscribed to the thread for a later read as I'm low on time right now.

I actually had exactly the same idea as you at one point, scarily close(!); just make a nice faceplate (or faceplates of multiple helmets) for display and a nice wearable but also displayable arc reactor that could fit in to a back cage for display!
But then after pepping one faceplate, I got carried away and pepped a bunch of helmets and now I want an Iron Man helmet collection! Wonder if you'll get the pep-bug too!

Very interested to see how you'll put your arc reactor together!
Also, a fellow Asian brother here; wassup my 'ninja'! ;D

Madosheet said:

Why the lack of replies to this thread I wonder!

Super interested in your project, I subscribed to the thread for a later read as I'm low on time right now.

I actually had exactly the same idea as you at one point, scarily close(!); just make a nice faceplate (or faceplates of multiple helmets) for display and a nice wearable but also displayable arc reactor that could fit in to a back cage for display!
But then after pepping one faceplate, I got carried away and pepped a bunch of helmets and now I want an Iron Man helmet collection! Wonder if you'll get the pep-bug too!

Very interested to see how you'll put your arc reactor together!
Also, a fellow Asian brother here; wassup my 'ninja'! ;D

Click to expand...

Ha thanks. There's already a plethora of Iron Man arc reactors and masks that it's probably seen as overdone, but I appreciate the sentiment! You should do it man. I've found some great idea of making the parts at home. I'll post them as I get there. I still think that making the display into a desk lamp would be awesome.

I don't know if I'll get the pep bug. I might (and there's a part of me that can't even believe I'm saying this) look into a rocketeer helmet. I've always wanted one but then I gotta make the rocket pack. But it is another "non" asian costume, so it might be right up your alley, too!

Cory

Add photoshop to that skills list.

Day 10 : T-minus 13 days

Had a nice breakthrough yesterday and saw a lot of places to fabricate the parts I was having issue with: shielding ring (thing with the slots), transformers (what the copper coil is wrapper around), and the copper rings in the center (actually I wasn't even thinking about those but I found a cool way to fabricate them in one of the other videos How to make a Iron Man Mark I Arc Reactor DIY - YouTube). Also showed the led wiring powered with a couple cr2032 batteries (had a done for my cooking scale). Everything that I was worried about and had no idea how to do was revealed and seemed simple. It made me feel oddly...powerful and Tony Stark like. Weird, sure, but I won't lie. It happened.

I headed back to michaels to get some molding putty, some craft foam (transformers), and 1/16 basswood to maybe use as a carved template for the shielding plate, some 26 gauge copper wire to wrap the transformers (has anyone ever used staples and spray painted them copper?), and thicker wire to make the inner rings.

From this Instructables (Iron Man Arc Reactor, DIY Wearable) I found this template (http://www.accessorygeeks.com/media/f...) from this youtube video (The Crafty Ninja Episode 006 -- Iron Man MARK I Arc Reactor - YouTube). Ok looking over that, that's a lot of links in one sentence. It was a pretty good set after I scaled it to be 7.6cm in diameter. The only issue was that the shielding ring had an uneven number of slots (sometimes 8 sometimes 9 sometimes 8 and parts). I had photoshop from the adobe suite subscription but never done anything but color correction. First I tried to fix the perspective of the ring from other projects but it kept getting weird, so I just too the original ring, erased the slots, then using the ruler tool/protractor, spaced the slots out every 13.3 degrees and bam it looked great...until I added the three bolted things and it overlapped the slots on either side, ugh. So I had to shrink them down and then re-space and rotate. Just a huge pain in my...

Anyways if anyone wants the files and is willing to post them on a filesharing site and give me the link to post here I'll send it to you.

So, I'm going to cut out some the shield ring (thought I was done with cutting for awhile), and maybe go to Ralphs to find some cans that will be the right size for the mold for the epoxy ring (I had a though. Shouldn't this be rounded like the collider at cern?). Tomorrow I'll head to home depot to get some plastic sheeting or scrap metal.

Ok thanks for reading,
Cory

Quick question. Are you hand sanding? What grit are you using?

It's looking good man. A little bondo goes a long way... It took me a long while to learn that one.

I like the costume idea.

Lord Magneto said:

Quick question. Are you hand sanding? What grit are you using?

It's looking good man. A little bondo goes a long way... It took me a long while to learn that one.

I like the costume idea.

Click to expand...

Hey I am in fact hand sanding with 150* grit for shaping though I've not posted any real pictures of the sanding because I keep adding more bondo to "sculpt" it up to make the shape more symmetrical or curved or whatever.

Unfortunately for me I've found that the amount of bondo I was using I think was a little too thin, and I was basically thickening up the same uneven shape rather than correcting flaws.

Why do you ask/any tips?

*edited from 120 grit to 150 grit sandpaper

A little frosting goes a long way. A serrated bread knife goes too long a way...

Day 11 : T-minus 12 days

Today was a rough one. After reading/ watching a few tutorials on using clear easy cast resin (How to Use Easy Cast Clear Casting Epoxy Resin to Make Pendants - YouTube) saying that it took 3 days to fully cure, my elation over my newfound godlike powers (wait the Thor costume is another time) quickly evaporated.

I had ONE 7.7cm tin container left over from our diy cabinet spice rack, and found that the cap off a costco garlic powder container (for bbq dry rub) was the perfect match for the inner diameter, but with 3 days to cure, seemed like a big chance to wait 3 days only to find out it didn't work, or I wanted a clear blue tint rather than sanded (for diffusion) blue tint ring. So I went to the grocery store to look for cans of the appropriate size. The re-stock probably thought I was a crazy person coming in to measure cans with my ruler at 2 in the morning, never finding one that was the right size, and (let's be honest) probably humming the iron man sound track to myself. I ended up settling for a duncan hines cream cheese frosting (my girlfriend's favorite), and the cap off a lowery's season salt container (which incidentally my girlfriend loves thus extending my ability to do this project in the house-- and if we're honest is the more important countdown than the one to halloween).

So I came back home, emptied the icing into a bag, and cut them in half with my serrated bread knife. When I say cut" what I mean is that it went through ever so slightly and then slid off and sliced my left pointer finger decently. This is embarrassing. Having worked in kitchens for many years and cooking at home, I've cut myself maybe three-four times. Ugh. I blame the fact that I was hopped up on icing (super wasteful to wash the spatula right away obviously).



Then I glued the pieces into place and passed out.



Today, of all the stuff I had around, I had nothing to mix up the resin. Nothing. And I looked. Trust me. I also thought to get some tongue depressors. I headed to stapes since they said they had "craft sticks." They did not, but got some non wax-cups for mixing ($4.35). If you thought the xacto chapped my you know what then you should have seen me coming out of staples. I then promptly went into Starbucks and asked for some stir sticks. They were very nice about it (but I do go there quite often).

I well organized mind would have been fine from there on out. I was not. I was in little in a hurry getting stuff together cuz I was going to Alton Brown (who was awesome). I mixed up 40g resin (and complementing hardener) and poured it in my mold and then added some blue food coloring (like one drop on a latex glove then used a stir stick to add dabs at a time) into the scone half (it left tiny flecks but otherwise worked surprisingly well…thus far). But…I forgot to add mold release. If it hadn't been metal and plastics and then weird plastics I wouldn't have bothered, but I was worried to wait three days only to find i couldn't get it out. Ugh now I know what scotch distillers are like betting on things 18yrs from now- (Highland Park 18yo is the answer to the question you are thinking of). So I poured them all out, scraped wiped, washed, dryer, re-glued duncan hines mold and repeated. This time I went with all blue. That way I can sand one for a diffused version and I got white dmd led's.

On the other side, I'm going to work on the diffuser ring (printed on card stock and am going to epoxy it to make a hard version to cast…maybe).

Ok, time for bed.

Thanks for reading,
Cory

Day 12 : T-minus 11 days

Crap, I've now spent more time on the project than I have left. Ugh.

Today I put my pep experience to use and printed the shield ring on the cardstock, folded it over three times, glued, and cut the ring out. Then I resined it (two coats). I figured while I had the resin out I might as well make some E(poxy)-r(esin)(b)ondo or E-rondo for the eyes and the inside which has a really scratchy surface from the fiberglass mat. Now, in hindsight i don't know why I cared since I'm going to probably cast this thing (especially now) and then put some padded black shelf liner on the inside for padding (that I got from wal-mart for $5.17- but needed anyway). I guess I figured it would be easier to make nice crisp edges maybe? I dunno, but it took forever to set, and the smell was incredible. It was like sweet oatmeal and resin. Super gross, super potent and one of those kinds of smells that lingers after you get a whiff and won't go away. Ugh. I used equal parts bondo and two-part epoxy resin (but I've already covered how I think it as the wrong one). After that set enough, I finally, finally got the last shaping coat of bondo done. It's still got some small issues, but I can sand them and/ or sculpt them (like with the eyes which I'm still not sure how I'm going to do).

I sanded it using my 150* grit paper (using my apple wood chunk). A real sanding this time. For the curved cheeks, I wrapped it around a Trader Joe's pepper grinder mill and adjusted the curve to match, which worked like gang busters. Then, just because I wanted the satisfaction of it, I hit it with the 220 grit. Bam. A lot more imperfections and divots and things than I would have liked, but overall it was real nice. It's outside right now (since the smell of the rondo even then hours later is still really strong and stinks up the house. I'll post some pictures tomorrow and of the areas in the eyes where I'm not really sure what I'm going to do.

On the arc reactor ring part, here's what it looks like:



Turned out pretty well though there were quite a few more micro bubbles than I thought, but I guess that's as good as you get not in one of those vacuum things. That being said I do have a foodsaver, which isn't a strong vacuum granted, but I might try to cast the next one in a container that I vacuum or heck might just hook up to my vacuum. Interesting.

Here's the cup from when I realized I forgot to put release spray in my molds and poured them both back in (one clear one blue). When I shone the "torch" from my gnex through it it was way to focused so I scuffed it up with some sand paper and got this:



Looks like I'm definitely going to be sanding these bad boys when they come out tomorrow (man I hope they come out tomorrow). It looks green from my girlfriend's iphone's white balance, but it's a hint of blue, (I'm hoping mine will be two hints) which is what I want.

By the way, I'm taking my car in to get my oil and transmission fluid changed (it's at 100k) and I'm seriously considering taking in my mask, bondo, scrapers and sanders and doing to work on it while i wait. Yep I'm definitely going to do that actually.

Ok thanks for reading,
Cory

*edited from 120 grit to 150 grit sandpaper

Peanut butter. Chemical peanut butter. And it won't go away.

Day 13 : T-minus 10 days

It's become apparent that I'm not going to be able to cast this thing before Halloween. Unfortunately, the smell from the rondo is so so strong. It smells like chemical peanut butter, and like peanut butter the smell does not go away easily.

I packed up my box of tools today to work on while my car was being worked on, and inside a seal plastic zip-top bag, in a box in the back seat, with the windows down going 65mph, the smell was so potent that I felt I was going to yack on the way to the shop (and I never get car sick. Luckily my friend was around and we had lunch together or I probably would have worked on it, gotten sick, and passed out covered in biological looking peanut butter.

I tired to coat it in baking soda to cover the smell but it was too smooth, so I scuffed it up and did it. It helped some, but my ventilator helped most.

I re-bondo and did some work on the eyes.



I'm about 50% there I think. Maybe 38% to be more accrue, but I'm getting there. Just the act of getting started is enough.

Then I did some spot work. Sanded and did some more spot work and I'm letting it cure over night. I'm working tomorrow so I'm not sure hoe much I"ll be able to do, but here's where I'm at now (actually this is before I did some spot bondo).



(I've decided that pics just off to the side make it look less like a black panther mask).

On the arc reactor side, the ring inside my duncan hines cream cheese frosting came out pretty easily.



Oh 1am trip to the grocery store where I could not but some tasty beverages since I got to the register at 203am (do you have any idea how many cans and can like things there were in there to measure?), how worth it you were. Speaking of still worth it, here's where I cut my finger:



(And that's two days later). I'm concerned about some big bubbles (arc reactor ring, not my finger), but I'm going to sand it and hide them best I can with the transformers. Tomorrow I'll cast another one since…I can't get the one out of my tin spice container out. I"ll keep working on it. I actually think I'm going to het it up and do it in a vacuum rig. I'm serious. But in the meantime I can work on the cutting the transformers and such for the design. I"m going to try the craft plastic and see how it looks before I contemplate the sheet metal look.

OK early call so time for bed.

Thanks for reading,
Cory

ugh man I'm just realizing that I'm into single digits days ledt*

Day 14 : T-minus 9 days

Pretty heavy progress post.

My cutout of the shield ring is a little thin, and since I plan on cutting out the slots later I figure I might as well double it up. Last night I printed out another copy of it (scaled correctly this time), folded the paper into thirds, glued them and placed a weight on it. Came back about half an hour later to cut it out but it was a little runny still, so I poured myself a scotch (Johnnie walker double black) and...passed out.

Long work day. ha

*I'm writing this the morning after, so you doubly know why I'm freaking. Not only it is just a few days, but it's fewer than even that. It's like that joke. Doctor tells a guy he has good news and bad news. Patient asks for the good news. Doctor tells him he's only got 24hrs to live...you know the rest.

Thanks for reading
Cory