Dracks Ironman MK VI Build (helmet update)

Drack

Sr Member
Hi guys I have been lurking about for around a year now and thought that it was time I posted one of my builds here and as the MK VI suit is my latest I should start there. I have been building a Masterchief suit that I have on 405th which some of you may have seen. I started an Ironman MK V custom build too which I will be picking up on after I finish the MK VI so that will be resurrected before the new year hopefully.

My plans for the MK VI suit are to hopefully have a motorised faceplate and film accurate arc reactor. I have read up on the skills needed for the face plate and I doubt I will be able to do this alone so might have to call upon a kind mind to assist me, that was in no way a request as I know peoples time is precious but I will work it all out when the time comes.


So far.

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Things needed to make foam armour. Click underlined text for links.

First to read, read and read some more!

Pepakura. You need to download both the viewer and designer.

Tutorial: Simple Armor Scaling

Some tutorials I made on techniques I use. I hope to get some more done as not everything is covered in them. There are many others if you look around.

Dracks Foam Technique Tutorial Part 1 - YouTube

Dracks Foam Technique Tutorial Part 2 - YouTube

Nice set of techniques by JFcustom Here

A great tutorial on using the pep files for foam builds. XRobots - How to modify pepakura templates for foam

If your suit needs some lights in check this very simple guide on lighting.
Electronics Tutorial by Xrobots.

List of materials, links are UK based. I am sure you can find all these things in other countries but I thought it would be good to throw this info in the thread as a guide on what you need to make a suit of your own.

1. Foam Mats 10-12mm thick. I got a better deal than this. They seem to have gone up in price, Camping Mats 5-6mm thick & Craft Foam 1-2mm thick

2. Blades. No.11s. You can get the handles here too. Also you can get cheaper blades on ebay but they snap easy and blunt easy. Swann Morton are the best I have found so far so sticking with them. They are the best imo because they don't blunt as fast as the cheaper options. I can't offer an American alternative because I don't know what is best for you guys but if any one reading this knows of a top quality blade producer let me know and I will add to the links.

3. Glue gun I use & glue sticks.

4. Plastidip. Used for the first undercoat to seal the foam and give it that smooth base ready for painting.

5. Primer car spray and then the spray/paint you want for your finished paint scheme. Finally some lacquer to protect your piece and make it nice and shiny.

6. Webbing & Buckles for strapping.

7. There are many more materials I use/used but as you build your armour you will work out the bits needed for those extra touchs.

8. Moulding Optional but thought an armour moulding link might help people out wanting to have a go.

So with out further a due here is my progress so far.


The armour pieces are attached using snap fasters. I made some 3mm thick PVC platforms to mount them on because when you try to push the snaps together with out them the foam is too soft to allow for enough pressure.

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A quick lick of paint.

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I do have 2 biceps and a forearm finished too. Once I have the second forearm made and the hinges installed I will post up an update for you all. I am not going to post step by step as there are enough Ironman builds out there but if I use an idea that may benefit people I will post more detailed pics so people can learn from them.

Good to finally be part of this community as there is some amazing work out there and look forward to seeing what all you guys are progressing on.

Tom.
 
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Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

Really clean and nice work, i tried to use these snao fasteners in my gloves but they did not resist the strong forces in the attachment thing. You did it in a better way, congrats!"
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

That is a wickedly clean build, Far more *machined* looking than most of the Foam IM builds!
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

Awesome! What kind of foam? Looks like it takes to paint very well!

I use the normal EVA foam floor mats. First I paint on, yes paint not spray, a coat of plastidip. Much cheaper way to it because I bought a 2.5 litre tin and it's still going after 1 full Masterchief suit, a 2.5 meter tall Halo Gravity Hammer, the Ironman MK VI so far and half an Ironman MK V suit. Then I do one coat of primer and then use car spray paint for the base coat. I will be doing some small shading too but need to talk to my graffiti friends (lol that sounds like a Beastie Boys lyric) about the best nozzles to use. once the piece is done will use a generic lacquer for the crisp shine.

This is amazing work

Thank you man.

Awesome work! I too am doing my own research

Thank you mate and I wish you the best of luck because I have been reading up on how to do it for the last year or so. I started a glassed build of the MK VI suit (first build try) way back but it wasn't for me. I have worked out a really good hinge system which I will share as I know how frustrating it is with the lack of info out there to do it. I of course will leave out the tech part because I cant give away all the Ironman builders secrets :p

Holy S*** that is clean! Congrats, this is awesome!! :)

Wahey! Thank you sir :)
Fabulously clean work there!

Rich

Its taken me a year of none stop building to perfect my cleanliness. If you check out my Foam tutorial at 405th, I am Drack there too, I have videos on how I keep it so tidy.

That looks really good and very clean lines. What thickness of the foam did you use?

Thank you and refer to the above reply for how I get clean seams. I used 10mm EVA foam floor mats.

That looks great! Not seen the snap fasteners used like that before. Clever!

I got the idea from a build on 405th.com. not sure if the guy posted his build here but it was of Briareos Hecatonchires and is one of my favourite builds to date. He used 2 on each of his shoulder pads and I stole the idea and took it a bit further.

Really clean and nice work, i tried to use these snao fasteners in my gloves but they did not resist the strong forces in the attachment thing. You did it in a better way, congrats!"

I think they work best if the foam is heat gunned to the perfect curve/bend first so there is less strain on them. I must say they work perfect on every piece so far but I will add in a clever use of strapping for the parts that come over the shoulders because if I move my arms around too much the snaps can unpop. I have used the same strapping technique on the shoulder pads. I will hit up some pics tomorrow showing how as I think it may aid those doing foam or glassed builds.

That is a wickedly clean build, Far more *machined* looking than most of the Foam IM builds!

Thank you. I have started to take great pride in the techniques I have developed over the last year in foam building and how clean I am getting them. This is my pride and joy build because I have refined the technique now. I did start my first ever build as an Ironman MK VI but tried pep/glassed and I did't like it. Its not that they don't look right cause as we all know they look much better than foam but they are too expensive and time consuming. I can make an armour piece normally in a night after work now so foam work has become my baby :)



Thank you all for your support and todays responses have made me feel very welcome here.
Keep on building and inspiring others,
Tom.
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

Hey Drack very great work! but a painting tutorial would be amazing great :) in words or in a video need tips for such a great result pls :)
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

Hey Drack very great work! but a painting tutorial would be amazing great :) in words or in a video need tips for such a great result pls :)

Cheers man. Check the first of the long replies list. I mentioned there my painting steps. I will be making a series of video diaries of a foam helmet build from start to finish soon which will have painting steps on it. That's why I didn't start this suit with the lid first.

Thank you for checking my thread and if you have any other questions fire away as always glad to help other where I can :)
Tom.
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

What did you use to get the edges so clean?

A surgical knife. Same as an exacto knife. A couple of posts up I linked some tutorials I made showing my angled cuts, messy glue removal and how to avoid messy glue hopefully they will help people crisp up there work :)

Tom.
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

Yea ill check them out. I tried it with the thick mat and an exacto knife and well... it wasn't so pretty
 
Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

When I started my first foam build I bought a box of 100 blades thinking they would last me ages. After some gory cuts I soon started to go through them quickly. I have used half a box so far on this build so hopefully they will last till the end. If not its not problem I still have my MK V to finish.

Teaser.

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Re: Dracks Ironman MK VI Foam Build

Very good job, cant tell its foam at all as its so damn clean! (i knw everyone already said that but its worth saying again!)

Whene did you get you can of plasti dip from? and how much did it cost?
 
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