Little update:
I recently responded to an invitation to bring the suit thus far along to the Canberra Knife Show in Tharwa.
The hall was very hot so I didn't actually wear the suit, but instead set it up on it's stand just inside the door as the guard. I donned one gauntlet and sat patiently beside the suit for most of the day. Every now and then I put the helmet on to demonstrate the operation of the faceplate and eye-lighting.
Needless to say there were more than a few adults that got a buzz out of it, lots of questions etc.
But the kids.... man they were GREAT FUN! They stood in awe with their mouths on open, even taking a few paces back in shock. I got some great practice in with my target audience. I let them have a look inside the helmet. Sometimes i would say, "Have you ever shaken hands with IRON MAN!!?? They would light up as I did then I'd say to them that they could go to school and tell their friends that they had. beaming smiles all round.
I can't wait to get this into an all-kid environment in the hospitals.
As far as progress goes, I will be starting on the gauntlets after new years, with the lighting for the hand-repulsors, sound card, speakers and a spray-mister to discharge from the gauntlet for LED illumination, simulating a weapon discharge.
In the helmet I still have to hook up a microphone in the chin to a speaker in the chest, plus a microphone on the chest hooked into speakers at my ears.
My knife-making has afforded me some gear for the suit as well as tooling. It's a slow process, but the only way to get there on a very tight budget. So close now.
Luv, SB
