Half Life 2: Gordon Freemans HEV suit

Risu said:
The second picture is the way to go. Just use a rasp file and a mouse sander if you've got one. (A mouse sander is so helpful for this type of costume, they're not too expensive, either.) Make sure you don't go all the way through the mud on the inside. The HEV models are pretty good, so you shouldn't have to worry about that too much.

Oh, and I might have understood you wrong, but if it took a couple hours for the mud to cure you didn't put in nearly enough hardener. It should take about 5-10 minutes tops to be mostly hard. Rotating is good; however, I'd recommend doing smaller areas, like a 4" x 4" square with each application. Because of the fast cure time of the mud, it's usually difficult to do more than this at a time.
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Ok then, I just wanted to be 100% positive before I went and did this. Oh and I've already cut out the shape for the upper left arm piece. I have a mouse sander out in the shed actually. What grades of sand paper should I use?

Yeah, it's still curing outside as we speak. But I think the cold air is slowing the reaction level down, making the hardening longer then normal. But I just checked it a minute a go and by god that thing is as hard as a rock! Like, I gave it a good thud and it had some serious density to it. After it's done curing I'm going to do a light test on the piece to see what spots didn't get enough fiberglass. I'll make a mark with a pen and add a small piece to patch that area up.
 
I can't even remember how many biceps I had to make to get the scale right. They also warp very easily. I really wish Nugget had included some support struts for some of the pieces, particularly the chest. That piece really CAN'T be made without struts, and making them without a pattern is iffy at best.
 
Risu said:
I can't even remember how many biceps I had to make to get the scale right. They also warp very easily. I really wish Nugget had included some support struts for some of the pieces, particularly the chest. That piece really CAN'T be made without struts, and making them without a pattern is iffy at best.
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I've had no warping at all so far. Odd...

Well I've taken your note about the chest piece and I'll be sure to apply it when I go to make it.
 
The forearm piece doesn't warp, as long as you left the plug in the wrist end, because the other end just happens to be the shape the rest of the piece tries to pull it to. The bicep tends to warp into an ellipse and the bottom opening of the chest goes from wider side to side to wider front to back. You can get by on the biceps without struts if you're careful, but the chest is a whole different story. The belt is also tricky.
 
Risu said:
The forearm piece doesn't warp, as long as you left the plug in the wrist end, because the other end just happens to be the shape the rest of the piece tries to pull it to. The bicep tends to warp into an ellipse and the bottom opening of the chest goes from wider side to side to wider front to back. You can get by on the biceps without struts if you're careful, but the chest is a whole different story. The belt is also tricky.
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Did you use scissors or an X-acto knife for the cutting process?
 
Risu said:
Scissors, I love scissors. I'm also terrible with an x-acto.
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Ah that explains it. Using scissors makes the paper loose it's tensile strength. You have to pick the paper up more and move it around causing the paper fibers to bend more and warp more, causing the entire structure (paper) to be less stable. Try practicing more with that x-acto knife and most likely you have less warpage for your model.

The outer surface of my piece is still a bit tack. Any way of making it less tacky? Powder?

I'll need to cut this thing in half soon... What type of blade should I use that will give a clean cut?
 
More hardener in the mix, if it's still tacky after a day you may have to try again.

And a dremel is the only thing I know of that work, you just have to fill in the material removed with bondo afterward.
 
SimonTheDigger said:
The outer surface of my piece is still a bit tack. Any way of making it less tacky? Powder?

I'll need to cut this thing in half soon... What type of blade should I use that will give a clean cut?
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The outer surface of polyester-based fillers like bondo never quite completely cures; dusting baby powder on it will take care of the tackiness. If you're going to sand it, you will cut through the tacky layer into fully cured material.

The best thing to use to cut this stuff is a rotary tool (dremel) with a fiber-reinforced cutting wheel.
 
Loess said:
The outer surface of polyester-based fillers like bondo never quite completely cures; dusting baby powder on it will take care of the tackiness. If you're going to sand it, you will cut through the tacky layer into fully cured material.

The best thing to use to cut this stuff is a rotary tool (dremel) with a fiber-reinforced cutting wheel.
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I think he was saying the resin never finished curing, not bondo.
 
Loess said:
The outer surface of polyester-based fillers like bondo never quite completely cures; dusting baby powder on it will take care of the tackiness. If you're going to sand it, you will cut through the tacky layer into fully cured material.

The best thing to use to cut this stuff is a rotary tool (dremel) with a fiber-reinforced cutting wheel.
Click to expand...

Risu said:
I think he was saying the resin never finished curing, not bondo.
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Actually he was right. Sorry, but I forgot to mention that while coating the inside with mudglass I happened to get some on my rubber gloves, which in turn got on the outside of the shell. But it's all good now, I used some flour to get rid of the tack and it did a very good job I might add. I got my mouse and dremel out today and began smoothing for an hour or so. I still have a lot of work to do though, Rounding out the edges is going to be quite challenging. But so far so good.

In the mean time lets talk about the next part... Painting. I need tp find the exact color of the HEV suit. I know it's orange, graphite gray, with some yellow. But I need the exact colors, and some parts have metalic hughes to them. What type of paint should I use? Spray paint? Plus I need to give it a little bit of grime when I'm done too... Or is that going a bit over the top?
 
I'm keeping mine clean, as it's going to be displayed most of the time like it is before you put it on in the game. What I'd recommend for the colors is to print out a picture of the suit, then go in to your local art store, we have a great one in Westminster that has a humongous selection of paint. Check out Montana Gold spray cans. They had about 6 different colors that were a close match for the yellow/orange and it took me a good 15 minutes to decide.
 
405th and dented helmet have some tutorial posts on battle damage and battle worn armor, you should definitely give those a read for some techniques.
 
Just an update on the suit here. The left forearm is nearly complete and the upper shoulder piece is nearing completion as well. I did start on the upper left thigh, but the paper got too bent and I had to throw it all away. Anyways, it's going nicely.

On a side note I've already planned my next cos challenge... Issac Clarke's Engineer suit. That suit is so awesome that it almost gives me a hard on.
 
I have been Scouring the Internet for the Pepakura files of HEV, and have found that here is the only place to turn to. Could some one here send me those files? (I should note that links sometimes do not work on my computer, which is really strange.)
 
Thanks for the sorces, I'll make full suit as practice and wait for the more accurate version, rather immpationtly. Im rather anal about acuracy.
 
I'm trying to build the HEV Suit for my costume at the upcoming SakuraCon (my friends are going as Chell and Wheatley, respectively), and this seems like a very effective method. Given that I am a total amateur to the world of serious propmaking (and also that this is my first post on the forum), however, I feel as if I'm going to need some serious spoonfeeding, so to speak. So, I'll start off with the barrage of questions. First:
-Where do I download pepakura?
-How do I print the files out, do I need a special printer or would regular ones fitted with cardstock do?
-Where do I get the fiberglass/resin mixture to use on the inside, and how do I learn to use it well? Any tips, tricks?
-I saw that certain 'plugs' were mentioned to keep the wrist pieces from deforming. What are these, and how do I make them?
-How do I put Bondo on the outside to get a smooth surface?
-Is there anything I've missed here?

I thank you all in advance for any help, and realize that I must look pretty new to this (and I am!).
 
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