Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Pro Shots Added July 16, 2014!

kmc · May 31, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Pressure Suit (Jim Lovell's Moon Suit)

Absolutely cracking work.

rundown · Jun 1, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

please tell me you are going to sell helmet kits?

kmc · Jun 1, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Indeed, I second Mr. Rundown's request. In addition, I've always wanted to try blow moulding, so if you ever decide to sell a negative mould of the bubble helmet in the Junkyard please let us know.

DarkJedi1500 · Jun 2, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

kmc said:
Indeed, I second Mr. Rundown's request. In addition, I've always wanted to try blow moulding, so if you ever decide to sell a negative mould of the bubble helmet in the Junkyard please let us know.

Kits will be avalible in the future but not any time soon. The vacuum former we currently have has a 14 by 14 area, and we had a lot of trouble trying to pull the visors on it. When this project is done we are planning to build our 24" by 24" super former, at which point we can pull visors at a much higher sucess rate, so look for kits to start becoming avalible early next year.

KMC and any one who does blow moulding: When I read up on the process it requires a lot of tooling we dont have and dont thing we will use any time soon. If anyone is looking to try it I will gladly sell them a fiberglass casting of the bubble helmet on the condition they send me a bubble helmet when they are done. Otherwise when kits become avalible I will include the casting of the full helmet and a vacuum formed pull of the front so they can create the faux helmet as I did.

kmc · Jun 3, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

DarkJedi1500 - it's a deal. Bubble helmets for everyone!

DarkJedi1500 · Jun 7, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Last night I took the suit over to a friends house to get some help pinnin the collar on. The suit you see right now is just muslin. It will all be taken apart and put back together with rip stop nylon.

Anyway, they had a flag lying around, so I posed for an improptu picture:

america by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

I'll be back to working on this monday

p51 · Jun 9, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Can't wait to see more!

DarkJedi1500 · Jun 26, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Some more progress.

I took the muslin suit apart and resewed everything with white rip-stop nylon. I also added the pockets and crotch flap. In the next day I'll be adding some cloth patches and the sunglass pouches onto the arms. I am waiting on some small buttons for the center strap cover.

IMG_0631 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

The inside is basically a sleeping bag made of batting. The rivits keep all the fluff from shifting. The reasing there is no padding in the center is the cooling vest already bulks this area.

IMG_0626 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

I also started the basic structure of the PLSS pack. Since it is not load brearing it will be cardboard reinforced with foam. Once I finalize all the connector and strap locations it will be wrapped with nylon as well.

IMG_0619 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0618 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

naoshi3110usa · Jun 27, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Hello. This is the great product. Why do you make it? movie? photo?

I want to see that the woman wears your spacesuit.

Would you take the pictures?

Seatra · Jul 6, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

DarkJedi very nice work! Impressive fabrication techniques. I too am a A7L enthusiast. Your LEVA is very well done. Do you plan to install side and center shades? Jim Lovell and Fred Haise were to be the first crew to have worn those shades on their LEVA configuration. Closest thing for example is Alan Shepard's Apollo 14 LEVA. I have been extremely busy over the last year but I too am planning a revision to increase the fidelity of my Armstrong Apollo 11 EMU. It's basically going to be built for display more than wear but I'm constructing a pressure suit component to get the ITMG look right.

DarkJedi1500 · Jul 7, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Seatra said:
DarkJedi very nice work! Impressive fabrication techniques. I too am a A7L enthusiast. Your LEVA is very well done. Do you plan to install side and center shades? Jim Lovell and Fred Haise were to be the first crew to have worn those shades on their LEVA configuration. Closest thing for example is Alan Shepard's Apollo 14 LEVA. I have been extremely busy over the last year but I too am planning a revision to increase the fidelity of my Armstrong Apollo 11 EMU. It's basically going to be built for display more than wear but I'm constructing a pressure suit component to get the ITMG look right.

The problem I ran into with the side shades is tolerance stack up. On the real thing the several sets of visors woul only have a few thousandths of an inch between them, Because I am hand sculpting and vacuum forming the visors, I couldn't meet that criteria. As far as the center sun shade (the one on top of the helmet which in lovell's case had navy emblems on it) I plan to add it at some point but it wont happen before dragon con.

I've been working non-stop over the four day weekend to get more progress done. I should have some pictures up later tonight of the PLSS, OPS, front control box, and the suit with it's connectors and Velcro on.

p51 · Jul 9, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

You're going to need some manner of cooling in that thing with the lining like that.
I've worn a real pressure suit once and before they hooked up the cooling lines, I was sweating like you can only imagine.

Riceball · Jul 9, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

p51 said:
You're going to need some manner of cooling in that thing with the lining like that.
I've worn a real pressure suit once and before they hooked up the cooling lines, I was sweating like you can only imagine.

He's already built a functional cooling vest to go with it, you can read about in some of his first posts.

DarkJedi1500 · Jul 9, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Riceball said:
He's already built a functional cooling vest to go with it, you can read about in some of his first posts.

As much as I would like to have the liquid cooling garment in here, I am using the cold vest on my torso and a fan in the helmet. It can be a little warm but it is manageable with the fan on. The reason is supporting the weight of the water comfortably was causing too many issues. Maybe a revisit in the future.

Some more progress pictures!

I spent the better part of the 4th of July weekend with my sewing machine and Netflix. First I covered the PLSS and OPS boxes with cloth. This turns out to be much easier than making the jump suit.

IMG_0681 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0680 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0682 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

The control box was a bit more of a headache. It is a ply wood box with knobs carved from MDF.

IMG_0673 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0677 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0678 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

I also added the patches, Velcro, and connectors to the suit:

IMG_0689 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0687 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

And here is one with me in it

1044496_10102674138586650_882112554_n by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

Before Dragon con I still need to cover the hoses, make the gloves and boots, and modify a flag for the masquerade. After the con I’ll work on the over-visor, the commander stripes, and a camera. My friend David is also working on a wrist check list. Stay tuned.

SemajOvured · Jul 10, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, base helmet done 5/29/13

Count me in!

DarkJedi1500 said:
Kits will be avalible in the future but not any time soon. The vacuum former we currently have has a 14 by 14 area, and we had a lot of trouble trying to pull the visors on it. When this project is done we are planning to build our 24" by 24" super former, at which point we can pull visors at a much higher sucess rate, so look for kits to start becoming avalible early next year.

KMC and any one who does blow moulding: When I read up on the process it requires a lot of tooling we dont have and dont thing we will use any time soon. If anyone is looking to try it I will gladly sell them a fiberglass casting of the bubble helmet on the condition they send me a bubble helmet when they are done. Otherwise when kits become avalible I will include the casting of the full helmet and a vacuum formed pull of the front so they can create the faux helmet as I did.

DarkJedi1500 · Aug 11, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, new pics 7/9/13

A few more updates

The suit received its commander stripes and a watch so I can get around on time. It may not be an Omega Speed master but it still tells the time just fine.

IMG_0735 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0736 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

The gloves and boots were a bit trickier. The gloves started out as snowboarding gloves. I cut the back off and added a new white cuff, then carefully cut the fabric off the fingertips and folded in inside.

IMG_0715 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

The fingertips were made by molding ½” PVC with a wooden hemisphere in Mold Max stroke, then after applying a lot of mold release painting on several layers of dyed mold max stroke. The fingertips were cut then glued to the gloves.

IMG_0730 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0731 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0733 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

For the boots, I built up a pair of regular boots with EVA foam to get the correct shape. A sculpt of the sole was then made by casting fiberglass over the boot then building up details with apoxie sculpt, wood, and bondo.

IMG_0724 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0729 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

Like the gloves, the soles were molded and cast from mold max stroke.

IMG_0743 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0748 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

The covering was then made with very stiff interfacing and iron board fabric. The fabric was then hot glued to the boot and everything then glued into the rubber sole.

IMG_0753 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0754 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

IMG_0755 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

I should have pictures of the entire weathered suit up in the next few days.

wishbon77 · Aug 11, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, new pics 7/9/13

DUDE THIS FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!! Great Job!!!!

Thornekey · Aug 11, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Gloves and Boots Complete 8/11/13

Wow! Very accurate

Grey Pilgrim · Aug 11, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Gloves and Boots Complete 8/11/13

This may well be my favorite costume build of all time. I've been following on Flickr since you started, not realizing you had a thread here. Looking forward to seeing it in person at Dragon Con.

DarkJedi1500 · Aug 12, 2013

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Gloves and Boots Complete 8/11/13

Over the weekend My friend David took an airbrush and weathered the suit so it looks like it has been to the moon. I am very happy with the result. I still have to modify a flag and finish my snoopy cap, but its ready for Dragon*Con!