Steampunk Mega Man!

[PrimoOptimoso]

Hey all. It's been AGES since I've been here. Real life turmoil I guess gets us all - marriage fell apart, life got proper weird... I'm still devastated, but trying to soldier on.

Anyways, a friend at work turned me onto Katsucon coming up next month, inspiring me to get back on the costuming train and do a costume I'd been sitting on for years - Steampunk Mega Man!

I can't seem to find my original sketch, but it's all still clear in my mind.

SO! Here is what I'm starting with! This is not going to be a suuuper low-budget build since I had to pay real money for a couple of these starting items, but I'm hoping it's worth the expense when it's all done.

- The helmet: using this retro motorcycle helmet as a base. Good shape, I think, and leather is better than glossy fiberglass for the finish. $60ish from ali express.

- The buster cannon: what better to start with than a 5L whiskey barrel! Also $60ish, from amazon (picture not of the exact barrel; mine will have black hoops)

- The buster cannon will be fueled by an E-tank (E for Ether, natch) on my back. It will also not have the typical "glowing hole" end, thanks to a little thing I designed, modeled and 3D-printed...

Gatling Buster! It'll be motorized in some way for sure.

I only have a month and my tools and materials are more limited these days; I hope I can also get things like lights involved tho. I barely know the first thing about wiring stuff up, but if I can do lights and motor with one button inside the buster I'll be plenty happy.

 

[Bigtony08]

subscribed lol i really like where this is going

 

[MemorY]

Subbed! Anything mega man and I'm down! [emoji16][emoji16] Excited to see what you have coming!


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[PrimoOptimoso]

Thanks guys!

Couple things right off - I do plan to do the classic widow's peak and cheek shapes on the helmet in addition to the "mohawk" bit, so it's not just going to stay as is. The suit will be more normal-clothing-ish, admittedly, but for instance the sky blue torso I'll do with a vest, and for the boots I will either do a tall boot, or flared gaiters and larger shoes to try to mimic the big anime boot design.

 

[Takanuva]

Flared gaiters would be a good idea. You could use strips of leather for the detailing, sewn on with waxed thread. For support inside, you could try reinforcing it with wire or wicker hoops like Adam Savage's Totoro build.
https://youtu.be/L9O3KWrvxKA?t=6m26s

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

The barrel has arrived! it's a little smaller than I'd imagined, but with some accoutrements on front and back I think it'll end up working alright for the buster. I'm considering cutting it in half and hinging it together so I can have full access to the interior for working.

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Here is the barrel with the gatling, er, barrels, and the "cone" part which I modeled and printed last night! The barrel assembly will spin inside the dish, should look pretty sweet.

What I really need is to sit down and figure out exactly how I'm going to rig up the motor and such - my hand is going to be further into the buster than I had initially assumed, leaving less room for mechanisms than I'd thought. Might have to offset the motor and drive the barrel assembly with gears.

And oh yeah, my barrel didn't come with blackened hoops after all! the silvery color is fine for this, of course. I want to make the buster partially blue in some way, but I don't want to just paint the thing; might make some windows and light it up blue or something.

 

[MemorY]

Chris Wolfe made a Fallout 4 automatic laser rifle that had a functional barrel that rotated, similar to what you're wanting to do with the gatling barrels. You could see if he has any ideas.

Looks awesome!!

Link to rifle:
https://www.myminifactory.com/object/25153

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Thanks man! I found and ordered a DC motor with a worm-geared shaft attached, so the motor itself is swung off to the side, which should be a big help. Also ordered up a couple battery holders, LEDs and a momentary pushbutton switch! The Con is 1 month away, so I figure I should at least have all the parts onhand.

I wonder: would wiring the motor and LEDs in series work out okay? I got everything 9v compatible.

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

OK, I've been playing around with digital painting on a photo of the helmet to get an idea of the colorway I want to go with. This one is popping out for me right now: darkening the brown and dyeing only the sides blue, adding the front pieces also in brown and the hawk and ears in a brassy tone.

Alternately... more blue, but I kind of think it makes the brown band across the front look odd.

Opinions on that?

 

[Bigtony08]

i really like the second one and an this is going to be so cool

 

[Nerdy Comic]

OK, I've been playing around with digital painting on a photo of the helmet to get an idea of the colorway I want to go with. This one is popping out for me right now: darkening the brown and dyeing only the sides blue, adding the front pieces also in brown and the hawk and ears in a brassy tone.

http://i.imgur.com/BQh3dOO.png

Alternately... more blue, but I kind of think it makes the brown band across the front look odd.

http://i.imgur.com/pI8a2C6.png


Opinions on that?

I think keeping it mostly brown with blue accents looks cool. But that's just my opinion. It's your build sir. It's an awesome idea though good luck

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[MemorY]

That's tough. I like both. But I'm leaning more towards the first one. You can have more blue on the armor.

Speaking of, what are you going to make the armor out of? [emoji16]


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[Rolax]

I like a lot the first helmet,it look more steampunk.

- - - Updated - - -

I like a lot the first helmet,it look more steampunk.

 

[Iggy]

I wonder if you could fit 2 pocket plasma in the sides of the helmet. That would be really cool for steampunk. They come in many colors if you don't want it blue. Orange might be a nice contrast.



And I like the first one as well. Less blue but still a nice hint with shape and the sides of blue for Megaman!

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

I wonder if you could fit 2 pocket plasma in the sides of the helmet. That would be really cool for steampunk. They come in many colors if you don't want it blue. Orange might be a nice contrast.

View attachment 699845View attachment 699846

And I like the first one as well. Less blue but still a nice hint with shape and the sides of blue for Megaman!

I was considering these for the ear dishes! I was thinking the multicolored one (red in the middle, then green, then blue on the edge) but of course the OG helmet has red in there...

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Speaking of, what are you going to make the armor out of? [emoji16]

Not really going to be armored - Mega Man always just looked like he was just wearing a bodysuit so I'm sticking with a "clothes" look, really. I guess Megaman X looks armored, but I've never paid attention to anything about X.

I can't find the original sketch, so I'll do another one up soon.

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

Got the electrics in, little issue testing the circuit. Like so:



Does that mean I need to wire in parallel? in what way? I am absolutely a novice at this part; I've never soldered a single thing so this will probably end up wirenutted together like everything else I've done with batteries and LEDs.

(note also there will be multiple LEDs, so how should those be wired themselves, series or para?)

I just want to have all this down pat before I open the barrel up.

Note: Cutting the center hoops yielded very exciting POWs as the metal's tension was released; that was a hell of a thing!

 

[PrimoOptimoso]

My helmet still hasn't arrived; I'd really like to get some more sizes known so I can start 3d printing more of the accoutrements...

Meanwhile, anybody on the wiring dilemma above?

Thanks!

 

[MightyMuffin]

All looking very exciting! I look forward to seeing your concept sketches, or any other reference material you're working from.