Tandem Build Iron Man Mark IV AND Iron Maiden/lolita

[STEALTH]

you're hardening the foam? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of this?
You'll lose all flexibility in the suit and you'll be left with the mobility of a resin/bondo pepped suit that is really prone to cracking.

actually, a lot more prone than a resin/bondo pepped suit. as the surface layer of epoxy will take the paint really well, but will also crack the resin and the paint leaving visable cracks..


I've tried this in the past and also Indiefilmgeek has done it as well.
Here's is a great example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV2zCb1GgcQ

if you don't mind the downside of this. Then go for it.

Or did you mean seal the foam to paint?

please let me know. I just don't want you to ruin a lot of that hard work.

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Hey Stealth!
I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to my request for hardener advice. Here is the gameplan for this suit. I am meeting tomorrow morning with a company that actually mixes their own resins and custom paints. They have agreed to experiment with some formulas to give me the thickness along with the balance of rigidity vs tensile strength needed for this kind of use. I have literally been praying for this exact solution for my problem of finishing this suit and just three days before I need to adress that issue a man walks in to my office, sees the suit, and asks me howI am planning on coating it! I am attempting to truly create one of the best looking and functional suits in the world (Outside of a studio) If this appointment pays off I really might be able to reach that goal!. If they recommend anything at all that looks like THE solution to a foam-yet-hard suit, I will p m you on it and post to the threads.
Thank you for the Video on those results of the process it will help steer me clear of some of those issues!

 

[ZacharyHurst]

I GOT TO DO A TEST FITTING OF THE SUIT TODAY!!!

It was my first time trying on something I have built myself and a really cool experience. I still have the hip pods and shoes as well as the "space fillers like thigh extensions etc... but it fits great and I think now that it shouldnt buckle or crack to badly with movement. Please tell me what you think. I have about two hundred hours in it at this point and I am a little starved for feedback!

 

[Demolition]

I GOT TO DO A TEST FITTING OF THE SUIT TODAY!!!

It was my first time trying on something I have built myself and a really cool experience. I still have the hip pods and shoes as well as the "space fillers like thigh extensions etc... but it fits great and I think now that it shouldnt buckle or crack to badly with movement. Please tell me what you think. I have about two hundred hours in it at this point and I am a little starved for feedback!

looks really good mate in my eyes my feedback would be that your helmet is a little on the large side compared to the rest of the scale of the armour and maybe attach the cod to the abs with velcro to close that seem i love the bit between the bicep and the forarm tho i might have to steal that for mine

good work mate keep it up im just struggling with paint colour for mine at the min

ok just wanted to edit this ive just been looking at your pics again and when you not wearing it the helmet look ok i think maybe its sat low on your head and you cant see your neck maybe a bit of padding inside the helmet on the top to lift it up slightly might help

 

[thire]

Zach - looking awesome man! Would love to see it in person if you wouldn't mind a visitor from Spring Hill?
Regards,
Geoff

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Thank you Demolition and Geoff.

Demo you are right on the helm and the abs. I should have explained in the post that this is only the empty foam parts with no finish work, connectors or padding. I am holding off on any interior work until I solve the hardening problem, Then I will be putting in the helm padding and connecting all of the parts. Thire, I would be happy to meet a fellow builder!~ I looked at your HIC and was really impressed if you want to give me a call just PM me for my #. Next time you need to come down to Clearwater for something we can hook up.

 

[CoolDad]

This looks really good. I'm loving the trifecta you are putting together with the three suits. You're skills are astounding. Keep it up and good luck with the hardener adventure.

 

[Dericrw]

DANG, that fits awesome... makes me want to jump in mine, but that will have to wait till its ready! Keep it up

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Went by an auto paint supply factory today and selected a really sick Mercedes burgandy blood mettalic and a deep rich gold for the suit! The red is my favorite blend of the earlier Mark lll and my Mark lV. hard coat sample is on the way in the mail. if it works to spec then I have to order a batch and wait for that to get here.


I don't know guys, It is the tenth already and I am coming down to the wire. These may not be done by Halloween:angry

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Update,

I went to Home Depot today to look for something to use for the hinges at the elbow and knee joints. I drew up some prints similar to indiefilm's concept and went in and asked for some help. You all know what that is like, The confused looks and a lot of "your tryin to do what?!" Finally they send me over to this gruff old fella who took one look at the pics of the build and suddenly became a very helpful friend. Come to find out he is a robotics expert with over thirty years in the field. He is retired now and needed a time killer so he works at depot! He laid out all the raw materials that he thought would work for me then asked "so what kind of machinery do you have?" I told him an exacto knife and a hot glue gun, He laughed and told me to email him if i had any trouble. I do have some grinders and a dremel so it should work out. By the way Indie. He pretty much picked out most of the stuff you bought but added in some nylon washers and simplified the mechanism a bit.

Hardener should arrive in a few days and I want to have this suit propped and ready to go. I will sign back in soon.

 

[Tony Stark III]

man, the fit on this is perfect on you. Im very jealous of the craftmanship. Best of luck on the deadline.

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Here are some pics of the hardening process. This is a hand applied brushed on urethane epoxy that after four coats should stand up to wearing the armor without cracking. We will see.

 

[Demolition]

Here are some pics of the hardening process. This is a hand applied brushed on urethane epoxy that after four coats should stand up to wearing the armor without cracking. We will see.

Hi mate just a quick note your armour is looking fantastic by the way but did you know the shins are the wrong way round? i think the leg jets should be inside the leg

 

[SOTI]

Subscribing. What color will your daughter's suit be?

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Hi mate just a quick note your armour is looking fantastic by the way but did you know the shins are the wrong way round? i think the leg jets should be inside the leg

HOLY #%@$&*!!! Demo, Yes I am fully aware that the shins are on the wrong leg........... NOW THAT YOU POINTED THAT OUT TO ME!!!!!!!! I am an idiot! Wow, Thank you Demo!

I am going to take this moment of total humiliation as a learning experience.

If I ever have to Bear-Proof my house, I will use traps in the front yard, A Bear-Resistent electric fencing along the outside perimeter, motion sensors tuned to bear sized masses, sirens that sound like the Bear,s fighting call. And as I proudly post the pics of my new Bear Proof Home, Demolition will post. Hi Mate , love your bear security system, I dont know if anyone has mentioned this to you, But did you know there IS A BEAR ON YOUR COUCH EATING YOUR CHEETOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Thankfully I need to take apart the suit to finish hardening so I can switch the shins at that point.

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Subscribing. What color will your daughter's suit be?

She originally want a pink metallic and pastel yellow but thankfully she decided that would be too distracting. Now she wants a color match to Dad's. Blood, burgandy metallic and deep gold metallic.

 

[Demolition]

sorry mate i actually think they look better that way, I did mine that way the first time i hung mine thinking no surely them big sticking out bits will rub together when i walk but after looking at reference pics i was wrong as well i wasn't trying to be funny it was just in case you didn't realize i just wanted to help

 

[ZacharyHurst]

Hey Demo,

You were a big help and I really did not realize that mistake. You are very welcome to comment, advise,and critique anything I do because I really don't have a clue what I am doing! This is my first season for suit building and to be brutally honest I have been hoping more of you would look at what I am doing and throw the advice my way!. I am at a very tense part of the build right now. I have four coats of hardener dripping off all my armor parts right this minute in the garage and it all looks really, really crappy right now. I can only hope that all the years sanding down wood and drywall will apply to finish sanding this mess!. will post more pics soon.

 

[ZacharyHurst]

I spent today attemptimg to sand down the four coats of hardener on the suit. The stuff that I am using is called StyroSpray, it is used to harden and seal polystyrene sculptures. I am not happy with it so far but alot can happen between now and paint time. I could use some tricks on how to keep at this when it begins to wear you down. I am really ready to just be able to wrap it up and put a done stamp on it but each new stage brings with it a whole new set of what seem like impossible challenges for one guy in a garage.