The Lady Arbitrator's new AVP suit for 2009

[Ei luj]

Phenominal work, Julie! Can't wait to see con pics of the "whole enchilada"!

Many thanks, Paintninja

only a month away now and I'm havin' a blast figuring all the "bits and bobs" out...

like, does the spine cover go over the torso armor or under it like the sternum piece does?

or, can I add enough velcro so when I attach the backpack it looks like it has no visible means of support yet won't fall off in the middle of the convention

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Ei'luj

 

[Garo Predator]

[quote name='ei'luj' post='147578' date='Jun 28 2009, 08:03 AM']Many thanks, Paintninja

only a month away now and I'm havin' a blast figuring all the "bits and bobs" out...

like, does the spine cover go over the torso armor or under it like the sternum piece does?

or, can I add enough velcro so when I attach the backpack it looks like it has no visible means of support yet won't fall off in the middle of the convention

---
Ei'luj[/quote]


Go Julie your predators gonna beeee kick ARSE!

 

[carpe noctem]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!1 I HOPE THIS YEARS SDCC ,THEY GET LOTS OF MORE VIDS FOR US WHO CANT ATTEND..looking forward to seing u in the new costume as well as all the other predators thatwill attend in full suits.... great work

 

[Mr Fett]

[quote name='ei'luj' post='147578' date='Jun 28 2009, 09:03 AM']Many thanks, Paintninja

only a month away now and I'm havin' a blast figuring all the "bits and bobs" out...

like, does the spine cover go over the torso armor or under it like the sternum piece does?

or, can I add enough velcro so when I attach the backpack it looks like it has no visible means of support yet won't fall off in the middle of the convention

---
Ei'luj[/quote]

The spine armor goes underneath the back armor. Many people glue it onto one side of the back torso skins closure system and use it as a cover to hide your zipper or velcro line being used as the closing mechanism.

 

[TiaJa]

Awesome, still coming along together very nicely

 

[Kithunter]

this is an AWESOME build...

thank you for documenting and sharing the process with us.

can't wait to see it all put together and you suited up..please make sure you keep this thread updated and take some great photos of the suit when complete...

 

[hez1]

It's looking good Julie, great progress pics!

 

[Ei luj]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!1 I HOPE THIS YEARS SDCC ,THEY GET LOTS OF MORE VIDS FOR US WHO CANT ATTEND..looking forward to seing u in the new costume as well as all the other predators thatwill attend in full suits.... great work

Thanks
... pictures, convention pictures, you got me amped up all over again at midnight ....

Awesome, still coming along together very nicely

TiaJa,
Many thanks, like I said, its fun, and detailed, and requires focus all at the same time

The spine armor goes underneath the back armor. Many people glue it onto one side of the back torso skins closure system and use it as a cover to hide your zipper or velcro line being used as the closing mechanism.

Many thanks for this info, I was looking for pictures of the back of the AVP guys and didn't find 'em...

this is an AWESOME build...

thank you for documenting and sharing the process with us.

can't wait to see it all put together and you suited up..please make sure you keep this thread updated and take some great photos of the suit when complete...

Kithunter,

You're welcome, and I really appreciate the feedback
I know the details are what stumps people, and if I can help somebody over the hurdle, then its good times
... pictures, convention pictures, you also got me doing this at midnight ....

It's looking good Julie, great progress pics!

Thanks (smile

 

[hdogg]

Nice looking good Jewls. keep it up.

 

[Usurper]

Awesome looking so far Julie.

Remember you need to take that "special item" with you the one we spoke about in chat

 

[Ei luj]

Nice looking good Jewls. keep it up.

Many thanks Hdogg, its getting there little by little

Awesome looking so far Julie.

Remember you need to take that "special item" with you the one we spoke about in chat

Lee,

Many thanks for the review!

(item added to the to-do list; I see your five winks and raise ya one )

Small update:

I dug out all that Great Stuff foam and took out the blades and weathered the gaunt halves:

Both gaunts for comparison:

I'm debating about shortening the back of the gaunt top, but its a lot of work to cut a slice and epoxy the end back on... aaaaah, I'm gonna leave it alone for now and reinstall the blades and foam it...

---
Ei'luj

 

[predator666]

Sweet work on the gauntlets

 

[Bovine13]

Very nice work Julie. Cheers!

 

[Ei luj]

Sweet work on the gauntlets

Many thanks Predator666

Very nice work Julie. Cheers!

Thanks for the props, you're the inspiration and incentive

More progress:

My friend came over yesterday afternoon and we worked on another costume then later I showed her the pred stuff; she mentioned the dread rings and shuriken needed to match the armor so I did that...
I need to brighten up the rings so they stand out more, they turned out too dark (there's one that escaped the "carnage" for comparison:

I also figured out how to make the wristblades removable.
First I made rectangular tubes out of binder dividers and taped them together and placed them in the wristblade top.
I taped them so the blades would go all the way to the rear.

On the bottoms, I cut out shapes conforming to that of the ends, and taped them on the inside.

Then I did the foaming, the center part took about 1oz of the one solution and 2oz of the other, then .5 oz and 1oz to finish around the sides and the end.
I put rectangles on the top so the foam wouldn't rise too far and cover the velcro squares.
If it tried to get out the back, I wiped it off..... it could run but it couldn't hide

For the bottoms, I did the .5oz/ 1oz for the bottom, then about .3oz/ .6oz for each side.
This time I made sure the inside was level so the foam would be even.

I hid all the yellow with grey primer, then did a test fitting.
There's a gap in the back; it needs more foam.
So it will get an insert similar to the one I did for the wristcomputer gauntlet, and I will add something to hold the blades in... they do slide forward when the gauntlet is pointed down- there are no springs in there..... yet

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Ei'luj

 

[Ei luj]

UPDATE

I finished the blade gaunt foam insert and drilled holes in the blades about 1/2" from the end, then set the blades all the way back, and found where the holes were, and poked holes in the guide.
Then I put a bent wire into the holes.
It keeps the blades from sliding out, and sets them in "retracted" position.
I have holes spotted further up the guides to set them at "extended" position.
The wire can be removed so the blades can be taken out for traveling.

I weathered up the bio to have it match the armor:

And got over a big hurdle, I altered the torso armor:
I took it up at the shoulder blade area, the left will be hidden by the backpack...

There's leather inside to strengthen it, and a large piece holds the two halves together in the back... there is room for the spine cover to be adjusted up and down, glue will hold it in place when I find the right spot:

Here it is fitted on the dressform (my ducktape dummy gave out on me :0 )

It now reaches just to my waist....

I also painted it to match the shoulder bells, silver then black weathering:

I fixed the shoulder cannon barrel, drilled a couple holes and epoxied a couple nails in the bottom:

Here is the mount in the backpack slot:

And the cannon on the mount, all on the backpack:

I got a ceremonial dagger (many thanks, IxSLAY4xI ! ) and made a strap for it out of leather that goes on the shinguard:

Now I'm working on the backpack attachment, I made a figure eight belt out of one single piece of webbing plus some quick disconnect clips. I will attach a piece of leather to the strap at the shoulder and then that will attach to the leather on the bottom of the backpack.

More to come

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Ei'luj

 

[Bovine13]

YOur doing a hell of a job Julie. Nice work.

 

[PredatrHuntr]

Awesome work Julie!

 

[Ei luj]

YOur doing a hell of a job Julie. Nice work.

Many thanks, Scott I put up more pix, photobucket decided to hang my system in the middle of posting pix, but I didn't lose the post (whew)

Awesome work Julie!

Thanks a million, PredatrHuntr, I think I am at the 90% point, that torso armor threatened to be the 10% that took all the time

Whats left: backpack attachment, neckring, bio and mask magnets, and dreads opcorn:

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Ei'luj

 

[predator666]

Wow great job! Some nice modification work. Love the ceremonial dagger on the shin armor.

 

[Ei luj]

Wow great job! Some nice modification work. Love the ceremonial dagger on the shin armor.

Many thanks Predator666... its getting there

More pix, I did the backpack attachment, first made a pattern out of brown paper bag and fitted it on there:

then cut out the leather piece, Dap Weldwood glued it onto the existing piece and rivetted the loops:

And did a test fit- after this pix I put the bodysuit and neck piece on and made sure the spine cover came up high enough to hide the zipper! Then glued the spine piece on there.... That tab at the bottom has velcro and attaches underneath the torso armor to some velcro

(yes, the backpack is big, but its like a .457 Magnum...... "do ya feel lucky, bug???? BOOOOM!!!)

I also fitted the neck piece, just turned the top edge under and clothespinned it and then glued it (no pics )

I'm starting the bio liner and magnet placement, first I made a pattern and then cut out some thin grey leather, here's the pattern:

More to come, last thing is the dreads

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Ei'luj