Op4
Active Member
If you knew how much work it takes to get 3D models ready for milling or 3D printing, you would be crying more
Thorssoli's Ironman MkIII Build - Finished Suit Pics Page 26!!
- Thread starter thorssoli
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If you knew how much work it takes to get 3D models ready for milling or 3D printing, you would be crying more
DaManiac
New Member
I just saw the suit, and wow, it looks ten times better than what mine is going to look like when it's finished. I saw it when you were starting, and I have to say I am quite jealous of your 3D printer, but then again who isn't? The only thing I would change about your suit is the colour, from the shots it look a bit too bright(but I could be wrong).
The knees, elbows, and neck are slipcast latex rubber. You can see updates explaining how they were made starting on page fifteen of this thread.
Minor update, the main body of the Mk39 is now ready to mold:
The eye inserts will be ready to mold by the end of today:
The backdoor needs a bit more work:
All the same, I should still have a full kit out of the molds later this week.
Stay tuned...
The mothermold is laid up for the main body of the Mk39 helmet:
After a bit of trimming, it came off nice and easy:
The jacket mold came off clean once I'd made a serpentine relief cut up the backside:
Here's the first rotocast copy out of the mold:
And some test-fitting selfies:
So that's a thing.
I still have to mold the eye inserts and the backdoor panel. Stay tuned...
After a bit of trimming, it came off nice and easy:
The jacket mold came off clean once I'd made a serpentine relief cut up the backside:
Here's the first rotocast copy out of the mold:
And some test-fitting selfies:
So that's a thing.
I still have to mold the eye inserts and the backdoor panel. Stay tuned...
Looks fantastic as usual! Any plans for your next helmet? Getting close to molding one of my own helmets and excuse my ignorance, but what is a serpentine relief cut? What's it good for? And will it flaw the silicone mould? before when I've cut into silicone its been a one way trip to teartown.
I keep hoping someone else will turn up with variants that I haven't made yet and offer trades. With that said, I'm hoping to get started on the War Machine sooner than later. Oddly, I've started by splitting out the parts of the chest for Lopez the Robot Whittler to cut out:
I'll probably start a new build thread for that one once I start cutting parts.
A serpentine relief cut is a knife cut on the back of the mold (or anywhere where it won't go across important details) that makes it easier to remove the casting from the mold. "Serpentine" just means that it curves back and forth like a snake instead of being a straight cut. That way it's easy to get the two sides to line up properly. I usually try to end my relief cuts right at one of the registration keys to limit the amount of tearing, but it's still going to happen. Unless you go through the trouble of making a two-piece mold, eventual tearing is just a part of the deal.
Yesterday I made a bit of progress on the backdoor panel for the Mk39:
I still need to sharpen up the seam where it notches into the main body of the helmet:
In other news, I've got the eye inserts all set up for molding:
Today the lightish red paint should be dry and I'll be able to go ahead and make a box and pour some silicone.
That's the plan. The castings are even notched out on the back side in order to fit them. I just need to find a gold paint that I can mist on thin enough to let the light out.
Visibility will be about the same as my MkIII helmet. The wearer will be able to see out through the seams around the lighted eye area.
Re: Just What This Forum Needs: Another Ironman Build
I'm not sure I understand your question. If you're talking about the actual digital sculpting of the parts, that's a massive undertaking that requires specialized software, skills, and practice. If you're talking about selecting files and laying them out on the virtual build tray, that's a piece of cake.
Questions like this are why I have a problem with the term "3D printer." It makes everything sound easy. Somehow people seem unable to comprehend that it's the final step in a long process. If you were going to write a novel, you wouldn't just reach over to your inkjet printer and press "print." Something happens before that and it's a significant undertaking.
But I should change the subject before I go off on a rant about how these things really aren't the end-all-be-all for making things at home. If you want a great breakdown about the realities of 3D printing, read here: http://gizmodo.com/why-3d-printing-is-overhyped-i-should-know-i-do-it-fo-508176750
Back on track now...
The other day I rotocast the first copy of my Mk39 helmet. Then I took a few minutes to trim all of the edges and cut out the eye holes in the main body of the helmet:
Then I glued in the clear cast inserts in for the eyes. I used a CA adhesive called Insta-Cure (essentially another brand of Zap-a-Gap). To make them fit flush with the rest of the surface, I had to sand them a tiny bit:
The clear cast pieces are only cast in clear so that I can get light to shine through them. Here's a couple shots of mine with LEDs installed:
Visibility is possible by looking through the gaps around the lighted portion. This is the same way my MkIII helmet is set up. The main difference is that there are gaps above and below the lighted portions of the eyes, so visibility is actually quite a bit better than the MkIII:
I wouldn't recommend driving with this helmet on, but I can see plenty well enough to walk around in a crowd.
I've got the helmet in primer now:
I'll be painting the whole thing over the next couple of days. Stay tuned...
I'm not sure I understand your question. If you're talking about the actual digital sculpting of the parts, that's a massive undertaking that requires specialized software, skills, and practice. If you're talking about selecting files and laying them out on the virtual build tray, that's a piece of cake.
Questions like this are why I have a problem with the term "3D printer." It makes everything sound easy. Somehow people seem unable to comprehend that it's the final step in a long process. If you were going to write a novel, you wouldn't just reach over to your inkjet printer and press "print." Something happens before that and it's a significant undertaking.
But I should change the subject before I go off on a rant about how these things really aren't the end-all-be-all for making things at home. If you want a great breakdown about the realities of 3D printing, read here: http://gizmodo.com/why-3d-printing-is-overhyped-i-should-know-i-do-it-fo-508176750
Back on track now...
The other day I rotocast the first copy of my Mk39 helmet. Then I took a few minutes to trim all of the edges and cut out the eye holes in the main body of the helmet:
Then I glued in the clear cast inserts in for the eyes. I used a CA adhesive called Insta-Cure (essentially another brand of Zap-a-Gap). To make them fit flush with the rest of the surface, I had to sand them a tiny bit:
The clear cast pieces are only cast in clear so that I can get light to shine through them. Here's a couple shots of mine with LEDs installed:
Visibility is possible by looking through the gaps around the lighted portion. This is the same way my MkIII helmet is set up. The main difference is that there are gaps above and below the lighted portions of the eyes, so visibility is actually quite a bit better than the MkIII:
I wouldn't recommend driving with this helmet on, but I can see plenty well enough to walk around in a crowd.
I've got the helmet in primer now:
I'll be painting the whole thing over the next couple of days. Stay tuned...
There's definitely hot spots. Here's a better pic:
Blue masking tape over the clear part of the eyes gives a pretty good idea of how the light will be distributed once the gold tint is added.
It's not terrible, but until they start making a much brighter version of EL tape, this is where it's at.
Blue masking tape over the clear part of the eyes gives a pretty good idea of how the light will be distributed once the gold tint is added.
It's not terrible, but until they start making a much brighter version of EL tape, this is where it's at.
GhostMinion
Sr Member
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