World's Slowest Republic Commando Build

[thorssoli]

Good eye. That is a terminator helmet in the background of the final photo. I'm building it so I can write a how-to article in my blog describing the process of building a costume helmet from pepakura and hardware store materials.

Back on topic, here's my finished prototypes for Fixer's Ear parts:


Once I was happy with them, the next step was to make a mold box and pour some silicone in:


Here's the rubber mold after I'd cut the masters out:


And here it is re-assembled with some custom-fitted compression band clamps:


As soon as I had the first castings out of the mold, I washed them and installed them on one of my helmet castings:


Here's the whole thing in white primer:


I should have it completely painted in the next couple of days.

In other news, I've started on the chest armor:


The chest was a surprisingly quick overnight pep build. I've already begun reinforcing it with fiberglass so I can use it as a forming buck on my newly re-vamped vacforming table. I should be making pulls as soon as I finish the bondo work on it. I'll be starting on the waist/diaper section soon. Probably the shoulders too.

Stay tuned...

 

[thorssoli]

No comments? Weird.

Yesterday I went ahead and painted Fixer's green helmet stripes with Rustoleum semi-gloss Hunt Club Green:


Here's a shot of his helmet with his brothers:


At first, I was thinking the green was a little to rich (and shiny) but it looked better after a bit of weathering:


Once the last of the detail paint sets up, I'll be starting on the blackwash and the rest of the weathering. I'm weathering Sevv's helmet at the same time. I'll bloody it up after it looks suitably used and abused.

In other news, I've got the chest armor glassed:

It looks small, but I think that's a trick of perspective.

Stay tuned...

 

[kialna]

I love these kinds of topics... When stuff is coming together...

 

[tk 9464]

Great looking lids...

 

[wizardofthenorth]

Great helmets.

I really appreciate the step by step process you are sharing. It is very enlightening. Other than perhaps seeing how you started the prototype, you have taken us from proto to mold making to casting to finishing to painting.

TY

 

[thorssoli]

The prototype was just a pepakura build spliced onto a kid-sized skateboarding helmet and a lot of bondo work. I'm going to do a phototutorial in my blog describing the process of building a wearable prop helmet from pepakura.

 

[thorssoli]

So Fixer's just about done:


Here's a shot with all four brothers:


I haven't bloodied his helmet yet, but I have done all of the weathering it'll need before the gore:


I figured he should have a bit more wear and tear than the other three. Tomorrow I'll add the splatterings.

Stay tuned...

 

[thorssoli]

I'd have done this yesterday, but I forgot to print out my reference images. For some reason I'm still reluctant to open up my laptop in the workshop while I'm splattering paint. I'm pretty happy with the results:


I can't look at it without thinking, "WILSON!!!!" for some reason:


I'll be bending acrylic to make visors this evening. That, and wiring up some LEDs. Stay tuned...

 

[thorssoli]

Visors installed:

I also spent some time fairing the chest:


Wiring tomorrow. Stay tuned....

 

[JnAStudios]

Thor, I've been following your work since the RvB guys linked you. You, sir, are amazing at what you do!

 

[mothmonty]

you do great work man, the Fixer bucket and ear attachment are spot on

 

[thorssoli]

Thanks for the compliment. It's nice to know that someone is actually reading this thread.

Today I split the chest armor and added some spacers to make it a bit bigger from front to back:


Otherwise, there's not much to report on this project.

Stay tuned...

 

[Zorlord]

this is the best thread ever. dont stop this project

 

[Zorlord]

Also, do you have the link for the pep file you used?

 

[thorssoli]

This was skupilkinson's model. You can find it at Skip's Pepakura Costumes.

In other news, the helmets are done:


Details of the lighting and wiring can be found in my blog: When My Brain Leaks, the Drops Drip Here

Stay tuned...

 

[Laranorac]

This is one of the more professional looking helmets I have seen. Well done sir, my lid is off to you

 

[thorssoli]

Thank you for the compliments. It's nice to know somebody's actually reading this thread.

Today I did a bit more fairing on the chest armor:


In the next couple of days I should be able to finish smoothing it out, split it in half, fill in the openings, and make a couple fo pulls on the vacforming table.

Stay tuned...

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Oh, he ain't the only one! I thought you were stopping at the armor, but lo and behold, I did not take the title of the thread literally. Are the armor pieces going to be vac-formed on this? I need to get my butt to Harbor Freight for a better sander.

 

[thorssoli]

I've got the pep files for the whole suit and the backpack. With the helmets done, I don't see why I shouldn't own the whole team worth of armor too. Plus, since I'll be vacforming them, they'll be quick and easy by comparison.

Not that it's hard to do anything quicker than the 2+ years it took me to do the helmets...

 

[struve1976]

Doesn't matter how long it takes...it looks great!