Captain April
Sr Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Those connectors are fantastic, great work.
Those connectors are fantastic, great work.
My Apollo A7L Space Suit V3 - FINALLY MAKING MY OWN SUIT
- Thread starter Mr. Nagata
- Start date
DominoDoggy
New Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Okay, now I see what you mean. Yes, that's a judgement call. Its pretty subtle but if you want to make the effort, hats off to you.
On another note, I'm sure you know the suits are made from beta cloth. I have an original space shuttle glove made from it and I can testify that it's thicker and a little stiffer than common nylon found in fabric stores. If you find a heavy white nylon you might be able to more easily replicate the look of the pressurized garment because the heavy fabric is also stiff.
Global Effects also tries to simulate the correct lighting on the PGA by using a material with a similar weave as the original (but the owner of GE won't share his source. I've asked). Close inspection of the original beta cloth fabric reveals why it catches the light as it does: it's not smooth like common nylon, but has a herringbone weave (I think). I can research it if you like.
Okay, now I see what you mean. Yes, that's a judgement call. Its pretty subtle but if you want to make the effort, hats off to you.
On another note, I'm sure you know the suits are made from beta cloth. I have an original space shuttle glove made from it and I can testify that it's thicker and a little stiffer than common nylon found in fabric stores. If you find a heavy white nylon you might be able to more easily replicate the look of the pressurized garment because the heavy fabric is also stiff.
Global Effects also tries to simulate the correct lighting on the PGA by using a material with a similar weave as the original (but the owner of GE won't share his source. I've asked). Close inspection of the original beta cloth fabric reveals why it catches the light as it does: it's not smooth like common nylon, but has a herringbone weave (I think). I can research it if you like.
Seatra
New Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Domino brings up a good point. Several weights and weaves of Beta cloth were usedfor the A7L. Heavier plain weave in highwear areas and a twill/herringbone type weave in the main body. I think medium weight nylon twill would dothe trick for most of the ITMG. Beta canbe obtained but eclipses the $100 a yard price. I used heavy nylon(1000 denier) for high wear areas (elbow and kneereinforcement area) of my replica ITMG. The challenge seems to be finding a nylon with the look of Beta and drape qualitiesfor building the garment. On a separate note I even found Beta table cloths from Owens Corning. Neat stuff!
Domino brings up a good point. Several weights and weaves of Beta cloth were usedfor the A7L. Heavier plain weave in highwear areas and a twill/herringbone type weave in the main body. I think medium weight nylon twill would dothe trick for most of the ITMG. Beta canbe obtained but eclipses the $100 a yard price. I used heavy nylon(1000 denier) for high wear areas (elbow and kneereinforcement area) of my replica ITMG. The challenge seems to be finding a nylon with the look of Beta and drape qualitiesfor building the garment. On a separate note I even found Beta table cloths from Owens Corning. Neat stuff!
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Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
This is looking amazing so far!
This is looking amazing so far!
TheBryanScout
New Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Yeah, when will you post pictures of that?
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Haha. I was just thinking about that. The pictures are still at my parents house. I'll dig them out. One of them is signed by Jim Lovell who I saw at a speaking engagement back in the 90's.
Haha. I was just thinking about that. The pictures are still at my parents house. I'll dig them out. One of them is signed by Jim Lovell who I saw at a speaking engagement back in the 90's.
vaderbreath
Sr Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Wow, this is cool. Amazing job so far. I have so much respect for you (and others) who are replicating some of the suits of that amazing period in space exploration and engineering. Great, great work!
Wow, this is cool. Amazing job so far. I have so much respect for you (and others) who are replicating some of the suits of that amazing period in space exploration and engineering. Great, great work!
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
A few small updates. I finally finished the helmet and neck ring assembly. This is actually NOT the spacetoys helmet that I spent a whopping $700 on. As it turns out, the bubble from that helmet was just WAY too heavy for costuming. I needed something much lighter weight, so I vac-formed this bubble from 0.25 inch PETG. I used a reverse vac-form process in an MDF box and actually sucked the bubble into a silicone mold. I had no idea if sucking a bubble this large was even possible. I had serious doubts, but after a few prayers and a couple of really uneven, wonky bubbles, I got one that was just perfect! The only thing left to do on the helmet is to sew the back pad, but I'll get into that when I break out my sewing machine.
I also found the pictures of the spacesuit I made when I was 14. I'm embarrassed to show this, but I did get the photo signed by Jim Lovell:
Also, just to show you what a space nut I am, here is the photo I recently took (and photoshopped) for my daughter's first birthday party invitation. It's going to be space themed. I took this photo in a dirt lot and the LEM is actually a monogram model kit that I built 15 years ago:
A few small updates. I finally finished the helmet and neck ring assembly. This is actually NOT the spacetoys helmet that I spent a whopping $700 on. As it turns out, the bubble from that helmet was just WAY too heavy for costuming. I needed something much lighter weight, so I vac-formed this bubble from 0.25 inch PETG. I used a reverse vac-form process in an MDF box and actually sucked the bubble into a silicone mold. I had no idea if sucking a bubble this large was even possible. I had serious doubts, but after a few prayers and a couple of really uneven, wonky bubbles, I got one that was just perfect! The only thing left to do on the helmet is to sew the back pad, but I'll get into that when I break out my sewing machine.
I also found the pictures of the spacesuit I made when I was 14. I'm embarrassed to show this, but I did get the photo signed by Jim Lovell:
Also, just to show you what a space nut I am, here is the photo I recently took (and photoshopped) for my daughter's first birthday party invitation. It's going to be space themed. I took this photo in a dirt lot and the LEM is actually a monogram model kit that I built 15 years ago:
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Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Also, the helmet snaps into the neck ring with magnets just like the glove rings. It's pretty cool.
Also, the helmet snaps into the neck ring with magnets just like the glove rings. It's pretty cool.
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
For those of you that don't venture in the props forum, I finished machining this replica of the penlight worn in the sleeve pocket.
Here it is in the pocket of my inflight coverall garment replica, right next to a Garland mechanical pencil and Fisher space pen:
For those of you that don't venture in the props forum, I finished machining this replica of the penlight worn in the sleeve pocket.
Here it is in the pocket of my inflight coverall garment replica, right next to a Garland mechanical pencil and Fisher space pen:
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Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Yes, the silicone mold was one piece, so there are no mold lines. It was very difficult to get the top thick enough. It took 6 attempts before I got it right. Once the sheet is heated, you actually have to cool the center of it slightly so it expands at a slower rate that the surrounding material. Otherwise the top of the helmet will be paper thin. I blow on it as it stretches and eventually I was able to get a feel for how much to cool it so there is adequate thickness around the whole helmet.
Yes, the silicone mold was one piece, so there are no mold lines. It was very difficult to get the top thick enough. It took 6 attempts before I got it right. Once the sheet is heated, you actually have to cool the center of it slightly so it expands at a slower rate that the surrounding material. Otherwise the top of the helmet will be paper thin. I blow on it as it stretches and eventually I was able to get a feel for how much to cool it so there is adequate thickness around the whole helmet.
Captain April
Sr Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
That Helmet is beautiful I love to shots of the setup, it's hard to picture how you made it, did you use the $700 helmet as your master?
That Helmet is beautiful I love to shots of the setup, it's hard to picture how you made it, did you use the $700 helmet as your master?
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Yes, I used it as the master to pull this helmet. I had no idea if it would work or not so I didn't want to invest the time into making my own buck. Now that I know it works, I'm going to make my own master that's more accurate. But I'll do that after I finish the suit.
- - - Updated - - -
I'll take pictures of the process when I make more.
Yes, I used it as the master to pull this helmet. I had no idea if it would work or not so I didn't want to invest the time into making my own buck. Now that I know it works, I'm going to make my own master that's more accurate. But I'll do that after I finish the suit.
- - - Updated - - -
I'll take pictures of the process when I make more.
DominoDoggy
New Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Are you planning on selling copies of the bubble helmet? If so, what might they cost? I have an A7LB helmet prop from Global Effects that is complete, but I don't have the pressure helmet. If yours fits then I'd love to have it.
Are you planning on selling copies of the bubble helmet? If so, what might they cost? I have an A7LB helmet prop from Global Effects that is complete, but I don't have the pressure helmet. If yours fits then I'd love to have it.
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
I probably will at some point when I make my own master.
I probably will at some point when I make my own master.
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
Finished the gloves. I got vintage porcelain glove dips off eBay and sculpted the knuckle protrusions that were on the Apollo gloves to maintain constant volume. I could have used off-the-shelf rubber gloves, but it didn't look right to me without the knuckles. The gloves are urethane rubber:
Sewed the glove covers and printed custom name tags for myself in the exact size and typeface as the real tags:
Used vinyl duct to create the convoluted wrist joint on the real gloves. It was necessary to get the structure looking like the real glove:
Machined accurate buckles for the strap on the gloves. Also custom-dyed the velcro blue. The real gloves had blue velcro on them for some reason:
Finished gloves compared with the real thing:
Made three pairs. One with my name, one with Lovell, and one with Armstrong. Pretty happy with how these turned out:
Finished the gloves. I got vintage porcelain glove dips off eBay and sculpted the knuckle protrusions that were on the Apollo gloves to maintain constant volume. I could have used off-the-shelf rubber gloves, but it didn't look right to me without the knuckles. The gloves are urethane rubber:
Sewed the glove covers and printed custom name tags for myself in the exact size and typeface as the real tags:
Used vinyl duct to create the convoluted wrist joint on the real gloves. It was necessary to get the structure looking like the real glove:
Machined accurate buckles for the strap on the gloves. Also custom-dyed the velcro blue. The real gloves had blue velcro on them for some reason:
Finished gloves compared with the real thing:
Made three pairs. One with my name, one with Lovell, and one with Armstrong. Pretty happy with how these turned out:
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Captain April
Sr Member
Re: BUILD THREAD: My Apollo A7L Space Suit
..........speechless........Wow.
..........speechless........Wow.
