I'm trying to get some of my own work done, and working on requests in between breaks. I scrapped the first version of the Rocketeer bucket, and I'm going to model it in 3ds max (I've been using milkshape 3d) since max is easier to deal with for accuracy.
Cutting and folding takes a long time. Assembly is fast, so I usually cut and score everything by sections (faceplate, top of the head, etc.) and then assemble. How long it takes depends on how complex the model is, and how experienced the person building is. I can get a helmet done in about 6 hours from print to resin, but I've been doing paper models for a long time before pepakura came around. I still have a paper x-wing hanging from the ceiling in my mom's house.
I suck at scaling these things. My method of scaling helmets is to measure the width of my head from ear to ear by standing in front of a mirror with a ruler held up to my nose. Make sure to stand at least 6 feet from the mirror, or the measurement won't be as accurate. You can also have someone tell you from across the room how fat...er big
your head is. Take the measurement in cm and put that into the width + about 2cm for padding etc. into pep. It works for me and I don't see why it wouldn't work for others. My advice would be to ask someone else about scaling, because I went thru about 6 helmets before I got it right.
Upcoming models that I'm building for myself:
New War Machine Helmet (new references = more accurate model)
Iron Man 2 Armor (the "extremis armor")
Whiplash armor (from the end of the movie)
Drone "armor" (from the end of the movie)
War Machine weapons - Minigun, Missiles/Missilepod, Forearms/guns
Arc Reactors - "escape from prison", Iron Man 2 round arc reactor, and triangle arc reactor -- blueprints to be machined (still working on gathering accurate references)
Tali helmet from Mass Effect 2
Section 8 armor and weapons
Pit Droid (star wars)
I'm also building a video game, so that takes most of my time.
Thanks for all the kind words everyone. I will get back to requests as soon as my to do list shrinks more.
Edit:
I forgot to mention the suitcase. I drafted a quick blueprint based on screencaps. I think I've got it as close as I can with current references. I'm not sure about the profile curve. It may need to be more rounded in the center. What do you guys think?
Edit again:
Some progress
I should probably sleep at some point