The PEPAKURA question thread - PLEASE READ RULES IN FIRST POST!

Ugh, just in Iron man, the 3, the 4/6, 7, War Machine, and Iron Patriot. Actually finishing my first Pepper Rescue armor today :thumbsup . The Mk4/6 just always seemed the easiest all around for me to complete, and that was even being one of my first foam builds. War Machine is fun, just a bit of extra work if you are adding the forearm guns and shoulder cannon.

Starting on a helmet? Brave. That's how I started in cardstock. The upside is, an IM helmet has a little of all the hardest stuff in Pepakura to learn, with the small eye detailing, compound curves, symmetry being so obvious, and modifications usually needed to make it fit while hiding seams. If you can make a good looking clean fitting helmet, you can make just about any other piece as well. Except maybe gloves for some of us :lol
 
Has anyone created any Pep files for Pacific Rim Jaeger pilot armor?

pr-1.jpg
 
DaddyfromNaboo said:
This thread is where to look first for any information regarding PEPAKURA.

If you are looking for information on the technique, then go through this thread first. Pep is not that hard to understand, so a quick glance will go a long way.

For the original software go to Tamasoft´s website
Pepakura Designer

There is a free pep file viewer available from Tamasoft, the full version of the software which lets you edit and manipulate files and make your own unfolds, for only 38 US-$.
Requests for "free" versions of Pepakura are unnecessary at that price tag.

Freeware and shareware 3D-software is available e.g. under

www.blender.org

www.wings3d.com

www.sketchup.google.com

MeshLab - Browse Files at SourceForge.net

More can be found here:

Free 3D Software


Resources for models

If you are looking for specific resources like files and can´t find them in here, then please use the search function first before posting any requests. Google also is your friend, and it´s very likely that if "[insertdescription of what you are lookingfor] pepakura pdo" does not produce any results on Google, a request posted here will do the same.

As an example for resources you can have a look

-at Dungbeetles website:
printablearmory.com

-at robo3687´s Iron Man MK IV suit files (from "Iron Man 2"):
robo3687's Iron Man Pep Files - SD War Machine links page 73

-at one of the main resources on the web is the 405th and their forum, having a huge archive of knowledge about Pepakura:
405th.com | We Build Your Character | Home of the 405th Infantry Division, 405th Source News, and Forums | Learn to Build Master Chief armor, the Arbiter, Cortana, ODST armor, Recon armor, Hayabusa armor, Marine armor, and more! - Home

- at this forum with a download library
Hobby Forum

- Propzone, Belgian forum and site with a few free peps
Propzone

- huge Pepakura Wiki with subsections e.g. for Star Wars
Pepakura File Wiki

- huge Pepakura Wiki for HALO armor
Pepakura File Index - Halo Costuming Wiki

- this blog that has a few quite unique and high detailed peps such as Buzz Lightyear, Darth Vader, Terminator etc.
ELSO CRAFT

- a plethora of all kinds of models, from figures to vehicles to props

Gallery | PaperCraft Museum


Tutorials

Our member Stealth created a series of very good video tutorials:


How To Use PEPAKURA For Costume Building

http://www.therpf.com/f24/tutorial-using-pepakura-foam-costume-building-120019/

The veterans of Pepakura armour building over at the 405th.com collected their valuable knowledge in the following forum:

Pepakura and Cardboard Armor

And a thread that should definitely be visited by noobs is
http://www.therpf.com/f24/noob-field-guide-pep-costuming-175679/

Please be aware that the main forum lives from the diversity of props.
Asking the same, often very simple, questions over and over again only clogs up the main forums and is not necessary.
The same goes for new threads on each and every version of the same or very similar paper prop such as a helmet.

A thread that just simply asks "How do I work with Pepakura" or "what paper or glue should I use" or "where can I get pepakura model of XYZ" will be either integrated into this thread or deleted without further notice.

Show off threads are of course very welcome in the main forum, but to make the experience for others as interesting as possible please refrain from posting pictures if you are only in the beginning stages, i.e. just glued a few pieces together or only have a finished paper model of helmet.


If you create your own pep file, then it is important to give proper credit if you

- did not create the 3D model
- used another PDO as a basis for your work

but still want to redistribute the Pep-file.

The redistribution of unfolded 3D models that were used without the express permission of the original creator of the 3D model is not allowed, since its bordering on digital recasting.
Redistribution of Pepakura files can only be done when proper credit is given to the creator and the redistributor made sure that there are no objections against redistributing the files.


ATTENTION:
IF YOU DECIDE TO CREATE CASTINGS OF A FINISHED ITEM THAT STARTED AS A PEP FILE, WITH THE GOAL OF SELLING COPIES, THEN PLEASE GIVE PROPER CREDIT TO THE ORIGINAL CREATOR OF THE 3D-MODEL AND GET HIS PERMISSION FIRST TO USE HIS WORK BEFORE SETTING UP A SALE!

Enjoy your pep work and show those finished, glassed, bondoed, painted items !!!

Michael
(RPF staff member at the time this thread was started, now retired)
Click to expand...

Sorry, after the first hour of searching I kinda gave up, so here is my question: Is there somewhere that shows exactly how we should measure ourselves for the scaling? In sewing, it is pretty straight-forward, but with pep it is weird with width and depth. A chart showing at least the lengths would be good, I can't tell where to measure for depth and width!
 
Take a look at post #438 on this page:

http://www.therpf.com/f24/jackieisr...iles-v2-files-coming-soon-164748/index18.html

There's an image I put together showing how I scaled an Iron Patriot chest, torso and cod. Unfortunately, some Pepakura models out there cannot be assembled properly in Designer by importing the different .pdos; hopefully the .pdos you are looking at can be assembled so you can check your measurements using point to point over pieces together, such as thigh and shin.

Other than estimating, and checking and double checking with point to point, it can be a crap shoot. The good news is that a lot of pieces are pretty forgiving if your measurements and scales are at least close.
 
laellee said:
Take a look at post #438 on this page:

http://www.therpf.com/f24/jackieisr...iles-v2-files-coming-soon-164748/index18.html

There's an image I put together showing how I scaled an Iron Patriot chest, torso and cod. Unfortunately, some Pepakura models out there cannot be assembled properly in Designer by importing the different .pdos; hopefully the .pdos you are looking at can be assembled so you can check your measurements using point to point over pieces together, such as thigh and shin.

Other than estimating, and checking and double checking with point to point, it can be a crap shoot. The good news is that a lot of pieces are pretty forgiving if your measurements and scales are at least close.
Click to expand...
Of course, if anyone was to have a good answer for this, I should've guessed that you would. Thanks again, brother:)
 
Looch said:
Of course, if anyone was to have a good answer for this, I should've guessed that you would. Thanks again, brother:)
Click to expand...

Haha thanks but you're giving me too much credit. I just don't like seeing people build stuff that doesn't fit, I know how disheartening it is. I'm not the only person here who's trashed well over half of a pepped suit because it just wouldn't fit. :facepalm:lol
 
laellee said:
Haha thanks but you're giving me too much credit. I just don't like seeing people build stuff that doesn't fit, I know how disheartening it is. I'm not the only person here who's trashed well over half of a pepped suit because it just wouldn't fit. :facepalm:lol
Click to expand...

Tell me about it-I'm working on a Mark 7 file I got from JFCustom's speed-building thread, and when I started I knew nothing about scaling, but as they were default-scaled for a 6' man, which I am, I figured it would be great-not so, I had to redo the forearms, then saw they didn't fit with my biceps so I had to redo those too, couldn't get my heel through the shins so redid them widthwise, then on attaching discovered the thighs were to small, so added a panel, then saw the whole leg was too short, so added a 5" panel to lengthen the shins, now I'm lengthening the thighs 'cause they don't reach my codpiece-AAAGGH!
 
anyone ever do a pepakura of a warglaive of azzinoth? or interested in helping someone who's newb to this stuff get a file? i dont even know where to start but i think this would be awesome...
 
Question I'm starting to get my X-wing helmet smoothed out, I need to detail out the ridge behind the ram horn and the bump on the front of the helmet from the old mask connection. Would forming the detail in a air dry type clay(Sculpy) on the bondo surface be better than trying that in just straight bondo? It needs to be able to take the heat from vacuforming, which is my end goal.

IMG_0880.JPG
 
Idaho Jones said:
Question I'm starting to get my X-wing helmet smoothed out, I need to detail out the ridge behind the ram horn and the bump on the front of the helmet from the old mask connection. Would forming the detail in a air dry type clay(Sculpy) on the bondo surface be better than trying that in just straight bondo? It needs to be able to take the heat from vacuforming, which is my end goal.

View attachment 247698
Click to expand...

Do you mean the raised kind of ridging that kind of surrounds the horn? I think I'd use both. I would sculpt the surrounding ridge right on the helmet with softened Premo (just the sculpey I use). Then I'd peel it off, lightly push it back in place without sticking to get the curvature back in it, and then oven bake it hard. It's not going to give you shrinkage problems. Once it's hardened, test fit it, then epoxy it in place and blend it in with bondo, a finger, and careful sanding. I have no doubt that there are other (and possibly better) ways to do this, but I know that will work, and the Premo can take vacuum forming temps.
As for the bump, if you've got featherlight bondo, I'd probably just use that. I just think the detail behind the horn would be a nightmare to try and free-shape with bondo, nevermind the sanding nightmare.
 
Yup that's the ridge I'm talking about. Id love to use a rolling pin to roll out the sculpy in a flat form and trim it to fit the curve. Thanks for the ideas
 
Idaho Jones said:
Yup that's the ridge I'm talking about. Id love to use a rolling pin to roll out the sculpy in a flat form and trim it to fit the curve. Thanks for the ideas
Click to expand...

That's actually what I was thinking too. Make as much of the shape off-helmet, then cut to fit. The bondo can fill a lot, I just wouldn't want to be shaping with it.
I soften my sculpey by getting it room temperature, and kneading just a little olive oil into it. Usually have to do it by hand, but it makes it much more pliable (especially if it's older stuff), and it doesn't seem to have any adverse effects either. Good luck with it!
 
mrwhite said:
IVE BOUGHT THIS TO DO MY JIN ROH SHOULDER , BUT IS IT GOOD ?

i cant fiberglass it from the inside because its closed

http://www.brisbanetoolandhardware.com.au/images/327260L.jpg

AND DO I JUST RESIN the armor OR resin and FIBERGLASS it ALSO
Click to expand...

1- It's a polyester resin, if it's used properly, yes.
2- If you expect your armor to have any durability at all, YES, you need to reinforce the pieces with fiberglass. Aristocrat is fine with mat.Your polyester resin doesn't need to cure clear either, might want to look for something cheaper without the transparent properties.
 
If i put resin on both sides , can i put fiberglass on both side too after it harden or well the resin and fiberglass have some kind of chemical reaction ?
 
Fiberglass and resin are two different materials when I'm talking about them. You have the resin, and then fiberglass matting that reinforces the resin. The fiberglass is what gives the resin structural strength.
You do not want to put fiberglass mat on the outside of your armor, only the inside to reinforce. It would do you well to look up tutorials such as Stealth's on how to finish pepakura pieces.
 
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