pghfett Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 I'm very excited about this build, everyday when checking in I zip on on here hoping to see something new...
Acrylikhan Posted February 13, 2008 Author Posted February 13, 2008 I've concluded my research into the proper shape of the knee armor. From the stills here, to watching the movie again, and examining other armorers have interpreted the piece... it's been dizzying, and has become a slight obsession. I've transfered my outline to the top of the MDF slab. I will start cutting out the general outline (leaving a little fat behind in case of an accident). I am hoping to get the bottom front section cut in, and start shaping. I've purposely downsized my measurements to account for the thickness of the plastic. I am planning to use 1/8th thick styrene or ABS. Really doesn't matter, I'll be painting these anyway. After I cut off the excess, I will transfer the side portions of my drawing. (Right now, it's a bit uneven.) As Da Vinci said... just removing the unnecessary bits.
Acrylikhan Posted February 18, 2008 Author Posted February 18, 2008 I'm still recovering from a sever cold, but I wanted to share with you my progress I've made so far. Did massive trimming to the block to get it into the proper shape of the knee armor. I'm also having to watch how to align the surface details, and to make sure I do not create any areas that will lock the plastic on to the buck. I had that problem with thigh boxes, and I don't want to repeat that. I really wanted to sculpt the block as one piece, but with the strange angles I need to cut and shape, it would be too difficult. I cut off the top portion for ease. The bottom of the block was easy. I made my cuts, and then smoothed them out with a disc sander. So far it looks fairly symmetrical. I added the front elevation from some scrap pieces of MDF. I drew the outline for the bottom sides, and will be adding material for the raised sections. Probably a combination of scrap MDF and Bondo. For the top part, I need to make a slight curve up around the depression, more MDF and Bondo. Then it'll be time to turn my attention to the troughs that outline the intersecting plates. Getting there. Slow, and steady.
Krizzle Posted February 18, 2008 Posted February 18, 2008 Amazing i cant wait to see the finished article! A true inspiration to all /salute
Acrylikhan Posted February 21, 2008 Author Posted February 21, 2008 Thanks, Krizzle! I went back to work today, and in between coughs, a running nose, and my co-workers stopping me from drilling out my sinuses with a Forsner bit, I put a little effort into the buck. I started building up the raised panels on the lower portion of the armor. Some MDF strips, and then started putting the body filler to fix some sanding boo-boos, while building up the wall thickness. I'm following the MoM exhibit photographs and trying to mimic them. I'm also trying to visualize how the plastic is going to react and try to see where it may "lock" onto the buck. The top portion I am satisfied with for now. The indentation was created with a slight outward angle. The plastic shouldn't lock on to it. I hope. I'm saving the angled troughs after the whole thing is glued back together. Maybe before the end of this week if everything goes well. And just a taste of what it may look like when re-assembled. I know... she's still pretty ugly.
Acrylikhan Posted March 2, 2008 Author Posted March 2, 2008 More bondo work to smooth out the bottom. I'll need to make a template so I know where I have to cut. The lower "shelf" is one complete surface now. It should make the plastic easier to remove. I hope.... I have to put round over some edges and add some flaring angles. Then I will glue the top with the bottom, and the carve in the troughs. getting there... getting there!!!!
Acrylikhan Posted March 2, 2008 Author Posted March 2, 2008 The server threw a rod an hour back... I think it's up and running now. If there's a dead picture, bear with me...
TB-7076 Posted March 3, 2008 Posted March 3, 2008 Frank more and more reveils he is a true interdisciplinary genious. Why can't we be neighbors damnit?!
Guest Bikerman Posted March 3, 2008 Posted March 3, 2008 I mean this with all my heart----You are the Armour GOD. sorry about the rant. outstanding work my friend simply outstanding.
Acrylikhan Posted March 4, 2008 Author Posted March 4, 2008 Looks great, Frank!!! Thanks Man! Great seeing ya at the meeting this weekend. Wife says, thanks for the cookies. Frank more and more reveils he is a true interdisciplinary genious. Why can't we be neighbors damnit?! Mad, We are neighbors! Right? Just different time zones..? I know how you feel. I think my wife would be upset if she had to keep coming over your place to get me to come home. I mean this with all my heart----You are the Armour GOD. sorry about the rant. outstanding work my friend simply outstanding. Not a armor god... yet. I've got too many people to thank for getting my rear in gear with info, pictures, and comments on my work. I'd give credit to the pantheon of elders of BSN. (Madphisto is one of those elders. ) Thanks!
TB-7076 Posted March 5, 2008 Posted March 5, 2008 It's one thing to develop theories or recap and evaluate the findings of other people but a whole different thing to put in practice. My hat to those who not only talk and debate but actually do it. I'm especially happy that you take your time and critically advance from phase to phase - even revisiting things. The patience and devotion will pay big time in the end.
Acrylikhan Posted March 12, 2008 Author Posted March 12, 2008 Time for an armor progress update. Since I'm logging overtime through this past weekend, I've been hacking away at the knee armor buck. I wish I was home working on this among other things... but a I trooper's got to eat, and fund the project. So what's new? Just a few things. I glued the top and bottom halves together! And I started putting in the "grooves." I have to start laying out the boundary lines between the part areas and putting in some "slopes" so that I can get the plastic off the buck after casting. I've got a lot of scrap MDF that I had trimmed from the part and some bondo that I'll use for that. It's looking very good. I keep coming back to the MOM pictures, and movie captures. They give me more hints to what needs to be done next. I keep coming back to this picture... it's says a lot. I think it's the perspective. I am seeing a bit of shadow from the lower side panel into the trough between it and the lower center panel. As the lower panel recedes back, it somewhat blends into the trough. I made the ares straight flat, so I will have to make a bit of an angled ridge to get that effect. The blending the lower sides and the upper sides should be no problem. I think it will very easy to create the smooth transition. I still need to round some of the corners over a little more. The top part I feel is complete, except for adding the slopes. Now it's time to flesh out the details. More to come.
TB-7076 Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Hey Frank do I spot an X-shaped direction in your knee peace? I know there is this one photo where the upper knee peace looks like that but I think that is not intended rather than an effect due to tension of the lower part from the band leading to a collapse because of the gap there. To illustrate what I mean: I think this picture is the major reason for your approach (if I'm looking right) But shots like these are in my opinion the ones that should get more attention I know that a few screen shots also indicate a slight x-shape in the construction and my argumentation is quite subjectively but I think it makes sense to speculate that the force of the straps below the (probably) weakest spot of the construction is the reason for that optical effect. As a designer you know that form follows function - neither anatomy nor the functionality would profit from an x-shape. Plus - it doesn't look good (I think). Opinions?
Acrylikhan Posted March 14, 2008 Author Posted March 14, 2008 You have got really good eyes! Yes there is a slight x-shape, but I don't think it will be too visible. I still have more body filler to add to a couple of areas. I think I toned it back quite a bit from what I had before. I don't think my final part will be this extreme. I still need to see what it will look like once I cast the first part. I can make changes things if it doesn't look good. As for why the part in the second picture is in this x pattern: It could be a result of the elastic pulling the part when the knee flexes, or they had problems during forming (couldn't get the part off the buck, the buck might have been two separate pieces, and one shifted, the buck was in need of repair). The original parts were made from styrene, and styrene is pretty flexible. I'd say the best explanation is the knee flexing and the elastic pulling. I do see your point.
Acrylikhan Posted March 22, 2008 Author Posted March 22, 2008 Final Buck photos: Next posting - the cast parts. Hopefully, they'll turn out great!
Acrylikhan Posted April 3, 2008 Author Posted April 3, 2008 Got the plastic. I had some heavy problems trying to cast a part. I think part of the heating coils might not be heating up properly, and I could not get a good seal for a vacuum. I have to double check everything tomorrow. This could take an extra day, or two. Most of the details I am looking for did show up in the casting. If I could have a gotten a good seal for a vacuum, they might be crisper. I think a temperature may offer more stretch from the plastic. None the less, it's a good part to try for fitting. I gotta practice my trimming skills, too! Lookie, my cardboard mock up from a few months back! Hello, old friend! Once again, you help me in my hour of need. Judging from some of the stills, the knee armor is sitting accurately on my leg. I think the boot-to-knee armor distance is also close. Then again, I could still trim at least another quarter of an inch from the bottom. If I load an elastic strap, it will sit right smack in the middle of the back of the knee joint. The fit is great! We'll try tomorrow. If not, there still next week. Very good day, even though the pull was so-so.
Acrylikhan Posted April 4, 2008 Author Posted April 4, 2008 Update. SUCCESS!!!! It was hell getting them off the frakin' buck, even with a ton of talc!! I had to make some score lines and to help flex the parts off the pattern! I am a little surprised that you can see some of the layers from the MDF! Pretty funny! A think a quick sanding with 320 to 600 should do the trick. Then some nice paint on top. You can tell the difference between the two casts.... check it out. Notice how crisp the lines are! There was a somewhat loose connection in the coils, but a quick tighten fixed that. I let the plastic cook a little longer, too. I need to trim and cut out the holes for the elastic. More to come! It has been a awesome today!!!
Ghst915 Posted April 5, 2008 Posted April 5, 2008 Hey Frank, Are you going to add in the side slot areas(dents) for the straps to sit in? You can see them in this picture from the movie and notice the small rivet on the armor also outside of the knee armor. Small and white.
Acrylikhan Posted April 5, 2008 Author Posted April 5, 2008 Yes. I will be adding those during trimming. I haven't forgotten them!
Krizzle Posted April 5, 2008 Posted April 5, 2008 Fantastic buddy!! I cant wait to see the final results of this project
Acrylikhan Posted April 17, 2008 Author Posted April 17, 2008 A little more work needs to be done. I got the pieces trimmed, and started the process of putting in the slots for the one - inch straps. I cut the sections, and then carefully bent the tongue of plastic inward to make the channel. I re-bonded it in place with a styrene/bondo cement cocktail, and then backed it with a little more for strength. I have to do a little finishing on the sides. I got a little carried away with the dremel and the file. Most of the damage will be hidden by the strap, so this is more cosmetic work for my own idiom. (yeah, one is slightly larger on the bottom. It's supposed to be like that due to my alien genetic makeup.) Tomorrow, I'm finishing up the cosmetic work, and the painting them with good ol' Fusion white! Lessons learned: I will be improving the buck for the knee armor. That is an immediate given. The MDF is great, but I because I'm able to pull roughly 28-inches of Mercury on the vacuum pump at work, some of the extremely minor impeefections are showing in the castings. No biggie because the parts are being painted. On the to do list I will add the strap channels, and smooth out all the rough edges. Also I think I've got the right shape the knee is supposed to be in. I will add walls where the parting like will be. All in all, this was a tricky part part to sculpt. But the results are fantastic!
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