FG BARC ARMOR

[pghfett]

Do you want from ankle to just below the knee? Similar to Scout Boot measurements?

 

I would say from the ankle up. The area where it "dips" below this point and joins up with the toe armor should be a standard.

The rear calf area may be a problem however.

This may or may not work...

 

Which brings me to the toe armor.....this also will have to be made perhaps in three standard lengths...

[TB-7076]

From ankle to where I think the top should be I measure 30 cm (11.81")

But actually my ankle sits lower than the end of your shin guard there.

[vader674]

You doing great work too, I am amazed at the quality of the helmet I cant wait to see the armor!!

[vader674]

I'm 11 1/4" ankle to knee as you described it.

[Sentinel]

I win, 13.75".....from top of the ankle to right below the knee..

[pghfett]

If you look closely at the BARC shin guards fellas the shin guard is approximately 1 1/2" to 2" below the bottom of the knee armor. Take this into consideration. They do not go up to the bottom of the knees - there is a gap between those two pieces of armor.

[pghfett]

edited

[Acrylikhan]

Awesome work, MIKE!!! I love it!

 

Top of Ankle to the bottom of my knee measurement on me: My wife measured me at just about 14 - inches, give or take an 1/8th. My calf diameter at the largest portion is only 15-inches.

 

BUT.... I am flat footed, and have hyper extended calf muscles. I have what Bill Cosby refers to as "long ankles."

[azerin]

Looks great Mike! Can't wait to see it all together once you have the last few pieces done!

[TB-7076]

Very nice - looks as clean as machined. I wonder how you achieve such a clean surface in sculpting?

when I think back of my schooldays I always had a hard time to get surfaces half way clean with any

material.

[Guest spooky-kid]

Those look awesom Mike. I'm wondering. Are those the kinda boots one should be looking into getting for the Barc?

[Ghst915]

 

 

 

 

Hey Mike they look freaking awsome brother but did you miss this detail or are you planning on doing this diffrent on them-

 

Look where the straps run around the front they pass under the front rasied area of the shin guard, you have it solid, can it but cut to open it up so the straps run under it like here? Or will make changes for this to them?

 

 

 

[pghfett]

Very nice - looks as clean as machined. I wonder how you achieve such a clean surface in sculpting?

when I think back of my schooldays I always had a hard time to get surfaces half way clean with any

material.

 

Mad, I actually sculpt the form to a somewhat finished sculpt trying to capture as many details as possible then make a casting of that, pull a prototype piece and finish it to the final master - Then make the final mold of this piece.

 

Basically - mold the piece twice, rather expensive but worth it in the end...

 

 

Hey Mike they look freaking awsome brother but did you miss this detail or are you planning on doing this diffrent on them-

 

Look where the straps run around the front they pass under the front rasied area of the shin guard, you have it solid, can it but cut to open it up so the straps run under it like here? Or will make changes for this to them?

 

Yes the raised area is designed to allow the straps to be run thru. I'll be running straps through this one as soon as the toe armor is done. I plan on mocking up the entire set up knees as well

[Sentinel]

This may be a silly question, but how is a person supposed to slip that on? It looks to narrow to fit a foot through, much less my foot.

[pghfett]

This may be a silly question, but how is a person supposed to slip that on? It looks to narrow to fit a foot through, much less my foot.

 

Sentinel, Not silly at all,

 

You are correct ! You cannot fit your foot thru, but I mold them as one piece like the bicept armor because FG and different resins shrink ever so slightly, sometimes at different rates, therefore I mold one piece (pain in the REAR for sure) but assures when you clam shell the halfs to your liking, they are dead on the same and join nicely !

 

If each clam shell is molded separately, they may shrink at a different rate and not match up perfectly

 

~Mike

 

P.S. - good point as well - perhaps we can work together to half the calfs and hide the seam somehow ? I thought of two pieceing them along a camo patterns edge, but this would really take some skill to accomplish...but who knows ? Any offers or ideas ?

[TB-7076]

An option might be to use the front and rear. The raised part in front could be used as a

seperate item to hide a seam that otherwise would be quite obvious in such an exposed

location. On the other hand the CGI piece is not showing any evidence that this piece is

even meant to be a seperate part. Quite tricky.

 

[Sentinel]

This may seem like an expensive process, but what about rubber shin plates, so that it can be easily slipped off from the back, with velcro holding it into a hardly visible seam in the back.

[pghfett]

This may seem like an expensive process, but what about rubber shin plates, so that it can be easily slipped off from the back, with velcro holding it into a hardly visible seam in the back.

 

Hmmmm, rubber, interesting idea...

 

But then how do we paint it so that the paint sticks ? For a White GM shin no problem - tint them white, but BARC....

They would have to be urethane rubber as it like lasts forever opposed to silicone which degrades rather quiclky.

 

(thinking, thinking...)

[Sentinel]

That's the tricky part. How to get paint to adhere to rubber...

[Acrylikhan]

Painting urethane rubber is next to impossible. It flaks right off. I should know, I've been casting urethanes for over ten years.

 

The key would be to color the urethane and make the camo pattern by layering the different colors at the surface. As long as you use the same type of urethane, it should bond very well to itself. Won't fall apart or separate. There are a few rubber urethanes that don't bond to themselves after curing, but those are much harder to come by.

 

Most urethane rubbers are buff to tan colored naturally.

 

The biggest problem with the urethane rubber is that it yellows or darkens over time, even when intrinsically colored. So for example, if you add white to the clear rubber urethane, it will remain white for maybe three months. It will gradually turn yellow, tan, beige, to brown with time.

 

The good news is that the urethane does retain it's physical properties without degrading.

 

That is a good idea though.

 

[TB-7076]

Hmm, this new information from Frank spoils the whole idea of having the flexible urethane tip armor

and shin guards me thinks.

[Acrylikhan]

Hmm, this new information from Frank spoils the whole idea of having the flexible urethane tip armor

and shin guards me thinks.

 

I think I have some spare rubber urethane to experiment with. How flexible of a rubber do you think would work? How thick is the shin guard walls?

 

(rummages through desk... where is that comparison chart????!??)

[pghfett]

If the walls are fabric lined, perhaps less material can be used. ?

[TB-7076]

I think the major problem is the behaviour of the colour pigments, not the material itself so much.

Would be a bummer to change the chin guard and tip armor every 3 years (ok some might not own

the gear that long, but I'd plan to do so if I were in the place... )

 

So the colour issue is really an issue and one we cannot really test due to being a matter of time.

 

Lining the shin guard is not only a good idea regarding stability etc. but it also might prevent or

contain the sweat effect a bit. So much more comfortable!!

[Guest perryc]

Nice! Can't wait to see the whole suit finished!!!!!

 

Later

 

Perry