Im almost afraid to touch it at this point, but yeah, ive been playing around with some graffiti ideas. The ever so slightly off center name stensil has me gun shy a bit to mess with it further, BUT...eventually I will absolutely do something.

One of the cheesier ideas i had was to bring up all my real tattoos into patterns in that same spot on the armor (shoulders, back, etc).

There are a few even more 'meat headed' ideas im rolling around, but for now im in no rush.

Oh I hear you there. I eff'd up the first bit of grafitti I put on mine, and then I had to recreate the camo pattern to fix it. Not my best moment ever.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Thumbs up great work !

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Cpl Matthew Rendar. M56 smart gun operator. 2nd bat 7th colonial marines "Rendars Raiders "

Well, you may be relieved to know I DID decide to go with correct 1" buckles and webbing. The only 'local sewing' store we have is JoAnne Fabrics, and 1" fastex buckles are $4...EACH. WTF?!!? But I did find that AC Moore had 2-packs for $2 each.

So the dog collars have pretty much been axed! I re-cut my brackets and upgraded the shin-guards and Shoulder flaps connections to 1". I decided to keep the 3/4 buckles for the knee pad though. Considering the fabric/webbing is at a flex point behind my knee, it makes sense to me to go with a thinner material back there.


the PVC shin guards are officially done!

Riveting is going ok. No tragedies yet. I did have to drill out 2 so far after they slipped during compression and didnt grab the washer. But Its going well so far.

The helmet is also 'mostly' ready. I dont like the all silver boom mic, and I think i need to 'dirty up' the camera. But Im pleased overall.

(my dad's helmet band from about 25 years ago! I left his graffiti on there. Other side says "strike and kill".)

Looks awesome! I'd paint at least the back end of the mic, maybe the whole thing. You can then scrape some of it back off to reveal the awesome silver underneath. That helmet band is too cool.

And dirty up that camera, grunt! We're the Colonial Marines afterall, not Starfleet!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Also figured I would finally trot out my accessories while I get the rest of the riveting done.

I guess I should preface this by saying "Screen Accuracy is not PRESENTLY my goal". I hope I don't lose the audience after that comment! I do plan to slowly evolve this into a screen accurate rig, but for now I guess you can say I'm going for a more post-events-in-Aliens, general deployment look.

-Naturally my Pulse (which is about to get an upgrade from the solid Resin GL to an HGC one from matsuo).



-I bought the Multi-cam, literally, 2 days before Horrocks and Spat went live with their BDUs. Hard to justify replacing something brand new, so I'm going to give it a shot and see how I like it. Someday I'll get the good stuff. Name tags from CamoTech. Patches 'dusted' with black spray paint to attempt to dirty them up, but could probably use a little more weathering.



-The pouch is one of my dads old first aid kit pouches. I puffed it up with a block of Styrofoam.


Rather than run grenades, I have decided to run a shoulder draw boot knife, and a cross draw VP70 (from Spat).
Obviously they weren't done this way in the movie, but they do have precedent! Apone ran his VP70 off his straps, and of course everyone knows the knife locations. Even with the "wrong knife" and "wrong holster", I think I'm staying true in "spirit" doing it this way and not getting too far off course.

-I personally think a canteen makes sense in a 'general out and about' kind of way, so im using one. The little pouch is actually a compass pouch. the big one is the first aid kit again.

-Last, for boots, I think ill just run my regular work boots. Red Wing steel toes. Again, not 'screen accurate', but are comfortable as all hell!!! (And wont stand out as "bad")



So thats the gear for now. It will slowly evolve to a more authentic rig eventually. But I'm getting excited to to finally have it all together and see what I've got.

Coming along ! Looking good marine !

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Cpl Matthew Rendar. M56 smart gun operator. 2nd bat 7th colonial marines "Rendars Raiders "

Got the body armor riveted together!

I wore it around the house a half hour or so to get a feel for adjustments that needed to be made (and cuz ...why not?!). It does need some work. Some parts are too loose, others too snug. I hope I dont destroy it trying to tweak it.


I was especially pleased that things lay pretty flat. I was a bit worried the shoulders would sit kind of 'puffed up'.

Looking very good this makes me want to drop everthing that i have im working on already to start mine. I will be goin Pep for my base and maybe Vac Form mine to be lighter. I have past exp. with Pep and Bondo armor it can wieght a bit.

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SGT Chris Kraemer "BIRD"
S/N: A07/TQ0.0.82154G1 Sgt Kraemer

Damn! Bigbisonst just gave us all free tickets to the gun show!

Awesome finished product sir!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

I got a little sidetracked at times with my Pulse upgrades, my 1/6th dabbling, and of course "armor building" doesnt always mix with "1 year old raising", but at long last...

Finally put it all together, painted up the graffiti and for the first time and had the wife snap some shots on the ol' cell phone. (I know...stray straps are hanging everywhere. try to ignore those!)









Next up is a Matsuo shoulder lamp. I also may 'shorten' the lower area of the breastplate. I think I made it too long which is affecting my movement. Its bound to be a work in progress forever as I move toward screen accuracy (and toward comfort! (its hot as hell), but I think I'm ready for drop?

You are ready for a drop!
Looking good Marine.

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

This looks fantastic man! I love the grafitti too!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Compliments to your wife as well, so got some sweet action shots. My wife snapped my photos too, but she wasn't as willing to humour me. In her defense she was holding a sleeping 7 month-old...

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Fantastic job, well done indeed.

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Martin 'Victim' Victory
A86/TQ3.4.49421E3
UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. Freebooters


you can't take the PUNK outa Spunkmeyer

Ha, ill be sure to let her know her efforts were not missed!

And thanks guys. Im feeling really positive about halloween this year!

"*she* got some sweet shots" damn my fast typing...

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Wonderful job, Marine! Look's like your ready to stomp some Xeno's!

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Pfc. Wells, Brandon. W
"I am the ultimate bad-ass. State of the bad-ass art."

Well played sir well played

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

Really looking sharp Marine!

The chest plate looks fine lengthwise, but if you need to shorten it, that's fine too.

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

Holy christ that is cool. I have to tip my hat to you, that is incredible patients and worksmanship. I would have gotten as far as cutting the first part and just logged onto spatcave.com ...........which I did lol. great work though brother.

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"Colonial Marines never die, they go to hell and regroup."

A01/TQ2.0.52152E1
Cpl Waldon B, Callsign: Waldo New York-USA

Looks great. Great pics. . The multicam looks great with the armor. Great job

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Cpl Matthew Rendar. M56 smart gun operator. 2nd bat 7th colonial marines "Rendars Raiders "

Looking good Marine!

Love the "To Do" list.


Kevin

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I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

Thanks guys, love to hear the work was worth it. Hopefully I can find more than one halloween party to be able to rock it.

Then its probably shelved till a suitable local drop presents itself... - sigh -

Thanks guys, love to hear the work was worth it. Hopefully I can find more than one halloween party to be able to rock it.

Then its probably shelved till a suitable local drop presents itself... - sigh -