Spoke with a few guys at D*Con and of course we always talk about stuff for the following year.

Well with the temperatures in OKC being about 75 right now its PERFECT garage weather and as I've been on vacation all this week I decided to get to work.

This is a complete scratch build going by photo's of the 1/12th model I found online.
As its going by photo's and it cannot be full size (ceiling height at the Hyatt) I'm pretty much guesstimating the whole thing.
However by building each piece (1 arm, 1 bicep, 1 leg etc) in cardboard and then making the modifications to that for accuracy I can then use the cardboard piece as a 'mold' to then build out of insulation foam to be a) stronger, b) lighter and c) much more realistic.

I strapped five 4' x 8' foam boards to the top of my Jeep and drove them home VERY carefully this morning and pulled out the cardboard and got to work.
Here is what I have so far:
Bare in mind this is just the basic shape and size, the detailing, ridges and other pieces making it more 'real' will be added piece by piece with the foam once its done.

Leg


This currently will not take any weight, but I have some thick PVC pipe which should work wonders as a stilt.
It will also be thin enough to be concealed behind the joint.
Once built in foam it will also be a lot more sturdy as if you look at the base, a gust of wind will take this thing down.

Bicep

The plan is to hinge this piece at the top of the body but not to attach the piston.
As the pistons will all be static I don't want them attaching to two separate moving pieces.

Full Arm

Notice the change in angles with the bicep. They were too curved in this picture so by adding a thin sheets of board (see previous picture) we can work with the part and make it more accurate as we go along.

The body I am struggling with however and need the help of someone with a Hot Toys Power Loader.
The body section will be built off an alice pack and strapped to me.
The lower legs will be held by shoes bolted/glued/strapped to the lower leg pieces and the arms will be attached to my arms and held in place that way.
The all the photo's I can find the full body is always covered by the arms so I'm needing someone to lift the arms out of the way and photograph the power loader from each side and from the front without the figure in it.
That way I can get the cardboard model done and test fit the whole piece before moving onto sculpting the foam.

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Daaamn bro, you're moving right along with that!!! Impressive beast!

Think it'll be able to do the parade?

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USCM- The Colonial Marines- A Brotherhood of Bad Asses!

Cherie asked about that.
While I'd 'LOVE' to walk the parade in it....I just don't know at this point.
I'd have to test it out here because 1.5 miles x2 is a long way, plus the hills.

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You were not just talking shyte, good on ya!!

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"Chief Bartender for the Naughty Corner Bar"

Carpe Crustulum!! (seize the cookie!!)

Well, you don't have to wear it TO the parade. Just carry it with our help and we can strap you in at the meeting point.

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-Spat

*covers mouth to halt 'strap on' jokes*

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"Chief Bartender for the Naughty Corner Bar"

Carpe Crustulum!! (seize the cookie!!)

Get on with it you bitch!

This is gonna be so cool!!

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AKA: Simon

Excellent idea!

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USCM- The Colonial Marines- A Brotherhood of Bad Asses!

I've got the HT powerloader, what help do you need??

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AKA: Simon

EXCELLENT!

If you could please raise the arms and photograph the body section of the loader from the front, back and sides as high res' as possible as close as possible I'd REALLY appreciate it.

...from the knees up.

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I'll see what I can do buddy

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AKA: Simon

Best of success with this project Tony!

As for everyone asking Tony to march with this... This is completely up to him and he shouldn't feel pressured.

The parade IS a long walk regardless of bringing the Loader to the staging area first. It will all depend on how mobile and especially stable Tony feels wearing/walking in it.

Mart's Power Loader was awesome, however he could only take a few steps with it surrounded by four guys in case he fell over (which he nearly did).

But if you CAN march with this Tony, more power to you!


Kevin

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

Thanks Reaper and thanks Kev.

I hadn't intended to make this Parade ready...but the plan all along was to make it mobile and light enough that I myself can walk around in it.
That plan remains....its just a case of the foam holding up to 'that much walking'.

Watch this space.....we'll see

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I just spooled through the 1,000 or so stills from the blu-ray set and found some awesome shots, but not 'exactly' what I need.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a253/cpltony/PowerLoader/Blu-Ray005.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a253/cpltony/PowerLoader/Blu-Ray006.jpg

To better explain here are some images:

If you could remove the arm (I only need one side as its symmetrical) and photograph it that would be excellent


Sadly the wiring obscures most of the detailing so if you could remove them or move them to one side that would be great.
I do believe I have the shape and detailing correct, but confirmation is what I'm looking for.

I'd rather not wing it when it comes to the details...if I'm doing this much as may as well get the detailing right.

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Attempted the top of the leg (I think it came out OK) and the layout for the body section.


Without the cage the top section looks too high and the waist section too small....may extend that out.


Making the body section 3D is what's going to take time...but specific shots from the HT model will help

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Can you pm me your email addy so I can send you the pics mate?

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AKA: Simon

Done and done, thank you!!

Temps going up into the 90's tomorrow so today may be the last time I can get out there for a while.

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No more progress on this yet. Work and computer repairs have taken over.
That being said once October is out of the way I can get the second set of hands I need to get this sized for me.


Once that's done we can get the foam board measured and constructed and really get it going.
I don't want this becoming a last minute project like Ripsticks

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i see a certain jeep in one of those pictures

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PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

Looks good Tony! The only question I have is...

Why has nobody ever vaccuformed one of these? Large parts
of the original were made that way. Seems like it would be pretty straight
forward if you made vacc bucks from wood.

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

Good point Russ....I'm really not sure.

Sure vac would be good and solid.....but would it hold up to the punishment it would take?

I'm doing foam sections (lower legs, thighs, body, biceps and forearms) all separate and they won't be joined, just attached to me.
That way my movement is not as restricted and I can move more freely.
I'm not sure if vac-form would do as well, but it all depends on how its constructed.

Oh yes HK.....the finest space filler there ever was!!
Thanks to everyone who didn't talk me out of it (that would be EVERYONE)

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Just guessing as I haven't built one myself, but if you used a wood sub frame, I imagine vacced shells
or "skins" would hold up just fine. A lot of costume body armor has been made that way over the years.
You'd have to engineer the correct tolerances so hinges and the like would "function" and not break, but it could be done.

However, YOUR method would certainly be MUCH lighter weight.

Are you making yours true 1:1 scale, or smaller?

Russ

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

1:1 scale (all though not EXACTLY) as my feet will not be as high off the ground as Ripley's were.
I'm doing that so the 'body' can be 1:1 but it will fit in an elevator and downstairs in the Hyatt better.

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lookin damn good man nice idea but how will u be hardening the cardboard and making sure it holds up.

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

See original post Cosmo.

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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