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ChaosDave wrote:Oh my first thought when seeing the title was this, a costume for a dreadnought.

*Orders an Exterminatus*

*...Twice*

To be really sure.


Back on topic, this sounds immense. *subscribes* Can't wait to see some pics.

Holy Terra, this project sounds awesome. Awfully ambitious, but awesome nonetheless.

Oh, and I too (Hell, I think everyone on the entire Dakka website) want to see some pics of the building process. I'm dubious as to the mechanics of the suit itself (Movement, getting inside, etc.) but I'm no engineer - so I'll leave the thinking up to you. I wish you the best of luck with it!

DreadnoughtMC wrote:Fiberglass and im using none powered air shocks to help counter the weight

maybe i'm the only one scraching my head on this, but fiberglass is pretty heavy, particularly in this kind of scale, and you're ultimately looking at one particularly huge problem....


how do you hope to move in this thing?


I know you plan to use pneumatic shocks to offset the weight on your body (there are better ways to do this, btw...), but how do you hope to get this thing to walk?

You could make it a static display which you can sit in. You can get the glow in the window if you install a tv or computer and play DAW 2.

Moving in the thing is not as complicated as you may think an i have been doing research on stuff like this but if i helps i am making the leg units first to get it to work also there is a reply on here saying they were hoping i wasnt making it out of cardboard but i am mixing both cardboard and fiberglass the initial in body is cardboard but i fiberglass both sides of it to strengthen it but then i take fiberglass tape (used to hold drywall together) and tape the entire thing then put three light layers of fiberglass on it the cardboard does too things because it has a honeycomb inner structure when fiberglassed it works as a light weight inner structure which allows it to be lighter then it looks
ive already built armor before and the first way i made it was extremely heavy but the second way which i just explained cut the weight of the entire armor down to a 1/4 of what it was if you want i can post some pictures of it so you can see what it looks like when i had finished it and its not flimsy at all ive spared in it and have taken direct steel sword hits to it and it only scratched the paint


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this is my lightweight armor it only weight 45 pounds all together
and this is my original one which weighed 145 pounds all together the reason the other weighs so much less then the original is because it had a cardboard inner layer the other was just molded fiberglass

Dear god...The lich king has possessed Master Chief. WE'RE DOOMED!

/offtopic

Color scheme...I dunno. Black Templar would look kinda cool.

I look forward to seeing how this progresses. It would also be nice if the peanut gallery would cut back on the cries of DOOM!!! and nay saying and see what the guy comes up with., Sheesh...

CT GAMER wrote:I look forward to seeing how this progresses. It would also be nice if the peanut gallery would cut back on the cries of DOOM!!! and nay saying and see what the guy comes up with., Sheesh...

Amen, brother! Really hoping this comes together .. the Master Chief costume looked pretty sharp!

Ive gotten use to it all to tell you the truth thats wat they said when i started my armor and see how that turned out nothing anyone will say will stop me from finishing it


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Ive decided something for those of you who are interested in this project after i am completely done with making it i will post papercraft templates for you to make your own if you are all interested i need to have more then 10 people interested in this before ill post the papercraft

CT GAMER wrote:I look forward to seeing how this progresses. It would also be nice if the peanut gallery would cut back on the cries of DOOM!!! and nay saying and see what the guy comes up with., Sheesh...

I'm not naysaying.... i'm pointing out potential flaws that should be worked out in the design sooner rather than later...

What would suck worse, finding out you hae an issue before your first panel is even made, or finding out when you go to don this thing, and realize that you're not going anywhere?


Actually, to tell the truth, you might have better luck balancing it, as well as keeping your proportions right, if you actually scaled the thing down, as the legs on a dread tend to be a bit stumpy compared to the body, which would make for easier mobility by having your knee as the hip joint, and your hip acting to rotate the pelvis... I'll post a pic if you need a bit more explanation...

No i understand where your coming from but ive figured out and am past the major hurdle already



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basic idea of how i will fit in there

Forget the nay sayers and go for it. It will be epic.

DreadnoughtMC wrote:No i understand where your coming from but ive figured out and am past the major hurdle already



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basic idea of how i will fit in there

This is exactly what I wanted to see.
I now fully understand how this is going to work.
Based on the quality of your Master Chief this thing is going to be awesome.

-CC

My only hope is that wherever you happen to be wearing this has large doors. I'm not entirely sure you could duck to get in.

So I guess you won't be going to any parties in that, yeah? I imagine getting through doors, or anywhere would be a problem

One question, in the codex it says dreads are three times the hight of a man, and most people are above 5", so it would at least have to be 16 feet tall, right

on the other hand,.......THIS IS EPIC

DreadnoughtMC wrote:No i understand where your coming from but ive figured out and am past the major hurdle already



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basic idea of how i will fit in there

Just read through through the whole thread and I have to say it looks pretty cool. One question though: have you considered foam for some non-weight bearing parts? It would help reduce the weight and allow you to shift the center of gravity. Also, make sure the feet are wide and stable enough; we had a shadowrun-like LARP over here with a few dreadnought-equivalent suits and that was the main problem; a dread that can't walk up stairs is a bit sad . Some hydraulics down there might help out a lot.

Good luck building it and make sure to put up pics!

Yeah i know doors will be a problem but i found if i make it so i can atleast crouch i can have casters under the feet and be pushed through the door due to the fact that some convention center doors are large and in regards to balancing it mi will have to show you when i get the entire cardboard mold made for it first because im going to make it so i can put it on and fix little things before fiberglassing it

Have you thought about how you are going to keep cool in this thing. I saw you say you are building it from fiberglass to keep it somewhat light weight. I ask because a cooling system will add weight and need support, because it will get freaking hot inthere.

My halo armor has a cooling system which i am also putting in the dread it only weighs a pound so it should be fine

Wow...Do you do this kind of stuff for a living? Because if so, you have one of the most awesome jobs ever.

With your skill, I'd be interested to see you do Terminator Armor. But not until after this is done, of course. Is it going to have interchangeable weapons?

no i dont but my dad taught me how to fabricate ohh and here is all the parts i will have to make for this project

This is great. I don't post alot on here but ths was worth it. Great job so far and keep up the good work. I have some questions for you
1.) How will you power it?

2.) are you using hydrolics or pnuematics?

3.) where are the load bearing supports and what are they made of?

4.) what kind of cooling system only wieghs a pound?

I understand if this is infor you dont want to give out, but if it Isnt I am very interested.

1-3 They are unpowered cylinders the same ones that are used to hold up the trunks of most cars and the coolings system is a group of 12v fans that circulate the air inside the suit with outside air the battery that powers them is a small 12v drill battery and there are going to be a special ball socket bearings in the hips and standard bearings in all of the other joints


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this is basiclly what i have for it

this is so epic

The ones i have however are adjustable and when i set them just right i wont feel the weight at all it will be like moving air because the cylinders will help lift up the limbs and hold up the suit but will be weak enough that when i try to bend the weight helps me push the cylinders without having to push hard and because of this movement will be slightly accelerated

This is gonna be awseome if it all works out

dMC, I admire you! That thing certainly looks AV 12, str 10!

Will the ankles be rigid, or will they have some sort of pneumatics as well?

I cannot wait to see the production photos of this !!

And count me as one interested in getting papercraft templates once you've pulled it all together !! While I may never build it as a costume, it sure would make a great game room centerpiece !!! Maybe I could scale it down and drop a small fridge in the torso ;-)

Do you plan on making the claw(s) operable, too ?

Ok answer for Kveldulv yes i have 8 four inch cylinders for the ankles 4 for each and for myrthe and the rest of you i can scale it down to the size where you can make it to hold a fridge of tv or entertainment center if you so wish and give it to you before i finish my large form the files will be locked sso you will only be able to make a 4 ft one reason being i wanted to be the first full size dread cosplay as long as those understand that then i will scale it down to a reasonable height


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OK for all you watching this topic any questions you have i will be answering them all this week and some of next but when i start working on this i will only be updating every other day
so ask now o hold your peace