Evilboy

I was turned on to this website...decent prices too... http://www.anythingequine.co.uk/rider/footwear/mens/short-riding-boots/toggi-ottowa-jodhpur-boot Or these http://www.anythingequine.co.uk/rider/footwear/womens/jodhpur-boots/sherwood-forest-derby-boot

I figure if I do it right, I could get my first pinned post...

Hello all. I have decided I need a mannequin, and they can cost upwards of $100 US so I decided to build my own from PVC, Duct tape and expanding Foam. Here is the parts list: 1x Old thermal underwear (top and bottom) 3x + rolls of duct tape Truck bed spray liner or undercoating PVC 'Purple Primer" PVC Cement Ratcheted PVC Pipe Cutters (Wish I had this when I was making my blasters!) 10' 1.25" PVC pipe (legs, hips) 3x 1.25" PVC 4-way connectors (pelvis/ torso connector) 2x 1.25" PVC 90 degree bends (hips) 2x 1.25" PVC "T" connectors (ankles) 6x 1.25" to 1" connectors (ankle to feet [4], hips to torso[2]) 10' 1" PVC pipe (torso, arms, neck, feet) 1x PVC 4-way connector (neck ) 2x 1" PVC "T" connectors ( neck to shoulders)) 2x 1" PVC 90 degree bends ( shoulders) 2x 1" PVC 45 degree bends (elbows) An Assistant (my Wife, the geek/make-up Blogger, Pink Sithhttp://www.pinksith.com) I also used a Heat gun to bend some of the PVC Pipe, but you can do that however you choose... All of this (except my wife, of course, and the heat gun which I already had) was had for under $35 USD. The most expensive item was the Ratcheted PVC Pipe Cutters at about $16 or $17, but worth every penny! Although labeled 1-5/8", they will quickly and cleanly cut any PVC Pipe up to 2" with little or no mess! you WILL need an assistant for the first part. To get started I had my wife wrap me in duct tape, bottoms first, then top. This is self explanatory and somewhat uncomfortable.You need to wrap tight enough to get an accurate copy of your body shape, but not so tight that you cut off circulation or restrict your breathing. You should have scissors handy in case you need to be cut out quickly due to a loss of said circulation or breathing , preferably EMT style like the ones below to avoid scrapes or cuts, and, of course, to be cut out when you are done. I had her wrap me at least two layers all over with a lot of crossing over and spot filling with smaller pieces of tape. The more you use, the stronger your mannequin will be. you then have to your assistant cut this thing off of you. I personally preferred to have my wife cut the top from my neck to my waist in the back so I could pull it off in the front (easier IMHO). You will also have to cut the wrist up to just under the elbow. Then the legs from the ankle up to just below the knee and down from the waist to the crotch. I cut that in the front like a zipper, as I was cutting that myself for obvious reasons... I then went back and closed up the cut areas with a good amount of duct tape. All said and done I completely used three rolls of duct tape. I then moved on to the frame, some of which you see in these pics above. I started by putting the hips and shoulders together. you can see what i did in these pictures below. note that i used small pieces of PVC between the connectors, even where you can not see it. Shoulders__in 1"PVC and connectors_____________________________________________________________________Hips in 1.25" PVC and connectors I then added legs by placing the PVC "feet" on the bottom of the leg pipe and putting it in one leg, cutting it so the hip was at the right height, then repeating with the other leg, and loose fitting everything. I added duct tape "suspenders" to position the legs correctly. I then added the torso to the hips by sticking the 1" pipe in the hips with the sizing connector on one side and cutting it so that the shoulders would line up with my shoulders, then repeating with the other side. I then heated the PVC with my heat gun and bent it to spread the shoulder out a bit, allowing one to cool and harden before adding the shoulders and then heating, bending and fitting the other side. here it is all test fitted. Now I got sloppy with the camera and forgot to take pics of the arms, but here is what I did. I held the 1" pipe against my arm and cut the biceps and forearms to length, then stuck the together with the 45 degree angle 1"connectors for elbows. I then put the duct tape top and bottom on the frame to make sure everything was the right size and angle. Once I was happy with all the test fittings I used the purple primer on all the tube ends and inside all the connector collars. I then glued the legs followed by the torso. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR FITS BEFORE YOU PULL THE SECTIONS APART TO PRIME AND GLUE. I used 'registration marks" I made with a sharpie at all the connections to make sure I lined them up correctly. once you push the glued pieces together, you will have a very short time to make any adjustments! Now, I chose to leave the torso and body as separate parts so I can disassemble the mannequin for easier dressing in the future. Next up I will tape off the openings, fill it with expanding foam, and then trim it to my preferences and fill the base with sand...All this on the next episode of "What The Heck Did I Get Myself Into!?!"

Is your suit ABS? What paint did you use? How did you mask?

I am considering this as well...

No Problem! I happily tell everyone how awesome your helmets are...will you be making White helmets at some point?

Absolutely! Do I get Photo credit in your magazine ads? Edit Made!

Oh, I believed you, that little guy was just praying you'd post everything! Aaaaand if some pics Juuuuuust happened to show up in my inbox.... no one would ever need to know! amIrightoramiright!?!?

Pics or it never happened!

I can do the fan kit (two fans, 4 AA battery case with on/off switch) for $30 plus shipping (about $6 in the US, about $12 to $17 internationally). I will not be making more than a couple $ each, but that's not what it's about... So here is the side by side of my old helmet (AM/FX) and my new one... _______________________________AM (FX)____________________________________ARAKYEL (AT3)______

Nice. I just bought one from Dirty Boy over at MEPD...I'll post once it arrives...

Doing the side elastic today...

So here are some (VERY) rough pics of my first full fitting...I know i am missing the left shin: the glue was still drying on the sniper plate. Also, the chest is sitting high, and I need to figure out an adjustment for that... And here I am holding the chest plate lower... so...?

I think a "hunk of junk" like this should be painted tike the Millenium Falcon, but that's just me...looking great brother!

AMEN to that!

Armor Party went well. The glue on my thighs is setting, and I just need to pick up some elastic strapping at Michael's or AC Moore tomorrow...Pics to come soon

I am attending an armor party today, so hopefully I'll hammer out these final details...

AH. I knew all of that except that his name was Albin...and now I know, and knowing is half the battle...So our "secret question" would be, 'Are you a friend of Albin"...like AA uses "Friend of Bill"...

I don't know who Albin is, but someone told me I look like Jaimie Hyneman from Mythbusters...

Yeah, I put it on right after these, but my phone was dead. I will take some more pics later. I am also going to a friends house on Thursday for some assistance in final fitting...

So this has been slow going...but I have gotten the arms and legs sections glued...and I have some of the body work done. I am trying to get everything to fit right and get all the snaps in to place... here are some quickie pics i took of the main body...I know the lighting sucks, and the mirror is filthy...

Interesting. I will run a time test on these tomorrow, and test the 9v vs Two and Four AA batteries...

Yes, one 9v. I have not tested the run time on those yet, but these things are pretty efficient, so I am not too worried...

Yeah, I PM'd back and forth with him, and I am going to do the Two fan kit in 9v for him. If he is happy, I may start selling them, at about the same price as the single fan kits...