General New member considering Zam Wesell

The helmet is like a nightmare. I made one in paper to test, and some parts are a disaster. I should make it with calm and zen music.

Thanks, hasenscharte for the photos, now I see clear the chest armor. Silvermitt, the second ring is a good idea. I was thinking to make something like an edge, but I consider other options now.
 
I put on a mock purple bodysuit, with black lycra in between recently. I honestly can say that without all the gear, I looked like a purple minion bumblebee. I have a picture of it, but no way in hell am I sharing THAT one!

I do have a few more images taken since I dyed the vest and is now completed. Also, I have the welt seams in a leg for perusal as well. And just for the heck of it, I took a couple of pictures of the chest armor, uncompleted and simply lying atop the base leather pad. But I'm really digging the way that silver looks on the purple. ANY input on the welt seams and vest would be greatly appreciated.
http://s1382.photobucket.com/user/silvermittt/library/SW Zam?sort=3&page=1&postlogin=true

IMG_1715_zpsnt5jhypc.jpg
 
Hello Silvermint you're doing a great job, very difficult this suit .


My outfit has done a dressmaker .



The seams of your vest are well made . However the original suit only takes nine holes on the sides




On the other hand , according to the photos of the original suit , vest must not have seams in the back.back zam.jpg
 
Ah, bummer. I was trying to space them out right and got 10, which I was banking on the last set to be hidden under the cummerbund. According to the submitted CRL (but not approved as of yet), it didn't say only 9, but did say the vest is tucked into the cummerbund. So I figured I'd was relatively safe. As much research as I do, you'd think I would have caught this image. Damn!

After taking another look, it's from the runway show. I didn't scour the runway photos as much because they're not super close up images. Well, too late now. Maybe no one will notice once it's under the cummerbund. Hopefully...

LOL! The seam is the front and it's a hidden zipper. On my dummy, front and back are nearly the same flatness, much to my dismay.
 
I do not know how I'll keep the vest under cummerbund Enviado desde mi LG-D855

Well, I'm going to test hook and eye's, velcro, and even snaps with scrap leather to see which holds best. I'm betting hook and eye will work though.
Currently, I am flattening my chestplate parts so I can glue them together with minimal issues, and in between I am getting the ovary holder cleaned up (JB Weld inserted in gaps to close it up) and touch up where I mar it. By tomorrow, I'll have the chest armor and greeblies ready to attach together.
 
I think velcro can works keeping the vest under cummerbund. My first choice was snaps, but it needs to be glued, or sewed, and I don't want to manipulate the cummerbund, because it needs a lot of stuff to keep safe the greeblies. Velcro is easy to fix.
I always thought in 9 holes for the vest, but CRL does not talk about it. I guess it depends on the zammer's size. I'm not sure about this point.
 
No, Mirval, my mistake. I can count to 10, but apparently stopping at 9 was too easy. But maybe my counting skills only work Monday to Friday, eh? Lol!
 
So, last night, my husband and I worked on getting the chest armor. Nearly done, and I'll get a few pictures to share soon. But he also dug into making me a RIFLE! Other than the parts to finish machining, it's done too. This morning he took an interest in the poison dart that took out Zam. Not too sure what to think about that except that he's just giving me a sporting chance!
:rolleyes
 
All my chest armor needs os the strap behind my neck (or something else I have decided). A few updated images up in photobucket too.
I think the only parts I haven't done something in the way of starting/completing is the gauntlets. The helmet is ready to begin, but I'm waiting for the kids to go back to Grandma, so I can concentrate on it. Sunday, I should have an undersuit done. I'll still need to add hook and eye or snaps to make it tight together as a single suit, but that's not too difficult.


IMG_1730_zpsgwfgb4vm.jpg
 
I posted this at the BHG, but thought it might be useful here too for those that don't go to the Guild. My neoprene suit was sewn with silk thread and I thought it would work well as it's tough stuff. Well, not to be, so I've got some translucent nylon thread now, and am going over the entire thing with it instead. It'll be done this week, hopefully and I can post images of how I've done it by the weekend.

As I understand, the nylon is what is used in working wetsuits, so it should work well for Zam.
 
If this helps anyone else, I'm using Tanner's Bond craftsman contact cement, specifically used for leather working. I've used it with leather layers. I'm also using snaps and some velcro as a backup for if things become loose. Snaps on my greeblies: I've drilled a very small hole, placed a small ball of JB Weld over it, and used a screw to hold the snap onto the greeblie. So far, the bond is unbreakable and holding well. Leather strapping is bonded on with the cement, but it's mostly for show. The snaps and velcro backup is the key, within my stuff.

IMG_1772_zpsjmggoj4v.jpg
 
Couple of things to share:
1. Dumping all the resin and hardener in the little plastic bucket to mix up will give you a nice brick of resin. Especially since I didn't use it in 10 minutes time. Just a little resin newbie hint: Smaller mixes. Check!

2. Auto Resin will get you higher than a mother-- um, it'll get you really woozy, so open a window or go outside. Forget the window, just do this outside. Unless you want to get high. Then it's on you. I did give warning.

So, back to the Helmet of Doom!
 
Oh! I forgot it! Asking for the necessary elements in shop for the helmet (you know, resin, fibre and that stuff), they gave me a new product for harden. It's made for pepakura and 3D, and I have no idea about how it works. I build the helmet ears and I'm going to test in it. I'll keep you informed!
 
Wow! The quality of work on this is just awsome and the level of information is exactly what I was looking for. I'm starting a Zam build for my wife and have been finding practical info hard to come by. I have already altered many plans and ideas after reading this thread. My main problem now is finding paper plans for the helmet. If anyone has these available, or a link, I'd be extremely grateful. Please keep this WIP going, it is not only helping me with ideas but ghe results keep me enthusiastic about the whole project. (Which was very daunting to begin with)
 
So, I wanted to update progress, without pictures just yet. My bodysuit will be ready to sew hook & eyes to pull it together today. I've cut in two to make getting it on easier. Cummerbund is ready to trim the short side and place the last 4 eyelets after getting it on over the bodysuit. Helmet is still WIP. And my shinguards I had to make a serious change. The plastic I used as a base was super and worked great in many ways, but the darn things just wouldn't snap close and stay closed. Even after days and days of tight bands on them to keep it's shape. So, I've removed the plastic from the other two layers (thermoplastic and leather covering) and have placed inside a simple layer of thick leather. It works very well. I suppose if I had gone that route to begin with, I wouldn't have had the frustrations I had with this particular part of the costume. Keep in mind, that It's also one of the first parts I actually worked on too. Lesson learned. :)

I plan to post more pictures later, possibly Sunday or Monday. I'm currently attempting to get my children ready for back to school (And our home. Since I seriously started this project, house cleaning suffered.) I'm certain they've out grown their clothes that are suitable for school. My daughter alone is now 6 inches shorter than me now and my son isn't far off that mark either....

So, image updates early next week.
 
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