Mass Effect N7 Armor Build!

I will update this blog every few days with my build progress on the N7 Armor from Mass Effect 2. I am making a matching set, one male version and one female version.

Step one: Reference
I ended up installing the PC version of the game, even though I already have the 360 version because trying to get screen-shots off the Xbox is a complete pain in the ass. Posting the images I am going to use in case anyone else wants to use them.

Male Version:

Proposed Final Color Scheme:

Yes I used the “Obama” character code. 😆

Female Version:

Proposed Final Color Scheme:

(Note: Female color scheme may change numerous times prior to completion due to changes in mood, time of day, wind direction, etc. 😉 )

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Paper pattern for Male Chest plate and Cod piece completed. Now I’ll cut it up and start tracing it onto the foam pieces.

How I make my patterns:
First I take measurements to make sure that I have the proper scale for the pieces. To keep it as symmetrical as possible I only draw/sketch out one half of the pattern. I then fold the paper in half down the middle. Using a light table, I then trace the 2nd half of the pattern onto the other side. For areas where the foam will curve or wrap around the body I have to allow for that on the patterns and elongate or extend the pattern. For this I will sometimes draw the patterns distorted, but more often I cut the foam larger than the pattern trace lines to allow for the distance and size that will be lost on the curve. (this will be more easy to understand as I post more steps)

Chest pieces cut out:
Note how the cod piece is cut larger than the pattern. This is to compensate for the size that will be lost when it is heated and rounded into shape. Also the mid section and abdomen have extra areas and length added where they will be overlapped and glued together.

End of progress for day one,.. 5 hours. Basic parts of chest cut and basic pattern outlines burned in. Still a lot of polishing and refining to do. Parts are not yet glued into place, simply laid on top of one another for the photo.

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Just a recap for the newcomers. I’m using EVA closed cell sheet foam. You can order this in different thicknesses and sizes (without the patterned surfaces) from http://www.mcmaster.com/#eva-foam/ and you can get the exact material I am using here from most automotive/hardware stores (also online but in store is always cheaper) It is sold as interlocking floor padding. Just search for “EVA sheet foam” or “EVA floor padding”.

(note the padding in the photo has the “diamond plate” pattern on the back,.. I am using a different brand that has the rubber coated crosshatched pattern on the back)

I am using the back side as the surface to get the patterning on the armor. Some areas will be made smooth as per the design and some will be left with that pattern.

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Ok,.. so my goal is to make the Female breast-plate in one piece rather than putting multiple parts together. In order to do this I had to custom build a special form to stretch the foam over. I took a piece of wood and mounted 2 domed objects onto it.

Don’t ask me what those objects are because I have absolutely no idea what the hell they were originally. I was doing my weekly thrift store pillaging and found a bunch of these half round plastic objects for $1 each with funny faces painted on them. They were the perfect size and shape that I needed so it was just pure chance.

I then cut a piece of Plexiglas to use as a press on the lower half where the breast-plate needed the hard line definitions. I drilled guide holes along the bottom and mounted pegs into the wood base to slide the Plexiglas down over. Then I heated a sheet of foam in the oven using the broiler and when it was hot enough I slapped it onto the form and pressed the plexi down onto it.

This was just a test press to see how it would work. I’m pretty happy with how well it came out, but I’m going to try making a few more when I have someone else here to assist me with pressing and stretching. I think with another set of hands I can get a more well defined piece.

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Day 3
Female chest and abdomen pattern, parts rough cut. Rough outline of details drawn on in sharpie, still some alterations to do before cutting/burning in the patterns.