Runboard.com
Слава Україні!
Main | How To | Vehicles | Gallery | Trade | AG

runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?)

Page:  1  2 

 
Batwog89 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 01-2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 96
Reply | Quote
mounted 89 RD suit


Hey all.

I just got all my 89 RD goodies from PJ and I have to say...wow....
These pieces are all truly amazing and the best quality urethane so once again thanks mate.
I have been waiting to suit up for too long now and they other night I got my wish.
Firstly let me say that this process is pretty full on as no doubt you all know what I am talking about.
I have to say a big thankyou to my gf for helping me with this and I gotta say that she did an amazing job for a first timer...lol
Firstly she wrapped me in glad wrap so any glue that seeped through did not burn my skin. I then had to stand still for two hours while she glued me down.
The undersuit I used is a faux leather type which I got from spandexman courtesy of phocker for putting me onto it so thanks buddy. I had a neoprene undersuit and this one is way better for movement and it does not get hot at all.
I still have to glue all the edging attach the cape to my custom harness bracket which I ended up glueing the base plate on the inside of the torso instead of going for the whole leotard get up.
Still to paint my belt and buckle and attach the armor to my RD boots so stay tuned for more posts.

Thanks
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
6/12/2011, 11:42 pm Link to this post Send Email to Batwog89   Send PM to Batwog89 Blog
 
NightwingBegins Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 05-2004
Location: Winchester, VA
Posts: 310
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


Looks great, sir.

Just curious, How tall are you?
6/13/2011, 12:50 am Link to this post Send Email to NightwingBegins   Send PM to NightwingBegins
 
Batwog89 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 01-2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 96
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


Thanks...im around 5"8-5"9
6/13/2011, 12:54 am Link to this post Send Email to Batwog89   Send PM to Batwog89 Blog
 
BatNar Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 10-2008
Posts: 210
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


Here's a little run down of my experiences in hopes to help anyone who is putting together their first 89 bat suit (or any other movie bat suit for that matter).

Mounting your first suit is a very exciting but tricky task. Much like putting together your first computer, from motherboard up. If you don't spend enough time researching the right ways to do it before hand, you may end up with serious problems later. Some which can prove to be quite costly and irreversible in the long run. One of the things I've had problems with when I put my first build together, was not being able to see the mistakes I made because I was so stoked with the items I had in hand, it literally blinded the perfectionist in me as well as common sense.

For instance, I glued my first torso too low and my legs too high, thinking both parts had to meet at the edges as close as possible which would be hidden by the belt, making my armor look seamless. This made me look scrunched up and smaller than I really was. It didn't help that the urethane 89 Bob D armor I used was made for big boys standing at least 6 feet tall. I'm between 5'7 - 5'8 feet tall.
Had I spent more time studying as many still frames, photo shoots and other Keaton images openly available to me before mounting it, I would have avoided this problem for sure.
And I actually thought I looked good the night I wore it for Halloween, but when I got to see the first pics posted of me on a network site, I saw the problems clear as day. It was kind of embarrassing and disappointing at the same time. I was like ..."wow..that's how I looked?" *face palm*.

I learned a valuable lesson here. Patience really is a virtue and I didn't respect it when I got my first pieces. I wanted to suit up right away! And the results were less than perfect for the trade I sacrificed.
So, after some time, I realized I had to somehow dismount the armor from the under suit so I could do it over again. Though I had planned out how to remount the armor on me correctly that time around, I had another problem. The removal of the armor pieces. Get ready to cringe....
   
I literally yanked the pieces off the fabric. While some parts came undone without much trouble, many areas of my armor broke and was seriously damaged from the inside. I never should have done that. >_< But I really had no idea how else to do it. I figured I'd have some damaged but salvageable parts to work with. I even tried using cyano glue (super glue) remover which was also a stupid thing to do. It's basically ACETONE and it will activate and break down the chemicals that make up urethane. I didn't use much before I realized it wasn't good. Man, I was learning all sorts of sh-t the hard way. Oh if only... if only i had a DREMMEL rotary tool!

If I had one of those hand held machines back then, I could have totally saved my armor from any severe damages. First, all you'd have to do is cut out the valuable armor pieces from your under suit (which you'd have to sacrifice, but no big deal if it's cheap spandex) then simply use the tool with a medium to high grit sanding drum to dpo away any fabric and glue residue left behind on your rubber. And while you're at it, you can also clean up the entire "glue zone" of any irregularities (lumps and bumps) which will actually help adhere the armor even better to your new under suit and look even cleaner as well. Gotta be careful with the tool though and not over sand the rubber, or else you may make it thinner and weaker.

Well... finally....Now that I own one of these life saving tools, I managed to dismount the armor again and though it was already damaged in many areas, I was actually able to clean it up really well. Well enough for either one more mount or just for display, which is what I decided on when I retired it. I'm now much more careful and never rush with this stuff. Patience (and I mean a lot of patience), extensive research, lots of love and care can help you put together a flawless "studio quality looking" build. You'll go through a bunch of phases. First time around, most look at this like just great costume pieces. Forgiving of mistakes and such. But eventually, if you're really a fiend about this batman costume stuff, the perfectionist bug will bite you. It then becomes pure art.

I know I originally I pointed out something about these pics you posted in my original post, Batwog. I noticed your cowl didn't quite line up with the emblem crevice on your torso. But you already made it clear to me via email that it indeed line up and it was just the result of you tilting your head far back for the pics. Great. I'm really glad because that would have been a real problem for your neck in the long run if you had to position it in an unnatural state just to make sure the parts connect. I've seen this problem before and I of course fell victim to that as well on my first go around. To avoid this problem, you want to keep your cowl on prior to permanently mounting the torso to make sure they both line up perfectly when wearing the full suit. You can then make note of the distance use it as your guide when you glue things up unless you have someone that can help you apply the glue as you stand there with these pieces on.
This way when you wear it, you can get the most comfort possible and avoid any neck pains.
A little glue goes a long way with urethane and spandex.

Speaking of positioning your parts prior to gluing, when mounting your armor, spend lots of time experimenting with it first so you can get the best look possible from every angle, according to your unique body shape. Sometimes the eyes play tricks on you making you think you look perfectly fine. Maybe taking pics prior to mounting can help you decide whats best.
One thing I've seen many do, including myself, is mounting the torso too flat on our chest, almost completely messing with the original state of beautiful shape the armor. The results can make it seem like you have a big gut with a six pack on it and a flat caved in chest. A way to avoid this issue is by making sure you are standing comfortably first. If you think you can withstand the pain of pumping your chest out and sucking in your stomach in for hours, then ignore this tidbit, lol. If not, then you can slightly bring up the serratus (rib cage muscles) further in the arm pit zone. Not too much, but enough where the chest part perks out further. Perking out the chest can also enhance the look of the top two ab muscles and give the illusion of a super hero like stance even in a relaxed state. Use small slabs of foam if you need to, within the pectorals so it doesn't cave in on you.

Ahh.... and finally... and this one may or may not sting... but its your calve parts. If I'm not mistaken, and maybe PJ can help me here since he makes those parts. I think you glued those in opposite direction bro. The rounded parts are supposed to go on back on your calves. Honest mistake champ! If I'm correct, do not freak out.
Remounting in the future is pretty inevitable once your "screen accurate" hunger grows further and you will have the opportunity for part 2 emoticon. Just make sure you don't try and dismount the rubber like I did with my first suit lol!
This is why I posted all of the above bro. And its for anyone who is currently building their first suit. As long as you don't make the mistake I made, you're wonderful armor will last for years to come. Purchase a Dremmel rotary tool set!!! Trust me!

Alright, I gotta get back to work now but we'll catch up more on the cowl business in email later. :luck:




Last edited by BatNar, 6/14/2011, 4:07 pm
6/13/2011, 8:27 am Link to this post Send Email to BatNar   Send PM to BatNar Blog
 
Sylar79 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 11-2008
Location: South Africa
Posts: 223
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


No man NAR!

i skipped over it at work cause I thought I'd read it when i get home. hmmm wonder if that page is still open on my Mac... it was at least worthy of a ''How did they do that'' post me thinks!

---
Neil
The Cave is where its at
6/13/2011, 3:40 pm Link to this post Send Email to Sylar79   Send PM to Sylar79
 
kapow7 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 02-2009
Posts: 188
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


Looks great can't wait to get mine .
6/14/2011, 6:38 am Link to this post Send Email to kapow7   Send PM to kapow7
 
Keatonknight Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 02-2010
Posts: 23
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


Great job Batwog :oneup:

---
Keatonknight
6/14/2011, 9:52 am Link to this post Send Email to Keatonknight   Send PM to Keatonknight
 
BatNar Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 10-2008
Posts: 210
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


quote:

Sylar79 wrote:

No man NAR!

i skipped over it at work cause I thought I'd read it when i get home. hmmm wonder if that page is still open on my Mac... it was at least worthy of a ''How did they do that'' post me thinks!




After I saw my post, I felt like I was disrespecting the attention to Batwog's post. But he emailed me and approved the comment. I can re-post everything I said since it's basically something I'm always reminded of when I'm working on my build. I'll be back later and update the edited post brothers. :detective:
6/14/2011, 11:23 am Link to this post Send Email to BatNar   Send PM to BatNar Blog
 
H3llz Manik Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 03-2011
Posts: 14
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


i cannot wait to get mine!!! this looks fantastic!!!!!
6/16/2011, 1:46 pm Link to this post Send Email to H3llz Manik   Send PM to H3llz Manik Blog
 
phocker Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 10-2009
Location: a cave near you
Posts: 190
Reply | Quote
Re: mounted 89 RD suit


Wog I'd suggest adding some padding on the top of your head to get rid of the gap underneath your chin.

the armor looks flawless great job Paul.

---
-----------------------------------
Rob
6/18/2011, 12:18 am Link to this post Send Email to phocker   Send PM to phocker
 


Add a reply

Page:  1  2 





You are not logged in (login)
Main | How To | Vehicles | Gallery | Trade | AG