Tutorial: Metal Gear MSF styled stabo gear

Giga Bread

Giga Bread

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What you'll need.

1) MSF Stabo set from Shapeways
2) x-acto blade
3) pen
4) cork backed ruler
5) tweezers
6) super glue (preferably a fresher bottle, unlike mine)
7) medical tape, micro canvas, or heavy paper
8) dummy figure- Since this method involves a little direct glue to the figure until the harness is constructed, I use a dummy figure with the same measurements, so I don't destroy the paint job of of the figure I'm making this harness for.
9) wire snips

Tips...

1) Don't sneeze, exhale in frustration, or work next to an open window on a breezy day. Once your printed items are separated from the sprue, they can easily be lost forever.
2) When clipping sprues of printed items, always use wire snips. Bending it until it breaks can often break you don't want broken and an x-acto knife puts too much force on one side of the cut. You need to use wire snips because it spreads the pressure on both sides of the piece being cut.
3) Immediately bag up printed parts not being in use.



Here's a shot of the MSF gear set after it's been printed. The set is actually 2 sets as it's real easy to lose or chip pieces. There are a total of 4 belt buckles in this set, the 2 spares can be used for pistol belts.



I like to take a length of the medical tape and practice wrapping it around the figure to get the pattern right as well as the length.




I'll usually start around the hip, and pull it over the shoulder, and back down across the middle of the back and to the otherside of the hip.

 
Giga Bread

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I then wrap it over the top of the thigh piece, and then around the back, reconnecting back up at the hip. Continue over the front of the torso and up over the shoulder.



Like before, cross it of the middle of the back, down to the hip where you began.



Cross it over the front of the thigh and wrap it around.



With you pen, make notations of where the excess is as well as where those gear pieces are going.
 
Giga Bread

Giga Bread

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Place the piece along a ruled surface to give you an idea of the lengths of material you'll need. If you used medical tape, you can just press it to the surface and leave it as a reference.



I'll then take a length of tape that's been folded over itself all but 1/4". Cut two length's that's just a little less than an 1/8" in width. It really should be around 3/32" for accuracy purposes, but an 1/8" will suffice. The buckles are designed for 1/8" on the dot, so if it's on the strong side, it's going to create problems down the road.

If you're using a material that has no adhesive, just simply cut the pieces.



The end that is only one sided, cut a middle out of it. The bottom of the printed piece is fused in the middle of the loop to help add a little support, so a knotch has to be taken out for it to fit.



Go ahead and slide them through, fold over, and glue.

 
Giga Bread

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I figured out ahead of time, using the template, how much slack I need. The piece has a spot of glue at the hip, to kind of hold it in place temporarily. This is why I use a dummy. Also be sure to the have the material rotated so it's not parallel with the torso. You want the ends pointing at 10 and 4 o'clock.



Like during the practice, you pull it over the shoulder, cross the middle of the back, only this time, you're sliding the buckle from the other length on, folding over and gluing. Be sure to use your marked references to get the placement right.



Follow the pattern that's been established, and glue everytime the material overlaps itself. If you end up with a little extra at the end, it's easier to just cut the excess off with the snips once you remove the harness to be painted.



Now for the belt. With another length of material that's been cut to 1/8", cut the ends so you have a point in order to feed through the belt. Below is an image of it sliding into the loop. If you're using the micro canvas, this will slide easily. If you're using the medical tape, save yourself some trouble and just snip off those loops. The material will be too thick to slide through, and will only make a fuzzy mess.

 
Giga Bread

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Slide the material through the gap of the buckle and glue to the back.



Position the buckle to the center of the belly and wrap around the waist, gluing it to the harness at the hips.

You'll feed the end into the other end of the buckle and use some tweezers to pull it taut.

At this point, carefully use the tweezers to separate the harness from any spots where it's been glued to the figure.



To take the harness off, just separate the unglued end of the belt from the buckle, unscrew the legs and remove for painting.

There is more that can be done like adding the pistol belt or the cross piece over the chest, but I think after this, you'll get the jist of how it's done.

 
K-Tiger

K-Tiger

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I'll never do it, but it looks damn awesome.
 
Giga Bread

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K-Tiger said:
I'll never do it, but it looks damn awesome.
Click to expand...

I was fulfilling a number of requests. I know full well there's only a few people who would do something like this and they don't need no fracking tutorial. :)
 
Giga Bread

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Thanks guys. I do have to warn that the printed material isn't load bearing and can easily snap. The alternative I've seen is with using styrene bits but to me they are just as fragile. In other words, it's for men who model, not men who play with dolls.
 
K-Tiger

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Giga Bread said:
Thanks guys. I do have to warn that the printed material isn't load bearing and can easily snap. The alternative I've seen is with using styrene bits but to me they are just as fragile. In other words, it's for men who model, not men who play with dolls.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my figures get handled quite a bit so that wouldn't do.
 
G.I.*EDDIE

G.I.*EDDIE

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That is a VERY impressive detail...one that I wouldn't necessarily use for every figure I do, but a very cool detail for a personal favorite figure...and I guess if someone were to get at it, maybe it could be a detail to use often...

So where's the link to the Shapeways set?
 
K-Tiger

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Ever thought about using aluminium flashing for the buckles, Giga? It occurs to me that it can be cut with scissors and a box knife, and may just give a bit more durability to the whole thing. Just a thought.
 
Giga Bread

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G.I.*EDDIE said:
Is that the strongest material to order them in?
Click to expand...

Currently for the wall thicknesses, this is the only material and it isn't the strongest. It kind of has to be treated as a permanent solution and I've found that it's naturally strong in relation to the figures movement. If it's kept a little loose, shouldn't be many issues, if there is, it's highly responsive to super glue.

I'm hoping in a year they'll upgrade their machines and bring the WD material walls down about .2mm.

I know it's small but you can really tell the difference the FUD and WD.
 
Giga Bread

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K-Tiger said:
Ever thought about using aluminium flashing for the buckles, Giga? It occurs to me that it can be cut with scissors and a box knife, and may just give a bit more durability to the whole thing. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

I've done a lot stuff like that but I made this to cut down on my production time. I think Obi uses styrene but I've found that stuff breaks just as easily as the printed stuff and I can never get it looking nice.
 
Giga Bread

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Fled74 said:
Is it much more expensive to photo-etch brass or aluminum into buckle sets?
Click to expand...

If someone knows how or where I can get that done they'll have mad props. photo etch brass at the hobby shop would seem a lot cheaper based on the size and cost. I just don't know how much it is for custom photo etch.

Actually, I'm going to suggest to Shapeways that they invest in some photo etch. They already print in the material. Might as well offer photo etching for items with thin walls.

In other words

:goodone:
 
Fled74

Fled74

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Australia
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I know such services do exist for customizers, I remember an older issue of FineScale Modeler magazine where a guy had a custom photoetch pattern made (for an aircraft carrier, I believe).
Sadly I don't have it anymore, I donated all my old books and magazines before moving to Australia.
 
Giga Bread

Giga Bread

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I think I'd rather buy a bulk run and scalp the hell out of the extras. I can't store anymore chemicals I'm told
 
Giga Bread

Giga Bread

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Update on photo etching. I asked shapeways if they would ever consider it since it is a form of 3d production and it was met with the usual nerd hostility. But they did lead to a place that does custom photo etch, it's just fracking expensive and requires a considerable financial investment on my part.
 
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