New helmet and mask (Posted 5th October 2012)

Well, so much happier with how this looks compared to the old one.

Where last time I had red pespex lenses, it was too easy to see my eyes. After consulting a few lovely people who helped me, I've used reflective red window film for the eyes this time. You're meant to attach it to the lenses, but I ran out of time and was terrible at that anyway, so the film is just help taught between the foam frames - it seems to work :)
The whole thing's had a new coat of paint as well, along with some weathering.
The helmet is brand new, having been given to me by CyanideCustard - it's a helmet liner, and all I had to do was trim off the front and add my pepakura'd lightbox - still with working lights. Again, more black spraypaint and attacking it with scissors to weather it
I also finally managed to put a fan into this - huzzah. Last October I had to walk around without my helmet on indoors becuase of fogging, which was a pain when I was asked for photos. The fan does unfortunately just look like a fan as I couldn't make a good housing for it, but I'll see if I have time to fix that. There're also vents around the eyes that make it harder to see but should help stop the fogging.
The whole thing slots together so much better now too, so should be easier to put on

Gun (Posted 5th October 2012)

Right, almost finished the gun. This is a toy pistol very kindly given to me by Rob - I don't know how he manages to find such cool guns in toyshops up north, but I couldn't find anything locally.
It used to make sounds but I took out the batteries becuase that would just annoy me ^_^' I traced over the detailing that was already there in gold pen - it's not quite the same as the pattern on the Ranger Sequoia, but it's close enough. The whole thing then had a coat of translucent black spraypaint to make it look less shiny and new. Just got the NCR Bear sigil to add to the handle, and it's done

October 2012 (Posted 30th May 2012)

So, pictured is the basis for my re-wear of this for October 2012 - a new toy gun very kindly given to me by Rob, and a replacement helmet from Codename for the one that never arrived. Obviously both need painting, but other than that should be fine.

List of other improvements to be done:
~ New jeans. The old ones actually fell apart at the seat after last October, so I'll try and get some new ones to destroy in only the right places
~Better helmet lightbox, probably using the pepakura file
~Mask improvements. Either making the whole thing again out of foam, or just smoothing the old one. Also I'll be adding a fan, and a voice box if I can get hold of one (though I dunno where...)
~New waterpack made out of plastazote so it'll be smoother.

Also, Xero will be cosplaying Boone in the ranger armour - so basically the same as this but with the beret and sunglasses. While he plans to make the armour himself, I'll be doing the coat and straps, so I'll post up that one too.

Lots of progress! Woo (Posted 26th August 2011)

Well, it's been quite a while since I put up a journal for this costume (oops).
The coat is pretty much finished, and I'm actually really happy with it. I decided to put darts in the capey bit even though the game models have almost no seams on their coats (>_<) - this meant I had to stencil over the seam, but that's still in fitting enough (the coats were the trademark attire of Desert Rangers, who later joined the NCR, so it would've been done like this anyway. Honestly =p)
The breastplate is finished and fitting better all the time (though I have to bind my chest >_<).
Arm guards are pretty much done - literally just held on by string, but I still need to figure out what is stenciled on to them. I looks like "RA-1" or "PA-1" on the arms and "LA" something on the hands (Maybe LAPD again?) - if anyone knows, please let me know too ^_^'
The belts are more or less done, I just need one more buckle for the belt that goes round my middle.
The mask is slowly recovering from it's 4th coat of papiermache, and it quite solid now. Just waitning on the helmet, then I'll get carving all the weird bits of the headgear ^_^

Progress - 9/8/11 (Posted 9th August 2011)

Slow progress on this costume since I've been working on my MGS1 Meryl, but I finally have something to show - I've cut out all the foam pieces for the chestplate and arm guards. I've also cut a piece of heavy duty canvas to glue them to - combined with enough webbing and elastic around the back, this'll make it hug close to my form without being too thick.
The mask is coming along well - I've taken the prototype, changed it a big and capped off the front properly. I've also covered it in masking tape ready to be papiermached - I decided I didn't want to spend all day with resin dust getting in my eyes and throat.
I've ordered torches to go on the side of the helmet, and just need to get the helmet (which Asten is very kindly sending to me ^_^) and cut the various foam bits to go onto it. I also need to cut foam for the little waterpack on the back.
The coat is coming along well, with the basic panels being in place - just need to add the sleeves before I can check if it's the right size.

Progress so far (Posted 31st July 2011)

Well, the fabric arrived and was the wrong colour. The replacement was still not the colour I expected, but it'll do. So fabric is sorted out. foam arrived too.

Main actual progress is in the form of the chest templates, which are ready to be cut out of foam. I've also done a quick gas mask prototype based on a pepakura file that I found. I'm going to change it a fair bit before cutting out a final template, which I will then cut out and coat in resin or similar to make it durable enough.

I've also decided that I don't want a plastic rubbishy helmet for this, so I'm going to splash out on an airsoft helmet or similar, which unfortunately bumps up the price ridiculously.