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Post by gregday on Dec 28, 2007 10:03:52 GMT -5
Not sure where the best place is to put this... Dullam torso Knights-Haven neoprene bodysuit Dullam cowl (better one on the way though, actually) BA magnetic utility belt w/ upgrades Fiberglass gauntlets (Mardon Callanta) Herowares accurate boots Oneill Psyko 2005 wetsuit gloves, 3mm Steel laser-cut batarangs jmtwo Grapple Gun homemade cape homemade display closet (white pine with steel and brass hardware, automatic overhead light & sensor) Just gotta get some forearm guards on the suit and I'm calling this one done. (psst... No, I'm not doing legs. This is for display, not for wear, but it is wearable.) Much more information about the project at themisc.com/~gregday/about.html
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Post by MuksC on Dec 28, 2007 11:52:21 GMT -5
wow awesome! that first pic looks like it's straight from the movie!
what are forearm guards?
the batarangs are too thick, but the whole thing looks fantastic together!
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Post by All Star Batman on Dec 28, 2007 13:08:42 GMT -5
Yowza! That is totally awesome man.
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Post by gregday on Dec 28, 2007 13:46:13 GMT -5
The forearm guards are the sections of the suit armor that go from the elbow to wrist, but you don't usually see them because they are covered up by the gauntlets. Most batsuit guys don't even bother since the gauntlets hide them, but I don't want to skimp. They should be here in a few weeks.
The batarangs may look thick, but they are 100% accurate to the ones that Bruce made in the cave on the grinder. They are not like the later generation ones that were thinner, goldish, with the beveled edge and bump in the center. These are the early ones and they are dead-on accurate. Maybe it's just me but I don't really even like the fancier gold ones. These have that rough, raw, "I'm gonna kick your butt" Dark Knight Returns ish flair to them. And they are solid steel and are totally real. You could fight with them.
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Post by gregday on Dec 28, 2007 13:49:27 GMT -5
Here's a copy of the about page I linked to in the post. I'm slowly compiling a FAQ because I get a lot of the same questions about this project.
HOW MUCH DID IT COST?
It is difficult to say, given that it's taken over 2 years to acquire, modify, and construct. Along the way some of the price tags have been forgotten or overlooked. A very rough estimate is that the suit is in the $1500-2000 range. The storage and display closet in the $600-$900 range. The weapons probably fall under $300. This does not include labor or the purchase of special tools. Nearly every component was created by a separate entity and assembled or modified to suit the task. There is absolutely no single source supplier. Because it took so long to complete, the cost was spread out. Having patience and dedication was more difficult than financing it.
IS ANYTHING ORIGINAL?
"Screen-used" original props are highly sought after by collectors and film fans. They make great conversation pieces due to their rarity and having actually been used on set. There is also an aura of mystery surrounding actual screen-used props because many of them were never intended to leave the possession of the studio, and only have because of theft or as is usually the case, a breach of contract between the studio and the prop makers. Owning an original piece that you are not supposed to have can be a thrill. However, many used props suffer damage. Film studios do not usually just create one prop for the film, but many copies so that damage is an acceptable loss during production. None of the pieces in this project are screen-used originals, but some were taken directly from the same molds of those actual originals. I am not at liberty to say which ones, but careful eyes will know.
CONSTRUCTION
The suit starts out with a four-way stretch neoskin bodysuit that zips up in the back. The bodysuit is neoprene on the outside and a soft nylon on the inside. There are also hidden black zippers in the sleeves to make it more form fitting to the arms. Between the undersuit and the armor sections is a layer of durable flexible foam for padding. The main armor section, sculpted and cast in urethane, covers the chest, torso, shoulders, upper back, and spine. Additional sections of urethane armor protect the forearms.
The cowl is cast in a slightly harder shore urethane than the suit armor. The ears are solid filled, and there are no seams anywhere on it.
The gauntlets are made from steel-reinforced fiberglass and painted satin matte black. They can actually be used defensively or offensively.
The boots are a faithful reproduction of the originals. All leather exterior, suede lining inside, zipper along the inner side, and rubber hiking boot soles on bottom for gripping.
The utility belt is made from a bronze composite, not painted, is lined with dangerously strong neodymium magnets for holding the weapons and gear. The belt has been reinforced on the inside with nylon and soft imitation leather to keep it from damaging the suit. A climbing buckle in the back secures the belt up to a 12kN pull force.
The cape has been cut from a single, seamless bat-wing shape of bamboo cotton fabric.
The Batarangs are solid 1/4" laser-cut steel replicas, identical to screen used production items.
The batsuit closet is a scratch-built reproduction of the closet that Bruce Wayne keeps in the batcave. It is made mostly from white pine with brass and steel hardware. An automatic sensor switches on the lights when the doors are opened.
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Post by ??The Riddler?? on Dec 28, 2007 15:27:23 GMT -5
[shadow=green,left,300] That is so sick man! The batarangs pawn, I am a weapon geek. I have a few but they break from use, I think my throwing cards are the most lethal for now. But really nice work on that, it is perfect! [/shadow]
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Post by electri on Dec 28, 2007 16:46:30 GMT -5
Do my eyes decieve me! Because that is the best thing I have ever seen by a fan give urself a gold medal and a pat on the back!
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Post by blackmask on Dec 29, 2007 0:33:03 GMT -5
WOW!!! how long did that take?
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Post by arkhaminmate on Dec 29, 2007 4:03:01 GMT -5
Those are amazing. I particularly love the gauntlets.
Do you think you could give us a better look at the cape?
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Post by gregday on Dec 29, 2007 13:33:22 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. The project started I suppose in fall of 2005 when I started looking for some metal batarangs like in the film. I just expected to get 1 or 2, then it turned into a framed display of about 10 or so different batarang styles. Then I got interested in the gauntlets, and around that time a prop maker appeared offering to custom build the magnetic utility belt for a pretty stiff price. I decided to go for it, and shortly thereafter got interested in the cowl... and then it spiraled out of control. I got the torso armor piece in February... maybe March. And a few weeks after decided to build the suit closet. The closet project went on full steam ahead until a few months ago and now I've just been doing small touchups to it. The last thing was reworking the cowl display armature and adding the lock to the front (can't be too careful about nosy people ) As I said, most of the sculpted pieces were made by other people. There's a cowl guy, a belt guy, a grapple gun guy, a batarang guy, etc. But I did a lot of modification to most of the pieces. Fixing the removable monofilament clip and pullback-action slide on the gun for example, or filling out the torso armor with impact resistant foam padding for added strength. I had to do a ton of work on the belt to make it usable, even though the basic front buckle and link sculpt was near perfect. There's no single source you can go to and say "Make me a batsuit!" and have it done. It's a lot of small steps. I'm not too terribly proud of the cape, and I'm working on an accurate one now but it's costing like $1000. That one you see was made on about $30 worth of fabric by myself. It's not very big and the material isn't that accurate. The real deal cape was made from electrostatically flocked parachute nylon. They use this very, very dark fabric and then run a current through it while iron filings are scattered on it. It gives it this perfect darkness and just absorbs light. The cape IS shadow. The British armed services actually use this same fabric and technique to cover up vehicles and equipment so anything flying overhead at night couldn't see it. I can stretch it out for a picture it's really just a stand-in for now.
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Post by electri on Dec 30, 2007 9:16:33 GMT -5
Can that grappling hook actually fire
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Post by MuksC on Dec 30, 2007 12:49:49 GMT -5
The forearm guards are the sections of the suit armor that go from the elbow to wrist, but you don't usually see them because they are covered up by the gauntlets. Most batsuit guys don't even bother since the gauntlets hide them, but I don't want to skimp. They should be here in a few weeks. The batarangs may look thick, but they are 100% accurate to the ones that Bruce made in the cave on the grinder. They are not like the later generation ones that were thinner, goldish, with the beveled edge and bump in the center. These are the early ones and they are dead-on accurate. Maybe it's just me but I don't really even like the fancier gold ones. These have that rough, raw, "I'm gonna kick your butt" Dark Knight Returns ish flair to them. And they are solid steel and are totally real. You could fight with them. ah i see, the arm bits of the suit we see in the cave scene? and i think the whole point of him using the grinder was to make the beveled edges of the Batarangs: from this: to this: he (or someone else) firstly cut/stamped the Batarangs out of the main piece of material, and now he's fashioning them down and giving them a beveled edge and therefore a sharp edge that can hurt or dig into things, plus they'd be lighter than the thick ones. i don't think in the story he ever used the thick Batarangs, as he's already grinding down the edges before his "first night out" meeting with Gordon or at the warehouse confrontation with Falcone's men.
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Post by gregday on Dec 30, 2007 15:59:21 GMT -5
No the grapple gun does not fire. It's a static prop. The clip is removable and the slide pulls back, but other than that, it's a solid piece. Yes, the forearm armor is that piece. In the quick shot of the nomex survival suit, you can actually see it's a separate part: You can also see the top torso piece and leg protection are separate pieces, which is how most of the batsuits in Begins were really made, and how mine is made. Armor sections attached down to a neoprene bodysuit. I'm not really sure why the forearm piece here would be totally separate, but in closeups of the survival suit you can see it actually laces up around the open section, so maybe it's just easier to get your arm through the neo sleeve first. I understand about the batarangs, but the only point I'm making is that the thicker ones were at least in the film at some point, and I just like them better. They also hold up to damage a lot better than thin razor sharp ones. These are still pretty sharp, just not razor. There were some guys making ones somewhat similar to the later style, but none out of metal, except for one which was aluminum and that was so light it wouldn't do any damage to my bare foot if I dropped it sharp end first! If a talented metal worker comes along who can make the goldish, razor sharp, beveled edge batarangs, I might pick up a couple. I would even be open to putting all thick ones on one closet door and all razor ones on the other door. But I'm pretty happy for now. Here's one of the earlier, thicker ones on display at the Toronto Comic Con awhile back.
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Post by MuksC on Dec 30, 2007 16:23:27 GMT -5
I see, it's your preference and i'm cool with that.
and that suit before being painted black looks pretty awesome. it would be great to have a replica of that on a display stand the way Bruce has it while painting it.
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Post by gregday on Mar 10, 2008 12:43:16 GMT -5
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Post by electri on Mar 13, 2008 11:42:02 GMT -5
wow amazing work ever thought of going to WB and getting something like this for a movie just your own style of the batsuit. Because you have massive talent which must be shown to the world!
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Post by gregday on Apr 5, 2008 11:38:28 GMT -5
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Post by MuksC on Apr 5, 2008 15:20:18 GMT -5
looking great! the bottom pic is so ominous.
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Post by batfan93 on Apr 6, 2008 3:16:30 GMT -5
It's awsome! I wish I could atleast make myself a gauntlet for the left hand. I only have a right one....
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Post by jasontodd2 on Apr 7, 2008 5:47:49 GMT -5
wOw... Everything is looking great, from the pics I have seen. Some of the picture links are not working =(
But those gauntlet look amazing
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Post by gregday on Apr 8, 2008 0:43:34 GMT -5
Yeah I recycle pictures all the time. Every time I get a new favorite set of photos I ditch the old ones. I don't want a million photos, just a couple that are just right. I intentionally play with lighting to take ominous photos. Sometimes I think of the suit hanging there in the locked closet and it's really like a demon locked away. These were taken with the old fiberglass gauntlets. I need to resetup these shots and do it over again with the new metal ones. They are way more fantastic in photos. Such sharp angles, great reflection. And one of the cowl Big changes coming for the cowl soon. Trying not to say too much right now about that. But big things. Belt and cape changes coming too. Also not 100% done with the suit torso. Just wait and see. Lord help me if I ever get started on legs.
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Post by batfan93 on Apr 8, 2008 0:52:14 GMT -5
Damn fine work!
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Post by The Dark Knight on Apr 9, 2008 22:34:29 GMT -5
everything looks great! i especially love the cowl!
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Post by jasontodd2 on May 1, 2008 18:22:24 GMT -5
Any Updates?
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Post by To The Batcave! on May 21, 2008 8:43:27 GMT -5
impressive amount of work and devotion you are putting into this suit. nice job!
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