This is just an update, as I postponed this project further until life started to take off in other areas. I am still planning to create the whole suit, but needed to make profit first with my own product.

So, I have been working on a consumer electronic prototype. I patented this product design and I am finalizing design and fabrication before we can find investors! This way I have funding to make this suit entirely and in much better materials. I also have been improving my CAD design capabilities, learning programming, and making great connections in industry. I have learned so much in the manufacturing industry, started a company, work two jobs, and have freelance clients all the time.

Things are busy, but progress is sure!

Find me on Linkedin!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdchristianson/

Working on coding and a few other things!

I had this all made last month, its just been a busy season at work with other projects! Here are some pics anyways as I hope to complete the extra added features with their coding this next month!

It has been a very busy month with my job, but I have made some great preparations for this weekend's Comikaze event! We will be at the Vocademy booth (the largest one) which is where I work teaching 3D CAD and 3D printing. Here are some updates, where I am making final housings for shocks and electronics in the newer shoe prototype. Also, I built a large 2x3' light box display with Acrylic,  DIY LED panels, and roadbox top/ bottom from my own original design from scratch.

Part of the boot assembly coming together! I'm checking fittings and counter sinking screws here.

I have been sanding and painting on the new custom skeletal armor design! One great coater before primer on 3D prints is called XTC. It works good to fill in all the printed lines on the plastic first. Also the renderings are pics from the CAD model of the foot designed in Fusion 360. The blue pieces are actually waterjet cut pieces of Aluminum that overlap at each joint along the sides. 

I just printed out the all new designed boot V3 shoe portion. The aluminum siding and extra jointed section on the foot will greatly increase rigidity compared to the original you can see on my workbench. I'm working on making it look just like metal, which is exciting!

Here is a little video explaining some of the M42 Boot V3 skeletal framing. There are more components to be added and other parts to be programmed into the sketch but this is a glimpse to what the movement looks like!

Since March this year I have been designing, 3D modeling, and collecting all the parts necessary for the boot V3! Here are a couple videos of electronics testing, but I won't be releasing the printed and assembled V3 until it is closer to completion with all the integrated electronics. It's really looking and functioning great so far thought!

MK 42 Iron Man Boot V2 painted!

I finished painting the MK 42 Boot v2 last week, and here are several shots of the boot at different angles and the step forward!

It has been a year since I have posted because the project was on hold. I was working a new job in 2014 in a whole new location, without a garage at my apartment. Well, I have new designs for the boot and decided to paint the V2! I will be sanding and priming for a while today, then painting soon. I also purchased some clear coat to really make it look good if the paint job turns out well.

This past month I have been working more on my two jobs and waiting for the CNC machine to be fixed and ready for use. Its quite a temperamental machine it seems and we're working out the driver and electrical shortcomings.

Well, today I had a couple hours to work on the interior skeletal system of the boot some. I hope to pick up the pace! Here you can see what is inside the shin that will be aluminum for the prototype. just above the boot, this bone system connects into under the knee. I have been doing drawings of the mechanics for the boot for the past month, but won't be posting those draftings so the 3D work is what you will see.

The shin plate, skeletal, my leg and the calf. There is more to add and some arms and articulation for the linear actuator. My leg definitely has more calf to it than what is here I think, but the other proportions are really close.

Adding a gasket and configuring the ankle joint here.

It has been a while since an update. Alot of projects are going on right now for me but we are doing research and software work. I also need to save money for the main mechanical/ electrical items for the next phase of the project. Until the boot and interior skeletal within it are finished I won't be moving towards the magazine article and fund raising for the project. More 3D modeling is going on, but I will make some nice renders soon with the inner workings and what will be CNC aluminum.

Later!

The past few weeks have been super busy with working in NY and two other jobs. The team has been meeting and discussing/ planning various components in the suit. Its really exciting to envision some of the newer mechatronics components. 

I just made this comparison for armor scaling as it relates to a full body scan that I have of myself. This shows how Marvel really pushes the 7 plus heads high hero standards. Who in the world could have such a small head? They would have to be eight feet tall or something! Here you can see what an actual suit proportion would be for someone with a medium sized head and standing at 6' 1' with a thin frame (me). 

The MK 42 suit on the left and my body scan model on the right.

I took the helmet, torso, arms, and legs separately and scaled them to fit over this profile.

Here is the side by side from the movie to real life. The legs may even be thicker but this is pretty close to what it would look like as an armor suit scaled to my body.

Here is how the mechanism looks and how it works so far!

As you can see, we had only enough time after soldering the final wires to the board to tape it into position for demonstration. I will just create a housing for the electronics sometime next week after getting back from NY.

For right now, there is only one lock set on the left side of the calf as you see here. However, with both sides locked there won't be any play when force is applied pulling apart. Awesome work so far from our computer and electronics engineers on the team! :)

Well, we were able to successfully display at the Mini Maker Faire on Saturday! The lock mechanism was soldered just in time and it worked to demonstrate an auto locking function. Here are some pics from the start of that day. Five of the eight of us showed up for the event, which was good because we had to address the huge amount of people coming to ask questions. Kevin also showed up later on (who is working on programming a voice command "e-butler" system). I will take some more pics of the finished boot tomorrow, as I had no time to do so this past week in cramming in prints and assembly.

Setup time at the little 10x10 booth.

Matt and his girlfriend programming the gauntlet control for display.

I demonstrated the locking and movement of the boot all day, so my arms got red sun burnt!

I let kids try on the V1 boot and walk around in it. They were so excited!

The team, (minus Kevin who showed up later).

Getting Ready for the Maker Fair

Tickets are inexpensive, bring the whole family! :)

Here are some pics to show the scale of the boot, which actually looks much smaller than it is in my hands or on my leg! I am 6" 1" and the top comes up closer to my knee joint.

Yea I look tired, its been early mornings and late nights with two jobs and this project.

Off to get some good sleeeep...

Earlier today I was able to sand and weld the calf together (looks somewhat rough from slurry). Tonight I decided to just try out the calf adhered to the shin with the dampeners installed. It works great! I have yet to CNC the slider arms for the calf and still have to get the complete circuit for the lock, which I also completed the pin and housing for earlier today.

Taking a full step with articulation! 

Here are the installed dampeners which give a much more rigid motion to the shin.

Some people may consider creating the 3D prototype for this suit is a waste of time.

Well, check this out! Lets just go ahead and imagine Titanium replacing any of the plastic I design!

http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/elon-musk-shows-off-his-crazy-iron-man-inspired-3d-modeling-setup/