So we started with my dad's old umpire chestguard.

Then templates...

More templates...

And then cut up sintra. We used the 1/8" for the plates. I also started freehanding some of the plates when we realized that the templates weren't going to fit the umpire gear at all.

I bought a big piece of leather which we wrapped over shaped EVA foam here.

The back piece, fully wrapped.

Cut out sintra for back plates.

My brother, after we started leather wrapping the chest.

The FIRST paint job, partially complete.

Shoulders/collar version 2.

Shoulders/collar version 1.

Shoulders/collar version 3, plus more paint.

We were trying to solve the articulation around the neck and shoulders here. It was going...not well.

Still not working.

Suddenly, massive improvement.

More of my dad's umpire gear. This time, shins, repurposed.

Former Nerf gun, post paint job. I should've taken a picture beforehand, but hey. We got excited. The scope didn't make the final build.

A friend of ours modeling an idea for shoulders, and experimenting with a thrift store leather jacket.

And then halfway through, the duster showed up.

[And it's awesome]

Then my brother started getting creative with his leatherwork.

Bindings to make the vest wearable.

Rivets.

Paint job mark 2.

Paint job mark 2, finished.

But then...

My brother got aggressive with weathering...

And it didn't really work.

I was unhappy with this. It was too heavily damaged.

Experimenting with the duster + vest for the first time. It didn't really fit.

Then my helmet came in.

All the gear started coming together about this point.

And this is after paint job mark 3. Crappy photo quality due to poor lighting and a filthy workshop mirror.

This holster makes me SO HAPPY. Was made out of leftover leather scraps wrapped around one of the shoulder pieces we wound up removing from the umpire vest.

Knee guards. I freehanded these because we didn't have a printer handy. Then riveted elastic velcro straps on.

Helmet and bracers - post paint, pre final weathering.

Finished helmet.

Pistol, needing touchups but basically finished.

And the finale...

Helmet seems a bit big on me, but at this point...

I don't even care, I'm just thrilled to be finished.