Acrylikhan

Many thanks, Nairod. Should be posting some new pictures in a few days. Work has been unforgiving as of late! Should have some new shoulder picks, and hopefully a set of pictures for the knee armor. -fk

Ouch! I'll have to paint the tube a lighter grey! Thanks for the compliment on the endcaps! -fk

! Looks like I should shorten the bottom front just a tad, and narrow it slightly. Damn! I guess the research paid off!! -fk

A slight detour from the knee armor direction: Great thing about pushing overtime, sometimes good things happen besides getting double pay for those extra hours. The last three days, I have been knee deep in dead. I mean, silicone. Since we mix batches by hand, any extra silicone is free game. We have a system were we estimate how much silicone we need to pour a section of a mold. Sometimes we're short, and sometime were over... but not by much. I think in the six years I've been in the prototype industry, the most we were EVER over was four pounds. Overjoyed, I hastily assembled a parting-line block in twenty minutes, and poured the first section. Then again on wednesday morning with two pounds left over. My buddy got there first, but I was able to scrap just enough out of the bucket to pour the second half! I started casting this morning, and got some great parts! My biggest worry was that the castings wouldn't fit on the ends of the sump pump hose. As you can tell, I was sucessful! Attaching the end caps to the hose will be very easy. First I will coat the tube part of the end cap with epoxy. After the epoxy has set for a couple of hours, I will drill a pilot hole through the hose and the end cap tube, and then use a regular self tapping wide head screw to keep it secure in case wear causes the glue to fail. The screwheads will be facing toward my back, so that they will be hidden from view. Urethanes tend to yellow with age, and with exposure to UV light. These will have to be painted, but I really don't mind it at all. Next stop, the detonator housing, and then how and where to attach the ALICE clips! Also, working on that Knee Armor. More to come! -fk

Tank you! Do you think it looks accurate? I know I know it's card board, but does it have some of the spirit of the screen used? -fk

Okay... some snape shots with the boots. The cardboard is a bit more flexible than plastic. But, what do you guys think? On the money? Close? Comments are well come! LadyChost: Probably we'd take the cuff down to about mid-calf, if I'm reading the movie stills right. -fk

Here we go again! Increased the size of the knee armor like I last discussed. Took a photo of V2 with V1. I used the Lucasfilm archive shot of the Scout for some different perspective. I kept all the angles the same from the last time. I also changed the shape of the top front piece. The side still cut back at about 60-degrees and the top section slopes back at 140-degrees. The increase in size looks right, and feels better. I should have some room for foam padding. In other news: The shoulder armor is still elusive. Should be posting new pictures next week for that. I'll post pictures with my boots after I get home from work tonight. That is, IF they let me come home! -fk

Congrats! Hoping for a great new year! -fk

Thanks for the adjustment offer, ladyghost! I think I'm going to complete the knee section first before i send the boot to ya. So It could be a month or so. For now, I just folded the boot cuff inward until I get everything just right. Thanks for the comments! -fk

So here it goes... a new mock-up. It still needs to be about one inch or so bigger on all sides. At least this one looks better than the one I did yesterday. Though this one is smaller. Amazing what a little cardboard and some hot glue can do. I took some photoes with my boots. The angles I used for the sides is too narrow. I think I will go closer to 40-degrees or 45-degress. The plastic will a bit more rounded too. I think the extra inch or inch and a half that I will added to the entire piece will help with foam padding on the inside. Using this screen still, I compared my set up with the movie costume. I folded the cuff over a little, and it looks more closer to the movie boots. From the pictures I have strap for the sides, looks like it falls right under the back of the knee joint, where the calf muscle "folds" in. Tried simulating what it would look like on a speeder bike. Yeah... The knee armor needs to be a little bigger and wider! Progress marches on. - fk

Thermal Detonator Parts: COMPLETE! Add a zip tie to steady the sump pump hose, and I'm all set! (and trime the hose down a little bit more...) I will be molding the endcap hopefully next week, and then perhaps three weeks later, the thigh box and the thermal detonator casing will be molded together. Painted white, and one piece will be officially done! -fk

Here's another pic we took eariler in the day, before we had to re-shoot. She realized that in the photos the belt in the right place but the cummerbund was too low. Might need a new cummerbund? -- Onward and upward, my Imperial Scouts!!! I've started the endcaps for the detonator today. I had been looking for PVC endcaps, but couldn't find the right one to properly fit the size of the sump pump hose. Let alone an endcap that was SOLID. Time to improvize. I found a collar with a coupling that was about the size I needed. I first removed the "grips" from the outside edges and the threading from the inside. I cut down a piece of flat PVC to fill in the hole in the middle, bonding it together with your standard plumber's PVC cement. After an hour, I started filling the gaps with Bondo. Sanded, then Primed looking for some trouble spots. Looks like I have a little more sanding and fitting on the topside of the cap. Tomorrow! I need to bring a sampler of the sump pump hose and see what diameter PVC pipe will fit in the openning. The diameter looks smaller than 1 - 1/2 inches. So I probably will need sometime on the lathe to cut the right diamter and then make the wall thin enough so that I can use a rivet to secure the endcap to the hose. I will mold the part afterwards. -fk

I'm going for the bikini look! Yeah.. that was the BIGGEST comment about my armor. That area should be bigger in comparison with the the Chronicle's photographs. Thanks for the critique! You have made me very happy with your boots, Ross!! Thanks! I might get a new cummerbund... That with the groin flap area has been an area of contension. (not just Madphisto, but some of the MW Garrison have commented that it is too narrow for a guy my size. (rough 6'4"). Thanks Denise! -fk

Thanks Paul! Okay, Troopers! Time for the first real acid test. After I got the boots from Ghost, my wife suggested I should post some pictures of what I look like with the jumpsuit and the soft armor parts. Not a bad idea! So she brought out the Star Wars Chronicles, we cleared a section in the basement, and set up a very rough photo studio. I had gotten some sharp critiques about my cummerbund from my postings on my personal website, and the garrison forum. Time for my brothers and sisters to let me know what needs improvement. And really, that's what this thread is all about, eh? Right off the top: The pouches are in the WRONG PLACE! They were attached to the cummerbund, and I still need to have them removed. The tan material is the leather I will be using to create my belt. Still needs to be sized, cut down and the webbing and clips added to the back. Please, I need your help! Thanks in advance... keep on posting! I know the bucket isn't soft armor ... but I didn't want to scare you people with my disturbing face. -fk

Yeah... I hope I feel better too! I hate being sick, and I hate even more missing a holiday...especially Christmas!!!! GAAAHHHH!!!!! More to come in the weeks ahead!! Just waiting for the Cova Paints to come in from Tandy. Thanks for that info!!! INVALUABLE!!!! -fk

Greetings from the land of not-feeling-too-well. Darn Ewok Virus has been coursing through my system and the holidays have passed me by while I was moaning and wailing to the porcelein gods. Ewok Influenza: The Holiday Killer. It's a year in review! So lets start with some very good news. I did get a "gift" from LadyGhost915 and Ghost915: My boots came in.... holy mackrel! These puppies are SWEET! I'd recommend these over Caboots anyday! I can start scaling the knee armor. My research into the realm of leather works for my belt has turn up a very positive lead! The Tandy Leather Company does sell a white paint for leather. It's acrylic based, and is hard as dragon scales when it dries. A few top coats of an Acrylic Lacquer Top coat (which they also sell) should keep the belt in tip top shape. The boxes that attach to the belt still need some work. The boxes will be bolted to the leather. More diagrams and pictures on how that will happen next year. Here's what's left and slated for next years to do list: 1. Bicep Armor - Molding and cast the parts 2. Forearm armor - Molding and casting parts 3. Hip Box - Modling and casting parts 4. Thermal Detonator housing - Molding and Casting parts 5. End Caps for Detonator - Molding and Casting parts 6. Knee armor - Construction, molding and casting parts 7. Shoulder Bell - RE-construction, molding and casting parts 8. Helmet - Rubies Modifications 9. Boot Holster 10. Scout Pistol 11. Chest and Back armor Have a great holiday, and see you next year! -fk

Alrighty.... The pictures looks like it has some subtle curves on it. Should be just as easy if I was doing the angular construction. However, I will be waiting for my boots from Ghst915 before I start this part proper. I still need to scale it to my leg/knee area. The second mock up will be a corrugated cardboard hot glued together. I'll post pictures of that soon. Right now... the tank topper needs some primer and some paint... Flat Black? or just a regular black should do it? Also... my fears of the chest and backplate are coming to pass... and how much it will cost to build them. I might not be doing castings of them, as the cost is starting to add. The silicone alone would cost me. I will be posting pictures of my belt and other segments very very soon! stay tuned! -fk

Good point, Madphisto I could still free-form the master pattern using plastic. If I could get a more updated copy, or on teh computers at work for a couple of weeks, I can viturally build the part, and build it via sterolithography for an RTV mold. Since I'm using a RTV Silicone molding technique (NON-SLUSH CASTING), I have greater control over part shapes, and materials to cast in. I could use a more flexible urethane when casting. Something more closer to a rubbery plastic. Good tension, and shock absorbing. Problem is these urthanes are harder to color intrinsically, and to keep from yellowing, and often are difficult to paint. The screen cap and the Visual Guide/Lucas Archive pictures have a lot in common... and that could explain the "fold over" depending how the knee pad is attached to the leg. I could try pursuing this with some help. Great screen cap Mazik. Is that the sceen when the scout looks behind to see where Leia is, and then hits the accelerator? - fk

Thank Madphisto! I not sure if the side pieces are indented (angled inward). The referrence pictures from The Lucas Archives appears that way. Could be just be lighting or again, distortion from the camera angle, or like you said, stunt work stressing the material. There is a slight shadow which made me try it out to see if it would work. I am starting the measurements tonight, and I'll be able to start cutting the sides by mid week. The question I have for you, since you've got a keen eye for the details, and have a few years on me making a costume, are the front and side panels on the lower section of the knee armor slightly curved? Thanks again! I can use every gram of help thrown my way! -fk

Arcturus: You are THE man! These guys are affiliated with Tandy Leather. This should be a good place to get some answers. I give them call Monday! ugg-ugg, ook-oook!!! MOCKY-MOCKY TIME!!!! This will be the third attempt at the knee armor. I have been using our MoM pictures and the Visual Guide/Lucas Archive picture for all the brain material. Then I sat down and did a lot of thinking. It was mocky-locky mock-up time with paper scissors and masking tape, and a purple marker! The purple areas are BLACK OUTS. They're there to keep the piece supported. The one thing I forgot to do for these pictures was to put a ruler in there. So that first picture, if you put a ruler behind it, it should read: 7-3/4-inches (19.8cm) tall x 7-1/4-inches (18.5cm) at its widest. TONS OF ANGLES! Crazy angles that toe-in! I did my best to keep the initial 140-degree angle for the front. It looks like 130 to 135 here. Couldn't keep it accuarate while taping. A good visual referrence none the less. I'll need a support jig to keep the angle correct for assembly. The sides on the bottom, I flaired them out at 60-degrees. It should work, and it looks like it should fit my knee size. I am considering making the center pieces larger to accommodate my large, knobby knees. As always your questions and comments are always appreciated! -fk

Thanks for the news, my lords and lady! Minor set back, just need to step back and get some perspective. I'll check out that website Madphisto and see what secrets I can use. Thanks! Thank you all! -fk

Yeah, I was wondering that too. I wonder if Lightning Bear could shed some light on that. Maybe riveting a piece of padding? Or to the manequinn underneath? I didn't see it anywhere else in the Visual Guide or in the Lucas Archives Book. I think I may do some styrene angles. Trying to rely on the MOM pictures and the pictures from the Visual Guide, Chronicles, and Lucas Archives. So I'm flying by my pants and my left brain. I'll get those posted very soonly. It's very hard not to peek at what everyone else did. On the other note.... The supplies arrived this afternoon! Now comes the hard part. What do I do with the beautiful piece of leatha'? It measures 3-inches wide. And my boxes center nicely with a little extra room. The boxes will be evolving soon. May not be rebuilding them, but I will be adding acrylic bosses on the interior for structural support and to attach to the leather strip. The bosses will be tapped for nylon screws. I thought I could fold the edges over for snaps, but it's too think. It's practically 3/16 of an inch thick! I may be attaching it classical style. My big question because I haven't worked with leather that much, can I dye/bleach/enamel/paint this white? Or chould I cover it with 3M white adhesive vinyl? My ears are open, I would love some advice! Share with me your knowledge and wisdom! MAZIK! The journey continues. I think I have put in, at minimum 1500 hours, into this project already. Thanks for hanging in there. The One-year anniversary of me starting this wonderful headache is slowly creeping in. I hope to show you what progress has been made. I hope to have some completed arm parts by then. (The forsaken shoulder armor is trying my patience!) More drawings to come for the knee. -fk

Exactly! I've taken into account that the leg in the picture is at an angle, and it's probably the best side view of the original costume that we have. Which is also in perspectivem, and therefore distorted. Right now, it's a start. Once I start making the master, it should become clearer if the angle is too shallow or too acute. My best educated guess, being that the picture is not scaled, the leg in question is also in perspective, the armor piece is also in perspective and therefore distorted, is 140-degree angle between the lower front face, and the angled top face. That could easily change. There is no absolutes, until you have a finished product. I'm still drafting the pictures, so I'm still in the design stages. And still taking my knee measurements. -fk

-fk

(with that cool 70's VOX voice) By your command Trimming them down was a difficult due to there size. I hope these pictures help. The measurements I am using for the greeble in W x L x H = 16mm x 14mm x 8 mm The Gray Master is also in the picture, to give you an idea as to how far off I was with my first guess. The copies are a little skewd from hand trimming. I may try to fix that this week. I have the piece for the center of the circle (not pictured). And I need to make a gear strip thingie that goes below the greeblies. Got Hose? Starting the "archway" that is on both ends. Still have some finishing to do. Chipped edges need some special attention. And getting those endcaps. -fk