Dennis' Scout WIP (Lancer)

[Aradun]

Hey Scouts,

Here we go.  First, thanks to everyone who has posted on this site.  The wealth of info is a great resource, and the support of this awesome community of dedicated scouts during this build will be most helpful and welcome.  My absolute favorite trooper from the original trilogy was the Biker Scout (although props go to the Shore Trooper from Rogue One - perhaps a future build ).  Because I absolutely love this trooper, I'm going to shoot for Lancer out of the box.  With a little extra attention to detail and investment, I think it's easily doable.  I'm also hoping to include in my posts some additional details that I wish I had come across in other builds, tutorials, and best practice guides.  

I'm going to concentrate on soft parts first.  I know it's always best to have the armor on hand to ensure best fit, but I think with careful planning I'll be able to tackle the creation of most of the soft parts and then finish them off once the armor arrives.  I remember reading somewhere that the average build of the scouts on the set was 150 lbs and 5'10".  I'm pretty close at 5'10" and 170 lbs.  I'm hoping to put an order in for my armor by the beginning of the summer (still saving for this investment) with the hope that I'll have it on hand by the end of summer.  I'm currently looking at RS as my first choice with CFO/Strider as a close second (thank you Mickey for the ultimate armor comparison thread - that was a huge help in my decision making process!)

One recommendation I want to make for any Newbs who may be researching this stuff on this site for the first time: Join the forum and then be sure to click "Follow" under the post for the various builds, tutorials, best practices, and anything else that tickles your fancy.  I can't tell you the number of times I stumbled across a gem of information and then couldn't find it again or remember under what post I saw it, especially when going back months after the fact as I continued my research.  "Following" the post makes the content accessible under "Settings" for your Screen Name.  Wish I had realized that early on!

Here's what I have on hand to date (I'll add to this list as additional items are purchased and link when applicable):

• Redkap Coveralls: 42R 
• Wampawear Scout Gloves: Lg.
• Under Armor HeatGear Tactical Hood
• White Duck Cloth for Pouches
• Black Pig Skin Suede Split
• EC17 Holdout Blaster - (formerly DVH)
• Black T-Shirt (For constructing Flak Vest pattern): Lg (order one size up from your normal T-Shirt).
• 100% Black Cotton Fabic 1.5 yds (Flak Vest):
• 2" Hook and Loop (Velcro): Black
• 2" Hook and Loop (Velcro): White
• 2" Black Elastic Band
• Kingshow 1366 Boots: 10
• Elastic Laces (for no tie option with boots)
• 1.5" White Elastic Band
• 1" Black Elastic Band
• 1/2" Black Elastic Band
• 90/14 Sewing Machine Needles (If you're making your own stuff)
• 100/16 Leather Sewing Machine Needles (If you're making your own stuff)
• Batting for Flak Vest & Cummerbund
• 2 yds Cotton Sateen Fabric for Cummerbund
• RS Armor
• RS Red Label Helmet (2023/01/11: Red Label Helmet Is No Longer Available - See RS Helmet)

I made my pouches last weekend and will post some pics in my next post.  I've also seam ripped my coveralls and have the legs pinned and chalked for a more tapered look and to eliminate the excessive bagginess.  My next project will be the Flak Vest followed by the leather riding patches, mandarian collar, and mud flap for the the coveralls.  Then the cummerbund so that I can ensure it's properly fitted with the coveralls and flak vest on.  Then I hope to tackle the boots.  

Let the building and the fun begin!

 

 

 

Edit: Updated Links 1/11/2023

[BikerScout007]

Dennis

Really glad to see your approach to your armor.  This is going to be a great resource for all Scouts going forward!  

I just want to mention that I do not have a head-to-toe photo for the Studio Creations v2 armor in the comparison thread yet.  It is much more accurate than their original kit, which is what is shown in the comparison.  I will try to remedy that soon!

EDIT:  ARMOR COMPARISON NOW UPDATED TO INCLUDE SC V2

[Aradun]

 

24 minutes ago, BikerScout007 said:

I just want to mention that I do not have a head-to-toe photo for the Studio Creations v2 armor in the comparison thread yet.  It is much more accurate than their original kit, which is what is shown in the comparison.  I will try to remedy that soon!

Thanks Mickey.  I’ll be looking forward to the updated pics as will others I’m sure.  I knew the current SC pic in that post was V1, which is why I was originally going to go with CFO, but then when I learned about SC V2 and all of the rave reviews, I was sold.  Someone even stated in another post that “RS Props armor is the absolute best, most accurate armor out there.”   

Given that scout’s expertise and experience, I didn’t need to look any further.  😉

[JohnReillis]

Going to be super interesting to follow!!!

[Aradun]

Pouches

Using the post detailing the Pouch Dimensions I obtained the pattern provided by Ron "DK5IDE" and laid out the pattern on a 3/4 yard remnant of Duck Cloth that I obtained from Joann Fabric (It was about $4).  You don't need to print out the pattern.  The pattern is simple and can just be used as a reference for measurements.  I measured it out with a ruler and small square for the corners directly onto the fabric.  One of the things I found useful in laying out the pattern is to butt the various patterns right up against one another so that they share cut lines.  This saves fabric.  In fact I used just over half of the 59"x 27" remnant I picked up leaving plenty left over for a spare pouch or two.  I could have saved even more material had I butt the attachment/flap pattern up against the pouch pattern.  You'll see in the photo that there is about a 2" gap between them.  That was precious real estate wasted.  The photo below only shows the half that the pattern was laid out on.   The square cut out was the side flaps for the inside of the pouch.  I cut that out and used them to get a feel for how the sewing machine handled and that was after testing things out on some scrap fabric I had. 

DK5IDE's pattern meets the new ideal set for Lancer Requirements.  Looking at the pattern, the dimensions listed did not account for the narrow tabs that allow the pieces to be seamed and sown together.  You should allow an additional 1/4" - 1/2" for each tab along the edge of the pattern.  Being a newb with a sowing machine, I added 1/2" to each side of the design for the tabs to allow enough cloth to fold over.  Looking at the pattern, the double lines on top seam and the "fold down" came out to be an extra inch (each line was 1/2" in width.  That tidbit might be a given, but if you're new to this and forget to account for the width of the tabs, then your pouches will end up being 1/2" - 1" short when you sew it together.  

TIP:  After making the first pouch, I found it easier to sew the top seam of the pouch first before building the box rather than after building the box as indicated on the pattern. 

TIP:  Make sure that you use at least 90/14 machine needles when sowing this together.  And make sure you have plenty of extra needles on hand.  I guarantee you'll bust a few trying to attaching the flap to the pouch if you doing this for the first time.

You can see how thick the material is once fold it is over.  I went through three needles before I decided to just stitch the middle of the attachment tab to the pouch because I couldn't get the needle to go through to the edge without breaking.   I started about 3/4 of an inch in from the edge of the attachment tab and sewed up to about 3/4" of an inch from the opposite edge making a rectangle as seen in the photo below and that solved my breakage problem.   

Given that the cummerbund is recommended to be no more than 8" - 9" high, I made the attachment tabs for the pouches 2 3/4" to give me some play when I finalize everything.  The pattern calls for 3".  I can always seam rip the top and cut it back if needed, but the rest of the pouch meets the new ideal measurements for Lancer in the CRL.  And here is the finished product.  I gotta say I'm quite proud of myself with this being the first time I've ever used a sowing machine. 

Up next...the Undersuit (RedKap coverall).

[Aradun]

SEWING VELCRO (HOOK & LOOP) 101

I don't know if anyone else finds sewing velcro a tactical challenge, but I went through about 7 needles just trying to attached a two inch swath of this stuff onto my mandarin collar, so after several swear words, fist poundings, and a dose of my blood pressure meds, I looked up how to work with this stuff to see if I was doing anything incorrectly and thought I'd share my finds for anyone else who may be venturing into sewing their own build.  Hindsight is always 20/20. 

TIP #1: Buy the Right Hook & Loop

There's a lot of hook & loop (Velcro) options.  Avoid the self adhesive stuff.  It's not what you want as it is not made for sewing applications.  You also want to avoid any "industrial strength" products as they will be very tough and less flexible making it hard on your machine and needles.  When buying h&l make sure you buy it from a sewing shop like Joann's because their products are designed specifically for sewing applications.  It's softer, more flexible and easier to work with by hand and machine.  Be careful when buying online because the cheap stuff may have an appealing price point, but from what I read the cheap stuff causes skipped stitches on machines and is difficult to work with.

TIP #2: Not Any Old Thread Will Do

Make sure you use a quality thread, especially when working with the scratchy side of the hook & loop.  Looking into this, the recommended thread is a good polyester thread.  Your cheaper threads and cotton threads will break under the pressure needed to sew the h&l to the fabric.  It will also snag on the scratchy side making it more likely to break. 

Tip #3: Pin the H&L in Place

This may be a no-brainer for those familiar with sewing, but it wasn't for this newb.  Make sure to use straight pins to secure the h&l in place when you sew.

TIP #4: Invest in Strong Needles

You'll need at minimum 90/14 universal machine needles when sewing h&l and even then if you use cheap h&l, low quality thread, and/or don't bother to pin it in place you'll be eating machine needles left and right (Trust me on this one!).  Another option is 100/16 for those who want to err on the side of caution.  If you still experience difficulty try a machine needles rated for denim or leather (you'll need a decent leather needle for your riding patches anyway!).

TIP #5: Rotating the H&L During Sewing

Make sure that your needle is down as far a possible when you finish a line and then rotate the piece to stitch the next line.  That may be a no-brainer for those that know their way around a sewing machine, but it wasn't for me.  I assumed the needle should be up and out of the fabric not realizing that this causes all sorts of sloppiness and lose threads.  Everything I've read says sewing along the edge of the h&l is fine, though a couple of sites and videos recommend adding an "X" pattern from corner to corner too.  Again, keep the needle down in the fabric when making your rotation should you decide to add the "X."

TIP #6:  Sewing H&L by Hand

For smaller applications consider sewing the h&l by hand.  Again, you'll need a strong needle and the thimble for your thumb.  The recommended stitch for sewing h&l by hand is the Backstitch.  It's supposedly one of the strongest if not thee strongest hand stitch out there, which is a definite must given the amount of attaching and ripping apart your h&l will endure over the course of trooping. 

Lastly, if you're still uncertain or apprehensive, do a simple search online as there are a tone of videos on YouTube and articles online that walk you through working with this stuff.  Hope this saves someone else from some headaches!

[Aradun]

Went out on a limb and ordered a white Cotton Sateen material from Joann Fabric for my CB and cod piece.  I’m hoping it will give it the sheen needed to emulate the polished cotton look of the originals without being too thin.   

I’ve also finished my Mandarin collar, riding patches, and butt flap for the undersuit.  Hoping to get build pics posted sometime this week.  

[Aradun]

Mandarin Collar

Velcro attached to the undersuit.



I removed the back pockets from the undersuit, and rather than cutting the back pocket to the exact size needed, I opted to use the folder over method to create a cleaner look, stiffer collar, and to hide the stitching for the Velcro that would attach to the collar itself.



You can see from the photo above that the pocket has plenty of material for the fold over method.

I attached the Velcro to the pocket, then folded the material over and seamed the ends together. You can see from the photos below that there is no visible seam for the Velcro showing on the face of the collar.



Here’s the finished collar.




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[Strider]

Looking good!

[Aradun]

Undersuit Mods

 

Seam ripped the legs of the undersuit so that I could attach the suede riding patches. I tapered the fit from about a 1/2” at the waste up to 4” at the ankle and marked the stitch line with chalk.

 

 

Front Riding Patch

 

Then worked at creating a front and rear template for the patches. I sketched out the patches using chalk.

 

 

Following some feedback I added about an 1” to the length of the patches and then worked on creating a template for the front using a brown paper bag.

 

 

 

 

Here’s the final measurements for the front patches template. This template will vary from one scout to another based on height and build so you can use it as a guide, but you should adjust measurements for your own fit.

 

 

I added 3/8” of material for a seam as indicated on the template in two spots where the patches would be sown together along the inner thigh (front patch to rear patch) and then in the crotch where all four patches would converge.

 

Rear Riding Patch

 

With the template for the front done, the undersuit was flipped over the the design for the rear patch was sketched out in chalk. I went through a couple of iterations to get the right curve at the top of the buttocks and settled on the template below.

 

 

I’ll get the Mud Flap and final photos posted soon.

 

 

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[Chopper]

Just some feedback, but I think your squared off portion marked at the top of your riding patch might still be too low. You don't want to squared portion to show under your codpiece/belt.

You could also round the top edges of the front of the riding patch, as is in the CRL photo, and it'd be ok.

[Aradun]

Thanks Corey.  I hoping my estimation will allow the cod to cover the top of the front patches completely so that it doesn’t show. I’m waiting on material I ordered for the CB and cod piece to arrive.  Once I get the CB and cod finished, I’ll be able to make any adjustments to the suede if needed. Rounding the corners will be an easy fix if needed.

One thing I want to point out is that I’m not working off of the CRL photo, but the photo below. I noticed that the suede on the original comes up much higher than the suede in the CRL photo.

The lines for the top of the suede in the CRL photo almost blend in with the arched stitching of the cod piece. Whereas in the photo below you can see that the left side riding patch goes up to the band on the drop boxes before disappearing behind the cod piece. The right side looks lower but I think that’s just due to the way it is sitting on the mannequin.



You can see in this Magic of Myth photo that the suede also appears to comes up higher than the CRL photo.





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[Aradun]

Here is the finished undersuit. Legs tapered, suede riding patches applied, suede butt flap with no visible seams attached, and 2” wide elastic band around thighs.

Hopefully you’ll be able to see the patches and thigh straps. If not, I’ll repost pics on a sunnier day.




I received my material for the CB and cod piece in the mail yesterday from Joann. It’s heavy enough and the 100% cotton sateen has a light sheen to it. Not an exact match to polished cotton, but I think I’ll work nicely.

I hope to get the cod piece and CB done in the next two weeks (busy schedule) so that I can check the front patches and adjust as needed per Chopper’s suggestion.

I’m also toying with the idea of taking in the sleeves (maybe an 1” or so) but will wait until I receive my armor so I can see how it looks. That’s an easy adjustment if needed.


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[Stroker]

From what I can see it looks great. The resolution could be better. Only thing I can see now is butt flap looks a tad long. Love seeing your work! 

[Aradun]

Thanks Stroker! I was thinking the same about the butt patch.

Just ordered RS armor and their red label bucket today! Can’t wait for it to come in (about 8 weeks)! Once in hand I’ll be able to fine tune the soft parts and tighten up the build.


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[Stroker]

Looking forward to it without a doubt! 

[Aradun]

Alright, I’m in a holding pattern while waiting for my armor to arrive so I started carving my boots. I went through several iterations before settling on the pattern below which is similar to what I’ve seen others do in their builds. My first “sketch” was to try and match the pattern of the hi-tek sierras as close as possible, but the layout was not matching up with the existing tread cuts on the Kingston so I scrapped it.

Then after a second try, I had to go back and rework the spacing so the third time was the charm and voilà final product below.

I used an Exact-O chisel blade to carve the notches along with an Exact-O knife to extract the notches. It cut like butter and was way easier than I thought it would be.

For anyone interested, here are the measurements I used for carving the sole.

Front:
Carved notched spaces were 1/4”
Each tread was 15/16” wide with a 1/2” x 5/16” carved notch.
The three large treads in the front were 1 1/8” wide with a 7/8” x 5/16” carved notch.

Heel:
Small carved cutout was 1/4”
Larger carved cutout was 3/8”
Uncut space between each carving was 1/4”
I left abt a 1/8” space between the top carving and the bottom carving in the heel.

I also carved an 1/8” strip along the arch to match the hi-teks.

Any comments welcome.










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[Harbinger]

Looks pretty good to me.

[Aradun]

Holding off on the rest of the boots until my armor arrives and have moved onto making the flak vest.

 

I bought a Lg Gilden T-Shirt from Joann (sized up to fit over the undersuit) and proceeded to seam rip it and cut it up to creat a pattern. I also bought 1 and a 1/2 yards of heavy weight matt black cotton fabric to create the vest.

 

Removed sleeves and labeled L & R, setting the sleeves aside for later.

 

 

Sketched out pattern for quilting the shoulders and marked out cut line for neck opening.

 

 

Pattern for main vest after splitting the back. I removed 6” from the bottom of the t-shirt.

 

 

I noticed that there was a variation in how I cut one shoulder from the other. My daughter said to fold my matt black cotton material and use only half the pattern I created to ensure uniformity. An ingenious fix that I wouldn’t have thought of.

 

Here’s the pattern all laid out and pinned ready to cut. Remember to add a 1/2” to either side of the back opening so that your 2” Velcro will be centered down the back.

 

 

I did the same thing for each of the shoulder pieces. You’ll need to cut this pattern 4x’s. Keep in mind when you cut the pattern out that it will open up to twice the size.

 

 

I repeated the process for the quilting. I used two layers of 3/16 quilting making it 3/8” thick in all. I didn’t want to make it too thick in case it became too stiff and caused problems with how the shoulder bells would lay over the flak vest.

 

 

Here’s the near finished product. Keep in mind that I’m waiting to construct the sleeves until my Armor arrives so that I can ensure a proper length and avoid flare for my lancer app. The ribbed pattern on the shoulders is spaced 1 1/4”. I originally went with 1” but it was spacing a bit funky towards the arm pit due to the curvature. Adding that 1/4” eliminated 4-5 ribs and created a nicer spacing.

 

Front:

 

 

Back Open:

 

 

Back Closed:

 

 

The overall length is 24”. I prefer the longer look than the crop top version. Shortening it if needed will be an easy fix. I’m hoping the extra real estate will accommodate additional Velcro to secure CB, Cod, and Armor without having to add Velcro to the undersuit.

 

Flak Vest over Undersuit (sleeves not attached yet)

 

 

 

 

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[Daylightinventor]

Definitely following your build, Dennis!  Your method of documentation and links to things you've purchased so far is invaluable.  I've just started my own Scout build and will be watching yours eagerly as you work a few steps ahead of me! 

Would you mind sharing how much white cotton fabric you purchased for your cummerbund and cod piece construction? I'm ordering online and want to make sure I get enough fabric.  Thank you!

[Chopper]

Really great work on the vest build, Dennis, and thanks for documenting the steps for the future.

Some small advice, but you you may want to shorten it a bit -- the way it looks now, it'd likely be underneath your belt at present length. I'd guestimate that you try and shoot for a spot maybe 1 or 2 inches above your navel. Even brought up a bit, you should have plenty of space for securing the bund/cod/armor.

[Aradun]

2 hours ago, Daylightinventor said:

Definitely following your build, Dennis!  Your method of documentation and links to things you've purchased so far is invaluable.  I've just started my own Scout build and will be watching yours eagerly as you work a few steps ahead of me! 

Would you mind sharing how much white cotton fabric you purchased for your cummerbund and cod piece construction? I'm ordering online and want to make sure I get enough fabric.  Thank you!

Thanks! I’m glad I’m able to help. I’m just standing on the shoulders of a ton of other scouts who helped and inspired me. This really is the best detachment in the 501st!

I ordered 2 yards, but only because I had to order the material online from Joann and they have a 2 yard minimum for online orders. I’d definitely advise getting 2 yards though. If your mid section is larger than 42” you’ll definitely need 2 yards. However the extra material gives you a material to play with in case you need to redo the cod piece. I know several scouts who went through several iterations of the cod piece as they tried to get it just right.

It very important that when you measure that you do so while wearing your undersuit and flak jacket as their volume will add to your measurement for the CB. That’s why I had to knock out the flak vest before jumping into the CB which I hope to begin work on this week.

I like this material I picked up for the CB. It’s a 100% cotton sateen and has a slight sheen to it. It was the closest thing I could find to polished cotton.


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[Aradun]

Really great work on the vest build, Dennis, and thanks for documenting the steps for the future.
Some small advice, but you you may want to shorten it a bit -- the way it looks now, it'd likely be underneath your belt at present length. I'd guestimate that you try and shoot for a spot maybe 1 or 2 inches above your navel. Even brought up a bit, you should have plenty of space for securing the bund/cod/armor.

You read my mind Corey. I just added the pic with me wearing the vest over my undersuit today, and was thinking it may be too long after seeing everything together. Glad to hear you confirm my suspicion. I’ll take it up as you suggest later this week (an easy fix) and then repost a photo. Thanks for the feedback!


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[Aradun]

Some small advice, but you you may want to shorten it a bit -- the way it looks now, it'd likely be underneath your belt at present length. I'd guestimate that you try and shoot for a spot maybe 1 or 2 inches above your navel.

 

 

I currently have it pinned and set to be raised about 5”, but wanted to get some feedback before cutting it.

 

With the test fit for the CB in the photo below the vest sat about an inch above the bottom of the bund.

 

 

Here’s a test fit with the bund. No ribs sown yet.

 

 

Questions regarding the bund.

 

1. The pouches were sown directly to the bund for the film, which I’m planning to do too, but was wondering if you had any thoughts on making them detachable with Velcro as some scouts do?

 

2. When adding Velcro to keep the bund from sliding down or rotating, is it preferable to secure the bund to the vest or the armor? I’ve seen both ways and am wondering if one is better than the other. I suspect that attaching to the vest is better so the bund doesn’t pull down on the armor, especially if the pouches are being used to store stuff, but I’ll defer to the opinion of the experts.

 

3. My batting for the bund is 3/4”. Is that sufficient?

 

 

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[Chopper]

51 minutes ago, AradunFF said:

Questions regarding the bund.

1. The pouches were sown directly to the bund for the film, which I’m planning to do too, but was wondering if you had any thoughts on making them detachable with Velcro as some scouts do?

2. When adding Velcro to keep the bund from sliding down or rotating, is it preferable to secure the bund to the vest or the armor? I’ve seen both ways and am wondering if one is better than the other. I suspect that attaching to the vest is better so the bund doesn’t pull down on the armor, especially if the pouches are being used to store stuff, but I’ll defer to the opinion of the experts.

3. My batting for the bund is 3/4”. Is that sufficient?

1. I attached mine with velcro alone the top tabs and sewed a small tab on the bottom to keep them from flopping around. It's worked great for the past three years.

2. I secured my bund to the flak vest only -- this is one of the advantages of having a longer vest. I did attach my chest armor to the upper portion of the vest with veclro, to keep it from sliding back and forth.

3. 3/4" seems a bit thick for the bund. I think mine is only 3/8". But before making any sort of call, it'd be helpful if you could show us some larger, close up photos for scale.

If you haven't seen it already, I did a whole thread on tips to keep your costume together. Take whatever you need from it, but maybe it'll be useful for you as you continue your build?

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/18894-some-tips-for-keeping-your-scout-costume-together-while-trooping/