Tusken Raider turned Biker Scout

[Cat]

Hello everyone! I've had my B-grade armor from Studio Creations sitting in my closet for over a year now. I've combed the forums like crazy and have just been incredibly intimidated in starting this whole process. I've made this topic to try and keep myself accountable and get started. As a university senior, whatever little free time I have is usually spent on sleeping, haha. I'm also trying to save money where ever possible, so I shall be sewing sewing the cummerbund, codpiece and pouches myself. I might try to modify a pair of gloves so that they fit the CRL requirements, but I'm willing to purchase gloves as long as they're reasonably priced. Under $40 would be optimal.

 

The following topic shall document my journey towards approving a Mandalorian Scout Trooper. My goal is to start and finish this project in 1 month.  

I'm a 5'2'' gal, and I weigh 135 pounds. I'm in the process of looking for a good flight suit that shall fit my body type well. I think I am going to purchase the small Red Kap Men's coverall, link below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EZ1CN8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&fbclid=IwAR28y7dYxI_HAuXrmsDXf6Mt8ch3K9abUpyXsiTOoYH9bFn79ldS7qe2hzM&th=1&psc=1

I thought about buying the flight suit from Wampawear, but it is just WAY out of my budget. Would a modified Red Kap be fine for a Mandalorian Scout Trooper? Advice/input appreciated. 😀 Thanks!

 

I am also going to be making the boots myself. As a base, I will be using "kingshow Men's 1366 Water Resistant Premium Work Boots", as recommended over on the ROTJ Biker Scout forums:

https://www.amazon.com/Mens-Water-Resistant-Boots-Wheat/dp/B017THAWJU/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=kingshow%2BWater%2BResistant%2BPremium%2BWork%2BBoots&qid=1606764423&s=apparel&sr=1-2&th=1&psc=1

 

Thanks for welcoming a Tusken Raider to your ranks! 

[JangoFred]

Going with the Redcap.... you will have to sew on some pockets. I was going to go that route but got lazy and just ordered a TIE flightsuit.

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[BikerScout007]

1 hour ago, Cat said:

Hello everyone! I've had my B-grade armor from Studio Creations sitting in my closet for over a year now. I've combed the forums like crazy and have just been incredibly intimidated in starting this whole process. I've made this topic to try and keep myself accountable and get started. As a university senior, whatever little free time I have is usually spent on sleeping, haha. I'm also trying to save money where ever possible, so I shall be sewing sewing the cummerbund, codpiece and pouches myself. I might try to modify a pair of gloves so that they fit the CRL requirements, but I'm willing to purchase gloves as long as they're reasonably priced. Under $40 would be optimal.

 

The following topic shall document my journey towards approving a Mandalorian Scout Trooper. My goal is to start and finish this project in 1 month.  

I'm a 5'2'' gal, and I weigh 135 pounds. I'm in the process of looking for a good flight suit that shall fit my body type well. I think I am going to purchase the small Red Kap Men's coverall, link below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EZ1CN8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&fbclid=IwAR28y7dYxI_HAuXrmsDXf6Mt8ch3K9abUpyXsiTOoYH9bFn79ldS7qe2hzM&th=1&psc=1

I thought about buying the flight suit from Wampawear, but it is just WAY out of my budget. Would a modified Red Kap be fine for a Mandalorian Scout Trooper? Advice/input appreciated. 😀 Thanks!

 

I am also going to be making the boots myself. As a base, I will be using "kingshow Men's 1366 Water Resistant Premium Work Boots", as recommended over on the ROTJ Biker Scout forums:

https://www.amazon.com/Mens-Water-Resistant-Boots-Wheat/dp/B017THAWJU/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=kingshow%2BWater%2BResistant%2BPremium%2BWork%2BBoots&qid=1606764423&s=apparel&sr=1-2&th=1&psc=1

 

Thanks for welcoming a Tusken Raider to your ranks! 

Modified Red Kap will be fine as long as it meets the requirements of the CRL.  They used TIE jumpsuits on the show, so there are pockets and other visible adornments that would need to be added.  

As for the gloves, they usually go around $50-60 from most vendors.  You may want to keep an eye out for anyone selling a used pair:

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/forum/155-trade-forum/

[Cat]

Thank you both for your input and advice!

 

--- 

Progress thus far:

All armor - Studio Creations B grade, purchased, unassembled

Balaclava - Purchased ✔️

Flight Suit - Red Kap purchased, needs modifications

Neck Seal - will be making myself... If I can figure it out, haha.

Gloves - will be making myself

Cummerbund, Codpiece and Pouches - will be making myself

Boots - purchased vinyl and work boots, will be making myself

Bag - will be making myself, want to purchase button greeblies

Baby Yoda - purchased, will be punching it myself 😉✔️

[Cat]

Oh man... This has to be the worst-fitting, most unflattering thing I've ever worn, and that's coming from someone that's used to looking like a Tusken Radier! 😂😂

I DEFINITELY need to make MANY modifications across the board in order to make this look good. To start off, my flight suit needs major help, I'm going to take in the arms and legs by a lot in order for them to fit properly. Not sure what I should do with regards to the chest armor, I've got a really short torso but I know I need to make everything fit somehow. I also know my shoulder armor is way too huge.

 

Any recommendations or suggestions are incredibly welcomed, I have no idea where to start. Should I tailor the flight suit first? After this, I was going to make cardboard prototypes of the cummerbund, codpiece and pouches. 

 

Thanks all!

 

 

 

[Aradun]

One of the armorers will chime in with solid advice on how to address the fit issues with your chest and back armor, but I’d get your undersuit squared aware first, as you’ll need to get your armor fitted over that and it will be easier to gauge fit and placement once you have your soft parts squared away.

There’s a great tutorial on mods for the undersuit here:

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/19259-undersuit-mods/

I would recommend checking out some of the build threads too to get ideas on how to fit everything together. They’re often filled with tips, tricks, and suggestions not just from the scouts building the kit but from armorers and others chiming in with feedback.

You’re not alone in this, you’ve got a whole detachment of scouts eager to help you succeed so keep the questions coming.


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[Chopper]

Hi Catherine and welcome aboard. It's deceptive, but the biker scout costume is mostly a soft parts costume with some armor bits thrown into the mix, so I think you'll find that it's actually easier to get the kit to fit your body than you think.

Looks like you have the older version of the Studio Creations armor. There are two threads that come to mind, which I think will be helpful for you --

1) Jen0fArc's build -- she was on the smaller side and adapted the same SC to fit her better

2) Pandatrooper's build -- this one is from a few years ago, so check what he did against the CRL, but Panda did a fair amount of cutting and resizing as well.

I recommend that you give both those threads a read through before starting on your own kit. With some trimming, we'll have you up and ready in no time. In the meantime, yes you could start with tailoring your undersuit.

[Cat]

Thank you both so much for your input!

 

@Chopper I had run across both of these threads before, they're great, I find Jen's build especially applicable. Because I'm aiming for a Mandalorian Scout trooper, would I be able to make an undersuit like hers, that has a separate pants and shirt, as long as you can't tell that the pants and shirt are separate after the addition of the armor + cummerbund? (The Mandalorian CRL says a one piece flight suit is needed though...)

After trying on the Red Kap flight suit, I don't think it would be good for my body type at all, since I would have to make a great number of modifications in order for it to be wearable.  As Jen put it in her thread, I'm looking for something with a more "lady-friendly fit," and having the undersuit as a separate pants + shirt would be awesome.

 

Thanks again!

[Retrofire]

40 minutes ago, Cat said:

Because I'm aiming for a Mandalorian Scout trooper, would I be able to make an undersuit like hers, that has a separate pants and shirt, as long as you can't tell that the pants and shirt are separate after the addition of the armor + cummerbund? (The Mandalorian CRL says a one piece flight suit is needed though...)

Hi Cat. The difference between the suits is that the Mandalorian Scout uses a TIE Pilot Flight suit rather than the ROTJ Scout suit. That’s why the one piece reference in the CRL. If you do have a need to use a two piece I would highly recommend that you reach out to your GML to get a read on if they will allow it or not.

[Cat]

Great news, my GML will allow a two-piece under suit as long as you can't tell it's a two piece once all of the armor, cummerbund, etc is on top. It also must have all the requirements stated on the CRL. I am now looking for black undersuit- materialed long sleeve shirt and pants... Will continue the search after a final exam tomorrow.

[Cat]

Additional update: Encountering difficulties finding a long sleeve shirt and pants that are black undersuit-material. The closest thing I could find was nurse scrubs, but even that seems like a stretch. I might just get desperate and start modifying my Red Kap undersuit. The search continues...

[Aradun]

Hey Cat, I know you’re trying to save cash on your build, but Mon Cal is doing a run on flight suits. They’re $120 plus S&H. Maybe you could talk some family/friends into pitching in for a holiday gift or something. They probably have better sizing options for you.

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/22028-flightsuit-by-moncalfar-away-creations/

I know you have a Red Kap on hand already, but if you follow the advice of those over at the JRS, they usually advise buying 2, one to cut up for the extra pockets and one to wear.

Just some thoughts.


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[DarthSnark]

I found this flight suit that I'm considering for my shadow scout, it needs modifications for CRLs (plus the additional tie fighter modifications for your costume), but if it will fit you, the price is less than adult options. I am smaller than you though so it's possible it wouldn't fit you, so definitely measure yourself. I have had the same issue with adult flight suits being too large, but I'm hoping the child suit will fit better, (I haven't purchased it because I'm still in the planning stage of my costume) especially since I found another small woman on the internet who was able to use it.

https://www.armysurplusworld.com/kids-black-flight-suit

[Cat]

Thank you both for your input! 

I'm just going to go with my Red Kap and modify that. What makes my Red Kap so ill-fitting is that I have a really curvy body but really skinny arms, so I would probably have to modify the Mon Cal flight suit to fit my body anyways. I'm going to practice sewing something basic before I try sewing the flight suit, I've never sewn anything by machine (successfully) before haha. I might make my pouches first. I'm going to use the template listed here, thanks BikerScout007 and Ron! 

 

 I'm taking my last final of the semester today, so Scout progress should happen much faster after today. Wish me luck!

 

[Cat]

Oh! Also- I realized I forgot to buy a heat gun, which I'll need to use for making my boots. What heat gun do you all recommend, which I could use when making my boots as well as when shaping my armor? This one looks good, but I have no experience with heat guns so advice appreciated. Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GC5N3QC?pd_rd_i=B07GC5N3QC&pd_rd_w=O89Rc&pf_rd_p=51cf0d17-50cf-4c89-b1a7-606703cfac11&pd_rd_wg=uCXk5&pf_rd_r=PPKCREWMX30WR1RCYS58&pd_rd_r=20e419c1-4aa9-4ece-bd06-1219de12b87b

[Chopper]

I have one that I got at ace hardware a while back. I don't think the brand is super important, moreso that it has  "low" heat setting. Otherwise you'll end up melting your boots and vinyl.

And to be honest, you can totally complete a boot build just using a standard hair dryer, so buying a heat gun might be overkill.

[Aradun]

Yep. I just used a hairdryer on max heat for my boots and it did the trick just fine. Not sure what you’re planning to do with the heat gun and the armor, but be careful because you can easily and quickly ruin the plastic if your inexperienced.


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[Cat]

As always, thank you AradunFF and Chopper for your input!

12 hours ago, AradunFF said:

Yep. I just used a hairdryer on max heat for my boots and it did the trick just fine. Not sure what you’re planning to do with the heat gun and the armor, but be careful because you can easily and quickly ruin the plastic if your inexperienced.


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Regarding the heat gun and the armor, I was following in the footsteps of other smaller proportioned scouts like Jedi Jennie, and how she did her armor. http://jedijennie.com/bikerscout/

She heated it up and bent it in order for it to her body better. Do you suggest this method for someone that is short and curvy, or is there a better method that I might be unaware of? I have also heard of people dunking their armor into hot water in order to shape it better.

[Aradun]

I know that some people have used heat guns on their armor parts, but given your lack of experience with heat guns I would be hesitant to recommend that route. The armorers over at FISD discourage that method if you don’t have experience b/c it is too easy to over do it and wreck your armor. I don’t see too many in this forum talk of using it, as most just cut and trim the armor to fit. What I have seen here is the hot bath method.

 

The one’s who can really guide you on how to get the armor to fit your sizing needs are [mention]Chopper [/mention] and [mention]Retrofire [/mention] . The armorers here are the best. Give them a chance to chime in before you lay down cash on a heat gun.

 

Also, Jedi Jeannie’s thread is a good reference, but it’s from 2007. A lot has changed with the CRL over the last 13 years so make sure to have the current CRL on hand. I know this isn’t your first rodeo with the 501st, but thought I’d mention it anyway. I hate to see you construct something wrong based on outdated info.

 

 

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[Cat]

@AradunFF Gotcha, I understand completely. Thank you so much for your help and advice, I really appreciate it!!

[Retrofire]

Dennis is right on regarding using heat on armor. It only take a second in the wrong place and the piece is ruined. The SC you got lends itself well to trimming and fitting to most body sizes. I wear it myself and have been very happy with it.

The most important area for trimming will be in your shoulder bridges as that controls the width fitment and the alignment of the chest/back armor. The best way to start there is not to cut anything and use masking or painters tape around the bridges to size it to your torso. A couple of things to keep in mind are that you’ll have a flight suit and vest underneath that armor so I wouldn’t recommend fitting it in a t-shirt as it might come out too narrow.

For the boots I used a combo of the Desert Sun and a hairdryer to get a good stretch and that worked just fine. I agree with my colleagues  and don’t think you need to purchase a heat gun to get good results.

Keep up the great work and keep asking those great questions! 

[Cat]

Thank you ALL for your help!! I am so excited to be joining such a supportive community.

Here's an update! Things are going slower than planned. I'm trying to plan everything out and do things carefully so I don't butcher all the fabric I just bought, haha. My main project tomorrow will be tailoring the undersuit, and if I have time, making the pouches. On Monday I'll try to make the cummerbund. Today I made prototypes and tried to determine the proper fit of the armor+cummerbund+pouches on my body. I realize that I'm not wearing the undersuit for these pictures, but the undersuit shouldn't fit too differently from the T-shirt I'm wearing once it's been tailored.

Here are some pictures which I'd like people to comment on, if possible. I'm trying to make sure I do everything proportional to the size of my body but correctly.

My proposed cummerbund is 8 inches long, which was a length suggested on this thread. I realize this is a thread for ROTJ scouts, but I'm sourcing most of my measurements from ROTJ Lancer standards because I am having difficulty finding measurements for Mando scouts.

 

The vertical strip of tape is 8 inches long, so imagine this as being the length of the cummerbund. The 2 horizontal dashed lines of tape represent the top and bottom of the cummerbund. The lower horizontal line basically lies on my hips.

Slightly modifying Biker Scout 007's design (linked previously), the prototype pouch I've made is 6 inches long x 5 inches wide x 2 inches thick. The attachment tab is 2 inches high and 5 inches wide. The top of the angled part of the flap is 5 inches long so it matches the pouch, and the bottom of the angled part is 2.5 inches wide.

I'm not too sure about the height of this attachment tab, because when I put my belt under the pouch so that the pouch droops over it, this attachment tab doesn't look quite right . I have a short torso, so the top of my cummerbund is approximately 2 inches below my chest plate (which shall be modified later on in this process). I position the belt at my waist, as is suggested on the Lancer ROTJ standards. For Mando scouts, I'm having a hard time figuring out whether the belt is placed at their waist or at their hips based on the reference images linked below. If I place the belt lower on my body, the attachment tab will lie properly/flush to the cummerbund.

Thoughts/input on this please - do I place the belt further down, below my waist, in order to accommodate the 2 inch high attachment tab which lies flush to the cummerbund? Many thanks!!  

 

My final concern was also the size of the pouches compared my body and the drop boxes. I feel like the pouches might be a tad bit large, I feel like the thickness should maybe be 1 or 1.5 inches instead of 2 inches, with an attachment tab height of 1 inch to make everything look less cluttered. Thoughts on this as well if possible please?

Thank you all!  

 

P.S. PHEW! Was that a finale for Mandalorian season 2, or what?! No spoilers, but I'll just say that I cried for a while! 😂😂

 

[Retrofire]

Hi Cat and what a great set of questions! 

Ok so one thing to keep in mind is that although some of build techniques are based on the ROTJ not all of them are applicable to the Mando scout. For example take a look at the pics of the model and the cummerbund. You’ll notice that there are no tabs used on the pouches which allows for you to place them higher on the bund. The ROTJ uses a 2” measurement for the tab so it’s going to look off on the mando. You nailed the pouch size so keep that but drop the tabs. 

Regarding the bund height the 8” measurement is based on the distance between the belt and the bottom of the chest armor. While this may work for some body types it doesn’t work for all of them. I would recommend taking that measurement again and seeing what it is for you. That’s the measurement you’ll want to use for your bund height.

[Aradun]

Cat, great job. Told you Retrofire and Chopper really know their stuff. I’m no Mando Scout expert by any means but looking at the CRL for the Mando and ROTJ Scout, I think you can lower your belt by an 1 or 2. It’s placement for the Mando is similar to the ROTJ so it should sit at your belly button (you might even be able to set it just under you belly button if you make the adjustments to the bund Pete suggested). The cummerbund and cod merely slide down. If I’m wrong someone will correct me.

Great idea to mock everything up. Measure twice, cut once as they say. Again, well done.


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[Retrofire]

Cat now that I’ve slept on it I’m wondering if the tabs are fine but instead of sewing them vertically to the bund, a la ROTJ Scout, you fold them over. Without the tab I’m concerned that the pouches won’t sit right on the bund if sewn directly to it. @Zeronin how are your pouches sewn onto your bund? Can you provide a picture for Cat?

Zeronin was the CRL model for this costume. Here’s his build thread: