First Time 3D Printed ROTJ Scout Trooper

[wegotdeathstar]

Hello!

I am beyond excited to begin my journey to the 501st. I’ll be 3D printing my armor and helmet in PETG. I’ve never used PETG before and so far it’s been an experience to say the least.

Here’s what I’m thinking for the various parts:

• Helmet: Jesus Salmeron
• Armor: Studio Creations
• Gloves: Wampawear (my palm is 21.5cm (8.5”) at its widest), any suggestions on sizing with that info? Thanks!)
• Boots: Crowprops
• Soft parts: KriptonTop, Steph’s, or DIY. I’ve used a sewing machine some, but it’s definitely not my favorite. Open to suggestions and whatnot!
• Hold out Blaster: Open for suggestions! I’d like to have something that is nice to display and also good for trooping. I’d prefer not to FDM 3D print this particular piece.
• E-11: Are we allowed to carry these? If so, any suggestions for good models?

Please let me know if there’s anything I am missing. I welcome any and all tips you all have! Thank you!

Edited January 11, 2023 by wegotdeathstar
Accurate documentation of materials used

[Chopper]

Hi Nick, looks like you're on the right track. PETG can be a challenge, but once you get it dialed in, you'll find that it's a lot more sturdy than PLA.

I would think that a WW size large glove would fit well. https://wampawear.com/sizing/

From my experience, WW is also pretty good about exchanges if the goods are basically unused.

The market for hold out blasters is not what it used to be. A fair number of folks do 3D print theirs, due to the light weight, but that also means a lot of filling and sanding. DarthVoorhees was the primary source for blasters, but he sold his rubber resin molds and the person who bought them has not started producing blasters yet. I'm not being opportunistic here, but if you really want a rubber resin blaster, I have an extra Darth Voorhees one.

KriptonTop and Steph will both work for soft parts. KriptonTop ships from S. America, so we recommend that people select the FedEx shipping option. Steph usually does hers in runs, so I'm not sure what the wait is like right now.

Using a sewing machine will be helpful for adding velcro and things like that. You certainly don't need to be an expert tailor, but being able to do the little stuff will save you money and time in the end.

E-11's are not a part of the CRL, but your local command may allow it for trooping at their discretion.

[JangoFred]

I printed a holdout out of TPU. Not a great material to make it look good... but I can throw it across the room and it comes back in the exact same condition as when it was thrown.

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[wegotdeathstar]

1 hour ago, Chopper said:

Hi Nick, looks like you're on the right track. PETG can be a challenge, but once you get it dialed in, you'll find that it's a lot more sturdy than PLA.

I would think that a WW size large glove would fit well. https://wampawear.com/sizing/

From my experience, WW is also pretty good about exchanges if the goods are basically unused.

The market for hold out blasters is not what it used to be. A fair number of folks do 3D print theirs, due to the light weight, but that also means a lot of filling and sanding. DarthVoorhees was the primary source for blasters, but he sold his rubber resin molds and the person who bought them has not started producing blasters yet. I'm not being opportunistic here, but if you really want a rubber resin blaster, I have an extra Darth Voorhees one.

KriptonTop and Steph will both work for soft parts. KriptonTop ships from S. America, so we recommend that people select the FedEx shipping option. Steph usually does hers in runs, so I'm not sure what the wait is like right now.

Using a sewing machine will be helpful for adding velcro and things like that. You certainly don't need to be an expert tailor, but being able to do the little stuff will save you money and time in the end.

E-11's are not a part of the CRL, but your local command may allow it for trooping at their discretion.

Thanks, Chopper! I appreciate the advice. My sewing experience is pretty limited to attaching number kits to hockey jerseys. I might try my hand at some pouches and see how it goes. I will PM you about the blaster. Thanks again!

[wegotdeathstar]

57 minutes ago, JangoFred said:

I printed a holdout out of TPU. Not a great material to make it look good... but I can throw it across the room and it comes back in the exact same condition as when it was thrown.

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lol I might have to try it just for fun

[JangoFred]

I mean... it doesn't look horrible... but not great either.

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[Aradun]

On 1/22/2022 at 2:29 PM, wegotdeathstar said:

Thanks, Chopper! I appreciate the advice. My sewing experience is pretty limited to attaching number kits to hockey jerseys. I might try my hand at some pouches and see how it goes. I will PM you about the blaster. Thanks again!

Nick, in case you haven't seen this yet.  Here is the link to the pouch patterns on the forum.

Feel free to post up any questions you have.  Most of us started in a similar fashion with little experience in sewing, but it's not as daunting as it seems.  There is a learning curve but once you get rolling you'll find it manageable.  The pouches are a great place to start your adventure!

 

[wegotdeathstar]

1 hour ago, AradunFF said:

Nick, in case you haven't seen this yet.  Here is the link to the pouch patterns on the forum.

Feel free to post up any questions you have.  Most of us started in a similar fashion with little experience in sewing, but it's not as daunting as it seems.  There is a learning curve but once you get rolling you'll find it manageable.  The pouches are a great place to start your adventure!

 

Thanks so much, Dennis! I really appreciate the link. I hadn't seen this pattern yet. 

I'll be posting some WIP pics as I print pieces. 

[wegotdeathstar]

A hodge podge of raw prints from the last couple days. Needs filling, sanding, etc. The helmet visor had some weird layers due to z-axis binding a bit. I've welded it in those places. Will sand it down and see if I can smooth it out while maintaining strength. Might just end up reprinting though. I have some spare pieces printed and will be trying the resin smoothing method in the next couple days.  

[wegotdeathstar]

Question for the armorers and experts here: I wanted to check if these coveralls would be okay to use? I tried out two different sizes (regular and tall) of Red Kap coveralls, but they were both tight in the nether region and also the shoulders. The linked coveralls fit really well and have comparable weight and materials. I ask because the waist has a bit more elastic in the back. I assume this wouldn't be an issue because it will be covered by other things, but wanted to check.

Thank you!

 

In other news, the helmet continues to print and I am making good progress on the pouches. Everything is cut out and now I am trying to figure out the right way to sew them all together. Cheers! 

[Chopper]

Yes, absolutely. I've found that the Kolossus coveralls fit better myself, for the same reasons.

The elastic in the back does pose a small challenge to mounting the butt flap, but if you stitch the flap above the elastic area, then you won't have to deal with trying to stitch suede onto scrunched fabric.

[wegotdeathstar]

3 hours ago, Chopper said:

Yes, absolutely. I've found that the Kolossus coveralls fit better myself, for the same reasons.

The elastic in the back does pose a small challenge to mounting the butt flap, but if you stitch the flap above the elastic area, then you won't have to deal with trying to stitch suede onto scrunched fabric.

Awesome! Thanks, Chopper. And thanks for the butt flap tip.

 

I've also got one pouch complete! This project was at times frustrating, but an overall great experience and a lot of fun. I've decided to take on the other soft parts as well!

[BikerScout98]

@wegotdeathstar 

Curious what machine your using? I have 3 singers and 2 brothers in 5 different shopping carts..lol. The reviews are killing me! Everytime i think i got one for great price, the reviews are all bad or 50/50. Im trying to spend new or used under $140 for same sized machine you got give or take. (Anyone else out there happy with thiers for that kinda price lmk?)

Those pouches look good, you were saying your machine isnt the greatest, but you pulled off the pouch nicely. 

If your not still decided on doing all the soft parts yourself, KRIPTONTOP @cucblack made my CB, POUPCHES, and COD, and I'm currently waiting on my replacement FLIGHT SUIT (anytime now).The CB combo (all 3) is great quality and i got it all for $134 on his etsy shop(with shipping which was pretty fast 5 weeks).The flight suit i bought at his website cucblackprops.com for $245 (with shipping), and should arrive in a week or two. The reviews for the flight suit are flawless, page after page on etsy. He uses FedEx so you can track too. 

Enjoy your build, and thanks for any info you provide on the machine 👍

[wegotdeathstar]

2 minutes ago, BikerScout98 said:

@wegotdeathstar 

Curious what machine your using? I have 3 singers and 2 brothers in 5 different shopping carts..lol. The reviews are killing me! Everytime i think i got one for great price, the reviews are all bad or 50/50. Im trying to spend new or used under $140 for same sized machine you got give or take. (Anyone else out there happy with thiers for that kinda price lmk?)

Those pouches look good, you were saying your machine isnt the greatest, but you pulled off the pouch nicely. 

If your not still decided on doing all the soft parts yourself, KRIPTONTOP @cucblack made my CB, POUPCHES, and COD, and I'm currently waiting on my replacement FLIGHT SUIT (anytime now).The CB combo (all 3) is great quality and i got it all for $134 on his etsy shop(with shipping which was pretty fast 5 weeks).The flight suit i bought at his website cucblackprops.com for $245 (with shipping), and should arrive in a week or two. The reviews for the flight suit are flawless, page after page on etsy. He uses FedEx so you can track too. 

Enjoy your build, and thanks for any info you provide on the machine 👍

Hey @BikerScout98! I've got the Brother CS6000i. It's a great machine! I've been very happy with it. It's just my skills which aren't the greatest 😉 I really like the speed options, ease of threading, and all the different stitch styles. There are lots of videos and articles which is great for support. I did get it on sale over a year ago. LMK if you have any other questions about it.

I appreciate the compliment on the pouches! I'm quite surprised with how they turned out lol. I'm going to try modding my flight suit (Kolossus) and see how that goes. I have been watching KriptonTop on Etsy though and will go that route if I fail miserably 😂

Did some sanding on my bucket today. PETG takes forever to sand! The visor couldn't be salvaged so I have to reprint that unfortunately. 

[wegotdeathstar]

Update!

Hello all! I'm back with a bit of an update. Shortly after starting this journey, my wife and I learned we were expecting our first child! All printing stopped as we prepped for being new parents. Fast forward 10-ish months and I'm picking this back up. 

I'm currently working on printing all of the parts and then will transition to making the soft parts. I'll have to wait for warmer weather to sand, prime, and paint the 3d pieces. There's plenty to keep me busy for a few months. 

I do have a couple questions as I continue:

• For folks familiar with the Jesus Salmeron helmet, how did you go about modifying the visor/helmet to take the 3m bolts? My thought was to mark off a square that matches the bolt and hack at it with my Dremel. Any tips would be appreciated!
• Any recommendations for white paint?
• What do y’all store your armor and soft parts in? I saw a couple recommendations for a rolling Husky, but wondered if there are other suggestions out there. 

Looking forward to sharing more progress! 

[Retrofire]

Congrats on the new baby! Hope you and yours are healthy and happy and getting caught up on sleep!

I don't have that particular helmet but it's pretty standard to trim out the bolt square to fit. Go slowly and take a little at a time. You can always remove material but it's difficult to put it back if you go too far.

Paint can be very tricky. It's recommended that you use the same brand primer and paint to avoid any chemical issues with the ingredients. We've seen our fair share of accidents with combining two different brands. Once you are ready for paint wash your armor thoroughly using soap and water to remove any sanding dust and any sort of release agents/oils as they can damage your finish. @Chopper can you recommend a good brand of paint for a 3d print?

Armor storage is pretty varied among the det and it really comes down to your preference. I use a short Husky rolling bin from Home Depot and others use the larger rolling bin and some even use just a tote. It all comes down how much space you want it to take up and ease of transport for you. Mine sits on the bottom of my closet in my bed room and my wife has the hamper on top of it😉

It's looking good so far so keep up the great work and keep posting those pics!

[f3tt4l1f3]

Hey Nick,

I printed all of my armor in PETG, and then painted it with Rustoleum American Accents gloss white.  It wet sands nicely between coats so that you can get a really smooth final finish:

Just make sure you sand/fill all of the print lines before you do the final paint.  The high gloss will show everything. 😒

Looks like you're doing a great job, so far.  Keep up the good work! 👍👍

[kayelbe]

I printed the JS helmet (a couple of times, but that's another story).  As you probably realized, the "dimples" where the bolts lay don't line up with the pivot point.  There's a thread or two around here somewhere that provide guidance on how to tackle that part.  I think even one has a link to an stl for printing just the disk to put in the dimple.

 

I have used both a Husky tote and a regular ol' Rubbermaid with a collapsible mini dolly.  Whatever fits your armor, fits your transportation, and is easy to lug around will work.

[Aradun]

The thread with the STL file for the bolt is here:

http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/22982-scout-trooper-for-2022-looking-for-updated-information-jesus-salmeron-3d-print-helmet/#comment-215632

[Chopper]

For 3D PETG prints I do a primer and sanding coat to remove the print lines using the gray Rusto Filler Sandable primer. Then, once the lines are gone I use Rusto Painters Touch White Primer and finally a coat with Rusto Painters Touch Gloss White.

[wegotdeathstar]

Thanks, @Retrofire! Family is doing well and baby is sleeping a solid 7 hours at night so that's been incredible. I appreciate your tips for the helmet, paint, and armor storage. The loose prints all over is driving me slightly batty. I may have to reprint several pieces so I'll have plenty to practice different paints on. I've been trying out duplicolor filler for my JS helmet and it's been filling really well so far. 

Thanks for sharing your print and paint advice, @f3tt4l1f3! Did you end up printing the large pieces in one go or did you do any welding? I haven't welded before and will need to give it a go with a couple pieces. 

Thank you @kayelbe and @Aradun for the guidance on the JS helmet. I hadn't come across this thread yet. I will definitely try printing the bolts and assembling the helmet with those. 

I appreciate the paint tips, @Chopper! I have a few spare prints (failed prints 😅) that I will practice on. 

[wegotdeathstar]

A couple T-bits fresh off the printer. .25 nozzle at .05mm layer height. I still need to sand, fill, and paint but how's the quality generally? Acceptable or should I try sourcing this out of resin?



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[Chopper]

Personally, I would do resin, but it depends how much finishing and sanding you want to do. At 0.05 layer height I'd guess maybe one light coat of filler primer and you should be good. Can't hurt to try it first and if you're not happy, you can go with resin.

[f3tt4l1f3]

4 hours ago, wegotdeathstar said:

Thanks for sharing your print and paint advice, @f3tt4l1f3! Did you end up printing the large pieces in one go or did you do any welding? I haven't welded before and will need to give it a go with a couple pieces.

You're welcome!  My print bed isn't very big, so I had to print the chest and back armor in 4 pieces, each.  I then used super glue to put it all together and then also welded the seams.  For the chest piece, the small reinforcement part that runs down the center didn't seem to hold up and was allowing it to flex to the point it was cracking.  I used some metal strapping and JB Weld to reinforce that area better.  Now, it doesn't flex at all.

Welding isn't difficult.  It's just puts off toxic fumes, especially if you weld a joint that's been super glued (Try to do it in a place with good ventilation, or wear a respirator).  I also learned that embedding metal staples or cut up pieces of paper clips bent at right angles to bridge the weld also helps strengthen it.  You just use the soldering iron to press on the metal bits until it heats up enough to sink into the plastic.  It's a bit more work to smooth the seams, but if done right, your welds won't come apart.

I'd also suggest practicing on some scrap plastic first until you get the hang of it.  The soldering iron will melt the PETG really fast, and if you leave it in one place too long, it can cause deforming of your part(s).

[wegotdeathstar]

Wow @f3tt4l1f3 that welding technique sounds pretty intense! I appreciate the tips. I just watched a video of the embedded staple technique. I might try that on a build someday. 

I'm currently considering pivoting to a ABS kit. I have a number of pieces that need to be reprinted as they were in worse shape than I thought. My printer needs some TLC and tuning to get things right again after not being used for quite some time.