The Acrylikhan Armor Project Files

[Guest XarRagnar]

Man. Your work on this armor is amazing. I agree with a lot of others I can't anticipate future log.

 

Kenneth

[Acrylikhan]

Man. Your work on this armor is amazing. I agree with a lot of others I can't anticipate future log.

 

Kenneth

 

 

I am so trying to stay on track, keep posting every few weeks. I wish I had more time. Working two jobs is tough at the moment.

 

-fk

[Mazik]

MAZIK! Glad to have you here. I'm constantly changing armor with every new bit of information I get. Heck, I'm rebuilding the shoulder armor altogether because I made it way too small! I think you'd probably should be laughing at me!

 

- fk

Dude, thats about the highest praise a non-artist could ask for. Glad to be of help.

[Acrylikhan]

Thanks Mazik! It's still quite a journey, and I'm not quite finished yet!

 

Speaking of...

 

I finally got a little free time to re-tackle my sholder armor. I posted a few pictures back in June with all the arm armor masters. The feedback was invalueable. The shoulder armor, everyome agreed was too small. Back to the work shop. Here is the original shoulder plate with some additions of styrene strips. I cut apart another elbow joint and then started gluing them to the edges. Had some heat gun problems, but I will be putting it in the clay ovens at work to get the plastic to re-relax back into shape.

 

I needed to add at least another 1.5" to 2". The edges are a little sloppy, but that will change after I heat the sucker. I have to add strip down the sides from the top of the bell. After the heating, I'll let it cool for a few hours. It'll be on a jig I made while it cools so it will be closer to the final shape. (Or at least, I hope it will.)

 

Next, will be bondo-ing and sanding. Ah, the joy of shaping!

 

 

 

I am hoping that my schedule evens out so that I have a few hours a day to work on this. I really want to see this finished, and how it looks with the rest of the arm armor.

 

-fk

[Acrylikhan]

Part 1: This detontaor will self-destruct in five seconds.... four seconds...

 

Tragedy struck the workshop of Acrylikhan a week ago.

 

The thermal detonator... well... detonated.

 

I found a design flaw. The two inch buckle for the webbing did not fit inside the detonator's backside. When I was testing the fit, and generally monkeying around with it. The plastic was stressed and it shattered. Not broke, or fractured, but SHATTERED. Splattered, sha-doo-bee-do Shattered shattered.

 

Though I was dispondent about the meltdown, sometimes we need these setbacks to make giant leaps forward. So in the midst of my preparation for hari-kiri, it suddenly hit me. It is possible to create a new detontator. So without further delay...

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, the DREMEL router shaper table with the roundover bit made the top trim work easier than shaping by hand. And more consistent. I just wish bonding the sections on the top was as accuarate!

 

 

 

The TO DO list:

- I have to sandblast the whole thing to put a little texture so that the primer will stick.

- I still have to manufacture the extensions for the tunnel ends.

- But I want to get the tubing first so that I will have the correct circumference. That way the machined parts will look right.

- Machine or find end caps.

- Find or machine a knob.

- Drill and ream holes for the zip tie.

- Some details on the ridges on the inside pockets

- Add a slight curve to the body facing side of the detonator (as per the MoM pictures)

- Primer and paint flat white.

 

The questions I need answered:

- What is the correct tube size?

- What is the correct tube length?

- and what is the offset on the right and the left?

- DOES ANYONE HAVE ALICE CLIPS FOR SALE??? AND WHERE TO THEY GO?

 

PART 2: BELT REDUX

 

I have had some major problems with the hard section of the belt. I have been working on a new method. Even though I work at a prototype shop, we do not own a large scale vacuumforming table. We have a little one, and it's great for making very tiny blister packs. I did make a jig to bend an acrylic strip I cut at about 2.75". I used a heat gun to make it relax into the shape I wanted. It worked, but the plastic warped slightly. I put it to the test and it shattered. So it's back to square one.

 

I found an eBay auction for a strip of leather about 3 inches thick 44 inches long, and about 1/8 inch wide. I am using that for the base of the hard plastic section. This will mean I have to remake my buckle and the boxes. I have to rebuild the boxes, and this time, I am going to try to make the tops curved. Before I heated the piece of plastic on my first experiment, I made a tracing of the curve, I have to extend the curve up about an inch and a quarter for the boxes. The boxes should have a somewhat accuarte curve like the MoM pictures, but they will be a little bigger. The boxes will have slots cut on the sides to allow the leather through, or they will velcro to the leather. The leather will be dyed, painted, or enameled white.

 

Instead of riveting the webbing to the leather, I will fold the leather over and punch snaps in. The looped leather ends will have a metal rings at the ends, and the webbing will be threaded through, and the sewn in place. Not canon, but I like comfort factor and it should look pretty sweet when it's done.

 

But for now, I have to wait for the leather, and then I can start working on the boxes.

 

Part 3: Hip Boxes

 

From the MoM pictures, the hip boxes look slimmer than I originally though. I am going to slim mine down a little bit tomorrow, and add the slots and the curves on the top and bottom and some more details this week.

 

More pictures to come, with the belt-detonator-hip boxes combination. Looks like this will be the official first finished piece of the armor project.

 

I am also gathering measurements for the tank topper, and will be starting that this week as well. Depending on the work schedule, I may have pictures up as early as tomorrow.

 

 

- fk

[Guest Goose]

Progess is progress... keep up the good work, dude. It's really looking great.

[Mazik]

Progess is progress... keep up the good work, dude. It's really looking great.

Agreed! On the other hand, I've said it before and I'll say it again -- I'M not artisan. So is the material you're using just for molds or templates in the process of making armor or is this the actual material? Reason being, if it shatters while working on it, that could be a freaking tragedy while trooping!

[Acrylikhan]

All of the armor piece will be molded then cast in urethane. Probably with a 10% fiberglass in the mix. Then painted. All the armor pieces I'm photographing are the masters (templates) for the molds. I am hoping that I can get away with just using plastics for the smaller pieces, the belt boxes, hip boxes and the detonator. If they break, I could always make new ones.

 

They again, should one of the pieces break, I could always act like that there are rebel snipers in the area while trooping. Or active duty battle damage.... maybe the Empire gives Purple Hearts?

 

The RTV silicone for mold making can be pricey. I've had people tell me to roto-cast some of my parts. But in all honesty, unless you have a roto-caster centrifuge, doing it by hand can produce crap parts. I know. I have a hand rotocast Vader Mask, and it looks like @#$%. If we have spare silicone from the next batch of molds we make at work, I'll put my name on the list for the extras. I am experimenting with bathroom caulk and paster for a cheap mold. I've made some progress, but a lot of details are lost.

 

I will post pictures if I do start any molds in the near future. The bicep or the forearm armor might be first piece(s) I mold.

 

-fk

[Mazik]

The RTV silicone for mold making can be pricey. I've had people tell me to roto-cast some of my parts. But in all honesty, unless you have a roto-caster centrifuge, doing it by hand can produce crap parts. I know. I have a hand rotocast Vader Mask, and it looks like @#$%. If we have spare silicone from the next batch of molds we make at work, I'll put my name on the list for the extras. I am experimenting with bathroom caulk and paster for a cheap mold. I've made some progress, but a lot of details are lost.

 

I think the answer was -- this is just the template material, not the final product material, right? The rest of this just sounds like Ewok chatter to me!

[Acrylikhan]

I think the answer was -- this is just the template material, not the final product material, right? The rest of this just sounds like Ewok chatter to me!

 

 

Yeah.

 

Yeah, I babble alot too.

 

-fk

[Acrylikhan]

I cut out the slots for the webbing, and added some details to the thigh boxes. Still need to cut the curves on the top and the bottom edges. Maybe tomorrow, and I'll post pictures when they look pretty. They're not quite camera ready. I couldn't see the guidlines I made, and I went a little crazy. So as soon as they're patched up and primered, I'll take some pictures of the kid for you guys. I'm still waiting for my parts for my belt so I put the belt and the boxes on hold until I get that stuff. So it got me thinking... about the tank and the tank topper....

 

All this talk of tanks!

 

 

 

 

 

(Thanks MonCal!)

 

Getting the scale correct was, trying, but I think I have it correct! (The drawings here are scaled down.)

 

I am cutting this on a mill, preserve the dimensions. Once I have these pieces done, especially the top of the tank itself, I am going to build off of that.

 

The greeblies that go on the top, I will hand make. I started the little guys that are on the left side closest to the red lens.

 

 

 

 

Since I do not have access to the tank kit, I'm making this little guy out of some RenWood. I shaped it on a disc sander, and then cut the 45-degree chamfer with the help of my Dremel router table (and a few prayers to keep my finders intact). Bondo patching, a quick coat of primer, and a silicone cup-mold for this little guy. The clones will be urethane. Any details will be added to the final part will be cut styrene or acrylic.

 

-fk

[Acrylikhan]

 

 

 

 

 

 

-fk

[Arcturus1020]

ooooOOOooo

 

Beautiful job, f! I'm mailing out your hose(s) tomorrow.

[Acrylikhan]

oh! Thank you!

 

Actually, I'm waiting for a HUGE STRIP OF LEATHA' so I can start making the belt boxes, and the buckle, and riveting snaps, and either coathing it with 3M vinyl, or painting it, and then sewing the webbing together. I hate starting over, but it's going to look so much better this time. Ah, anxiety.

 

 

and look who's ready for a cup mold??

 

-fk

[Acrylikhan]

Tank Greeble - Clones. I think I made then too big, but I could mill them down to size. (crosses fingers)

 

 

Cut the patterns for the Tank's top and the topper that goes on top of the topper.

 

 

 

I cut the square hole out for a red piece of acrylic. I may borrow MonCal's pulsing light idea. That was cool.

 

Much more to do. Got some supplies together for the detonator, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

-fk

[TB-7076]

Looks good! Maybe cut away a bit more the already cut back of the tank top. It seems the back piece of the armor would have a too flat middle section if you proceed like that. (hints at the nice captures provided by ghst)

[Acrylikhan]

Looks good! Maybe cut away a bit more the already cut back of the tank top. It seems the back piece of the armor would have a too flat middle section if you proceed like that. (hints at the nice captures provided by ghst)

 

 

Hey... yeeeeaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

 

- fk

[Arcturus1020]

Tank Greeble - Clones. I think I made then too big, but I could mill them down to size. (crosses fingers)

 

 

Cut the patterns for the Tank's top and the topper that goes on top of the topper.

 

 

-fk

 

Can you take a pic or two with the greeblie casts on your tank pattern for scale?

[Acrylikhan]

(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

[Mazik]

Since I haven't waded in on this one in a while, let me just reiterate:

 

/drooooooooooooooooool... Anticipation on this project is driving my blood pressure up!

 

Keep up the amazing work!

[Acrylikhan]

 

-fk

[TB-7076]

That is vague! As an artist you know perspective adulterates (expr.?) the figures.

[Acrylikhan]

That is vague! As an artist you know perspective adulterates (expr.?) the figures.

 

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

[Arcturus1020]

That's something I never noticed before on the knee armor . . . what's with the rivet? I wonder what the riveted on???

[Acrylikhan]

That's something I never noticed before on the knee armor . . . what's with the rivet? I wonder what the riveted on???

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