Jump to content

eqdizzle

501st Stormtrooper[TK]
  • Posts

    342
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by eqdizzle

  1. IMG_20170128_191727278_zpspikltbev.jpg

     

    Progress report.  Still don't have the boots (stuck on the slowest boat from China.  I've been tracking them every day for over 3 weeks!!), the drop boxes or the TD.

     

    IMG_20170128_191823022_zpshkz0jxyn.jpg

     

    IMG_20170128_191854863_zps741j4wma.jpg

     

    Biceps and forearms before the gloss coat.

     

    GsmycGr.jpg

     

    Lkj9hMs.jpg

     

     

    How I'm tackling the TK butt.  I am very strongly thinking I'm going to treat this much like my Clone...butt, cod, ab, kidney all go on as a single complex.  I'm adding the upward swoop of the butt area and shimming out the belt slightly.  I'll have to fiddle with where the segmented parts of the belt and and the smooth section begins...!

    • Like 3
  2. Strap from the inside makes the most sense for the drop box, since attaching to the bottom of the belt directly, or the posterior plate, will just cause the box to get torqued one way or another. 

    It does seem to be literally on the side aligned to the last ridge on the belt, where the OT TK has them aligned to the plastic belt ends. 

     

     

    They do flap outward on the show.  I'm thinking a 2" wide web or elastic strap?

  3. Dim the lights...put on the Barry White...because it's time to explore...

     

    UZNGKP8.jpg

     

    The TK butt..!

     

    Notice a few of the areas I called out...the upward slope, the segmented area stopping at the mid line.  The cod/butt complex looks like it's a single piece  here, so any connection below the belt will have to happen beneath the drop box.  Speaking of drop box, there are no visible means of attachment, so a strap from the inside?  Also...no visible means of attachment for the TD.

     

    Challenge!

    • Like 2
  4. JY30DUF.jpg

     

    b3CJhM9.jpg

     

    Small detail, but I wanted to make sure I took the time to show this.  I took some scrap ABS that I cut into strips, primed and painted with flat black, and left to dry normally.  I then dropped in some CA glue inside the ab, around the holes.  I didn't use E6000 on purpose, since it tends to run until curing sets in.  I applied a bit of pressure with a strip of painters tape and allowed it to air dry for a bit. 

     

    Tape comes off and we're left with a really nice looks that mirrors the look of the show!

  5. Eric, I have this kit from Jim too. Just been waiting for the holidays to wind down to really get started. Quick noob question... would you mind if I ask how you make your sludge? I'm very familiar with bondo but can see how that will eventually crack with this material. That said I'm not particularly hard on my suits so maybe bondo would be ok? 

     

    Thanks,

    Ramey

     

    sludge is merely trimmings from your armor in a jar of acetone.  Since it's essentially the same material, it will expand/contract/flex exactly like the armor.  Why not to use Bondo (except as a top coat??) ?  Think about how Bondo recommends that you remove the dried bondo off the rubber spreaders...bend them a bit and the whole thing falls off.  Bondo is GREAT on items that don't get flexed:  Cars, our buckets, etc.  On seamless armor...be prepared to fix and replace a LOT.

     

    Bondo is definitely faster initially...and I'm using it in top coats.  My first drops into the seamless parts is sludge, however....!

    • Like 1
  6. VoOMuQz.jpg

     

    aLA6M2j.jpg

     

    0WMjpwa.jpg

     

    2dGavfc.jpg

     

     

    Did some weathering on the chest and back.  Again, for those playing the home game, I used the following method:

     

    ***WAIT FOR YOUR GLOSS WHITE TO FULLY CURE (THE LONGER THE BETTER!!) BEFORE WEATHERING!!**

     

    1. spritz the armor with a gloss gray (I used Rustoleum Smoke Grey) from 3-4', hitting un-evenly.  Use short, less-than-a-second bursts
    2. let the paint BEGIN to dry.  depending on temperature, maybe an hour or less.  DO NOT LET THIS CURE!!
    3. wet or dry sand with 1000 grit.  you're essentially scraping off the paint.  the paint specs should be organic and non-uniform or patterned, so vary your rubs and places where you're sanding as you go.
    4. finish your sanding with 0000 steel wool, especially in the larger surfaces.  rinse and let dry.

     

    The steel wool will knock some of the shine off the gloss paint.  We'll restore that later...!

  7.  

    lb9UnNW.jpg

     

    ijEcCNK.jpg

     

    yzZg8q4.jpg

     

    uBISuLa.jpg

     

     

    I ended up re-sizing the forearms since they were REALLY big on my arms and didn't look like how the Rebs TKs wear theirs.  That led to the issue where the back end didn't line up correctly.  I added an inner shim and glued additional material on top to raise it to near the level of the original material.

     

     

    continuing on the other arm

     

    svKM3pk.jpg

     

    7TRfGDX.jpg

     

    Cutting down, starting with scissors, then to shaping with a dremel, and finish sanding.

     

    Next step will be sludging and sanding to make seamless...!

×
×
  • Create New...