Scootch

I think maybe I'll try building that tater launcher in a month, just like Battlefront / Battlefront II. Looks Kewl and I've got a stack of Hasbro's just itching to be transformed!

I purchased a couple of lunch boxes with the thermos' intact from my childhood.......a Space 1999 one and a Star Wars one. Funny, they look way smaller than they did when I was 10 years old!

So who DID frame Jabba? Inquiring minds wanna know!

There's so much great music out there, personally I enjoy all kinds depending on my mood, Dropkick Murphys are one of my favorites as are Whiskey Galore. Something about the pipes I suppose.........

What type material are Runriot's lenses?

Wow. Excellent work there Keith. A very nice example. Very nice.

It would transfer the load / stress to a greater area making it a lot better for the armor. I am anxious to try out the plastic weld product, sounds like great stuff!

I like Flatt & Skruggs, Hank Williams (the original), Jerry Reed, Tom T Hall, and some Grampa Jones. I'm from Bakersfield California baby, home of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. Hee Haw and all other things that are good! Like they say, "If you don't know me you won't like me.....say you care less how I feel. But how many of you who sit and judge me ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?" Just when you thought good music was dead a bit of refreshment pops up, Jr. Brown is pretty good, and we have some local bands here that really kick it up. I have to agree, the new stuff is vomit. I'm embarrassed for those freaks. If you like AC/DC try "Hayseed Dixie". They've been guests on the Bob and Tom show and they play a bluegrass tribute to AC/DC songs. Freakin hilarious!

This helmet is a 1st generation RE-casting (ie the plastic is vacuformed over a mold that was made directly from an original helmet)

All I can say is WOW.

Well I thought I saw mr. no-stripes on the Tantive IV too. So what about Dave???? Oh never mind, Dave's not here man.

Good advice. You guys would laugh if you were watching me, I went back and caulked in all the tiny spaces between the strips on my armor and now it looks too perfect! And it's a sandy! so I'm priming tomorrow then for sure wet sanding with fine grit before proceeding on to paint. Would like to say for anyone who's faced a similar challenge.....My ab plate was pretty "oatmealed" out of the box. I didn't like the idea of using filling agents that wouldn't take a little flex here and there. I got some Krylon primer from the auto body supply. It's supposed to be a very filling type primer. I did a fatty two coats, waited 24 hours then wet sanded, and the oatmeal was down to "orange peel". I let her dry then hosed it fat again. I'm stopping with that, but I bet a third coat would make that babey smooth like a babies behind.

That's good advice. I'm getting a suit ready and should be painting in a week. I know some areas will require priming first while in others I may get away with paint made for plastic.

Ha ha! This lands right on my last nerve! We drove two and a half hours (one way) to be the ONLY members representing the 501st at a function where they said "Weapons okay"......weapons were NOT okay, people were freakin' out. We had to lock 'em in the dressing room and wander around gripping our cod-pieces. Meantime it was fine for all their kids to run up, punch or kick us from behind, and nobody gave a crap. But hey, if that's how you wanna bring yer kids up.....fine. We could use more victims anyway! Hopefully one of those people will stop a bullet that could have otherwise hit someone with some sense! That principal you guys got stroked by.....he aint gettin any if you take my meaning. Okay and I know this is gonna sound harsh but it will definately make YOU feel better. You should definately toss a rodkill skunk into his car on a hot day!

Could be.....I try freezing scenes where there's enough lack of movement I can home in on stuff, so far it (Battle of Endor) looks like helmets with the face plate installed cap to eyeballs (Hero) and ESB markings but with black teeth and "Lips". But in the Death Star the troopers look more "Stunt". I did notice something funny yesterday.....on the VCR Digitally Remastered video pack.....the ESB movie has a ROTJ trooper on the jacket.

Yup I picked up a Slightly Blemished bucket from him a while back.......I still don't know where the Slight Blemish is! I need to finish that thing!

I wanna jump in here.....I was stepping the movie and then looking around in here too, the decals look to me like ESB style. So I gotta ask....were ESB decals used for ROTJ helmets? Or [s the field in the traps and tears a different shade? Anybody know?

Right on! I'm 41, saw SW in 77 at the theater, now it's all about livin' the dream! Young at heart

Some of my mates are telling me I should hand paint (by brush) my teeth, traps and tears. Wonder if you could somehow brush paint your bucket Jester? It's either that or you mask it off supremely well which I have found is a chore all in itself. I always get some kind of "leak" where overspray finds it's way in. You can see evidence of it here. So if you plan on spraying it I think it wise to spend extra time and effort on prepping.

And for getting that gooey cheeser adhesive off your armor (the stuff that's on it now) get some citrus based cleaner and some paper towels. If you let it soak a few minutes it scrubs right off.

Thanks Mark! I'll post more updates here soon, my Star Wars fun is being squashed by work <_<

Awright....the 70 some hours have lapsed and so I snagged some pics of the fully cured Interior[attac hment=793:AP_Interior4.jpg]. The Satin Black looks good, I'll more than likely have to clean it up one last time after helmet assembly is done. What do you guys (and gals) think?

Wow! I love it! I hope when I do my CE I get the same result! I just knew these helmets had potential and you've gone and proved it! Awesome work!

Okay....48 hours have lapsed and I'm still smelling a bit of "New paint" smell so had a new color match deal going on. This is my kid's bucket (the AP is his replacement) we painted with Rustoleum "Dark Machine Gray" for the traps, tears, and frown. The decals came with the AP. No matter what type of lighting we use the colors are almost a 100% match, the only defining factor being the paint is a bit more flat than the glossy finish of the decal. It could be because we weathered the bucket pretty thoroughly and thus dulled down the gray paint. Any one else used this paint for their bucket?

Okay fellow Imperials.....I finally got some "rushed" moments to do the deed. The new delivery system for the spray paint (trigger) was weird and took some getting used to. Two fat coats were all the job required. I applied them by fogging the stuff on in a back and forth motion side to side.......then back over them a few minutes later up and down. Got good coverage as the paint really wants out of this weird can! I figure once I complete the helmet assembly.....a little sanding and a final coat will make it perf.......but as far as I'm concerned It's there now. I didn't worry too much about the masking job being perfect as I may be painting the exterior as well although I did mask it off quite well. Here's what it looked like a few minutes after the squirting: So I was done around 8:00 pm and will now let this set 72 hours....(Thursday night) before disturbing it again. I'll post a pic of the fully cured finish then =) Thought I'd mention my little armor work table.....4'x4' square piece of 5/8" plywood with some Black indoor outdoor carpet rollled over and stapled on the underside. The Carpet is the very soft kind and won't scratch the work-pieces. I use the un-carpeted side for painting and other messy jobs. For the legs I use plastic adjustable sawhoarses from Home Depot...they look cheap but are actually pretty strong! The whole mess folds up and can be stored in about a 6"wide space.