RS Prop Masters Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) Well I though I would post up a build we are working on, I really don't get to post as much as I would like. First I use a 10mm Template to mark the front cut line. We start at the front, as it has the detail we want to keep as close to the original as possible. The finishing cover strip is 20-23mm. If it makes you feel better, they are not very square and can be 2mm out along the length of them. If you are a bigger guy you can use this to add a little to the front. Here we have boths side cut, using the 10mm template, giving us a 20mm join area, plus the slight line we decide upon with the template. The parts are then taped internally with decorators masking tape. You can see the left thigh lines through at the top and bottom very well, the right will need to be out of alignment at the bottom to fit properly. This is covered with the knee ammo belt. It was not sculpted this way, the issue must have arisen during the tool making. Cover strip added. For PVC we are using superglue, which is faster to work with than ABS glue. Inside the front raised section we add a small off cut to add strength, as the original. The original suit has the off cut only in the left thigh, but the right we assume would have had one, which is now missing. Now we can address the rear closure, sizing as required. The originals are real slim. Front view. You can see here the misalignment of the right thigh at the top and bottom, before the knee ammo belt is added. Rear view. This creates a neat line with the butt plate. Again, it looks like an tooling issue that stops the line of the right thigh meeting correctly in the front. This is present on the original, and so the replica. Torso, with vintage style S spring snaps (replica) added Internal image, showing the wire frames before elastic is added. You can also see the crotch elastic, applied with a split rivet has been fitted. Vintage snap in the butt section. I know some suits had two here, but ours has only one (hole, actually the snap is missing). This raises an interesting question, as I understand Centurion requirements require 2 here. here with the original to compare. Holes punched for the split rivets. Notice also the face mounting of the brackets (thanks Dennis ) Fitting the split pins. This can be daunting, as they need the use of a hammer to open them up. External view of pins fitted. Head size 8mm, colour nickel. We glue the elastic straps in place. I know there are thoughts that these were sewn, but all the elastics on our original are glued (as far as we can tell) no cotton stitching can be found. Adding in the shoulder straps. 45mm white elastic, with large sew on snap fitted, this will be used to mount the shoulder bell. Torso is looking a little more complete now. Needs the 4 button greeblie and the straps before its finished. Edited May 17, 2012 by RS Prop Masters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananoPower22[TK] Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich330[TK] Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Thanks for posting, Rob. Really interesting. Now we can address the rear closure, sizing as required. The originals are real slim. You say "now". Does this mean you have altered the moulds? I remember there being less scope for doing this properly on the suit I built. Vintage snap in the butt section. "Vintage" - Have you got your hands on some NOS Neweys? Notice also the face mounting of the brackets (thanks Dennis ) What's the thinking behind this? The brackets were connected to the face when they were riveted on as part of repairs. Do you think there's evidence on the suit that the original screw holes were on the face too (i.e. not in the return edge)? Be careful taking advice from Dennis .... he's mental! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Prop Masters Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 You say "now". Does this mean you have altered the moulds? I remember there being less scope for doing this properly on the suit I built. No, nothing has changed, there was always some extra around the back. We needed to add material to create the tool. Were yours not need some trimming? "Vintage" - Have you got your hands on some NOS Neweys? Well, there are some floating around, but no, these are some really nice S Spring snaps, very close to the Newey ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmosis[501st] Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Someday............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Prop Masters Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Yes, looking at the suit the brackets were face mounted from the start, however, we cant be sure. We can see what look like original brackets mounted, then the larger type riveted after. Of course, they could have been on the return which was lost due to damage, then moved to the face, we just don't know. here are some images. Inner left side, we believe original. Outer left side, we believe original. Inner right side, repair with original holes visible. Outer right side, repair, with original holes visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich330[TK] Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Thanks for those, Rob. That's very interesting and very useful. Dennis is still mental but well spotted, chaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich330[TK] Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 No, nothing has changed, there was always some extra around the back. We needed to add material to create the tool. Were yours not need some trimming? I definitely had to trim some off and, being slim, I wanted them trimmed like the original anyway so it was never an issue for me. I just vaguely remember having the feeling that the original lines were very clear and trimming anywhere else would just look off, like an extra bit stuck on that doesn't belong in there. Maybe being too fussy because in your pictures it looks pretty good for a bit a variation. Really appreciate the extra pictures of the original armour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmartigan Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Come to me, my precious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGHtrooper21 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Beautiful! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker[TK] Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 This is going to help me tons once I start building mine. Thanks RS crew. Arturo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Nice work guys If you want to know where to get the accurate rivets from, just send me a PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inglorious trooper Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 great pictures rob and some real helpful hints for people building your armour! by the way,my helmet turned out spot on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MClass Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Looking good so far. This is going to look great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW1 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Nice Build Rob and thanks for sharing the pics of the Original , like i mentioned to you over on another chat room , it would be so intresting to find out if the other Original Sandtroopers only had one snap in the butt peice , i know we cant take it for sure that the Simon suit was a Sandy even tough it had the 3 abb buttons on it , i luv this the plot thickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Batman[TK] Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Do we have any idea as to who made this suit? Was this one of the Elstree suits or one of Ainsworths? My understanding, and I could be wrong, was that Elstree made some suits prior to AA. but the Vac former was not up to the task of making 50+ suits. The idea that Sandies had only one snap makes sense and falls in line with the fact that changes were made when they got to the studio, ab buttons, sniper plate why not an extra snap for adjustment. I guess we will never really know as the documentation doesn't seem to exist although I live in hope that some more discoveries will be made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Prop Masters Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Hi Gary. OK, we talked to Brian long and hard about this and what he could remember. He is sure that around half a dozen suits we made by the studio to go to Tunisia, the first part of filming. He has some info regarding this re dates etc, I will ask again but it's all centred around February 76. It was all happening then re armour and the helmet sculpt. Brain told us he saw suits before AA was involved, (one of which could be in the test fit video Brian has, which is an incompete suit) and these were to be sent to Tunisia. Obviously we were curious as to if the studio made any helmets too, but Brian never saw any. Together with the "hdpe" material it makes sense that AA pulled all of these, but we had to ask. It would be great if the studio ad pulled some "hdpe" helmets but I guess we will have to believe AA with the pond story. Brian went on to say that the studio went on forming other things, such as panels for sets and subcontracted the TK's to AA. It would be difficult to know anything for sure, but I personally think the odds on Simons being one of the studio suits has to be less likely than the higher number AA suits, but then, the 3 button detail and lack of shoulder straps always brings you back to Sandtroopers and just maybe this was an early suit. That said we then have the odd holster, which is seen on screen on a TK. The fact that it is a odd design is also interesting, and could suggest an early suit, before they changed the design. The holster is quite interesting, it's like the pattern is correct, but it was constructed inside out, or back to front, so the blaster won't fit due to the magazine. Lastly on te suit, we don't even know for sure it was one suit. If it was rescued from "the dumpster" maybe it is parts of several suits, but if thats te case it's all sized for a guys around the same size - slim. That opens another line of interest as maybe all the suits were one size, when I measure the details on the raised sections at the rear they are very uniform, for example all the outer returns around the back are one size, say from memory 45mm and the inners are 55mm, to suggest all the suits were made to one spec. I know Jeremy got the Boba Fett role because the suit fit, this could also be true of the Stormtroopers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Prop Masters Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Also, Bran told us all the suits were built in the studio under John Mollo, and AA had no part in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Batman[TK] Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Thanks Rob. I have never really asked this and have theories but does Brian know who built the suits? Did AA supply them ready made or was it Mollo's team that trimmed them and put them together when they were delivered to the studio. My guess is that Mollo's team did the strapping etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Prop Masters Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Yes, the suits were assembled by Mollo at the studio. As we see the helmets built in the photo with AA I assume the helmets were pre assembled? But not with paper fastening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW1 Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 This all great info Guy's keep it comming off to find some screen grabs of the Sandtroopers butt peices and try and see how many snaps they had Blue-Ray Becons me thinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turrican Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Oh that's realy some cool new's.Some parts of that story i knew some not. Thanks Rob for sharing those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berbs42[TK] Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Great Great Thread!! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin[Admin] Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Looks a bit dodgy to me. Best ship it to me directly as I'm just not really getting a feel for it from the photos. j/k - it's a real work of art, in every sense of the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmartigan Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 You can pry it from my cold, dead, hands, Paul. Looks a bit dodgy to me. Best ship it to me directly as I'm just not really getting a feel for it from the photos. j/k - it's a real work of art, in every sense of the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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