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Barcoder's First Order TK build thread (TK-12175)


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Not much progress to report... (The prep work/assembly has been very intense; may be coming to end of my patience with the sanding, gluing, bondo, fixing holes, more sanding, blah, blah, blah...) I am itching to get this sucker primed and start work on the strapping! lol. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel...

 

Reinforced the yoke/back piece at the seam with a thicker ABS strip and more plastic. (Thanks for the tip, Clint!)

IMG_20150626_195620_zpstxatr5ab.jpgIMG_20150626_195626_zpsktezjntj.jpg

 

Did the final bondo (hopefully) on certain pieces. Will finish sanding tomorrow....

IMG_20150626_195719_zpsubbvjpxc.jpgIMG_20150626_195735_zps2dg9e1jl.jpg

IMG_20150626_215022_zpsks16ganb.jpg

 

(I will be doing a test prime on one of the pieces to ensure my bondo skills are up to snuff before I go full steam ahead.)

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Now that preliminary sanding is finished, it was time to give my armour a bath! (I want them to be fresh, clean & free of dust for the primer.) I have still haven't attached the forearm boxes as I wanted to prime them separately, then glue them on. I want to make sure the primer gets in all the little places around where they get glued.

 

All clean!

IMG_20150628_161547_zpsheouaice.jpg

 

Testing out the primer and techniques....

IMG_20150628_163359_zps4fc5wlfs.jpgIMG_20150628_162854_zps1v23jpwz.jpg

(Bent wire coat hangers work pretty good!)

 

Side note-My bondo skills need improving... The detonator didn't turn out as well I'd like.... Grrrr. I hate Bondo.

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As I had mentioned, my patience with the sanding/gluing was nearing the end... So I decided to work on something that would give me the satisfaction of completing a project.

I ordered a cheap Rebels blaster in hopes of giving it a "TFA Trooper makeover".

 

IMG_20150624_2021262_zps9wyq5a5z.jpg

It's super light. Probably won't even feel it on the holster clip. :)

 

As the scope is completely wrong, I went hunting for a mag lite to make a suitable replacement.... No luck, but I did find this cheap toy gun...

IMG_20150627_201800_zpsfbfyesbh.jpgIMG_20150627_201823_zpsnegsurgd.jpg

I was super excited! I think it will work perfectly!

 

After I took it apart, cut & flipped parts, mounted the scope, glued, sanded, made a new trigger area, painted and added decals.....

 

Here is the end result... 

IMG_20150628_174450_zpsqgg8sn4g.jpgIMG_20150628_174548_zpsi2hgjinm.jpg

(Still have to print & add the little red arrow/aurebesh decal that goes near the front.)

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Hey Peter, though I'm a bit behind the build curve, when it comes to joint compounds has anyone considered polyester gel coat? It's tough, somewhat flexible and you can buy it in white.

 

I used on my ATA rebuild and it worked flawless for filling holes. I was considering using on the joint here just wasn't sure if anyone else has already tried it.

 

IMG_2485.jpg

Edited by ukswrath
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Hey Peter, though I'm a bit behind the build curve, when it comes to joint compounds has anyone considered polyester gel coat? It's tough, somewhat flexible and you can buy it in white.

 

I used on my ATA rebuild and it worked flawless for filling holes. I was considering using on the joint here just wasn't sure if anyone else has already tried it.

 

IMG_2485.jpg

 

I have never heard of this stuff, sounds pretty good. The fact you can get it in white is awesome.

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Awesome work on the blaster conversion.

 

Very nice work

 

Excellent blaster conversion!

 

Great work on the blaster!

Thanks guys! I am very pleased with how it turned out. Now to see if I can make it attach to the holster clip. :)

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Thanks guys! I am very pleased with how it turned out. Now to see if I can make it attach to the holster clip. :)

 

I have been wondering how that is going to work, because it does not have opening to slide something on it. cutting into the resin piece could be a possibility but not to sure how strong that would be.

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I have been wondering how that is going to work, because it does not have opening to slide something on it. cutting into the resin piece could be a possibility but not to sure how strong that would be.

Some guys in the rpf have studied how the holster might work: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=238870

If you do it as they propose you would have to cut the resin which should be strong enough to hold a light blaster. You could also easily construct a holster from ABS Plates, also following the same ideas.

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I for one think there should be a strong earth magnet design. Two on the gun and two in the thigh mount. I'm still seriously thinking of doing it that way yet staying true to the mount design itself. 

Edited by ukswrath
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I for one think there should be a strong earth magnet design. Two on the gun and two in the thigh mount. I'm still seriously thinking of doing it that way yet staying true to the mount design itself.

Yes, this is the design idea I have been thinking about. I do believe it's possible to incorporate magnets into some of the large circular areas on the clip.  All you would need is 2 magnets glued into the inside of the length of the blaster....or mounted on the outside.

I personally would be worried about the resin breaking if I drilled into it. Not from the weight of the gun but from kids or eager adults trying to swipe the blaster. I can imagine the resin could snap if the blaster was ripped out...

Edited by Barcoder
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Yes, this is the design idea I have been thinking about. I do believe it's possible to incorporate magnets into some of the large circular areas on the clip.  All you would need is 2 magnets glued into the inside of the length of the blaster....or mounted on the outside.

I personally would be worried about the resin breaking if I drilled into it. Not from the weight of the gun but from kids or eager adults trying to swipe the blaster. I can imagine the resin could snap if the blaster was ripped out...

 

Cracking resin and or thigh ABS have been my thoughts all along. Magnets would almost eliminate this. I may start working on the thigh mount tonight though it would be nice to have an actual gun to match designs.

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Yes, this is the design idea I have been thinking about. I do believe it's possible to incorporate magnets into some of the large circular areas on the clip.  All you would need is 2 magnets glued into the inside of the length of the blaster....or mounted on the outside.

I personally would be worried about the resin breaking if I drilled into it. Not from the weight of the gun but from kids or eager adults trying to swipe the blaster. I can imagine the resin could snap if the blaster was ripped out...

Just magnets might have the problem that magnets only fix it from moving in one direction, so it maybe could slide off too easy. I personally think that magnets plus some minimal mechanical interlocking would be the safest option. The magnet to actually hold the Blaster and e.g. a small pin that goes into the slots of the holster to keet it from sliding off the magnets.

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Just magnets might have the problem that magnets only fix it from moving in one direction, so it maybe could slide off too easy. I personally think that magnets plus some minimal mechanical interlocking would be the safest option. The magnet to actually hold the Blaster and e.g. a small pin that goes into the slots of the holster to keet it from sliding off the magnets.

 

My thoughts exactly. My idea was to use the existing oval mounting holes.

 

Bracket-01.jpg

Edited by ukswrath
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Just magnets might have the problem that magnets only fix it from moving in one direction, so it maybe could slide off too easy. I personally think that magnets plus some minimal mechanical interlocking would be the safest option. The magnet to actually hold the Blaster and e.g. a small pin that goes into the slots of the holster to keet it from sliding off the magnets.

Ya know, I never even thought about the magnets sliding off. Hmmm, might need to do some testing....

 

Sorry Peter didn't mean to hijack your thread

No worries! The more info/discussion about this kit, the better! :)

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It would have to be a pretty heavy plaster to slide off, let's say a 5/8" diameter (or so) x 1/4" (deep) earth magnets. Heck I use 1/2" x 1/8" for armor assembly and they are incredibly difficult to pull apart and sliding apart is still takes quite a bit of effort.

Edited by ukswrath
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It would have to be a pretty heavy plaster to slide off, let's say a 5/8" diameter (or so) x 1/4" (deep) earth magnets. Heck I use 1/2" x 1/8" for armor assembly and they are incredibly difficult to pull apart and sliding apart is still takes quite a bit of effort.

Yeah, the friction between blaster and holster should hold it in place. I'm just a little paranoid about magnets, velcro and such things.

I'd always experiment. Put the Blaster on the magnets and try to make it slide/fall off (e.g. grab it at the holster and jump up and down). If it takes significantly more to separate the pieces than you expect to happen to it while trooping you are good.

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Yeah, the friction between blaster and holster should hold it in place. I'm just a little paranoid about magnets, velcro and such things.

I'd always experiment. Put the Blaster on the magnets and try to make it slide/fall off (e.g. grab it at the holster and jump up and down). If it takes significantly more to separate the pieces than you expect to happen to it while trooping you are good.

 

I agree

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I like this idea, but it's going to be one of those things that we will have to wait and see once the movie comes out I guess

 

mount.jpg

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Still slow going but thought I'd post a few things I've done....
Glued on all the latches/greeblies on the armour. (My fingers totally hurt after all the heat bending...)
IMG_20150701_105227_zpsa9ownr7v.jpgIMG_20150701_105149_zpsvmvaqpxj.jpg

I managed to sand down the area to be glued on to the spat. It now sits pretty much flush.
IMG_20150701_105201_zps9jy7gg2i.jpg

Also finally finished the forearms. All ready to be primed!
IMG_20150701_105352_zpsfvjspcya.jpg

Here is the end result of having to rebuild the decal detail I trimmed off by accident. You can also see that I added some JB Weld kneadable putty to the area that is prone to cracking... (Just a little bit of extra support.)
IMG_20150701_105416_zpskv3g5dvn.jpg

I am right in the middle of priming the armour. I have been discovering a few areas that need attention (Bondo) after the first coat of primer. (Minor holes & stuff)

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You're making great progress!

 

One suggestion would be to sand a lot more of that primer off. All those wide areas will want to crack on you as it bends. Ideally, you just have a small thin line, maybe 1/8-1/4 inches in width, with a heavy backing strip behind it that extends well beyond the reach of the bondo. Just a suggestion. ;)

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