3D Printed Rogue One TK Build Thread

[bTonyd]

Hi @Platinum Lexi just want to say that i am following a similar path and i'm stalking your progress. ROTK 3d printed from white PETG.

 

I've tried to print GA files but there are so many screw-ups and differences between Akira files and GA files that i did not want to follow those files anymore.

 

Akira is chef's kiss indeed (and Nico). The only files from GA that seem decent to me were the biceps, forearms and shoulders. I am a very inexperienced beginner here so take everything with a grain of salt.

 

I even messaged GA to modify the belt because it was really incorrect screen-wise (and i am not that experienced as the veterans around here). They said that they don't really have that much time.

 

All in all i wanted to just give you an info because i took this path and wasted 10 kilos of filament but again, this is just my path. 

 

I will start a build thread too in the next months because i am very excited and i am really, really bad at strapping. I need all the help i can get.

 

P.S: the GA files are extremely hard to strap in some parts.

 

Looking forward for your news.

 

Cheers

[Platinum Lex]

Oh definitely, I actually regret spending so much money on finishing GA’s armor because at the time I didn’t realize how inaccurate and difficult to put together it is. Honestly I’m just going for level one and it’s on a bit of a budget at the moment so I’m not too upset about it.

[bTonyd]

35 minutes ago, Platinum Lex said:

Oh definitely, I actually regret spending so much money on finishing GA’s armor because at the time I didn’t realize how inaccurate and difficult to put together it is. Honestly I’m just going for level one and it’s on a bit of a budget at the moment so I’m not too upset about it.

I feel the same thing, yeah.

 

You really did a great job with those files, i will come back here to ask for some advice on my process.

 

Good luck with it, i'm looking forward for you to get accepted.

[Platinum Lex]

Of course, I really look forward to seeing yours and you should send me a message when you start it. Overall advice: don’t get GA’s stuff for this. He’s a great dude but his Imperial stuff just isn’t great.

[Platinum Lex]

So I figured out the issue with my printer (which was really stupid) and it was that the printer was printing on top of its own cords which I tragically couldn't realize (I promise I'm smart this isn't like me). This printer that I refuse to let die and that's being held together with duct tape and a rubber band is currently what is supporting my project, more updates to come once I finish printing all the remaining pieces.

Edited May 15 by Platinum Lex
Typos

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

53 minutes ago, Platinum Lex said:

So I figured out the issue with my printer (which was really stupid) and it was that the printer was printing on top of its own cords which I tragically couldn't realize (I promise I'm smart this isn't like me). This printer that I refuse to let die and that's being held together with duct tape and a rubber band is currently what is supporting my project, more updates to come once I finish printing all the remaining pieces.

Hey anything that works  I had a droopy feed on one of my machines which would catch when moving long distance, I used some fencing wire wrapped around to hold it higher than the prints.

[Platinum Lex]

I was looking ahead and I was thinking about adding a rubber trim and a rubber brow to my helmet. I'm seeing a lot of different trims and rubber sizes and types, but I'm not too sure which would be the best for the helmet. if it's not in budget then I'll probably skip it for now, but somewhere I read about an S-type trim for accuracy (might be from an OTTK though).

Additionally, does anyone know if I can just glue the rubber brow straight to the helmet if I have the right one? Thanks.

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Some use a U trim for around the base, Black Series build thread

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NDVCKG4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

For the brow some use Trooperbay's OTTK brow trim

 

 

[Platinum Lex]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NDVCKG4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Ordered this neck trim and it fit PERFECTLY (thank you for showing me that gmrhodes). Gonna start working on the chest and back soon.
Additionally, I ordered a Rogue One style orange pauldron (I love pauldrons) so I will update with photos when it arrives.

Edited June 1 by Platinum Lex

[Platinum Lex]

I made a list of the all the soft goods I would need along with cheaper but potentially unacceptable alternatives for someone and figured I might as well share it on here, I know there's probably a list out there with better choices but I figured I might as well share this one:
 

Undersuit:
Most accurate ($290):
New Era Undersuit

 

Decent alternative ($17 + any black t-shirt):

Thermal Underwear

 

Shoes:

Most accurate:
First Order Stormtrooper Boots ($150)
Rogue One TK Boots ($144)

Cheaper, not accurate ($110 or anywhere you can find these):
Original Stormtrooper Boots

Gloves:

Most accurate ($80):

Gloves

Cheaper, not perfect ($16 + ~$20 shipping to US):
Cheaper Gloves

Balaclava:
Good option ($6):
Balaclava

Neck Seal:
Both good options, only need it for 501st approval, many more on the internet:
First Order Neck Seal ($41 + ~$20 Shipping)

New Stormtrooper Neck Seal ($28 + ~$20 Shipping)

Edited June 1 by Platinum Lex

[Platinum Lex]

I've spent some time looking at other build threads and reference photos and I'm at the point where I'm thinking about what shine I need for my armor and how I should get it. I was looking at reference photos and noticed that some of the helmets have different sheens (but I honestly think it's just the lighting).

 

 

I'm aiming for a level of reflection or sheen as seen in the second photo in the rain (assuming it's not just the lighting), but I'm not sure how to do that, and more importantly how to prevent it from yellowing.

This here is a lineup of the spray paints that I currently have, but I'm thinking about how to make the armor and helmet shine correctly. The Rust-Oleum Gloss White and some layers of gloss clear coat are currently my plan to get a shine, but most importantly I want the helmet to be smooth. If needed, I can wet sand the clear coats down with some 2500 or 3000 grit sandpaper, even if it removes some of the shine, but it's okay because I'm not going for a mirror finish. I'm not sure how to add clear coat, but I read somewhere that the coats need to be added before the other fully dries. My goal with the clear coat is to both make it glossier but to also to prevent it from scratches, but I'm not sure how many layers I need to add before I'm good. Apparently SprayMax 2K Glamour Clearcoat is also good for this but it's quadruple the price and I'm just not that sure how it'll work.

For the tears and traps I used the darker primer for my last build and I also have charcoal grey from a clone trooper build but someone also recommended Rust-Oleum Satin Granite and I was wondering if that was a better fit. I cannot for the life of me tell whether or not the tears and traps are matte, satin, or gloss (nor do I really know the difference). I was going for just a satin or matte granite with some matte clear coat to top it off in hopes that it prevents some scratching, especially with the armor. One of the biggest problems with the armor is that some of the edges rub against each other and scrape away the paint, especially the sharp edges, which is way I have some soft, thin padding under the armor.

For the details like the vocoder (chin detail) and the aerators (mic tips), I can't really tell if they are glossy or not, but if they are I'll use gloss black and if not I'll use matte or satin, whichever is more accurate. Actually I just looked at an auction for a real helmet from Rogue One and it says that the vocoder is actually more rubber so I think I'll stick with matte for that and the mic tips.

For the blue sections underneath, I'm using Brilliant Blue because I have it on hand, it looks like the medium blue that I see in the photos, and it tastes the best. If there is a paint that is considered to be SUPER accurate and it's not $400 per ounce then I might swap it out but or I'll decide that it's good enough.

If anyone has any advice or experience that's they'd like to lend out I'd really appreciate it, I'm still looking through other threads to see what others have done. This is still a learning curve for me so I'm still experimenting and learning.

[Sayless]

I think you're off to a really solid start with the paint! As several members pointed out to me during my own build—and based on my subsequent research—these new-era suits weren't actually painted white. That glossy sheen comes directly from the molds the armor was produced from. Achieving that exact factory shine is a bit tricky to replicate, but it's definitely doable. A 1K clear coat will probably get you closest, but to your point about yellowing: it won't entirely prevent it.

 

The chemical compound in 1K clear isn't nearly as robust as a 2K clear, but it should hold off yellowing for a few years. Sun exposure will certainly expedite the process, but even if the armor sits in a plastic tote in your attic, it will inevitably yellow over time.

 

Regarding sanding: the higher the grit you use, the more orange peel you'll remove, but you need to work up through the grits in steps. Since the screen-used suits weren't painted, they don't have true orange peel, though they do have small mold imperfections that resemble it. Normally, wet sanding is followed by a heavy compound and a fine polish. However, if you do a pass with something like 1500-grit and follow it with a lighter, "poor" polish, you’ll likely get closest to the screen-accurate finish you're aiming for.

 

From the SWC22 references, it’s clear this specific helmet was resprayed prior to the show (you can see the overspray on the cheek vents), which actually gives us some great insight into the paint details:

• Vocoder & Ear Greebles: The vocoder has a slight sheen to it, which I’d argue is a satin finish. Similarly, looking at the lower angles and the shots of the ear greebles, those are also a satin grey (which is why myself and others have used Satin Granite).
   

• Forehead Trim: On the screen-used suits, this is technically a matte rubber. However, I think a dusted coat of satin paint mimics the look of real rubber much better than a true flat matte paint. Flat matte is also highly prone to scuffing and scratches. Because of this, some troopers advocate for Plasti Dip here to get that rubberized texture. (I’m currently working with someone to source an accurate rubber trim, as the one TKModder used to import from the UK is no longer available in the States).
   

• Hovi Mic Tips: You could probably get away with a matte finish on these, but I opted for a satin coat on my last helmet to tie them into the vocoder. I might switch it up on my next one and try matte just to see how it compares.

 

From this angle, you can clearly see the orange peel on the helmet from the rush respray, which is entirely absent on the chest plate. Because the helmet refresh was done in a hurry, the blue on the vents is a much lighter shade than what we've seen on other reference suits. The Brilliant Blue you're using should get you pretty close. That said, if it's meant to match the blue seen lower on the abdomen armor, it might need to be a shade darker.

 

 

Technically, the blue section on the screen-used helmets is actually a breathable mesh fabric (as seen in some Kenobi BTS shots), so it’s always going to be tough to perfectly mimic that "texture" on a solid piece of painted plastic.

 

You're doing a fantastic job so far—keep it up!

[Platinum Lex]

Thank you so much, this is a lot of useful information and it’s really going to help me out.

 

When looking at screen used helmets, I noticed that they were slightly translucent so I figured that they were from a cast or mold.

 

For the clear coat, I’m not sure whether you’re talking about 2K SprayMax or Rust-Oleum, but I’m leaning more towards Rust-Oleum because I have it in hand. I’ve had the Rust-Oleum gloss give some orange peel before (or it might have just been the flat white I used) so I think my plan will be the spray the gloss white, spray the gloss clear, then lightly sand down the gloss clear with some super fine grit. Like I said, I don’t need a mirror finish, so having it more smooth than shiny is actually better for me. I understand that yellowing is inevitable, but it’s not the end of the world to me.

 

I’ll pick up some satin granite and satin black the next time I’m at Home Depot (along with materials for my DLT-19 build) and starts working on that when I can, thanks again for everyone’s help.

[Platinum Lex]

As I continue to work in my little workshop I went ahead and bought all the necessary paints needed and have begun sanding. I know the best choice for armor right now are the Akira files, but as I look through other build threads, I'm wondering if it's even possible to get approved using Galactic Armory's files. I understand that I'm not going to get anything above basic, even at that, but I'm just thinking if most garrisons would let me join based off of these files.

Arguably the most important part of the build is the helmet, so while I do have GA's helmet right now which seems to meet all basic certifications, I'm going to get started on working on the updated helmet when possible.

 

[Sayless]

I believe the core issue with Galactic Armory (GA) files is that while they certainly resemble a Stormtrooper, they have too many structural inaccuracies to pass basic 501st approval. For me, the biggest red flag is the chest plate, which isn't remotely close to what we see on screen. (Granted, it's ultimately your GML's final decision that counts)

 

 

Side-by-side, the curvature just doesn't match the screen-used armor. As you and others have pointed out, the bottom sides of the GA chest flare outward away from the body, whereas the screen-accurate armor curves naturally inward toward the wearer. This seems to be the exact issue you faced when trying to get the side wings to work, forcing you to shorten them significantly and force an inward curve just to make them fit.

 

Moving down, a smaller but still notable issue lies with the thighs. They completely miss the raised, secondary smaller cover strip required by the CRL, which states that cover strips must be beveled, roughly ⅛" thick, and have a smaller cover strip layered on top. While this is a common flaw with many files on the market right now, it is most apparent on the GA version.

• The cover strips are beveled and approximately ⅛" thick that does not extend beyond the greave and has a smaller cover strip layered thereon.

The helmet has been discussed in great detail, and the consensus across the detachment is that GA files simply do not meet the baseline for basic approval without an overwhelming amount of heavy modifications. Nico's is currently the gold standard within the community, but Meiloorun and ChrisThePropGuy are also making massive strides to compete with this.

 

Furthermore, after scouring just about every 3D-print related build thread on the forum, it’s clear that approval isn't just a checklist. Even if all the basic requirements are technically met on paper, the GMLs still look at the armor from a holistic, full-body view to judge whether it truly captures the screen-accurate look and proportions of an R1TK.

 

Please take all of this with a grain of salt, from one currently unapproved member to another. GA files are alright for general cosplay, and I completely understand not wanting to buy yet another set of files—it’s a total rabbit hole (coming from experience). However, the sheer amount of time and effort you’re about to invest in reprinting, repriming, and repainting these parts is astronomical. To guarantee you hit the base requirements for Legion approval, the smartest move would be to switch to Akira’s files, even if it's just for specific problem areas like the chest plate (since their back armor isn't much better than GA's anyway).

 

I'm always happy to lend a hand if any other issues arise. That’s what this community is here for!

[Platinum Lex]

As much as I hate to accept it, you're right. I'm going to have to buy the Akira files and update the armor in pieces, starting with the chest and back, even though I've sadly already started working on the updated versions. Since you mentioned the cover strips on the thighs, I'm going to reprint those. The arms don't seem to have any MAJOR issues as far as I can see, but once I get around to it I think I'll start redoing the abdomen and kidneys, along with the belt and cod/posterior plates.

Additionally, I was looking at the CRL and came across this: 

• The kidney armor is separated in the back and covered by a rectangular plate.

For oh so lucky me, the kidney plate is in one complete piece, which now means that the only way I can get approved is by redoing approximately 80% of my armor...

Now knowing that this is going to be a much longer, and most importantly expensive, project, I've become slightly more unmotivated because once college comes this fall, I won't be able to continue efficiently making armor up until Spring. I'm going to continue doing what I can now during the summer with the new files and start working on them piece by piece.

I've had to scale the armor by hand and by eyeballing some proportions, so if anyone knows of any free armor scalers I would appreciate it. Another one of my ideas was to 3D scan my body and scale the armor from there, along with more accurate measurements.

Looking at 11b30b4's Rogue One TK sources, I noticed the flexible shoulder straps for TPU filament, so I might download those and pick up a roll of TPU. The rest of the armor I will print in either ABS or PETG, but as I said in my DLT-19 build thread, my basement might not be the best place for printing in ABS, so PETG will be the way to go here for me.

You mentioned that Akira's back isn't much better than GA's, and the only difference I noticed was the hole in the back (which GA has in the TIE pilot armor, which is what I'm using for this new version of the chest) and some slight curvature. I like the way you (Sayless) separated your back and I understand if it's not possible, but if I could somehow use your files for the chest and back that would be amazing, but if they're not available then I'm fine with Akira's and don't have a problem with it.

For gluing and attaching big pieces that my printer can't do in one piece, I've been attaching with pieces with a lot of very strong super glue, welding the inside pieces together, then using some spare filament strands to melt into the inside to give it a stronger hold. I've just been using Bondo to fill in the seams but I need to find a better way to fill in bigger seams to prevent cracking, but also don't want a method that's just too expensive.

On a side note, apart from my own build, I noticed that since the Rogue One stormtrooper CRL has been changed from Rogue One to Non-Saga, therefore I'm wondering if or when the CRL will be updated to include appearances from other shows and movies, for example:

A stormtrooper here and a stormtrooper on a ship in the Mandalorian (I couldn't find a good enough photo) are holding E-22's, which I think should be put on the CRL as an optional accessory since they're seen wielding them in the show.



Additionally, and I know we don't have too many good references, but this unidentified stormtrooper commander from Tython has an orange (yes it's orange, man I hate color theory) pauldron, and I know that there aren't many examples of this pauldron on regular non-saga stormtroopers, but I still think the CRL should be updated in the future in order to include these.

Edited June 12 by Platinum Lex

[Sayless]

1 hour ago, Platinum Lex said:

As much as I hate to accept it, you're right. I'm going to have to buy the Akira files and update the armor in pieces, starting with the chest and back, even though I've sadly already started working on the updated versions. Since you mentioned the cover strips on the thighs, I'm going to reprint those. The arms don't seem to have any MAJOR issues as far as I can see, but once I get around to it I think I'll start redoing the abdomen and kidneys, along with the belt and cod/posterior plates.

Additionally, I was looking at the CRL and came across this: 

• The kidney armor is separated in the back and covered by a rectangular plate.

For oh so lucky me, the kidney plate is in one complete piece, which now means that the only way I can get approved is by redoing approximately 80% of my armor...

 

The arms between the Akira and Galactic Armory (GA) files appear very similar based on the GA renders and what I can see on my own Akira printed parts. You should easily be able to get away with using either for basic approval.

 

The abdomen and kidney armor configuration is a bit unique. Per the CRL and screen-used armor, the abdomen is a "single entity" with a gap in the back utilized for a corset-style system, like this:

 

This is then covered by a kidney/trauma plate that slots into the lower recess to ideally conceal the closure system, as outlined by the CRL. Looking at both the GA and Akira files, it appears to be just a plate that sits on the back, so there shouldn't be any tricky or overly complex engineering required here.

 

1 hour ago, Platinum Lex said:

Now knowing that this is going to be a much longer, and most importantly expensive, project, I've become slightly more unmotivated because once college comes this fall, I won't be able to continue efficiently making armor up until Spring. I'm going to continue doing what I can now during the summer with the new files and start working on them piece by piece.

I've had to scale the armor by hand and by eyeballing some proportions, so if anyone knows of any free armor scalers I would appreciate it. Another one of my ideas was to 3D scan my body and scale the armor from there, along with more accurate measurements.

Looking at 11b30b4's Rogue One TK sources, I noticed the flexible shoulder straps for TPU filament, so I might download those and pick up a roll of TPU. The rest of the armor I will print in either ABS or PETG, but as I said in my DLT-19 build thread, my basement might not be the best place for printing in ABS, so PETG will be the way to go here for me.

You mentioned that Akira's back isn't much better than GA's, and the only difference I noticed was the hole in the back (which GA has in the TIE pilot armor, which is what I'm using for this new version of the chest) and some slight curvature. I like the way you (Sayless) separated your back and I understand if it's not possible, but if I could somehow use your files for the chest and back that would be amazing, but if they're not available then I'm fine with Akira's and don't have a problem with it.

For gluing and attaching big pieces that my printer can't do in one piece, I've been attaching with pieces with a lot of very strong super glue, welding the inside pieces together, then using some spare filament strands to melt into the inside to give it a stronger hold. I've just been using Bondo to fill in the seams but I need to find a better way to fill in bigger seams to prevent cracking, but also don't want a method that's just too expensive.

 

There is a bit more to tackle with the rest of the build, but let me start by saying: don't be discouraged! This is by no means a cheap project. I originally started with a maximum budget of $250 and have far exceeded that due to trial and error, such as choosing the wrong filaments or buying multiple file sets. That said, you absolutely have this.

 

For scaling purposes, Akira’s files (I am unsure about GA's) are well-proportioned for someone around 5'10" and 170–190 lbs. If you fall close to that range, you should be fine. However, keep in mind that his forearms and biceps run a bit large compared to the rest of the armor. Based on your initial prints from the GA files, you may want to scale down on the X and Y axes for the arms while keeping the Z axis (the height) at 100%.

 

While Akira’s files have their own flaws, they will absolutely get you to basic approval with minor tweaks. My biggest concern with his back file is the inner box. While it does include the necessary cutout—similar to GA's file (minus the missing 8mm hole)—it lacks the proper lip that contains the cog and II components.

 

This was a frustrating hurdle for me. However, looking back at @BigJasoni's build (this post here specifically), it appears he fabricated a "shim" by dropping a simple cube into his slicer and cutting out the center.

(From Jason's build ^)

 

I have done my best to replicate this fix digitally by making the insert box a separate entity, but I am still tweaking parts of the assembly that look perfect in a 3D space but require some real-world trial and error.

 

When splitting large armor pieces like the backplate, I highly recommend adding dowels to aid alignment. Nearly any modern slicer (like Orca for instance) can do this automatically within the "Cut" tool by using the "Add Connectors" option. I am actually doing this right now with my own back armor test print since it exceeds my printer's build volume.

 

Combining alignment dowels with CA glue or epoxy will create an incredibly strong initial bond. From there, you can reinforce the seam on the back with a soldering iron and excess filament like you noted. For post-processing the seams, Bondo Spot Putty is excellent, but only for blemishes under 1/8" thick. For deeper gaps, it's always safer to weld in extra filament, sand it down, and repeat until you create a slight high spot. It is much easier to sand down excess plastic than it is to fill a deep cavity with spot putty, which is highly prone to shrinking and/or cracking.

 

If you need structural strength, standard two-part Bondo mix is better than spot putty, though it still has its limits (and can get pricey). Fiberglass-reinforced Bondo ("Kitty Hair") would be the absolute strongest option, but it is expensive, hazardous to breathe, and miserable to sand smooth—definitely keep that as a last resort.

Edited June 12 by Sayless

[Platinum Lex]

Thanks, as I did some more research on the abdomen I can now see how to abdomen works, especially thanks to the photo you included. I have a 300x300x330mm build volume so printing the entire abdomen corset in one piece probably isn't going to work out so well, so I need to plan on how to split it. I'm both 2 inches and 30 pounds under what Akira's files are scaled for, and if you pair that with the fact that my body just isn't very proportionate (5'8" with a 6'2" wingspan, very long legs to a short torso), I am going to have to do some measuring and scaling.

Now that I have better files, I might as well aim for Expert Infantry so that even if I don't get it first try, I still have some room to get into basic. Looking at the inner box for GA's backplate, it actually does have that inner lip that Akira's doesn't, so now I want the lip because I won't ever be able to unsee it. I'll take your advice for filling in the gaps because I don't want the Bondo to crack, but for now I'll just start working on my armor piece by piece until it gets approved.

I'm going to talk with my GML if I can find them in order to ask some questions because you mentioned that it has to capture the look as a whole.

If there are any other inaccuracies or details about Akira's armor that I should know about that would stop my armor from being level 2, I would really like to know now before I start printing all of my armor again.

[Platinum Lex]

Three small updates for today:

1. I ordered a pauldron from Katarra8 on eBay and it's really good, it does feel just a tad large but it's alright. It's decently comfy with the white underside so it should be approvable if I choose to troop with it in the future as just a pauldron is considered an approvable accessory, even though I don't think I've seen it being worn alone aside from a Hot Toys or Black Series figure.

 

 

2. I talked with Sayless and BigJasoni about the lip that's seen in the backplate that isn't present on Akira's files. Sayless very kindly gave me the files for his modified Akira backplate while I'm waiting to see if BigJasoni would happen to still have his, although it was around 6 years ago and I wouldn't be surprised or upset if he didn't have it on hand anymore.

3. I kinda forgot, there was something I wanted to write but I got a bad review for no reason and I got really sad so I'll update this when I remember.

[Platinum Lex]

I have finally created a layout of the armor that I want to eventually print in the future until I finally get approval. I've received a lot of help from others and have a collection of armor files from various different people and really appreciate all the help I've been given.

ROTK Armor File List

Base Armor:
Akira's ROTK armor files

Helmet:
Nico Henderson's ROTK helmet
Modifications made to the helmet by TKModder421

Backplate:
Akira's original backplate with modifications made by Sayless
"O I I" details upgraded by 11b30b4

Shoulder Straps:
Jason Glisson's TPU shoulder straps

Abdomen:
Akira's Abdomen with 11b30b4's modified upgrades

Kidney Plate:
BigJasoni's upgraded kidney plate

Belt:
Akira's belt with BigJasoni's upgraded belt boxes

Thermal Detonator:
Sayless' thermal detonator

Thighs:
Akira's thigh pieces with Sayless' modified Akira ammo belt

Hand Plates:

Ox Props' ROTK hand plates (I'm unsure whether his or Akira's are better)

Here are some quick renders of what my armor should look like with all of the modifications included, but these were very quick and don't contain every updated piece.

If anyone would like help rendering their armor or is following a similar path and would like to see a full updated armor set with all the modern modifications, I'd be more than happy to help.

Edited June 15 by Platinum Lex

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Great documentation will help those who follow the same path

[Platinum Lex]

Here's an update on how I scaled my armor, including my trial and error. I might make minor modifications in the future and if you believe that I should make any changes at all, PLEASE do not be afraid to say them.

For my original design, I was using a smoothed out articulated dummy to represent myself, then printed out a cosplay caliper to measure different parts of my body. I took the dummy pieces, the chest in this example, and used the caliper to measure parts of my body in diameter instead of circumference. The chest came out okay, and I think I might make some modifications in the future, but when I inserted photos of myself in order to align the dummy pieces, I figured that I could just use the photos as the way to scale the pieces because it would most likely be more convenient as the pieces were right there and I wouldn't have to try to make every dummy piece align to my body.

Here is a link to the dummy in case you want to try the method for yourself:
https://www.printables.com/model/1072658-dummy-smooth-v2/files

I imported a human body I got from Thingiverse or something, and scaled the dummy guy to my height in my slicer before importing him into Blender. After that, I imported photos og myself from two sides and lined them up to set myself to closely the same height as the dummy. Something I must advise with this is to be careful with perspective. I tried 3D scanning myself with every app I could but I just couldn't get one to work. With the photos, the perspective might disform you and slightly alter your proportions. Double check the measurements of the armor to make sure they are correct and that they fit before printing.

 

I finally resized all of my armor to fit my body, although I'm not sure if these measurements will be final. I made the thighs, calves, forearms, posterior & cod plates slimmer and shorter, and I'm not finalized on the abdomen and chest. These photos do not include any more adjustments I made the the chest and abdomen because I'm not entirely sure on how or what to do for them.

 

Looking at reference photos, the two vertical rectangular indents above the center abdomen details are visible below the chestplate, so I'm not sure if I should make adjustments to have the chestplate shorter or if it's just something that won't be visible on mine due to my body.

 

Here are some more quick renders of the regular armor compared to the armor scaled to my body:

 

I went ahead and adjusted the abdomen and chest to be a bit slimmer in order to not give the silhouette such a blocky look as the stormtroopers in Rogue One all have taller, more slender and athletic looks. Something I was thinking about doing which I did in my last build in order to counter my shorter torso was to make the abdomen just slightly taller.

In this photo, I slimmed the abdomen and chest, turning it from looking less square-ish to a bit more vertical rectangular-ish. It worked just slightly, but I think I'll need to make more modifications for a better look.



After slimming the chest and abdomen, I made the chestplate shorter, but I don't think it helped. As a matter of fact, I think I made it worse by shortening it this much. I will most likely make the chestplate just slightly shorter, but I learned my lesson from my last chestplate when it didn't even overlap.



My next step in this will most likely be to find a good scale to have the chestplate and abdomen, by just slightly shortening the chest and enlarging the abdomen to have the cod piece sit just slightly lower without modifying the proportions I've already given it. Since I don't want to take out of proportion too much of the armor, I think I might adjust the belt when messing with the width and depth but leave it alone when it comes to its height.

 

Edit:
I went ahead and tried what I said about shortening the chestplate by 5% and increasing the abdomen by 10% to see how it would fit, and my opinion is very iffy. 5% just feels like too much so I might tone it down to 2.5% next time. Making the abdomen 10% taller isn't great, and I think making it only 5% longer is going to be the way to go, if I choose to make the abdomen longer that is. Additionally, I don't really like the cod piece sitting too close to the thighs, and as I look at more reference photos, I think I might make the cod piece either shorter or trim some off of the top because even after scaling it down, it doesn't look that long in the photos.



If anyone has any suggestions or anything to point out, please feel more than welcome to as I'm willing to accept any feedback. I'll continue to make modifications and will take some more measurements when I get the chance, so I will update the armor if I get any recommendations and when I figure out what to do for the abdomen.

Edited June 16 by Platinum Lex

[Platinum Lex]

I decided to scale the armor slightly more with some modifications until I got a look that I was happy with, which brought me to a couple more steps that I need to do. I moved the armor into an action pose in order to see what I would need to do for a good realism to comfortability ratio.

 

With thighs this long, I don't think I'll be able to comfortably move up any tall stairs as seen with my left leg, so even though I can probably move up normal stairs like seen in my right leg, as I look at more photos I think I'll leave more of a gap between the belt and the top of the thighs. By scaling the thighs down even more, I created another problem which is that the ammo belt on the right thigh starts to look more compressed and squished down. Sayless kindly offered to help me with the adjustment as I still struggle with modeling.

The calves and arms are still look good to me, and something I tried to do was scale the abdomen to fit on my printer, but no matter what I do I just can't get it to fit without completely changing its scale now. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the updated ab greeblies as Akira's work just fine and some of them don't even fit, so I'll revert back to the original ones during printing. However, Sayless showed me that the ab greeblies have a sort of taper which I'm trying to recreate by modifying some files on my own.

Here are some photos of the armor in a mobile pose, and you can see that the main parts that I need to adjust are the thighs, and then I'll be ready to start printing. In case anyone was wondering as well, I did not scale the helmet, the only modifications were those made by TKModder421.

 

 

I'm going to take some more measurements and will update once I finish as my PETG and TPU filament should arrive today. If anyone has any recommendations then please feel welcome to point anything out as I might not catch everything. I've been receiving help when it comes to fitting parts together and strapping the pieces together, so I'll continue looking at other build threads to see what others did and if anyone has any good recommendations for good materials or connection rivets, I'd be happy to hear them.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

You may notice in a few scenes that the armor does and has hit in places, it is quite restrictive compared to a vac formed armor. Some are reference of remnant troopers but similar to standard ROTK

 

 

Trooper on left and middle have trimmed belts

 

Some have areas of the belt trimmed for more movement

 

Missing thigh piece

 

 

 

 

 

It's intriguing the different sizing with 3D files, when you think that regular vac formed armor and helmets are just "one size fits all" (depending on armor make of course)

 

[Platinum Lex]

Thank you for the photos, I did notice the trimmed belts on some stormtroopers while watching Rogue One earlier today, but I'm just sticking with Akira's non-trimmed files for now.

Something very important that I wanted to ask which connects to the reason why I don't want super restricting armor is on how to prevent the armor from scratching. On my last build, I put some velvet-like padding or some soft material to my armor so that it wouldn't scrape on some parts, but I just don't know what else I can do to protect the paint or make it more durable. I'm not very experienced with clear coat, but would more layers help protect the armor? I'm still thinking and looking at other armors, but if anyone could help me with this ongoing issue I would appreciate it.