ESB Boba Fett costume upgrades. Latest upgrade: Shin tools all original parts

That is a really good looking suit, the flight suit fits you really well and ur the right body shape to be Bobba fett (there's nothing worse than seeing someone dressed as Bob who would be better off as a Gamorian Guard). well done. Is that a genuine key pad?

Mannequins do have a great shape don't they? LOL

Hey, I've got a great shape too, just a bit too muscular to get into THAT suit! LOL!

Looks great. Who made the flightsuit? Don't forget to paint your diver's buckle.

You learn something new every day! What color should the buckle be?

Your vest looks thin and stretchy around the ribcage... more so than most of the ones I've seen on here. This isn't a criticism, in fact it looks like mine. I made mine from a t-shirt because of the cost, difficulty and the fact that the jumpsuit is hot enough without adding a padded flak vest (I did sew in pockets to hold a coathanger frame that supports the armor to keep if from sagging). I personally don't think I'll run into anyone who knows the difference while wearing it, and I'm more likely to put it on if it's comfortable... maybe I should find a comfort/screen accuracy thread to discuss this in.

I dont think its painted but worn...BBFs replica buckle looks very similar in color, not shiny like some ive seen

Well I just learned something theres green almost like the dome of the helmet

Thanks for the info and pictures of the buckle, I had honestly never noticed that before even though I have seen all the MoM pictures.

About the vest, it isn't actually stretched as it's made from tackle twill and pretty tough, it's just pulled tight because I had it made for average size 38" chest (i.e. similar to slender Jeremy Bullock in the late 80's) but the mannequin I ended up with is a bit wider. One of these days I'll replace it and the vest with a more accurately patterned one. And the armor will probably get upgraded eventually as well but that's it

It is a genuine MQ1 keypad on the gauntlet and genuine circuit board in back of the helmet.

Originally Posted by webba fett

That is a really good looking suit, the flight suit fits you really well and ur the right body shape to be Bobba fett (there's nothing worse than seeing someone dressed as Bob who would be better off as a Gamorian Guard). well done. Is that a genuine key pad?

Originally Posted by webba fett

there's nothing worse than seeing someone dressed as Bob who would be better off as a Gamorian Guard

...oh my... better get to Jenny Craig...

Nice upgrades Kurty!

The new pics are great, Marcus. Your suit is really coming along.

Another upgrade, still very much a work in progress. Only a few of the components are spot on, but I've been assured by the various sellers that they will perform the same task,


Also busy installing my Terminal Fettler range finder to the hollow stalk as accurately as possible. Quite proud of how it's looking. More to follow...

Looks like your having fun

More upgrades!

Resin castings of some fairly accurate looking computer/calculator/adding machine/'insert your suggestion here' keys!


Real reamer files in the jetpack and gauntlet.




Real SX-70 lens and the most excellent hollow RF topper from Terminal Fettler. I also added the brass screws which I filed down like they are on the original.


Fantastic Wookie braids from Woodman.




More to come soon!...

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is a dental file on the screen used ESB? Not saying your wrong, just never seen that put there before. I love finding new details to add into my kit and that would be a cool one if it's verified.

Boba Fett Empire Strikes Back Costume - The Dented Helmet Gallery

Originally Posted by gymbeau2000

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is a dental file on the screen used ESB? Not saying your wrong, just never seen that put there before. I love finding new details to add into my kit and that would be a cool one if it's verified.

Awesome, thanks! I have a new project for the week now.

Kurtyboy,

It's coming along very nicely! If I may point out one small thing (sorry to nit-pick)... Your shoulder bells are on backwards.

Originally Posted by kurtyboy

Boba Fett Empire Strikes Back Costume - The Dented Helmet Gallery

LMAO

while working on my ESB jetpack this weekend I learned there are holes in the top part of the missile check out the pics in the gallery to see what I mean

Doh! I'll need to sort those shoulder bells. **** things don't fit properly anyway. The mannequin's shoulders are just too big. And I'll check out the holes in the missile as well.

More upgrades though! Finally got a helmet with one of the correct chin cups today so I modified the straps to make them more accurate. I will re-do them properly once I get some more bits and pieces in.

This looks great!
Really good Fett, the chin strap looks spot on

Originally Posted by kurtyboy

More upgrades though! Finally got a helmet with one of the correct chin cups today so I modified the straps to make them more accurate. I will re-do them properly once I get some more bits and pieces in.

Very nice work and thanks so much for sharing!!

I still have my ESB project in progress and keeping an eye on this thread. Can you tell me where one could get one of these chin cups?

Rgrds,

Barry

Just need to keep hunting ebay for vintage riot police helmets until you find the right one. Pester the sellers for more details/photos of the chincups.

I don't believe you will find an accurate set of straps straight off the shelf though, looks like they were modifed for Fett but the modifications are very simple.

Appreciate all the photos..... also inspires me to keep tweaking mine...... he says as he removes keys off the keyboard....

Kurtyboy,

It's really coming together nicely! Congrats & keep it up!!

Some more work on the helmet interior! Acrylic below the MQ1 board, lots of epoxy filler, hex bolts, washers, cheesehead screws, visor clips (still unfinished), and the main plastic ring of the helmet liner has been replaced with an accurate vintage one (again thank you BG Hunter )...













More still to come....

How did you attach the helmet plastic ring to the top? I saw some the other day at the hardware store.. Thanks man! This'll be my blueprint for my helmet interior! awesome Job! Especially with the attachments of the T-visor!

KB u may want to somehow paint the black acrylic under the keyslots i dont think it was black or r u repainting the helmet? Also what r u using for epoxy putty? Im about to do some of this stuff as well, gonna want a list haha...but really looking GREAT

I haven't attached it yet, but you can see the hot glue on the ends of the black straps on the screen used ESB helmet.

Originally Posted by Luis

How did you attach the helmet plastic ring to the top? I saw some the other day at the hardware store.. Thanks man! This'll be my blueprint for my helmet interior! awesome Job! Especially with the attachments of the T-visor!

I was led to believe that in ESB the acrylic was not painted. I used Miliput which is available in white and yellow. I may paint it to better match the original though.

Originally Posted by Fett 4 Real

KB u may want to somehow paint the black acrylic under the keyslots i dont think it was black or r u repainting the helmet? Also what r u using for epoxy putty? Im about to do some of this stuff as well, gonna want a list haha...but really looking GREAT

Boba Fett Costume - The Dented Helmet Gallery

look at the AOSW pics, the mq1 and panel below it are painted under the keyslots

Doh!!!

I do like the miliput...I have some white stuff here...

I was able to break the yelloe Miliput off in almost a whole chunk, unfortunately I have just about every Floquil paint apart from boxcar red!

I mixed the white Miliput with some black paint to make it grey. Took a while to get it mixed evenly though.

Such an inspiration...would u have made any more of those boards?

I dont think it was a putty they used but an epoxy like gorilla glue or something that is a yellow tinted translucent substance...looking through the PP3 helmet pics right now and it seems like it was something more along those lines and alot of duct tape

I've only been collecting parts for one other person but tracking down most of the vintage components is a nightmare. Fortunately I had help from BG Hunter. Hopefully I can get someone to actually wire the board up to function correctly but failing that, I'll just get a self contained board for the RF topper and my board will just be for show.

Cool, yeh it looks pretty cool though, great job so far

how do u like the hard hat liner? Work well for holding the lid to your head? I have something way more present day, a liner from a helicopter helmet kinda like a kevlar liner but its a whole liner not pads

I couldn't find anything locally resembling the stuff in the original helmets. I vaguely remember an Araldite 2 part epoxy years ago that had a murky yellow finish but I couldn't find it and not sure exactly what it's called.

Although the helmet liner isn't fixed in place yet, it does give a perfect fit and with the chin straps it's very secure.

Originally Posted by Fett 4 Real

I dont think it was a putty they used but an epoxy like gorilla glue or something that is a yellow tinted translucent substance...looking through the PP3 helmet pics right now and it seems like it was something more along those lines and alot of duct tape

Very cool I want to get one of the liners as its got that airyness to it haha...

I think regular gorilla glue dries that yellow color Ima try it out this week...what did u use for the metal on the bottom of the visor? I found some thin guaged sheetmetal to cut for the upper braket

Which Gorilla glue are you referring to? They seem to make at least 3 or 4 different types. Can you post a link please? BG Hunter had the idea of using epoxy then once dry going over it with No Nails type of glue that dries yellow. Unfortunately for me the stuff over here seems to dry white!

Sskunky did a run of these helmet liners. I bought one of his but replaced the plastic ring with a vintage one.

I scaled the lower visor tabs to 2mm thick and 10mm wide. You can buy aluminium bar in most sizes on ebay. Just cut it to size, drill and tap the hole and bend to shape. I scaled the screws to M3 size brass cheesehead style.

Forgot about the bay...thanks for that reminder

Some more work. Really just need to attach the helmet liner and upper visor clips, trim the visor and replace one screw/nut and some washers. More parts on the way...

Another uprdade... Out with the Russrep machined toe spikes and in with four original Michell parts collected over the last few years. I still need to add the attachment screws but test fitting they look nice. Thanks to Sidewinder for performing the precarious task of cutting them down!

The reason they point out slightly is because of the inaccuracy of the boots and not the shape of the spikes.

Looking really nice!

Toe spikes are done!

very nice upgrades.
If you don't mind me asking, where did you acquire the toe spike plate?

It's just a piece of off the shelf 15mm aluminium bar, bent into shape.

Truly amazing!! Now THATS a Fett!! Well done!

Hi mate, how did you fit the chin strap?

I used most of the parts from the riot police helmet but modified or added some to make them more accurate.

Acrylic block upgrade to the range finder is in progress and I hope to have those upper visor tabs in place soon.

Also, I have another exciting original part upgrade coming...

Another original part upgrade, albeit a very small one!

wow, very nice... where did you pick that bad boy up?

Everything looks great!!

Nice.. aluminum or SS?

Wonderfull work with the helmet!!!!!!!!!!level 1!!!!!!!!!!!congratulations!!!!!!! I like it!!!!!!!!

Thanks guys. I think the 'expanders' are nickel plated brass which caused reactions with some patients and may be why they were discontinued.

Installed the knee darts from dark-side today. They are far too long though so I either need to cut them down or make large holes in the knee armor to push them through.

Also got a vintage microphone for the right shin tool pocket (thanks Volker).

jealousy. very awsome.

I've been watching this thread for some time, and I have the deepest respect for the work you've done on this. It's truly amazing. But on the knee launchers I think you just need to mount them "deeper" into the knee, rather than the alu pieces being to long.

Awesome build bud, I'd have to agree on the knee darts though? the knees look like BM's so just have to drill deeper holes...
Nice touch with the microphone! it's on my list of things to get...

Thanks gents. The knees (and all the armor) is very old MLC stuff. Not very accurate but I just don't have the money to spend on proper armor and the paintjob again.

Nice upgrades!

Originally Posted by kurtyboy

Another original part upgrade, albeit a very small one!

That looks awesome. I really need to buy one of this quality. Making it myself is near impossible...

Maybe our beloved Mojo will think about machining these?

Fett is getting some new gear soon! My last upgrade was about the smallest on the suit, the next is one of the BIGGEST! I can't wait...

I thought Darkside's were Jango parts... could be wrong though.

Well even if they are Jango's, all the dimensions are spot on to what was on the Fett costume at MoM; Diameters and lengths of each section.

Maybe he makes both?

When I say the plates are too narrow I'm only talking around 3/32. But it means I'll need to either cut part of my darts off or get them machined down a little to compensate. I can't cut out large holes in the knee armor for the darts like should be done, as it will tear into the side.

I notice the exact same thing on my bobamaker knees. It's a tight fit!

That new armor sure does look great

Thanks in no small part to YOU!

Unfortunately, on these it's a no-fit! I had to angle the darts outwards so that they didn't overlap the outer edge.

Originally Posted by locitus

I notice the exact same thing on my bobamaker knees. It's a tight fit!

Looks GREAT Marcus! Glad the armor made it to ya safely.

Absolutely made it 100% perfect due to your rigorous packacking.

Originally Posted by Vegan Mando

Looks GREAT Marcus! Glad the armor made it to ya safely.

I was finally able to rip out the old inaccurate Radioshack toggle switches and install the proper pushbuttons!





Some more shots of the original vintage dental files and darts:

I didn't realize the tips of the pushswitches were black.

I have these I need to install in my guants. Thanks for posting!

I wasn't sure. They look black in some ESB photos. Pre-prod seems to be red and black.

Originally Posted by clonecollector

I didn't realize the tips of the pushswitches were black.

I have these I need to install in my guants. Thanks for posting!

You never cease to amaze with the attention to detail hope to be on this level someday or at least close...Id even settle for resin copies

****! that's an amazing setup!

Wow this suit makes my jaw drop. Im at 1700'ish dollars toward my suit and its nowhere near this detailed. Awesome work!

Don't forget I've been working on this on and off since 2004!

Originally Posted by Lastditch

Wow this suit makes my jaw drop. Im at 1700'ish dollars toward my suit and its nowhere near this detailed. Awesome work!

I have a big update coming soon. After this the flak vest and a couple of detail parts are about all that's left to upgrade.

Also getting a custom RF circuit made that flashes at the correct rate.

Amazing thread....you are my inspiration!

I just noticed you have the shoulders on the wrong sides.

Haha! Can't believe I still have them the wrong way round. Someone pointed this out to me over a year ago as well!

Marcus, you probably fitted the knee darts now, but you work in from the outer edge. The drill holes will start to bite in the side wall, but thats fine, the dart fills te whole, if you follow. I personally dont use the resin inserts, just hot glue them suckers in place.

Email inbound buddy too.

Hi Marcus,
on pictures the shoulder bells are on the wrong side.
But you have a great Fett.

The darts are still too wide for the plate though. And it's not the darts at fault!

Originally Posted by Bobby Fett UK

Marcus, you probably fitted the knee darts now, but you work in from the outer edge. The drill holes will start to bite in the side wall, but thats fine, the dart fills te whole, if you follow. I personally dont use the resin inserts, just hot glue them suckers in place.

Email inbound buddy too.

Email in bound buddy.