So let me start off by admitting something. I’m an EPIC failure: but not because I want to be. It’s been a long time dream of mine (since seeing the awful Don Post life-size) to have a true to life Boba Fett to call my own. Years ago a friend of mine and I had the idea of making one. Needless to say we didn’t get past spray painting an old D. P. helmet.
Recently I began contemplating building it on my own. Using the tutorials and templates, I made my trashcan armor, began work on gauntlets, bought materials, a sewing machine, lots of good stuff. Then reality set in. I don’t have the time, the money, or the tools available to me to make the work as well as I want it to. What’s a slightly obsessed fan to do? I’ll tell you: sit around lethargically wishing he had all of the above. Then, suddenly on the radar, a possible solution presents itself. Yes… I admit it. The bloody Rubies supreme edition costume, taunting me with it promises of parts cast from the actual props as well as decent reviews of the Darth Vader costume. But the price tag! Yikes! But then, like a silent serpent ready to tempt me with its forbidden fruit, Amazon.com has the costume for half the price. I win! Boba fett shall be mine. Within a day of it going through on my credit card, I receive it. Then I open it up…
Yep, EPIC fail as I should have foreseen. I look at the jet pack… oddly inflated in some areas, but worse: cracked like you wouldn’t believe along the top. Oh god, I seriously just spent $550 on this??? I could have solved the hunger in a third world nation with that money instead Rubies and Lucasfilm are mocking me with their Halloween-grade armor too small even for a 10 year old girl! The paint application is beyond laughable. Parts are broken/falling apart right out of the box. Oooh boy. I sit around with my $550 EPIC failure. I absorb it all: consider my options. Then, I decide, “never compromise. Even in the face of Armageddon.” And thus it truly begins…
So we all know how much this ended up sucking, and to be honest my expectations were low: and my expectations were met. But for what I wanted it for, I knew I could make it work. I started by repainting the gauntlets as well as adding details like toggle switches and (non-working) LED lights. One silver lining to the awful material used is that it takes spray paint like a champion. I did a few coats of it then used a silver Sharpie for the silver applications then did another coat of spray paint as well as a quick wipe of black acrylic paint.
The next was the fun part- the bucket. I have to admit: its decent looking. The shape is really good and very similar to the MR ESB helmet without the pinching. Several coats of spray paint, acrylic paint, and Sharpie I have a pretty nice looking (albeit not quite finished) RotJ bucket.
Also, one of the very first things I did was disregard the terrible armor the suit came with and instead replaced it with my own. I’ve since updated the paint job by adding a wash of acrylic paint and Sharpied some key silver locations. The next phase is the jet pack… Lord, I don’t even know where to begin with that one. I need to fill in some MAJOR cracks, sand the day lights out of it, do some hefty re-shaping, and finally give it a brand new coat of paint. Can I do it? Hey, he’s no good to me without a jetpack. Enjoy the pics, and if anyone has suggestions or similar stories, let me know.
Recently I began contemplating building it on my own. Using the tutorials and templates, I made my trashcan armor, began work on gauntlets, bought materials, a sewing machine, lots of good stuff. Then reality set in. I don’t have the time, the money, or the tools available to me to make the work as well as I want it to. What’s a slightly obsessed fan to do? I’ll tell you: sit around lethargically wishing he had all of the above. Then, suddenly on the radar, a possible solution presents itself. Yes… I admit it. The bloody Rubies supreme edition costume, taunting me with it promises of parts cast from the actual props as well as decent reviews of the Darth Vader costume. But the price tag! Yikes! But then, like a silent serpent ready to tempt me with its forbidden fruit, Amazon.com has the costume for half the price. I win! Boba fett shall be mine. Within a day of it going through on my credit card, I receive it. Then I open it up…
Yep, EPIC fail as I should have foreseen. I look at the jet pack… oddly inflated in some areas, but worse: cracked like you wouldn’t believe along the top. Oh god, I seriously just spent $550 on this??? I could have solved the hunger in a third world nation with that money instead Rubies and Lucasfilm are mocking me with their Halloween-grade armor too small even for a 10 year old girl! The paint application is beyond laughable. Parts are broken/falling apart right out of the box. Oooh boy. I sit around with my $550 EPIC failure. I absorb it all: consider my options. Then, I decide, “never compromise. Even in the face of Armageddon.” And thus it truly begins…
So we all know how much this ended up sucking, and to be honest my expectations were low: and my expectations were met. But for what I wanted it for, I knew I could make it work. I started by repainting the gauntlets as well as adding details like toggle switches and (non-working) LED lights. One silver lining to the awful material used is that it takes spray paint like a champion. I did a few coats of it then used a silver Sharpie for the silver applications then did another coat of spray paint as well as a quick wipe of black acrylic paint.
The next was the fun part- the bucket. I have to admit: its decent looking. The shape is really good and very similar to the MR ESB helmet without the pinching. Several coats of spray paint, acrylic paint, and Sharpie I have a pretty nice looking (albeit not quite finished) RotJ bucket.
Also, one of the very first things I did was disregard the terrible armor the suit came with and instead replaced it with my own. I’ve since updated the paint job by adding a wash of acrylic paint and Sharpied some key silver locations. The next phase is the jet pack… Lord, I don’t even know where to begin with that one. I need to fill in some MAJOR cracks, sand the day lights out of it, do some hefty re-shaping, and finally give it a brand new coat of paint. Can I do it? Hey, he’s no good to me without a jetpack. Enjoy the pics, and if anyone has suggestions or similar stories, let me know.
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