Scratch Build Jetpack (upd AUG 7th, 2010)

Hi denters,

Last week I made a pretty big decision: I'm not gonna buy the jet pack from Bobamaker. I'm making it myself. After reading Jango72s post (Jango72s scratch built jet pack progress thread ( from WoF templates )) I want to try if for myself. Not with cardboard, Forex instead (aka sintra/foamboard/foamex).

So I bought me a few sheets. 3 m2 of 3mm and 3 m2 of 5mm to be precise.
Here are the first pics of my progress report.

First I made a cardboard prototype to get a feel for the size.
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp001.jpg

Next I started drawing the rocket shapes onto the 3mm sheet.
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp002.jpg

Thank you for looking :)

[updated aug 18 '09]

Jet pack is really starting to take shape. Now I have to figure out to make the grapple mechanism :doh

[update may 12 '10]
Almost there :) see post below for pics

[update aug 7 '10]
100% assembly! Left to do: sanding, primer, paint!
See post below for pics


-Barry :fettesb

Good luck with the build buddy :cheers

I don't know if you have worked with sintra before, but I would say take your time and cut with a sharp stanley - craft knife, being careful to get a square edge - or even bevel where required.

Also, consider WOF's plans and reduce size as required, for example is he specifies 1mm compensate for this when using 3mm or you dimentions will be wrong.

PM me if you need any help bro! :cheers

Bobby.

Barry,
though decision man:lol I'm really looking forward to the pictures and eventually seeing the pack in real life;)

As Bobby said, take your time.

One little question: Where did you get the sintra sheets?? I've been looking for sintra for ages, but I could never find them.

DF, if I read right, Barry has enough for many, many packs!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bobby Fett UK

DF, if I read right, Barry has enough for many, many packs!

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True!!!:lol:lol
Barry has a magical sense for getting stuff in Holland. He has stuff of wich I think is only available in the US or UK, like Sintra for example;)

But maybe...thats just me.

^ ^ Personally, I like to use a scroll saw for cutting sintra. You dont get as nice an edge, but you get much better control IMHO. Because your not pushing down hard enough to poop yourself.

However it requires a few swipes across some sand paper to make it a nice edge.

me too.

I hope tha tthe sintra works well for you. I really wish that I could've made my entire pack out of plastic, but with all of the curves on the rocket I found that cardboard was the best medium for me. Once coated and filled, it's actually water-proof and fairly strong considering the light weight.

I'll be watching your progress for sure, and if I can assist you in any way please don't hesitate to ask. ;)

Thanks for the support guys :)

DutchFett:
I'm sure I have enough for another pack, but I bought it in Amsterdam ( http://www.eisobergsma.nl/ ). In dutch its called "PVC Schuimplaat" (foamboard) and the brand is FOREX.

Bobby:
Thanx for your support. I have a stanley, which works on the 3mm, but the 5mm I will cut with this:
http://www.2college.nl/tech/toets1p1/figuurzaag.JPG

Ian:
If I can't make the pieces from the sintra I will prolly try to make them with cardboard. If not I'll turn to Bobby here ;) Also, thank you for your support :)

The first pieces I will try to make are hardest I guess: the cone shapes of the missile and thrusters. I will try the oven at 80c (carefully, I read some threads here about the dangers of sintra and ovens). Then I'll try the boiling water. If that fails I'll try a heat gun, which I will have to buy, obviously.

And yeah I have plenty:
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/forex_01.jpg

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/forex_02.jpg

Hmmmmm, the 5mm should be fine with a stanley, you just have to have three or four strokes to get through clean. That looks like 10mmtoo?, may just be the photo?

Good luck with those parts, I gave up as I could not get the shape to a standard I was happy with.

Any help bro, post up or drop me a pm, can't wait to see this take shape.....takes me back.

I lost track of the time that goes into the build, but you will be touching two full week if a full time job, around 80 to 100 hours.

Bobby.

Hmm, I've never used anything thicker than 3mm, good luck!!

Complete noob question, but where did you get the backpack templates? B/C before I drop a couple hundred on a pack, I'd like to test my model making skills on a sintra version...I'm a little rusty, but, it's worth a shot.

Reservoirr, here you go

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showt...pack+templates

Welcome to TDH. I hate to say this, but try the search box at the top of the screen - failing that shout up :thumbsup

good luck

Bobby.

good luck with your pack barry.:thumbsup
nice stuff the shuim pvc how they call it here in deventer (holland):loli bouht it for my chest armor.
its not a problem you make the parts with 1-4mm but remember what BOBBY FETT says:Also, consider WOF's plans and reduce size as required, for example is he specifies 1mm compensate for this when using 3mm or you dimentions will be wrong.
i wanted to say you the same thing you have got the inner and outer size if youre working with plate material in dutch its:de binnen en buiten maat met het buigen van hoeken.
thanks for the temlates BOBBY!
i was going to make a second pack but now i have more temlates as i got ages ago from the mandolorian armor web site.
i will make the stabiliser and beacon the thrusters from alluminium and the missle also on my turntable.
barry if you want this,my offer is still on.
anyway good luck.:fettesb

Hey framed :)

I have been aware of the thickness and I'm dealing with it pretty 'okay' if I say to myself.


Last night I created the first two parts for the Rocket. It lasted till 2am, so the last pics are a bit blurry, same as my own vision ;)

I heated the parts in the oven at 80c / 176F until it became bendy and soft. I think I reshaped the first part a dozen times each time struggling to bend the smaller top. I created molds of cardboard ..yes...corrugated :doh. That worked pretty well, but the stuff just cools down so fast.

I think I did pretty well. Have some bondo filling and sanding to do, but thats not gonna be a big hurdle.

Here some pica's

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp003.jpg
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp004.jpg
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp005.jpg
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp006.jpg
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp007.jpg
http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp008.jpg

great work so far! cool idea for forming the cones!

looking good man. i can't wait to see more progress on this.

oh yeah please post your updats soon, i would love to see it done

Man, this is so complete, thanks a million, I am looking for ideas to make another Pack, mine is kind of big.

Great indeed. :thumbup :jet pack

Hey denters :cheers

I've been dying to show you these. When I made the first parts they were not very round. But putting the glued parts into boiling water for a while allowed me to reshape them without the glued sides coming apart. I felt like shouting "It 's workiiiing, its workiiing!" like a certain young boy once did... ;)

Anyway, very happy with the results and headed right into shaping more parts for the missile part of the jet pack such as the top. The sintra didn't allow me to bend it right up to the sharp tip. Prolly have to bondo it, I guess... Have to figure out what to use for the tip. Maybe wood :?

The brown ribbed slice, is from a lid of a peanut butter jar :drool

Thank you for your support and thanks for looking :fettesb

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp009.jpg

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp010.jpg

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp011.jpg

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp012.jpg

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp013.jpg

Hey Barry.

Good to see the progress!
Speak to you later bro :)

Inspired by Ambu Fett's beautiful jet pack, I'm putting in as much time as I can to keep up :)

I destroyed part 8 today (first ring below the top) on accident.. :cry

But finished most of the other pieces of the grappling system. Here's all the pieces I have at the moment after filing and sanding them. When loosely stacked, it's really staring to look like something.

Constructive C&C's encouraged, but please be gentle :cheers

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp014.jpg

nice.... actually very nice, care to make one for me ^_^

Looking good - tons of work, isn't it? ;)


AF

Wow.....no way did I have you patience!

Great work.

Thanx guys :)

Yes, it sure is a lot of work! However, the sintra is easier to work with than I expected. With patience, I have too much of it ;) and determination and no less than 5 smoothing treatments (rasp, file, 120 grain sandpaper, 250 grain sandpaper blok and 600 grain sandpaper) it does look good ^_^

@ Maycol: thank you for that compliment. But, you are so much better off when handing your money over to guys like, MoW, BF, AF, BM and the other pro jet pack makers I'm forgetting. I invest many hours cuz it's mine and my hobby.

Next up: grappling holder with no less than 18 'teeth' and its base.
Also, I need a hollow rangefinder to hold the circuitboard I bought from mrgr8ness. I have some 3mm transparent plexiglass laying around I can use for the view finder side. Let's see if I can get the same results making the RF from sintra...

QUESTion: does anybody have any pics or details of how the three hooks of the grappling system actually extend? I would like to try making it functional and not just glue three ribs on it.

Barry

That's some awesome work you've got there! I love it!
I'm really looking forward to see it some day.

Ruben

:Dhey I used my wood lathe to turn mine, couldn't stand the idea of
bending all that sintra. what a great idea to use a peanut butter jar
lid for the ribbed part! your work looks greta so far and good luck with the rest!:thumbsup:thumbsup

Thanks Ruben & Woodman :)

Here's another update. Have been pretty busy, but managed to get this really tough piece ready for a bondo workout. I need to get rid of the 2-layer seam and some 'scars' when the dremel got away from me, hehe. This one has 16 'teeth' and is one of the toughest and labour intense pieces I've ever worked on.

Thanks for looking :)

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp015.jpg

Here's my concept of what the hook should look like and where its lever will be (small circle).

All I need now is a mechanism to open the hooks when the whole grappling hook is pulled out of the jet pack. I prefer not to use a switch.

Base design of the hook is from the WoF templates.

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/hooks.gif

OOOH that grapping hook rocks barry!
i never saw that picture wow its machined aluminium i think.
cool youre going for this.
maybe make them spring loaded but electronic is better to reject them.

looking sweet bro.

Vey nice Barry,

If I were you, I would try little magnets:)


Ruben

Fantastic job, mate!

G-Fett

That's pretty awesome. Almost inspires me to try something similar!

man you're doing such a great job with this still, love the grappling hook drawing

excited to see more pics

looks awesome

This has probably been discussed before, but it's interesting that the shape of the rocket tip in the photos is clearly conical, and not rounded.

Whoa!

It's been too long since I updated you guys on my progress and there sure is some. This Sintra stuff is awesome! Thank you for looking.

Next: thrusters and grappling hook system assembly

Enjoy:

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp016.jpg

These look awesome! thanks for the pics, you made the seemingly impossible look very managable -

FarmerFett

Excellent build, Thanks for sharing. you have given me some idea's.

Hey denters,

Haven't been able to find time in the past half year, but picked it up a few weeks ago and got some real progress.

In this update:
- I met Jeremy Bulloch :fettesb and he autographed the inside of the access door;
- abandoned the grapple hook system as it was stalling my pack to ever get finished! The whole grapple hook is removable so I might make a fully functional one later on;
- all the greeblies for the pack are delivered;
- thrusters almost done. It's a $#$#%! job to drill the holes for the thruster greeblies (by Dark-Side) in the hard wooden balls
- left to do: finish thrusters, round the top of the back panel and apply bondo alllll over, and the paint job of course;

This forex is magical stuff...
Let me know what you think and thanks for watching :)

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp017.jpg

Hey! I just wanted to let you know that this was one of the scratchbuilds I looked at for inspiration when building my pack. This looks amazing.

I know this is too late but maybe this might be useful to you... I used clear plastic christmas ornaments for the thruster balls. They are found at Michaels. They come in halves so it might be easier to cut holes in them for the purpose of inserting greeblies. I just glued the two halves together with Goop glue and added a little bondo to remove the seam. Anyway... I'm glad you're almost done with this!

Thanks clonecollector :)
Xmas balls is not a bad idea: easy to work with and light weight... oh well
I have just finished making the holes for the thruster greeblies. All I need to do now is make the 4 black markings around the front greeblie on each thruster ball and the 3 wide indented markings on the bottom of the thruster exhausts.

Seeing your pack up close dude.. Its all looks very nice!! And really light weight as well :D

Dude, you've got the finest sense of detail and a crud load of patience to go with it. And it pays off....

This pack is amazing, thanks for showing it to me!!!

Hang in there, Lord Vader!!

Thanks guys :D

Seeing it up close gives a better impression than these pics do.
Now carving the front 'crosshair' markings on the front of the thruster balls with a Stanley knife...

Any progress? Amazing work so far. I can't wait to see the finished pack!

Hey Denters,

Hope you all had a blast at civ5. Saw a bunch of great pics of the TDH booth and it's a pitty I didn't get to go...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ignohippo

Any progress? Amazing work so far. I can't wait to see the finished pack!

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Hey Ignohippo, thanks for inquiring. Although I'm not making a lot of progress in a short time, I do get ahead steadily.

Here a new update with an almost 100% assembled Jetpack, woohoo!!

- thruster balls assembled and glued to the axis;
- top of the backplate sanded to shape by 'sculpting' it with the Dremel;
- applied 2 component polyester filler and Revell plastic filler (great stuff!);
- added the beacon and stabilizer;

left to do: firm sand job, soldering the beacon LED to battery pack, primer and paint :cheering

Thanks for watching!

http://www.rijkse.com/tk/images/bobafett_esb/jp018.jpg

Very good work...are the beacon and stabilizer serenity parts?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fett 4 Real

Very good work...are the beacon and stabilizer serenity parts?

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Yup, sure are. Well spotted ^_^

Looks amazing ........ Now get some paint on...:rolleyes

Hey guys,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wolters

Looks amazing ........ Now get some paint on...:rolleyes

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I sure will, Ruud ;)

But first I want to build all of the armor so i can prime, sand, paint and weather everything in one go.

So, I've moved on to the gauntlets, which you can find here

Looks great mate. I got my pack from a guy down here in Tassie who gave it to me when I borrowed his TK moulds to make vacform bucks.