WIP Ammo pouches fully functionnal

You did a great job so far! Just keep the info and the images coming. This will be a real help for those who want to build their own ammo pouches.

Thanks for sharing!

Here all the parts for the pouches .

Time spent : 1 hour from cutting paper shapes to job finished
Money cost : between 2 or 5€ (depends which wood you use)

Next step : Cutting shapes in leather and assembly.

In fact i will not use real leather (it's too expensive and hard to work).
I found leather imitation on internet(140 cm wide) for 7€ by meter.I think that 2 meters are sufficient.

Well done! Can't wait to see the ammo pouch with the flap added.

thanks for your nice comments Rafalfett !

The ammo pouch now looks good and it will be great after the flap will be sewed. But the problem is that the ammo pouch looks too chubby, so I did a comparison image for you:



I know that you used existing templates for your work, but you can do the necessary adjustments to have an excellent (and working) replica.

Thank you very much RafalFett.
I will make the modifications asap (today if it's possible) and post new pics.

Really great work!

Thank you very much clonecollector!
Here is a second version (make with the advice of RafalFett, thanks again to him). I made it quickly so the quality of work isn't very good.
I think the shape is good.The only thing i will change perhaps is the cormers of the flap ( i think that i cut a too big part)
If you agree with it RafalFett, i will produce the new template.


note : i find on tk409 site a very useful link talking about differents Boba belts
I see for example than the ESB belt has only 2 grommets while ROTJ belt has 6 grommets
Here is the link : Fett Ammo Belt

Originally Posted by StrumFett

If you agree with it RafalFett, i will produce the new template.

I'm in no way related to the ammo pouch templates. But you could contact the original maker of the templates, and if he agrees that you can modify and post his templates, then you are fine.

I really like how the ammo pouch looks and I think it will be perfect after the flap will be sewed.

I'm sorry, my comment wasn't very clear.
I'm the author of the templates. I used tk409 one only to have the dimensions of the pouches.
In my last post, my question was only if you think that the shape is correct with the modifications before i post a new template.
Thank you again for your very quick response. I have finished the new template with a lot of improvments.
I will make a last try before posting it.
I make modification on flap template too.

Originally Posted by StrumFett

I'm sorry, my comment wasn't very clear.
I'm the author of the templates. I used tk409 one only to have the dimensions of the pouches.
In my last post, my question was only if you think that the shape is correct with the modifications before i post a new template.
Thank you again for your very quick response. I have finished the new template with a lot of improvments.
I will make a last try before posting it.
I make modification on flap template too.

My mistake! I don't see any measurement on your files, but my calculations says that the ammo pouch should have this hight:

The general look is very good, but I think that is better not to use cardboard in the flaps and leave the flap cornerless. Here are my measurements of the ammo pouch without the flaps:



Note that the ammo belt measurement is from one of batninja's templates:

Rafal, you took your measures using batninja's belt as reference?

Originally Posted by KaanE

Rafal, you took your measures using batninja's belt as reference?

I did my measurement using other factors, but when I compared my measurements to batninja's belt template, it gived me the same dimension.

I see in the gallery that the "sharped" version of the flap may be useful for an esb promotional costume

I make a comparative of the 3 pouches dimensions i could find. The purpose isn't to criticize any work because nothing i can do could be compared with the awesome work that those men do. Simply, before making all the pouches for my ESB costume i would be sure that i was starting on a good base.
So i make a shape of batninja pouches, tk409 and Rafal ones(thanks again for his advices).
I take this picture in the gallery and enlarge it to see one of the pouche of profile. This is the result (excuse me for the big size ok the files).



For me, the most accurate (for an ESB costume) is the Rafal's one. Rafal.....you are a god!A you sure you haven't stolen the real costume....
So before making a new template using your dimensions(i will call it the "RF version"), i would like to have your approval.

Post No. 27 was edited and updated with a correct template and measurements.

Excellent work!

Thanks,
Here is the next pages

These are great!

Update post #1 with new templates in both formats A4 and US letter

Excellent! PM sent.

Now working on the flap tutorial

For some reason the image isn't working. If I 'right click' the image and press the 'open link in new tab/window', all I got is a red X.

This is a second try.I hope it'll work.
.

Originals files are in post #1

You are doing an amazing job here! Can't wait to see others using your templates!

I'm going to use these templates to do mine, that's for sure!

Originally Posted by KaanE

I'm going to use these templates to do mine, that's for sure!

These are the most accurate functional ammo pouch templates available so far. And is getting better and better!

The only diference is that I'm not doing mine functional

Nice work guys...
Gonna give these a go myself too I think! but I'm gonna try a different material

Originally Posted by Mojo-Fett

Nice work guys...
Gonna give these a go myself too I think! but I'm gonna try a different material

White vinyl, don't you?

Originally Posted by KaanE

White vinyl, don't you?

... yup...

Can't wait to see your functionnal-non-functionnal ammo belt Kaane!

I've finished the sewings template using ref pics to find the good spacing between holes.

Now for the button on the front , my calculation shows that the diameter must be 13 mm (about 0,51 in) i find this in my hardware store with the exact diameter :

I think that after painting it will be pretty close to the real ones and cheaper.

Excellent! Can't wait to see others using your ammo pouch templates.

Thanks again Rafal !
Here is the final version of the 7th part including measures to put the button.

A4 And LTR documents avalaible in post #1

Wow! You will do the belt templates too?! Awesome!

Thanks Rafal. And yes i'm currently working on the belt. I'll post some pics soon.

1000 Thanks for the patterns!!!!!!!!! are wonderfull!!!!!!!

Thank you very much SNOWAURE !

Thank you for hard work you put into this project...most helpful!

Thanks SabotKill ! this is a great reward to know that my work could be useful.

Hi !
Here's the first part of the templates.

I will post A4 and LTR docs later (i need your opinion on measurements and shapes before to validate definitively the templates)
I also worked on the belt structure. When looking at the ref pics, i have the feeling that the edges are sharped. So i make several attempts and this is the results :
1 - Just two layers of leather :

IMO the structure is too flexible and with the weight of the pouches it will cause the belt to sag.
2 - With cardboard

The rigidity is better and i think there will be no problem curving it.

And there is a comparative between the 2 solutions and a real leather belt :

In order from the top : belt with cardboard, real belt, belt without cardboard.

In your opinion, which solution is better?

I'm a big fan of your project and you did an excellent job so far! Here is an image I did by adding a mirrored lower part of the ammo belt to creat a whole:



It seems that you need to lengthen the sewing with 12mm, but all the other parts looks good to me.

I think the double layered ammo belt (around 2-3mm total thickness) without cardboard is the best choice because when you put the belt on you it should be tight and not loose, this way the ammo pouches won't hang on the belt. But if you use thinner sinthetic material, then the cardboard support is an excellent addition.

Thanks Rafal, you are incredible!
So there's the corrected version. I'll post a tutorial for making the belt from the templates.

For the structure you have conviced me and i will go for a 2 layer belt.
I'm currently working on the weathering of the pouches, trying differents methods and the results seems encouraging.
I update post #1 adding zip files with documents 8, 9a and 9b.
Now that the tutorial is almost finished, i can calculate the total cost of the belt :
For the structure of the pouches, i use plywood (cost 3$) but using MDF, heavy cardboard, foamboard... divide the cost by 2 to 4.
For the leather layer, the cost of the material i used is approximately 7$ for a piece of 40 x 55 in . I think that is sufficient with optimization.
For the magnet, the cost is approx 3$
The rest is constituted by glue, sewing cotton, tape, velcro. Cost is approx 7$ (difficult to calculate because i had already those).
So i think that the maximum cost is approx 20$.


When my belt will be finished (sewings with dremel are going to make me crazy), i will have time to work on my next project : Light and sound ESB blaster from scratch (using WOF templates) for 20 $ (again ).

Thank you for sharing! They all look great!

Free bump!

Any updates of the finished belt and ammo pouches?

Hi Rafal !
Thanks for your bumping !
Pouches are finished. i've just to do sewings on the belt itself
I will post pics soon.
Have a lots of work with others components of my costume.(i'm working on a functionnal blaster).

Hi all!
Here is some pics of finished pouches. For the belt, i had to redo it because of bad quality glue ( hundreds of sewing lost....)

For the sewings i see on ref pics that they aren't completely white. so i use tea to color them.
The sewings in the belt are still missing

And a pic took during assembling step

The pouches looks really good and the unfinished belt too! What about that helmet? More images... maybe in a new thread?

Thanks Rafal!
One of the reasons that explain why i take so much time since my last post is that i'm working on differents parts simultaneously.
The helmet is one of them. I started it last year and i was greatly helped by your amazing stencils.

Hi everyone,
Have just finished sewings of my belt.....I think it would be better using a sewing machine but i'm happy to see how it turned


i have just to put the buttons and the gromets
For the button, they are already primered


i found an Humbrol color that can match (in reality it's more dark and brown than on the pic).

It looks excellent! There's one last thing you must do to achieve the look of the original ammo belt: the way the ammo pouch's flap is slightly folded to follow the top and front edges.



You might do the edges with a hot iron or by holding the folded flap in a vice (or something).

Awesome build and attention to details!

Thanks a lot Rafal!
you're absolutely right (as always) about the flap. I work on a minor modification that will fix this problem (due to the fact that the pouch is empty) using magnets.
I just want to finish the buttons and gromets before to make the mod.

Finished buttons. Painted with Humbrol 160 and 2 layers of satin coat:

Hi!
Here's the belt with buttons and grommets.


I must fix the problem of the flaps as RafalFett pointed out it to me.
And it's time to start another part of the costume.

Oh my... That ammo belt looks killer, the best I've seen so far! Can't wait to see it 'fixed'. I'm surprised that nobody used your templates so far. I love your works and it seems that you have a lot of fun doing each and every part, especially that you work like an expert. Just keep up the quality work!

Great job Brother!!! I enjoyed my coffee checking all your pics. I would love to make my own version with white vinyl then paint it. All the pre-pro's and promotional Fetts had a cheap vinyl look to them. Just my opinion but I feel a painted vinyl look is more accurate than a new looking leather ammo belt.

Originally Posted by Syper

Great job Brother!!! I enjoyed my coffee checking all your pics. I would love to make my own version with white vinyl then paint it. All the pre-pro's and promotional Fetts had a cheap vinyl look to them. Just my opinion but I feel a painted vinyl look is more accurate than a new looking leather ammo belt.

That's true! But this means that when you paint all the hard parts, you must paint it first white then silver and then the rest of the colors? The original suit was all white but when the character change occured, they sanded the white and started all over again with the different paint schemes. Or you can always do some 'reverse engineering' (method used by superjedi in this thread ==> Weathering my new 99centTaco ammo belt) by painting some fine white scratches to replicate the white-under-the-paint look.

Here's a better view of what I’m referring to

Here's the look I'm going for on my PP2, found these pics on another prop board.

Originally Posted by RafalFett

Oh my... That ammo belt looks killer, the best I've seen so far! Can't wait to see it 'fixed'. I'm surprised that nobody used your templates so far. I love your works and it seems that you have a lot of fun doing each and every part, especially that you work like an expert. Just keep up the quality work!

Wow! words miss me... specially from Captain Precision
you are too kind Rafal! But don't forget that your advices helped me a lot to lead this project up to the end.

Originally Posted by Syper

Great job Brother!!! I enjoyed my coffee checking all your pics. I would love to make my own version with white vinyl then paint it. All the pre-pro's and promotional Fetts had a cheap vinyl look to them. Just my opinion but I feel a painted vinyl look is more accurate than a new looking leather ammo belt.

Thanks a lot Bro!
I agree with you. But the purpose of my costume is to troop with. So i was afraid that a painted belt was not rather resistant in time.
So i chose to use a material which had a correct color and weather it after. My idea is to make my Fett more "realistic" with functional parts (rangefinder, pouches, blaster...).

Yeah I'm with you brother still your work makes me want to get off my ***, head to the garage and start cutting, glueing, painting and just getting my **** done truly inspirational!

I try to fix the flap using an extra pouch.
1 ) I cut about 4 millimeter at the beginning of the flap
2 ) I marked the folds using an iron. Adjusted temperature to synthetic and used a wet cloth to avoid damaging the leather.
Here's the result :


Is it better ?
I still need to add wheatering but it's not the most difficult part if i start on a good base.

It gave me ideas of an evolution of the pouches :
- integrate one of the magnet in the wood structure to avoid a too big thickness of the part of the flap which is glue in the front of the pouch(-> more accurate).
- some evolutions to the leather pattern to simplify the shape and assembling.

I will certainly make a version 2 of the pouches later when all other part will be finished.

Now that's a great ammo pouch! I can't wait to see the improved v2 ammo belt and pouch templates. Keep up the great work!