WIP: My First Fett (ROTJ-style, son)

I guess I should start out by introducing myself. My name's Matt. I'm a student currently majoring in music theory and composition. I actually used to frequent some Star Wars forums when I was younger (namely the SW replica props forum) under the SN of potato2 and later darthtater. Ever since I was 8 years old, I've wanted a Fett costume. I've been going through this huge nostalgia trip over the past year or 2, you know, getting back in touch with my inner child. I suppose it was a number of factors that lead to me "rediscovering" the things I loved so much as a child. It was actually watching A New Hope in a history of film music class that reignited my love of Star Wars. Seeing that movie again, after not having scene it for years, really brought me back to my childhood and reminded me just how awesome Star Wars is. To be honest, the prequels left me less than thrilled and by the time of Revenge of the Sith my interests had drifted elsewhere.

But now I'm totally back into Star Wars and it's time for me to fulfill one of my childhood dreams. I'm going to make a ROTJ Boba Fett costume. I've actually already started putting things together and I think it's coming along nicely.

Since I am a student, I suppose this is more or less a budget suit. I definitely can't afford to spend $3,000+ on a suit at this point, so I'm making most of the pieces from scratch. I've been constructing the gauntlets out of for sale signs, bondo, and super glue using WoF's blueprints (which are totally AWESOME. This guy deserves all of the praise he gets and then some). I've got the right one pretty much put together, it just needs the greeblies and some paint. The left one still needs the flame thrower and greeblies.

I've been working on the chest armor as well, again, using WoF's blueprints. I decided to pursue the trash can route. I used a heat gun to apply most of the dents. I did the damage on the collar armor with a Dremel. I've gotten the basic painting done, using the colors from Stormtrooperguy's rattlecan list. I still need the emblem on the right breast plate and then I get to weather everything. I tell you, that masking fluid is awesome stuff. I can't get over how awesome the chipped paint looks.

I know that it's almost sacrilege, but I'm modifying a Rubies Jango bucket, at least for my first go around. I know it's on the small side, but at 5'6", I'm sort of a small dude. Plus, I enjoy the challenge. I've Dremeled out the dent and removed the ear piece/ range finder for modifications. I just ordered a T-Visor.com visor. I plan on using Stormtrooperguy's rattlecan list to paint the bucket as well.

My uncle actually had an old Dickie's jumpsuit just laying around the house that he donated to my cause. Determined to use my creativity to the max, and also to keep the spending to a minimum, I've actually used just this 1 jumpsuit to fashion all of the extra pockets and the doubled sleeve. I used a seam ripper to remove the breast and butt pockets plus all of the other extra miscellaneous doodads. Out of this fabric I constructed the thigh pockets, again using WoFs patterns. I removed the collar and used that fabric to fashion the shin pockets. For the double sleeve, my aunt helped me mark the short sleeve. I cut the sleeves off and she hemmed up the aftermath. I then took the newly severed sleeves and fabric-glued them to a white undershirt. I simply put on the undershirt/ long sleeve thingy before I slip on the newly-shortsleeved jumpsuit. The effect is stunning and it only took 1 jumpsuit's worth of material to make. I still have to do some top stitching on the sleeves to get the ribbed look, and I have yet to attach the flaps for the thigh pockets. I've been leaving the suit out in the sun to hopefully sun bleach, but if that doesn't work I plan on dusting the suit with some light grey or khaki spray paint to get it to the right shade.

I've attached some picture of my progress. Sorry for the crummy quality. My Sony Cybershot got stepped on so I'm using my phone for the time being. Please feel free to comment/ critique.

Matt

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This is really off to a nice start. Everything looks top notch, especially those gauntlets. I was on the fence about making trash can armor, but after seeing yours I think I'm going to go buy some trash cans.
 
Thanks for the kind words. The trash can armor is definitely a decent option if you can put the time into doing it well. I did the dents on the left chest piece before I cut it out of the trash can so it wouldn't get too warped. All of the dents around the edges were done after I cut it out. It's hard to tell from the photos, but I sanded the edges of the pieces to give them more of a beveled look. I used Rustoleum aluminum-colored paint rather than a chrome or some other metallic, and I think looks very realistic. My aunt actually thought that the armor was made of metal!
 
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fine job there brother, remember keep at it with the same vigor and excitement right until the moment you step out in public with it on, then you can rest knowing its complete!
 
Thanks for all of the encouragement. I've been trying to get a little bit done on this thing each day. I've made quite a bit more progress with the gauntlets. I've gotten the hose connectors and toggles on the right gauntlet and I've fashioned the darts. I put down the coat of silver. I just need to make the "big lighter" greeblie before I start masking off the damage. I've gotten the basic shape of the flame thrower made; it just needs sanding/ bondo. I have yet to do the final stitching on the jumpsuit. I hope to get that done on Tuesday when I visit my aunt. I got the t-visor replaced on the bucket today as well. After I get the gaunts finished, I think I'll work on the flack vest. I've got a wind breaker from Goodwill that I plan on modifying. I'm having such a blast putting together this suit.
 
I'm still chipping away at everything. I've got my gauntlets ready to paint red. The last of the greeblies arrived today and every thing had a coat or 2 of rustoleum aluminum paint. I've replaced the visor in my bucket with a t-visor.com visor and I've gotten it primed. I also modified the Rubies ear piece to make it more Boba. I also chopped off the little blocky thing on the range finder to make it more ROTJ accurate.

I started making the cod piece, too, out of a little trash can. I need to fill in the gap between the front u-shaped sorta piece with bondo to make it appear more vacuuformed. I began using the spot filler but it's not flexible or rigid enough to withstand any sort of wear and tear.

I still have yet to finish the stitching on the jumpsuit. I hope to get that finished this coming Tuesday and I also hope to start modifying the wind breaker/ flak vest.

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I've been steadily working on this thing all summer. I finished altering the flak vest. The fabric is actually white so I was thinking of maybe misting it with some metallic paint to sort of simulate the tackle twill look. I've more or less finished the gauntlets, knee armor, shoulder armor, and cod piece. I still need to affix the flame thrower emitters and I still need a missile for the left gaunt.

I altered some rubber galoshes into the boots. I think I need to lighten the gray a tad, but I'm pretty happy with how they've turned out. I've made spats to go over them, although I think I might make another set and double-layer the fabric. I've been getting quite a bit more comfortable with the sewing machine :D. I'm especially proud of the quilting job I did on the flak vest cap sleeves.

My main focuses now are finishing the paint job on the helmet and working on the ammo belt. I've gotten the vinyl for the belt, it's just a matter of cutting, sewing, gluing, etc. How is everything looking so far?

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its lookin awesome but what did u use for the boots? im intrigued i was also contemplating garbage can armor i will prolly go that route especially if i can find flat faced garbage cans then i might make a helmet from that!
 
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For the boots I used these rubber galoshes-type things I found on Amazon. Tretorn Stralas to be exact. They're not the most accurate but they were cheap (about $20) and easy to modify.
 
nice nice i cant wait to start mine once i get the money that is ha im gonna be 16 in less than month hopefully i will get hired by some one soon! also post a pic of u wearing ever thing (suit armor helm....)
 
Based on his shirt in one of the higher posts, I like your sons taste in music! The Floyd are the be-all, end-all.
Oh, and great armor so far!
 
Based on his shirt in one of the higher posts, I like your sons taste in music! The Floyd are the be-all, end-all.
Oh, and great armor so far!

Actually, that would be my taste in music ;P I don't have a son, at least I hope that I don't. Not for a few more years yet.

Here's a pic of my suit thus far. I've attached the armor to the flak vest, constructed the back plate, painted the knee armor, painted the helmet, constructed the ammo belt and pouches, dyed the horse girth, and have acquired some gloves. I'm going to split the seams along the sides of the flak vest and resew them so that it fits a little better. I still have some finishing touches to do on the gauntlets. I also need to weather everything and seal it down with dullcoat.

I have a cape and I've also begun constructing the jetpack. That's going to take a lot of time for certain. I hope that I can get everything done before Halloween!

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Your project looks freakin' amazing. I'm working on a cheap Jango conversion to Boba right now for my nephew and when I'm done I'm thinking of buying a Rubies Jango since it's the only thing my budget will allow me to afford. The other helmet kits (Bobamaker, Sgt. Fang) are out of my price range. Of course I will be converting it to a Boba ESB. I would like to know how you converted the Jango right earpiece to the proper Boba earpiece.

BTW, using the trash can for the chest plating was an ingenious and resourceful idea. I'm guessing that you didn't have to do so much bending and shaping since it was already curved.
 
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Your project looks freakin' amazing. I'm working on a cheap Jango conversion to Boba right now for my nephew and when I'm done I'm thinking of buying a Rubies Jango since it's the only thing my budget will allow me to afford. The other helmet kits (Bobamaker, Sgt. Fang) are out of my price range. Of course I will be converting it to a Boba ESB. I would like to know how you converted the Jango right earpiece to the proper Boba earpiece.

BTW, using the trash can for the chest plating was an ingenious and resourceful idea. I'm guessing that you didn't have to do so much bending and shaping since it was already curved.

Thanks for the compliments! There's actually a thread around here somewhere about using trashcans as the basis for armor. But yeah, for the most part I didn't have to do any shaping. I modified the shape of the right and left chest pieces ever so slightly with a heat gun to better fit the contour of my chest.

Modifying the ear piece was a bit of a project but easy enough and worth the extra effort. I pried the piece off with a utility knife and a screwdriver. I used the utility knife around the edges of the piece to break the seal of the glue and begin separate the plastic from the helmet. I then used a flathead screwdriver to pry the piece all the way off. There's a post inside of the ear piece that's used to hold the range finder in place. Since the Boba ear piece sits higher on the helmet than the Jango, this post is useless so I sawed it off and ground down the stub with a dremel.

Referring to photos of the actual helmet, I taped off where I wanted to cut the ear piece and then did so with the dremel. I constructed the bottom part from scratch. I used some measurements of the existing ear piece as a basis for blueprints. I drew them out on a scrap of paper and then traced this onto a piece of "for sale sign" material. I cut out the plastic, folded and glued into place. I then glued this piece onto the helmet.

To hold the range finder in place, I drilled a hole where the old post from the ear piece fit. I then took a 1/4" bolt and fed that through the hole from the inside of the helmet out. I slipped the range finder over the bolt, threw on a washer, and then threaded a nut to hold everything in place. I made sure to have the nut tightened enough to hold the stalk in place, but not too tight that I couldn't move the range finder between the up and down positions. Once I got everything to my liking, I squirted some hot glue around the nut to hold it in place. I also squirted some on the inside of the helmet to hold the bolt in place. I then glued the modified ear piece on top of that. Voila!

Does that make sense? I can try to post some pictures later if you want.

Matt
 
So this is how my outfit was looking on Halloween. I got the cape attached, braided some wookiee scalps, got the gauntlet missile, and several other things. Basically I was only missing a few components, but that didn't prevent me from wearing what I have. I still need to finish my jetpack, make the shin tools, mod the hasbro blaster (I want to do it RIGHT, ie, constructing a new barrel, stock, etc.) I also need to do more weathering on the armor. The gloves took FOREVER to make. Hand sewing absolutely sucks. I also want to point out in the 2nd pic that you can see the velcro I used to attached the collar armor. Whoops! I also didn't use the gauntlet hoses as they limited my mobility too much. I'll have to figure out some way to better integrate them. I know this suit isn't perfect, but I'm really happy with how it's been turning out. I hope to have it more or less finished in time for Otakon this coming summer.
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