WIP - Boba Fett ESB armor - Attachment and painting

Hi all !
I'm currently working on the armor. I bought an Bobamaker's one which is amazing.
After having read lots of threads, i begin my work.
Threads which have inspired me are :
- Attaching armour : tutorial
- Stormtrooperguy' rotj armor rattlecancolors (for the method).

My first step is : how to attach armor on the flakvest ?
I saw differents methods. Some members use velcro but i have a friend who have an biker scout costume and he always has problems of armor parts which fall.
Perhaps the velcro he uses is bad but as my armor is in fiberglass, i cannot allow that a part falls.
So i'm going to use bolts.
The most difficult, i think, is to transfert correctly the marks between the vest and the armor.So i decided to make a pattern using cardboard :
1 - I put the collar on cardboard and i drew the outline of the part.
Attachment 65573
2 - I cut the shape leaving about 2 centimeters around .
Attachment 65574
3 - Then i use a wet sponge to soften the cardboard until it have consistency of dough. I use clamps to maintain the cardboard on the collar until the drying is complete (a airdryer is a good idea to make drying quickier).

Attachment 65592Attachment 65593

4 - When drying is complete, i draw outline of the collar again and i cut the shape :
Attachment 65594
and here's a copy of the collar at no cost.

5 - But, for me, the rigidity was not sufficient so i try to use a product to harden damaged wood. I tried this product last summer to fix a door and it worked very well. It's make with epoxy resin very liquid so it penetrates in the material.

Attachment 65595Attachment 65596

with a brush, i dabbed the cardboard until it's filled with product(i use plastic film to protect the collar).
I have to wait 24 hours before testing it

If it's works, i will make the 3 holes for attachment.

Another question cames regularly is : what colors may i use ?
And at this point the stormtrooperguy's tutorial is very useful. But in my country, i can't find rustoleum paints.
So i decided to use other spray cans. My first idea was to use my aerograph but i'm not certain of the result on large areas like backplate.The second reason is that i will use the costume for trooping and i'm not sure that humbrol paint is sufficiently resistant.
I found a brand which have a cool range of colors : Molotow.
Attachment 65597

To make correspondence between molotov and humbrol/rust-oleum paints, i use this site :
Hunt Club Green Satin Ceramic Paints - 249074 - Hunt Club Green Paint, Hunt Club Green Color, Rust-Oleum Satin Porcelain, Pottery, Bisque, Greenware Ceramic Paint, 39564C - Art-Paints.com
There is a large database for colors of differents brands. For each, they give the RGB or CMYK codes.
For example, the Rust-oleum Hunt club green have CMYK(76, 47, 65, 35). Using Photoshop, i see that Black forest green of Molotow have CMYK(80, 44, 72, 35).
Attachment 65598Attachment 65599
Or another color : summer Rustoleum Summer squach and Molotow Cashmere yellow
Attachment 65600Attachment 65601
I'm not certain if it's a good method but with weathering, difference between colors may be reduced.
I think i will buy a can to test it and see if it's compatible with others brands (like humbrol). There is another interesting point with rattlecans : there's a great choice of caps so you can paint easily large or little area.

For the ESB colors, i found this list in an old topic :

"Here's the list I got from MojoFett of humbrol colours:
HUMBROL PAINT LIST


Shoulders/knees

1. Halfords plastic primer, Grey

2. 11 (Metallic silver)

3. 74 Light yellow (around silver damage)

4. 154 Yellow

5. 82 Orange (added in tiny amounts to the yellow and over sprayed)

6. 132 Orange/Red (add in tiny amounts to the yellow/orange and over sprayed)

7. 79 Grey (added to the orange, orange/red to darken for weathered effect)


Chest/ back and cod

1. Halfords primer

2. 11 (Metallic silver)

3. 99 Yellow (around silver scratches)

4. 78 Olive green (for small areas of damage all over armour)

5. 76 green as base green

6. Complete over spray with grey 79 and black 33 for weathering.

7. Seal with satin varnish.

8. Painted using a layering technique with Humbrol Maskol liquid.

Small damage can be scratched through to the silver base coat before sealing.
"

Is someone can confirm it?

Greetings in all!
I continue to make my armor cardboard-copy.
The result with the damaged wood product is great but i think it will be the same using starch for clothes. The copy has a correct rigidity to report holes on the vest
Attachment 65634
I think i will use product on the other side of the collar in the same time i will use it for the next part.

today i copy a chest part in the same way. To go faster, i plunged directly the cardboard in a basin of warm water during 5 min. I use presses again during drying for the cardboard takes the shape.
Attachment 65635Attachment 65636Attachment 65637

waiting for tomorrow...

Another part finished...
Attachment 65647Attachment 65648
Starting the next....

Finally after many hesitation, i will go for humbrol colors.
I prefer harder and longer work but with more accuracy and satisfaction at the end.
Nevertheless, if somebody is interested by rattle cans colors, here is the correspondences i made using Stormtrooperguy list :
rustoleum/ Molotow / Humbrol
Summer squach/Cashmere yellow
Hunt club green/ Black forest green/ humbrol 74
Spruce green/ Swamp green
True orange / Dare orange
line stripping / Cadmium yellow / humbrol 99
../ Signal yellow / Humbrol 154
../ Greyblue dark / Humbrol 79

Good day everybody
Found an interesting mind map with floquils and Humbrol colors :
Boba Fett Paint Colors - MindMeister Mind Map
Attachment 65659
Hope it helps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrumFett

Good day everybody
Found an interesting mind map with floquils and Humbrol colors :
Boba Fett Paint Colors - MindMeister Mind Map
Attachment 65659
Hope it helps

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Most (if not all) of the info is from TDH compiled by a member here and is very good for everyone who want to start a paint job.

So far the armor looks good and (as always) you take your time with great patience to prepare all the parts of that particular build. Can't wait to see the attachment method applied to the armor and vest. And of course the paint job...

Keep up the great work!

thats some smart thing with cardboard armour templates! saves a lot of hassle for that way of attachment, but i have chosen rare earth magnets, like the idea of no corrosion as with the humidity during the wet it will stain things.:thumbsup

Thanks a lot bros!
I greatly appreciate your comments. You are really kind people!
@ Rafal : hi Rafal! always happy to see you! I will do as well as i can but for painting i know that i can count on your stencils and it's for me a considerable help.
@ Roba : i read your method of fastening in a thread and i think it's a brilliant idea. As i said in my first post, i have a friend who have problems with his scout trooper armor. I think that's you give me the solution...thanks

So here's the situation today :
Attachment 65699
The last two parts are drying and i will use my wood product this week end before making holes and make transfert to the vest.

I start to work on the collar/backplate attachment using this thread :
collar and backplate (Rafal was even here to give the solution !)
So i searched in my garage and i found this part :
Attachment 65700
At the beginning, it was a bar to hang on curtains and i cut 4 parts of about 5,2 centimeters ( 2in).
I epoxied them 2 by 2.

After i mark center of holes 1 centimeter (0.4 in) by leaving of each extremity. Using a metal drill bit of the same diameter than the bolt, i made the holes.
Attachment 65701Attachment 65702

I turned back the parts and i use a drill bit to make a hole of almost the same diameter of the head of the bolt.
Attachment 65703

So heads of the bolts will be invisible. I just have to expoxy them but before, i want to transfert the holes on the cardboard pattern to make them correctly on the armor later.
Attachment 65704Attachment 65705

to be continued...

Hi everyone!
Today i decided to place the nuts into the studs.
1 - I marked the center of each stud
Attachment 65711
2- I prepared the drill bit with a piece of tape to see when the depht would be sufficient.
Attachment 65712
3 - I made the holes and put in each a very tiny amount of epoxy filler to place correctly each nut.
Attachment 65713Attachment 65714
4 - When dry, i filled aroud the nut with epoxy filler and sand it
Attachment 65715Attachment 65716
i just have to primer them and correct the lacks of filler.

Hi !
Just a pic of my finished cardboard armor :
Attachment 65718

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrumFett

Hi !
Just a pic of my finished cardboard armor :
Attachment 65718

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It looks good! The KING of cardboard armors!

Thanks :D
There's a lot of advantages on a cardboard armor : lightweight, price but don't forget to remove it before taking shower!:lol

Very nice work so far. :thumbsup I hope to obtain a result at least half as good as yours !

Minor update today,
I have finished the studs
After filling around the nut, i primered them
Attachment 65862
and after 2 layers of silver :
Attachment 65863

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrumFett

Minor update today,
I have finished the studs
After filling around the nut, i primered them
Attachment 65862
and after 2 layers of silver :
Attachment 65863

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... and the last layer WHITE: one stud with red on top (changed its place from outer right to inner left) and there was one 'optional' gray stud (outer left - cape stud) that was present only on the hallway scene (remnants of the Pre-Pro #3 suit) ==> Shoulder stud color question?.

Keep up the great work!

Thanks Rafal!
I've never seen that's the studs were white. Ok i will correct this.
Undoubtedly, no detail escapes you...

So today i worked on the collar. It's time to begin the attachment.
My first step is to attach collar and backplate.
1 - I use a stud that i aligned with the edge of the right side of the collar. Then i make a mark.
Attachment 65924Attachment 65925

2 - I did the same thing at the other extremity of the right side
Attachment 65926

3 - I draw a line between the two marks
Attachment 65927

4 - I put correctly the metal bar and mark the center of the holes
Attachment 65928Attachment 65929

5 - Then, using the first line, i drew a second one at a distance equal to half the width of the stud. I put back the location of the holes.

Attachment 65930Attachment 65931

Tomorrow i will make the hole and mark the location of them on the backplate.

Aha, I've finally figured out what you painted onto your cardboard armor templates to stiffen them up! :b
PC Products 16 oz. PC-Petrifier Wood Hardener-164440 at The Home Depot
I have some of RKD's armor coming sometime in March, and I was fretting about getting the bolt-eyelet attachment alignment right.

Any progress/luck with your attachment method, StrumFett?

really cool

Hi everyone !

Sorry for this long silence but i had a lot of work and not a lot of time to make my costume. So now i will try to post regularly pics of my progress.
I will start now with some pics i took in december when i was trying to adjust the collar and backplate :
When marks on collar are done, I make the holes and test fitting with the metal plate
Attachment 68226Attachment 68227Attachment 68228Attachment 68229

With the help of my wife, i put backplate and collar on me and use holes on collar to make marks on backplate.
Attachment 68231Attachment 68232Attachment 68233

This is the final result :
Attachment 68234Attachment 68235Attachment 68236

Hi !
When i put the collar and backplate on me, I made marks on the flakvest. So it will be easier to know how to put the cardboad pattern later.
Attachment 68249

This is how i do to make holes on cardboard.
Attachment 68248Attachment 68247Attachment 68246Attachment 68244Attachment 68242

After i made marks on collar using cardboard
Attachment 68243Attachment 68241Attachment 68240Attachment 68250

I'm glad you're back with your armor prep work! Everything looks great (also love that quick peak on the helmet paint job) and I can't wait to see the armor painted and attached to the vest! Just keep up the awesome work!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Necronaut

Aha, I've finally figured out what you painted onto your cardboard armor templates to stiffen them up! :b PC Products 16 oz. PC-Petrifier Wood Hardener-164440 at The Home Depot I have some of RKD's armor coming sometime in March, and I was fretting about getting the bolt-eyelet attachment alignment right. Any progress/luck with your attachment method, StrumFett?

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Thanks for your interest Necronaut. I just start to mke attachment to vest. I hope it will be usefull for you.

[COLOR="silver"]- - - Updated - - -[/COLOR]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mandio222

really cool

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Thanks !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RafalFett

I'm glad you're back with your armor prep work! Everything looks great (also love that quick peak on the helmet paint job) and I can't wait to see the armor painted and attached to the vest! Just keep up the awesome work!

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Thanks a lot Rafal! I'm always happy to have your comments on my works and also your precious advices.

Hi !
Today, i started fastening bolts on collar :
First, I used epoxy dough, flattened with the box.
With an eyelet, i pick small amount of dough and i put it on the marks on collar.
I put the bolts on the dough and quickly put the cardboard pattern on bolts to be sure that the arrangement of the bolt will be correct.
I just have to wait drying.
Note : Depending of flatness of the back of collar (fiberglass like mine are less regular than vac formed one's) bolts can take differents angles. It isn't a big problem because most part of the bolt will be cut (i think i'll just keep 5 millimeters)

Attachment 68278Attachment 68277Attachment 68279Attachment 68280Attachment 68281Attachment 68282Attachment 68283

Hi !

It's time to attach collar to vest.
Just a quick update before : I changed the bolts because the head was to high.
So i use 6mm eyelets with 4mm bolts.

This is the new bolts

Attachment 68402Attachment 68403Attachment 68404

I put on them epoxy dough to have a stronger attachment.

Attachment 68406Attachment 68405

And this is how i do to attach collar to vest :

1 - I put the vest on me and my wife put the cardboard pattern on the marks she made earlier with the real collar(see posts above)
Attachment 68407Attachment 68408

2 - with sharp scissors, i make a hole ( never cut the vest, only spread the fibers of the vest). I use a bigger scissor and a bolt of the same diameter than the eyelet as a guide.
Attachment 68410 Attachment 68411Attachment 68412Attachment 68413Attachment 68421Attachment 68422

3 - This is theview of the back
Attachment 68414

4 - To Finish, you must have to secure the eyelet.
This is the tool i used and the result after hitting with the hammer.
Attachment 68419Attachment 68420Attachment 68416Attachment 68417

5 - The 2 others...
Attachment 68418Attachment 68424

6 - So finally, i can attach collar to vest :
Attachment 68425Attachment 68426

I have just to cut the bolt at the same level than the nut.

I will use the collar to adjust the other parts of the armor (see next steps...)

The attachment method looks great and is pretty close to the original. Although on the original they used bigger eyelets to let the armor to move in every direction and to eliminate vest tearing, your method will do the same, but with reduced movement. Here is my research regarding the armor attachment ==> Speaker in the MoM abdominal plate - Post #8.

Thanks Rafal, great job as always. I will remenber it when i will do my ROTJ armor. But for this one the problem is that my bolts are too close from the edge of the armor.
The hexagon shapes were also a great method to attach the armor. On ABS plastic, there is some glue that have the property to make a weld between to parts of plastic (the liquid glue from humbrol by example).
But again with my fiberglass armor, i can't use this hexagonals parts because the inner edge of the armor is too short.

This is the next step :

I made all the holes on cardboard and then i made the marks on the armor.
Attachment 68509

The difficulty is to put correctly the armor parts on the vest.So i made a first try using pillows in the vest to imitate body shape.
(Before, i drew a line in the middle of the vest as a guide)
Attachment 68510Attachment 68511

I'm not sure if the parts must be closer. Anyone can help me?

I understand your point! It looks great!

The distances between the chest plates and the abdominal plate should be smaller (also the abdominal plate is too far from the lower margin of the vest), but because the armor doesn't cover fully the vest, I say that you should leave it as it is.

Hi,

Thanks Rafal. Yes i've a problem with the dimensions of the armor (or the vest). I made another try using electrical tape to maintain the armor on the vest. Here's the result.
I know that the collar is too high but i can't put it lower because it's too short.
I don't know if it's due to Bobamaker's armor dimensions which are smaller or my body (my heigh is 187cm).
Attachment 68534Attachment 68533

The 'problem' is the armor size. The collar plate's position is perfect and the distances between the other plates is now pretty good (ideally the chest plates should be a bit closer to the collar plate, but because of the armor size is smaller, you should leave it this way). If you want a more accurate look (regarding the size) than your other choices would be fettpride (not too sure which version is bigger) and redkraytdragon (but you already know this).

Ok, so i will go for this. Thanks again for your help Rafal !

I've finished to put eyelets and bolts on armor :
This is the vest with the marks i made using cardboard pattern :
Attachment 68930Attachment 68929

Vest with all eyelets :
Attachment 68932

Armor with bolts :

Attachment 68931
Tu cut the bolt at the right length, i made a mark on one of them while the collar was attached on the vest. After, i used rings to have the same depth, so i cut all the bolts in the same time.
Attachment 68933