My Zam so far....

A long time ago .... in a gal ....... (ok ill skip the quotes lol)

......maybe 4 years ago, I dreamed of being a kick butt female bounty hunter and joining my Garrison. I got a couple of pieces here and there but i had to sell them when i got into debt, it was a dream i thought would never come true and i lost sight of it, i gave up.:(

This Christmas i opened up a parcel from my boyfriend, it was a Blaster and some neoprene ... i couldnt believe it!!! Then later in the day i tripped over a big box in the hallway, my boyfriend told me to open it and im not ashamed to say i cried when i saw the contents, i suspected he might get me something zam but this box had half the costume in!!!!:suprise

Now my dream back in sight and my boyfriend forever owed hugs and kisses i am posting my progress here!:hug

Thanx to all you Zammers before me whos knowledge, research and hard work enable me to make this costume and thanx to my boyfriend who is one in a gazillion and making my dream cme true :love

We started off playing with the rifle, we dont have a barrel yet, the scope and side whatsit are being machined out of ally. Hopefully lots more pogress to follow :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF0999.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1005.jpg

:) Merry Christmas!!!

And a Merry Christmas to you too!!!! :hug :)

Here are my gauntlets in progress, im weathering them, the dont actually look quite this dark but the lighting isnt the best :) Im very happy with them!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1008.jpg

very cool

Looking Very nice :) I'm sure you were ecstatic on Christmas morning.

Good luck with your costume!!!

Merry Christmas! I had to keep my mouth shut too ;)

Your Boyfriend must love you alot!;) Looks awsome, looks like your on your way to a great start!

that's cool to be on the same page where he could get you a gift like that.

i explained the fett stuff to my brother before christmas and he just handed me money and said go for it, not much of a surprise but thoughtful enough for me

-=QuinN!

Yeah its pretty awesome!! We spent 90% of christmas sanding, painting drilling etc LOL - its the best!!! I guess maybe its because we met through our Garrison though so we have like interests :lol :o

Thanx to everyone who has replied, Happy New Year to you all xxx

That would be cool to have someone that loved it like I do :doh My other half doesn't understand :rolleyes :jango

What a merry Christmas!!! Isn't it nice when your honey doesn't think you're crazy because they do the costume thing too? :)

What a great Christmas!!! :cheering I think I'd be bawling my eyes out too! :D Sounds like a keeper to me! The Zam costume and the boyfriend! :D

Hello everyone! (I'm the boyfriend)

Big thanks goes to Gui Gon Ludo for posting them all safely to the UK in the first place! Nice to have trust like that with a total stranger!
Shame his other half couldn't do this costume but rest assured it's gone to a good home and I can't wait to see it finished :)

Thanks for all your nice comments. I try my best ;)

Langsuir666 He's definately a keeper-your man! Whew! Haha, but trying to keep things a secret... Qui Gon Ludo tells me he had to drop off the neo list (It was a really awesome blessed reason).MAN! And, he sooo lucked out with Qui Gon Ludo. There I was -- telling your boyfriend how long it usually takes to build a zam. I will bite my tongue now LOL. Then SL/TK8456 is pming me trying to keep it a secret from his gfriend, and I was like, wait-- who? Talk about a juggling act. I was like, who was comin or goin?! And who's getting what from who?! I am so happy yall are happy. Qui Gon Ludo kept me in the loop. It took some major figuring out ~ Shew!

Yes, thank you ZIA. Imagine how I felt then?
All this going on across the pond with a few hours time delay. I got a little confused myself at times but it's all sorted now :)

I'm loving it almost as much as her (probably more so, cos I've got a lovely sniper rifle to play with)
Wish I was a girl. An ace costume!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sl/tk8456

I'm loving it almost as much as her!

---

Hang on are you saying you love my costume more than you love me, or you love the costume more than i love the costume? ... think carefully here *poises hand for slap* LOL :lol :hug :love

You guys all did an awesome job keeping me in the dark!!! I was gutted all that stuff sold little did i know my sneaky BF bought it!! lol

You all made my Christmas!!!

Here are some more updates from us!!

Blaster is finished

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1267.jpg

Chest pieces are amazingly finished!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1280.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1277.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1279.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1278.jpg

Wow!!! Excellent!!! :D Color me Jealous! ;) You're gonna be finished in no time at this rate! Yikes - puttin' us old-timers to shame! ... well at least me! ;) Okay... was the chest armor done with Rub-n-Buff?? Then weathered with what??? Finished with anything??

Maulmaus,

I'm Langsuire666's other half. Thanks for the compliments.

Yes I used rub n buff. I sanded the ABS pieces in one direction only. To give it a brushed metal look. Then rubbing with the grain I put the first light silver shade down. Then rubbing across the grain I put down a darker sliver, but only in patches.
There's a bronze on there too but none of the colours were put on with a brush. All hand rubbed on with a lint free kitchen cloth in a mixture of circular and straight lines. All done when all layers are still fairly wet.

The weathering is old 'useless' gone hard and dry matt black paint that I ground down into a powder and mixed with a drop or two of fresh black/brown paint.
Dab that tacky mix onto the armour with a cloth or finger. Put on far too much than you need and press down hard and leave for a while.
Then a little rub n buff over it all helps to smooth the tacky paint down (most of it flakes off which is why you put too much on) and helps to give it a metallic look.
Same again with some bronze paint in places.

Phew! :o Looks cool though :)

Hmm.. similar to how I did the toe-guards and my cast blaster (No weathering on the blaster though). Though I didn't think of adding bronze to the mix... Hmmm. Just got my chest-armor kit from Mon-Cal and am anxious to get that part done!

Yours looks fantastic though! Can't wait to see some pics with the whole costume completed! It's gonna be fantastic! Hope you'll be able to enter the costume contest at Celebration Europe! :cheering

Theres a contest?! :suprise Ooo oo oo I hope theres a contest!!!!! :lol :cheering

Yeah he made a great job of those chest pieces didnt he!? The leather i found for him to use was a very very old leather jacket from a thrift shop / vintage shop. The leather is already worn and creased and discolored so it all adds to it i think :) Its big enough to use for other little bits of costume too if you feel the need :)

Moncal must be super busy!! I asked him about a holster kit and update on the helmet progress but he hasnt been on here this year yet heheh. Without a helmet im a bit stuck hehehe!!

Good luck with your chest pieces though, i think the trick is always to use a few different colors to make it look like you really killed ppl in it haha!:lol Im sure yours will look great:cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Langsuir666

Theres a contest?! :suprise Ooo oo oo I hope theres a contest!!!!! :lol :cheering

---

Well there had better be! Right! ;) There always has been at CI, CII and CIII ... well, you get the picture. I'm sure there will be one at Celebration Europe as well - so keep your eyes on that website so you can sign up for it in time! (Moncal's wife won 2nd place at CIII ! :cheering and ZIA won at Dragon*Con along with Jango a couple of years back *alzheimer's kicking in here!* ) So, you've got a tradition to uphold too! ;)

Serious!

Thats a tall order guys!!! LOL I will see if i can do you proud! :)

nice!!!!!!!!!!!

It looks like you had an awesome holiday!!
Good luck with the progress and feel free to ask questions. We'll do our best to help and hmm.... remember cause it's been a while for some of us. Heck some of us old timers probably should re-read all the threads just to refresh our memories .......well........ not sure if I have time for that ;)

My scope and rifle detals made by a talented Garrison member!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...pedetails3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...opedetails.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...pedetails2.jpg

Mostly finished the main rifle part too pic to follow :)

Excellent. That's one prop I still need to make... gotta remake the whole zam first though ;)

Nice.. can't wait to see it all together.

I've had fun doing this. Check it, don't wreck it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1010.jpg

Awesome!! :)

I'm surprised Kathy has let me go so long without making the rifle for her ;)

Hey I gave her those worms though .... :lol ... everyone keep your mind out of the gutter.... the zam kouhouns

Your making some excellent progress. I love the way this is looking, especially the weathering on the chest armor. Top notch stuff!

I have gone long without a rifle too. Many people have asked me hey-"don't you want... "then I think about carrying the big thang all around a con. If we have blasters, it suffices. ;) But way cool having something so hard to make. the scope is hard to do.

I want that scope!!!! That talented Garrison member could make a killing selling those on this side of the pond y'know! ;) Dang!!!!

Thank you people :)

I posted on Beckys id by mistake last night. We're slapping all the greeblie bits and scope on later today. It has been hard to do but that's why we do it.
Fair play, Becky loves it!

PS: I'll ask my friend if he would be interested in doing more. Seen as he now has the idea, repeats should be far easier for him

Please be upseated for Bek's Zam sniper rifle

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j2...4/DSCF1021.jpg

Oh is that a SDS hero in the background. Yes, yess

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j2...4/DSCF1023.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j2...4/DSCF1022.jpg

Heehehehehe!!!! *Runs around the lounge with a huge rifle!!* *CRASH*... oops the vase ... oops the light fixture ... oops the sds helmet ... erm i mean *cough*

I love my rifle!!!!!!!!! Thanx to John for being awesome and making it in his kitchen for me lol! xxx

It looks great!!! Congrats :)

wow thats awesome

Love those new pics! That is just one totally awesome rifle! :cheering :cheering

Would it help if I got on my knees and begged? :lol

PM for you Langsuir666.

Here's a list of the completed stuff so far.

Rifle (it doesn't look that patchy in normal light - but I might spray it again)

Lid. Lovely looking thing but it's just too small for Becky's head :doh

Chest plates and lower ab armour. Still need to attach hose and small lavender leather panels though

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8...ndrifledj5.jpg

What are you using as the base for forming your gauntlets?
I am thinking about them, and I was thinking plaster, bondo, mold, cast, aluminum paint.
Then I thought some of the lines were more defined. Confused how one should start.

Hi Yvonne. Is this post meant to be in here? as I'm a bit confused?
As a rule anything with sharp 90 degree indented lines can't be vac formed as the thickness of the material spoils the detail needed. Stormtopper armour is great as that's just pants sheets. Zams lid can only been done in fiberglass. Same as the gauntlets I think too.

EDIT: ah ha...unless I cut out the shape and then fill it under neath. Yes, yesss :)

Yep, i was wondering what you used as a base for your gauntlets. DCB used a plastic cup and cut out the bottom. Yes, the final would be fiberglass, like the helm, can't be vac'd, of course. I am not talking about the casting, but what did you sculpt/make your primary original with? I was just fooling around with bondo, and it's yucky fumes, and unless you are a quick cake decorator, seems sorta useless. But it's supposed to be able to be sanded smoothed etc, after the initial pasty phase. I worked with other stuff before, but thought I would change up my primary material just to see what else would be neat to work with and what would work together.

Lookin Good over there in the UK! :D I was just thinking about Langsuir666's costume and wondering how it was going... and oila! We got pics! :D

Still don't understand you. We're not making any new gauntlets and I hate smelly chemicals at the best of times :)
We're going to mod the ones we have got though. Cut out the back part and stick on that lovely looking greeblie on the back of her wrists.

I'm using CO2 canisters used in airsoft and cycle tyre pumps :)

Did you buy the gauntlets from someone, and just weather them then? Or did you make them from scratch?

They came in Qui Gon Ludo's lot of goodness of Zam love :)
I'm not sure who he got them off originaly?

I was playing with the helmet and the veil (this isnt attatched i was just messing about) Sorry its small i just made it as an avatar! Hope it shows the helmet fits so much better tho (in my opinion anyway hehehe!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../Zamavatar.jpg

nice......a lot.......:)

Made these out of plasticene and milliput. Will spray them silver and stick them onto the suit with a magnet :)

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1304-1.jpg

Ok the helmet now fits but we had to erm .... do a few things to it which involved pulling bits off and grinding loads out of it.

Anyway ive painted the main lid now and repainted my gauntlet after the section was cut out for the greeblie.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1462.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1464.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1466.jpg

My Greebs! Even if they do "look like they have been painted by a talented child" :lol I like em!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/100_1539.jpg

everything looks great!...I cant wait to see yours finished...you may have to hook me up with some of the sniper detail pieces...the side greeblie looks awesome!

Looks good. I love the cummberbun piece (the one that sits near the beads).

I agree with John (not the talented child part), but the universal key just needs to be toned down a bit.

Overall, they look awesome! :thumbsup

Wow... :suprise Just consider... Rembrandt was a "talented child" too in his day! :lol They look great* You did an awesome job! :cheering

* The middle part of the Universal key - I think is a little too blue/turquoise.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JDFett

everything looks great!...I cant wait to see yours finished...you may have to hook me up with some of the sniper detail pieces...the side greeblie looks awesome!

---

You seek Ian Sutton my friend. He's making some for MaulMaus too. TK7903

Just got my white leather and a few tools in one box from 99centtacco! Thanks hun!!! Unfortunatley the skirt leather in number 2 box sent at the same time had gone AWOL :( Im hoping its had a bit of a longer hold up at customs and its not lost cause i wanted to get going on the skirt so bad, i really hate our customs!! I paid $50 in VAT on that first box, thats 1/3 again on top of its value! >: Grrrrr England sucks

Anyway, i dont have the stuff to get started on the vest yet, kinda scared of it a bit LOL. Anyone have any sewing tips? What needles thread did you use? Hand sewn? What tools do i need? Ive never ever made anything out of leather and if i mess this up thats all my leather gone lol .... heeeeeealp! :lol :doh

Ooooh Re: My key Greeb guys :? How do you think i should best tone down the blue? Darker? Lighter? Add white or go a purple/more navy blue/black? I have no idea? Dirty it a bit more? Any suggestions greatly received lol :lol

Bee, I've bought dirty stuff for things like this. It's on its way.............

Oh cool! :) I just wondered if i should actually tone down the paint its self but im not sure which way to go color wise if i do

So far! Ooooooo i like em


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1476.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1475.jpg

WOW.

Someones been busy!!

Looking great darling! Good to see things moving on. :cheering

He he. Nice work Bee x

Must be "Zam Skirt Week" :lol Looking fantastic!!! :cheering

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MaulMaus

Must be "Zam Skirt Week" :lol Looking fantastic!!! :cheering

---

I guess the "Costume Bug" is like a yawn, one person does it and very one else is the room yawns too! :D

Ok we did all the squares now!!! Oh dear what a game it was LOL. (im trying hard not to curse here LOL) I still need to seal them but thats it now *cheer*

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1582.jpg

Im just dying my lace now.

Also if anyone is doing a bit of a darker costume i found some awesome leather dye aerosol cans. I did all of the backs with the can and they actually look a really nice color. Not sure if you can get them in the states but they are called Magix Color and i got mine in Lavender.

sweet....cant wait to get started on that part of the project:b :b

The more I look at them the more I love them.
They've come out ace and I can't wait to see them sealed.

Deep breath Bee x

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sl/tk8456

The more I look at them the more I love them.

---

Just like you feel about me then - glad to hear it! ;) :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JDFett

sweet....cant wait to get started on that part of the project:b :b

---

Dude I'd do it sooner rather than later. Me and Becky have fallen out on this lots of times. LOL. If you energy for this costume wavers it's best to have done this baby and have it out of the way.
192 squares 768 holes, loads of possible errors
Very fiddly thing but also one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Can't wait to see it finished.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Langsuir666

Just like you feel about me then - glad to hear it! ;) :lol

---

Oh yeah ;)

i hear ya john....having trouble getting my strips from my leather guy who is also making my hoslter...if i dont have the strips by the time i go to tandy to get the pigskin for the belt and vest...ill be grabbing a hide to make the squares then...

plus ive got the rifle keeping me busy for now

Everything is looking great! Cris and I are going to Celebration Europe and I hope we'll get to see it in person!

Kim

Hi Kim, yeah I've seen your posts that you'rre comning. So many forum boards it's hard to keep a track :)

See you there and yes, it'll be done. Even if I have to wear it myself LOL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sl/tk8456

See you there and yes, it'll be done. Even if I have to wear it myself LOL

---

If she lets you... I want a picture of that! :lol :lol

The squares look great BTW!! Now comes the fun lacing part... ;)

JDFett: Yep... get it over with or you'll be a bad example like me... 3/4 of a skirt done and ready to go, oh about 2 years ago. :( :doh :lol Then real life hits you and you don't make much progress for a while... :(

LOL!! :lol If you EVER see stubble behind the veil of my costume then plz phone the police because im buired under the patio slabs somewhere! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Langsuir666

LOL!! :lol If you EVER see stubble behind the veil of my costume then plz phone the police because im buired under the patio slabs somewhere! ;)

---

:lol Now that *would* be a sight to see. Much better than the guys who don the metal bikini, imo!

Don't worry, we've got your back! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sl/tk8456

Hi Kim, yeah I've seen your posts that you'rre comning. So many forum boards it's hard to keep a track :)

---

Oh, that must be Cris. The only place I frequent is here and our garrison board, for precisely that reason - too many boards! :) And apparently not enough user names :)

Keep up the great work, you two!

K

So are people gonna see the finished product at c4? Or are we gonna get the priveledge of seeing TONS o' pics from Celebration Europe?

Becky isn't coming over to CIV Yvonne so it'll have to be CE.
Hopefully though, she'll get it done before then and troop in it at least one or twice. Otherwise I think I'll have a tough job taking a photo of a happy bouncing Zammer that won't keep still :)

Boing boing boing zap zap zap...

Tell her if she doesn't keep still she'll break one of the greeblies! ;)

*Yeah... I know... I'm evil!* :lol

Looking forward to meeting you at CIV in any case John!

Woohoo! We finished Beks' Zam skirt today!
196 squares, 4 holes each, lots of different colours and sizes.
Hope you like it

Heres some better shots for you :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1599.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1600.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...3/DSCF1601.jpg

That looks really terrific! Congratulations!!!

That must feel like a huge weight off your shoulders. Leaves what only 978 things left to do before Celebration Europe... right? ;)

looks great...want to make another one??:lol :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JDFett

looks great...want to make another one??:lol :lol

---

Haha!

Looks awesome! Yeah, you want to make that three?

I wouldn't mind doing another one yeah. It's quite theraputic.....honestly LOL

Awesome Zam skirt! How flexible is it?

Its really quite thin and flexible, i think the laces will give a little more after a week or so making it even more fluid movement wise. Its really lovely ... awwww i love it!!:love


And John if you mean theraputic as in it puts you in therapy then ... ya .. it is. :lol

Yeah it's very flexible. Even after wetting some of the sqaures. :)
Wetting them does give a nice lustre and blend to it. 100% sure of that.

The laces aren't tied yet as I think we should let it 'breathe' and loosen itself up a little before tightening it and commiting any lengths of lace. If it's too tight the sqaures curve on each other.

It's not double laced though, only the top row is to give it some strength.

I forgot, what weight leather did you use for the skirt?

Mine is 5/6 oz. and on my little practice lacing part it didn't curl up at all. It's also probably going to weigh a lot more.... *great!* ;) If you're needing therapy John, I can pack up the squares and lace and have it all shipped off to you tomorrow! :lol :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sl/tk8456

I wouldn't mind doing another one yeah. It's quite theraputic.....honestly LOL

---

dont offer unless youre serious...LOL...at this point i settle for you doing the squares and punching the holes then sending them to me for dying and tieing LOL

Hmm, for a fee I would :)
As I do like this kind of stuff. I now have no work either (finished my last contract Hooray!)
But....working away all the time in the week, I'm afraid I got too much of my own stuff to catch up. I've got 2 pairs of clean pants left as we speak. LOL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sl/tk8456

Hmm, for a fee I would :)

---

You're quite the tease you know! :lol :lol

No I can't do it. I'm too busy atm. Sorry.

It is theraputic though. Nice to see it growing in front of you :)

Like I said... a tease! ;) :lol :lol

Id also actually like doing another skirt but i think if i did one id need to buy another leather punch. Im not sure id like to do the Dying for someone else but id like to make another one too :)

Yeah, you're right the skirt is the only theraputic part I think~ because it's pretty cut and dry work, you don't have to agonize like you have to over the helm. The non agonizing part being the cutting and the punching holes and lacing. My gosh, I would've cried having to take my helm apart. (it's pretty much in pieces now, but to take the helm base apart is scary...) It takes guts to gut the insides and re-attach. In beks terms "gutted!" **Applause** true zam sacrifice on both parts there;). The lacing of the skirt can seem like it takes forever and monotonous too depending on perspective. But doesn't it feel great to be done one of the more time consuming aspects of this costume?

Here's what Rebecca has done so far :)

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/P5190038.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/P5190036.jpg
:D

It's getting there!! :cheering

Nice to see it put together so you can really see your progress! Great work! You're going to have a fantastic Zam when it's all done! I can't wait to see the whole thing once it's completed! Congrats. :D

PS: excuse the mess in my front room. My living room is spotless, honest ;)