My Zam so far....
- Thread starter Langsuir666
- Start date
Langsuir666
Active Hunter
First time its all on and i felt like i was in a straight jacket all over LOL. How cool though to finally be a Zam. I saw it in the mirror for the first time and kinda couldnt believe it was me. Needs bits tweaking still as my hand plates kept falling off (we just stuck em on with tape for the photos)
Thanx you all sooooooo much for being here and posting up all the info and links and sources and advice for this costume over the years and years ive been trying to do it. Without you guys this would either have never been possible or would have taken years longer!!!
If anyone sees anything that could do with changing or improving then let me know, for example the hoses, we need to work those out better. The tension pushes the vest outwards. So how did you guys fix that?
Weight of the blaster on the belt, pulling down etc. How have others fixed that?
Thanx you all sooooooo much for being here and posting up all the info and links and sources and advice for this costume over the years and years ive been trying to do it. Without you guys this would either have never been possible or would have taken years longer!!!
If anyone sees anything that could do with changing or improving then let me know, for example the hoses, we need to work those out better. The tension pushes the vest outwards. So how did you guys fix that?
Weight of the blaster on the belt, pulling down etc. How have others fixed that?
JDFett
Well-Known Hunter
wow...looooooking good becky!!! I think you guys did a great job...as far as the hand guards...try some industrial strength velcro..thats what jamie and i used...as far as the hose issue...maybe some sort of snap on the inside near the hose connects to the under suit? on a second layer of leather in the inside? and maybe just a small wire from the holster to the skirt belt may help with the weight of the blaster and holster? just some quick ideas...
JDFett
Well-Known Hunter
simply love this shot...looks great! perrrfect eyes for that shot!
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Zam I Am
Well-Known Hunter
Yay! What a glorious site! You better enter the costume contest at celebration and make us proud!
back handplates ~ the real thing has loops jb welded or E6000 glued on the back with sewing to keep them down. Industrial velcro is just a quick fix, not permanent enough. There is bendable wire that you can insert into the hoses to try to keep the shape, but moncal prolly has a better solution, as mine still don't bend right. More foam in the back of the vest to make it sit better around the arm holes. Foam on the back of the ankle gaurds, they will dig into the boot/ankle, and hurt like all get up. You might want to have a hard 8-10 oz. piece of leather to "back the cumberbund" in order to keep the pressure off.
back handplates ~ the real thing has loops jb welded or E6000 glued on the back with sewing to keep them down. Industrial velcro is just a quick fix, not permanent enough. There is bendable wire that you can insert into the hoses to try to keep the shape, but moncal prolly has a better solution, as mine still don't bend right. More foam in the back of the vest to make it sit better around the arm holes. Foam on the back of the ankle gaurds, they will dig into the boot/ankle, and hurt like all get up. You might want to have a hard 8-10 oz. piece of leather to "back the cumberbund" in order to keep the pressure off.
JDFett
Well-Known Hunter
ive used industrial velcro on the handplates on both my stormtrooper and my clone trooper and have trooped many troops in both...it has not budged and is still solid...you have to make sure you scrape up the area where they will stick to the glove so they have a good place to adhere...i also have placed a few tacks with thread around the edges of the piece on the gloves...it will not come off the handplate...the loop idea is a good one, as i started out with that on my stormtrooper. the only problem with that is i didnt like the way the loop felt on the palm of my hand and made my freedowm of hand movment somewhat limited, plus i was always pulling it into place as it would slide out of position a lot...if i understand ZIA's suggestion...
I was also thinking of putting a piece of heavy duty coat hanger inside the hose to hold the shape, but i thought you were curious how to keep the vest down so it wouldnt lift off your torso from the pull of the hose...i suppose the coathanger idea would help in that regard too
I was also thinking of putting a piece of heavy duty coat hanger inside the hose to hold the shape, but i thought you were curious how to keep the vest down so it wouldnt lift off your torso from the pull of the hose...i suppose the coathanger idea would help in that regard too
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Southern hunter
Active Hunter
WOW! :cheers
Absolutely awesome! Now if I can just get my wife into SW costuming.
Absolutely awesome! Now if I can just get my wife into SW costuming.
MaulMaus
Active Hunter
YEEEEHAWWW!!! Congratulations Becky on a job well done!! You're a Zam now!! :cheers
Sure, there will be some tweaking to do... and things will always need to be glued/velcro-ed/snapped down... but YOU DID IT!!!!
You better be in that costume contest girl! Or you won't hear the end of it!!
Congratulations Becky on a job well done!! You're a Zam now!! :cheers Sure, there will be some tweaking to do... and things will always need to be glued/velcro-ed/snapped down... but YOU DID IT!!!!
You better be in that costume contest girl! Or you won't hear the end of it!!
Foxbatkllr
Well-Known Hunter
Well done!
Zam I Am
Well-Known Hunter
Nonono, a metal loop under the handgaurds and thumbguards for sewing stitches on, like the ref shots. Sorry I didn't clarify ~ I have had industrial velcro on my zam handgaurds and thumbpiece and twice the thumbgaurds have fallen off. I can see the handgaurds not falling off because of the larger surface area, but I am now missing my thumb pieces. This is not the same as storm trooper handplates cause the thumb gaurds are small, and will fall /get knocked off a lot easier. Also, when it gets hot, your industrial velcro glue will slide a little and more problems with the thumb gaurds. I am NOT talking about an elastic loop around the handplates like troopers. I don't compare stuff with trooper stuff, because most of the stuff is on Zam is not vacformed. All of my imput is from what would be normally used on a Zam costume. Beck's handgaurds happen to be vac'd, but everything else is not. To be uber safe, it would be great to have both. Tacking loop and stitches on handguards and thumbguards. Also be prepared to lose your toe spikes, maybe not the toe guard (I don't know,the magnets are good for somethings, don't know how strong it will last for the toe gaurds-you'd be surprised how many times you kick things without knowing it), but the spikes will break - unless it is bendable resin or a foam. I feel like retiring, I have done sooo many events (more than 12) with my Zam. I am really really into durability/stability. And those are some of the first things to go. That and the hoses popping off the top. I think there is a screw in type method that you can use on the actual hose to keep it locked in. Oh, your mock hood shifting, now that would be a great place to use a piece of small velcro on both sides, so that it doesn't fly out towards one shoulder and get twisted.
Nothing is worse than after your first major convention, you lose 1/2 of your parts that you worked so hard on. Dragon con 03? Was my first and after about $3000 worth of work, half of my stuff needed repairs. I was mortified. I called it battle damage, but thank goodness I carried a repair kit on me. I am not knocking industrial velcro, it has saved me more times than you can imagine. But I am talking about "long haul" costuming. Perma-stuff so as not to worry about malfunctions in the future. Super glue and a heat gun is also your friend.
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Thanks Yvonne
We used poppers on her stuff in the end.
Becky wasn't too happy with gloves I made so she has 2 until I fix them. So I thought poppers would be better as then she can swap the over.
They won't fall off as these poppers mean buisness! all the greeblies have them now too. Very thin clear plastic poppers. Good things
It's just the hose issue left to sort out now.
she'll waer it for the first time this weekend (if she doesn't pee herself in excitment first) so any tweaks will be raised then.
It's good someone like you, sho's done it a million times can say what will go wrong
We used poppers on her stuff in the end.
Becky wasn't too happy with gloves I made so she has 2 until I fix them. So I thought poppers would be better as then she can swap the over.
They won't fall off as these poppers mean buisness! all the greeblies have them now too. Very thin clear plastic poppers. Good things
It's just the hose issue left to sort out now.
she'll waer it for the first time this weekend (if she doesn't pee herself in excitment first) so any tweaks will be raised then.
It's good someone like you, sho's done it a million times can say what will go wrong
Zam I Am
Well-Known Hunter
Oh, what are poppers? I've never heard of or used them?Thanks Yvonne
We used poppers on her stuff in the end.
Becky wasn't too happy with gloves I made so she has 2 until I fix them. So I thought poppers would be better as then she can swap the over.
They won't fall off as these poppers mean buisness! all the greeblies have them now too. Very thin clear plastic poppers. Good things
It's just the hose issue left to sort out now.
she'll waer it for the first time this weekend (if she doesn't pee herself in excitment first) so any tweaks will be raised then.
It's good someone like you, sho's done it a million times can say what will go wrong
ItsThatGuy
Well-Known Hunter
Oh, what are poppers? I've never heard of or used them?
Poppers are better know as snaps here in the states.
Hopefully your question wasn't sarcasm, or I just made myself look dumb!
facepalm
