Custom Mando in progress

Hi Folks!

As I already announced in some "Hi, I'm new"-thread about half a year ago, I'm now closer to building my custom mando.

So here's the concept:

The "Skull" will be on the front of the helmet, the leg armor, as well as on the armor centerpiece and the cape. (hopefully). uhm and yes: this is not the final color.
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3...oemblem.th.jpg

This is the bucket and the armor:
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5149/buckety.th.jpg http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4882/armorn.th.jpg

I'm going go build it out of cardboard and Bondo. It seems to me, this is the easiest way to do it.

Above the visor it says N'jurkad, what means "Don't mess with me" in Mando'a, as all of you of course knew. I thought it was quite cool to write it in Aurebesh on the helmet, so that any species in the StarWars Galaxy could read it. Maybe I'll write it in mando'a instead of Aurebesh.

Armor: What do you think about the color scheme? The Gray is supposed to be "fresh" metal silver (unpainted armor).
And should I do some knee armor? I thought about saving time and energy if I don't make 'em... :p So what is your advice?
As far as the backplate is concerned, I'll do a rather short one, under which the cape will come out.
And maybe I'll change the shape of the shoulder armor, so that it has more the shape of my Skull. And maybe that skull is going to be on teh shoulder armor as well.

Gauntlets: I don't have any sketched concept of it, but I want to include hidden (vibro)blades like the Assassin in the Game Assassin's Creed has in both ones. Plus a flame thrower and some kind of other stuff I'm not sure about by now.

And finally: This is going to be the base for a blaster sidearm. I'll add a PVC Pipe and some cool screws etc as a barrel and I'll build a scope for it. I'm going to make a nice wooden handle, too.
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/8467/gun.th.jpg

I got a lot of old german leather ammo pouches from WWII. They'll serve as my belt.


As I'm a noob at propmaking and of course at doing Mandos at all, any advice is really appreciated. And please do not expect me to make a fast progress. I dont have too much time at the moment, and a lot of other projects going on. But I'll try hard!:D

Thanks and Greetings from Switzerland,

/Thath0r

I'm sorry and no offense, but: Have I accidentaly done anything to insult you guys? Or have I violated any secret Mandalorian laws?

It just occurs to me, that none of you have even thought about commenting my ideas. Is this just bad luck or am I just boring? :wacko I posted here to benefit from your wisdom and knowlegde. And now? I shall only be condemned to catch no bounty and never will I appertain to the glorious Mandalorian society.

Again, I mean no disrespect, but I'd be very glad if some of the experienced Warriors here would at least pay attention to me. Please.
I'm totally lost without you, ner vode.

Vor entye.

Thath0r

Ok I'll bite...lol not really the experienced guy ur looking for but I can at least point u in the right direction. Talk to Adonian and A'den Kyramud, as well as NovallTalon and just look around for some of the guys who have the coolest completed armor. They know the most about building it. I made my plates from a couple of trashcans that can be bought at wal-mart for a couple bucks each. I like your concepts, your armor colors look good, I like the emblem u plan on using. Don't like to see capes tho, for some odd reason it just grinds my gears. As for your blaster... personally I like the 1911 and the blasters that look more realistic, and I'm using a modded M4 but I've taken a lot of **** from the "locals" on here over it, u may consider changing it up or just be willing to grin and bear it! But... from my perspective ner vod, I love it... build it as u have it and have fun doing it! Other vode may tell u otherwise, but it's your armor... make sure that YOU are happy with it above all.

I'd throw a contraversy into the mix by saying perhaps people don't have a comment for your questions.

Though, if you are looking for serious advice about what would be good to have a functioning mando, take a look at the Mando mercs 2009 standards, they'd say that knee pads aren't essential as long as you have 2 pieces of armour below the leg.

First of all, thank you, ner vode. Any comment is really appreciated.:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kal'ika

As for your blaster... personally I like the 1911 and the blasters that look more realistic, and I'm using a modded M4 but I've taken a lot of **** from the "locals" on here over it, u may consider changing it up or just be willing to grin and bear it! But... from m

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Jap, you're kinda right. That's why I quickly put something together in Photoshop... Doesn't this look starwarsy enough? (I'm trying to mix the Stormtrooper blaster, the Jango blaster and the Boba in a way).
i even thought about adding a handle like the Boba blaster has.
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3853/gunconcept.th.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Saz.

I'd throw a contraversy into the mix by saying perhaps people don't have a comment for your questions.

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Of course, I thought about that as well. But for me, appreciate every kind of comment, even if somebody told me I was an idiot. Because it gives me reason to improve myself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Saz.

Though, if you are looking for serious advice about what would be good to have a functioning mando, take a look at the Mando mercs 2009 standards, they'd say that knee pads aren't essential as long as you have 2 pieces of armour below the leg.

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Thank you very much, this information is very useful.
Although this is just to apply for the Mercs, it makes sense in a way. My idea behind the knee armor was that the knee is likely to be attacked in combat. But i can imagine that it can also be very uncomfortable if you want to kneel when wearing the costume.

What several of us have done for the knee armour is actually build it into the shin and make a complete grieve (from ankle to the top of the knee). That give you the protection and mobility that you lose when you do seperate plates or just normal Jango grieves.

And I like the green colour scheme!!! Very original!!!

:cheers
A'den

Ahh, you mean like Obi-Wan's Gauntlets here: (ankle to the top of the knee instead of hand to the top of the elbow, right?)

http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/sw...n-maquette.jpg
So, you just kind of make the shin armor longer?


Thank you for the idea. I will take this into consideration. It's very easy to change this in the template.

yeah that's pretty much what they've done.

Exactly! It's a really practical way to make grieves that are comfortable and work really well. :cheers

Thank you, ner vode. I'm definitely going to do this. Hopefully I'll have the cardboard by next week.:cheers

Ok, Guys. I got some progress. It's not much, but at least something.

Firstly, I improved the emblem of my Mando:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/952...mblemv2.th.jpg

Then I started on the bucket. At the moment, i'm flattening the ear area, following AntMan's tutorial.
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3551/foto1xc.th.jpg

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4783/img0363x.th.jpg

Do you think, the cardboard is too thick? I got it for free and I got a lot. (about 6 square meters) It is around 2-4mm thick.
I got some cardboard that is less thick, but not much. I will be using this for the dome.


I have also thought about my Mando name: Kalyc'kad will be my last name, it means "bloody blade". About my first name I'm not sure right now.


:cheers, Thath0r

Looks like a good start on the lid. Antman's tutorial is one of the best...BUT, that being said, you might want to run some fibreglass resin around the inside before you put the bondo on it; it will make the cardboard a lot stronger and give you a more durable base to bondo over. other than that, it looks like you are doing a great job in following the tutorial.

:cheers
A'den

ps-that logo is pretty awesome. :thumbsup

Thank you, A'den.

I thought about fibreglassing the inside, but I'll problably only do the inside of the dome before applying the bondo, 'cause I think the rest is strong enough due to the rather extreme cardboard thickness.

I'm looking forward to glue the "mask" onto the helmet base and then creating some cheek plates, that look cool.

Vor entye for the advices.
:cheers, Thath0r

Su'cuy ner vode!

I do have a bit of an update, although it's very little.

I glued the "mask" piece onto the "inner surface" and cut out the cheek area.
I started to work on the cheek bones, but its really not satisfying. I got the feeling, that they're too big. Anyone?
maybe I have just been too impatient, who knows. However, this is not the final cheekbone. I was wondering If It'd be okay to CUT AWAY some of the cheekbone to fit it in better. Or will this make the helmet look bad? I was thinking about 1-2mm. (highlighted area in second pic)

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/629/img0371.th.jpg

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2137/img0372s.th.jpg


Please tell me what you think.


/Thath0r