I'm new to TDH and wished I spent more time in serious research inas I have also been frozen in Rubinite, a.k.a. The Rubies costume, spendinding $750. The first costume arrived in the same condition yours did, gauntlet pieces detached, rocket detached. Sent it back and the 2nd costume was "better"? I planned to rework this costume but have since scrapped the entire junk flight suit and ordered up a ROTJ version from MOW that I think will fit the bill better after dtying and some airbrushing. Th helmet form is OK but I plan to do a complete layered repaint as it looks like they had some poor kid in beijing paint the damage with a 3 inch horeshair brush. Hideous. I am going to have the flak jacket taken in and tailored with a HD zipper and pull line installed in the back making it better fitting and I hope useable. I'm thinking I'll use the industrial Magnet attachment method for the chest armor I discovered here in a TDH post. I had to replace the chest armore entirely and its being shipped as the Rubies plating was so anatomically inadequate as to make them suitable for use only as dinner plates.
the JetPack? A complete repaint is in order but I plan to use it due to the mounting and integration hookup with the flak vest attachment. I Removed the rocket from the tank as I Shipped this for use at SW Weekend in Orlando last weekend and couldnt find a suitable shipping container with enough size or length to accomodate the unit as one piece. I detached the rocket and temporarily attach and reattach using industrial strength velcro until I find a cement that will work with PVC and the molded plastic of the jet pack. I plan to insert a 4 inch OD piece of PVC and cement into against the walls beneath the hole for the rocket. I have a PVC piece that will accept the pase of the rocket and which the OD will fit into the piece I cement inside the tank but I cant find the right polymer based cement to weld the PVC to the plastic type used for the Jet Pack. BTW, the Rocket and nozzles are horrendous and require a sled full of J & B to fill poorly matched seams and round it out after sanding to even get a half way decent look.
Lesson learned. I'm not deterred , Im determined now more than ever to Fett up and do it right. Extremely gald I stumbled into the TDH universe. A ton of useful and inspiring stuff here. Thanks everyone and does anyone by chance know what bonding agent or cement type works for ployvinyl plastic to PVC?
Tyvark