(ROTJ) Gauntlets for those with beefy forearms...

I'd like to ask one question first before you lose interest...
Is that long flat piece that seems to be the width of the flamethrower box ACTUALLY THE BOTTOM OF THE FLAMETHROWER BOX?

I have 12-1/2" forearms from years of jiu jitsu and drumming... Cruzer's Hinge/Pin method seemed to be the most secure
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f28/c...intense-25280/

I'd rather paint 3 ROTJ Fett helmets than do another set of Gauntlets! (And I just started!)

Started with MOW gauntlets
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OK- The boring details-stuff

They're Washed, Trimmed, Sanded, Dremeled, and Abraded.
Procured/Gathered some materials: Heat gun, JB Weld, Fiberglass Matting, Smooth cast 320, Hinges, Clamps, Some wood with craft foam taped to one side (To better contour to an odd surface area to secure)

Hardest part was pulling the rod out of the hinges.
I sanded the hinge rod down to make them a little less snug, then oiled them to make it easier to slip in/out.
JB WELD KWIK to hold the hinges on.
I affixed both hinges (One swings open/closed, and the other is a pin method (Don't be shy to ask for clarification on "pin method") But first look at CRUZER's tutorial for a more detailed description.

I heated the gauntlets in a huge pot of water just hot enough to handle (The resin is quite pliable after 2 minutes in the mini hot tub)
I mashed the gauntlets in my hands, and held them to the desired Girthiness while dunking them in a cool bucket of water.
They have just enough space so I can just squeeze my hand all the way through with out removing the pin. This should leave enough room for my jump suit. (ARKADY)

GAME SHARK TRICK

Lay down a small layer of hand cream on anything that may contact the JB weld! Moving Hinge points especially. And don't forget any part of a clamp that may touch the JB Weld... or wood strips you may use to secure the position (Like I did)

CRUZER spent more attention to detail with inlaying the hinges to be a little more presentable. I personally feel this detail would be a waste of time for what look I'm going for. If I had the patience, I'd follow his tutorial verbatim... But I'm less 50% of his patience.

Next will be a coat or two of smooth cast 320 and Fiberglass matting to reinforce these bad boys.
**Thanks CRUZER for the tutorial***
 
Thanks for the help... I saw a few of those exact pictures! When I get home from work I'll take a picture of what I'll have to trim. The bottom flamethrower plate is one uniform width from back to front in the kit- But the front part of the FT housing is thinner... So you some of that bottom plate sticks out a little. (I don't like that)
 
OK- the *u<kin9 FuN part-
FiberGlass matting is the biggest pain in the butt.
I Trimmed the matting, sprayed 3M adhesive to keep the FG down (I don't know how I'd lay the FG down with out using that method) Smooth On 320 Cures rather fast- Doing large areas is not for this stuff (It has NO ODOR WHATSOEVER) Shmootzing Smooth On 320 in doors is no problemo. It's the d@amn FG fibers you have to watch out for.
Wear a mask!
I used a lint brush often to keep this stuff from fudging up my work area.
AVOID THE HINGES AT ALL COSTS!

I used two shots of this stuff and I still had a little extra behind (1 shot part A, and 1 shot of part B)

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I worked my way from the top (Hinges)
down into the bottom... This stuff will seep downward anyway... Might as well have gravity help you out.
Again, SYLLANDER helped me out with this method instead of stinky Resin... Although he recommended Smooth On 310 with a longer pot life...
I'm slightly stubborn and from NY- we like stuff done yesterday kind of fast...
320 is enough of a pot life for smaller pieces like these Man Of War Gaunts... But for a bigger piece I wouldn't use 320 formula.
SPOILER ALERT***
That USPS Priority Box I'm using as a support has my Fettronics V4 for my FettPride armor which should be arriving this month (And I should be seeing my CABOOTS this month, as well)...
 
UPDATE>>> It's about an hour later and these things are rock solid! I feel confident they'll survive a fall... Thumbs up. A stitch and time saves nine.
 
This is an update that will be edited to add a video to show you how fast the pot life for smooth cast 320 is (~4 minutes). Smooth On claims 10-15 minutes... but I wouldn't apply it after 4 minutes due to how viscous it gets.
LEFT GAUNTLETS

I've seen a bunch of tutorials suggestion to trim the fiber glass matting as close to the gauntlet/piece size as possible. I think this is hog wash because the more you trim the more it frays... And that's not a good idea.
This stuff doesn't cure like Adamantium. It's easily trimmed and manageable.

I Highly Suggest over sizing the FG matting, and doing the aforementioned 3M spray glue process to set the FG in the piece.
This time around I used masking tape to keep the 320 off the hinges... I wish someone posted that little trick... I can't stress that second detail enough either.
You don't want to be tip toeing around the hinge points with this stuff- It drips everywhere and it sets fast.
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I used an X-ACTO knife to trim the excess...

I'll most likely go back over the edges with just smooth cast... I'll see how sassy I'm feel once both gauntlets are trimmed-
(Just to make the edges nice and smooth and tacky to the gauntlet.)

I loved the way the FG/320 came out on the left gauntlet... I ripped up the other gauntlet to re-do it the same way...

Here is the video link on applying the smooth cast 320
Smooth Cast 320 Demo on a Man of War gauntlet - YouTube
 
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I added another light layer over the original layer (And especially at the seams where I cut the FG (Just to smooth it up and keep the FG down.)
I'm glad I re-did the first gauntlet!

Next will be adding all the detail work to these things... then a paint job (Which will be the easy part!)
I'm still debating doing a Rattle can claret wine or Making a concoction and air brushing them...

What's the consensus?
Rattle can (Claret)?
or Airbrush? (I'll be using model masters enamel...)

Either way, the airbrush is coming out for detail weathering... I've used the Claret before on a pair of gauntlets and from what I remember, the color was legit.
Thanks for looking. I hope that video came out concise enough. I did it in one take and I edited the vulgarity out in Adobe Premier (I curse like a sailor)
 
I've been partial to how stormtrooperguys came out, and his was rattlecan. That's the color/look I'll be shooting for. Gotta have a fair amount of black blended over to get his look on them. Not sure if it's accurate or not though.
 
Back at it...
I secured all the external greebs via JB Kwik weld and machine screws (I don't want to bump into someone in a crowded area and have my whip cord box/hose/FThrower ripped off). I also installed the red LED for the gauntlet missile activator

RATTLE CAN COLORS First: Rust-Oleum primer,
Second Rust-Oleum METALLIC ALUMINUM,
0000 Steel wooled the gaunts, Then Testors Silver, then Testors Matte Black to wash out the sparkle.
Masked,
Then RATTLE CAN GLOSS MERLOT (No Claret Wine at Lowes or Home Depot___Claret replaced with Merlot??___)

Then Some dusting of crushed up charcoal with a paint brush.
Then another Testors black wash.

Very glossy! I'll use Rust-Oleum satin clear and then some Testors Dull coat once it dries.
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501 doesn't mention where damage should be... (I deduce, it's implicit that if it's not ridiculously excessive) Looking at ref pix... The weathering Damage is Laughable. I decided to make it look a little more "realistic". Once unmasked it'll make more sense. Corners were more important than just randoms silver blobs brushed on.

Also,
The New "Animals As Leaders" Is sick (Blasted it while airbrushing)
 
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