Darktrooper Progress Thread 8MAR2011: Getting back to it

You know, just looking at the last pic I posted...the swoop back detail is not long enough....and its somewhat too "pudgy" looking...However, the rest of it should be good to work with. Just need to shape the swoop better once I begin the clay..

Thanks Mercke!
 
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Did you measure the circumferance of the helmet to make sure it will still fit the dome? Or do you plan to make a new dome?
 
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Did you measure the circumferance of the helmet to make sure it will still fit the dome? Or do you plan to make a new dome?

Well in the mock up in the old pic above with the face taped to the buck, the dome fits it correctly. In the begining, I use the original FX back piece, and use the base measurements, as well as the curve to help establish where the dome would sit. So the dome fits everything. Once I start the clay, I should be able to help "meld" the pieces together, so that it will all just flow with each other...


I need sleep...
 
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I need suggestions from experienced clay sculptors. Im going to be getting chavant clay from hobbycast.com, and was wondering what level of hardness I should get. Im thinking I should get medium, but Im not sure. Thanks!
 
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Chris,

I have been following this thread from day one...and I have to say I am damn impressed with what you have come up with. Please keep up the good work, and I look forward to the day when this thread is on page 10!!
 
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Thanks jodo and voltaire for your comments, I appreciate your support.

Ive given it alot of thought, Im going to add the JP to my "need-to-complete" list for this summer along with the helmet. Im going to stick with the medium density chavant clay as well. Some time this week, I want to go by Lowe's to pick up some supplies to make a metal stand/base for me to attach the back piece buck to. From that, I'll attach the ABS dome/face and ears.

I just got a new job now, and will be making more then the BBQ resturant was paying me before. So I should be able to pick up the pace a bit, especially with everyone out of the house by summer

-tubachris
 
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As much as I wanted to avoid using it, Ive decided that the best option for filling out the JP interior would be using expanding foam. I was wondering if anyone has a specific brand they would recommend.

Theres not really too much more work that really needs to be done. All I really have to do to finish the JP is figure out/construct the thrusters, close up all the sides, bondo, paint and then it should be finished. Thanks
 
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Just make sure you don't use much of the foam at once and make sure it has a place to go as it expands.
 
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Just make sure you don't use much of the foam at once and make sure it has a place to go as it expands.

Yea, thats why i was initiall afraid to use it, becuase it could bulge the sides out a bit if I put too much.
 
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Anyone know a decent brand of expanding foam?

Also, Im having a little trouble trying to figure out making an armature for the helmet. I guess typically, you would just use a maniquin head, but for this, I cant just because of the buck..
 
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Im not sure id use the expanding foam. It never worked out for me the way I expected it too.

Now perhaps you could get some smoothon foams (which is more like slush cast resin) and roto cast the inside a bit, but expanding foam actually has split/expanded the seams on EVERYTHING i have ever put it into. heres why.

The first thing it does, is form a skin. The skin, fills up cracks/openings, but it also means the expansion happens _inside_ of the skin, which then forces on the walls.

If the item is not 'sealed' it doesnt add a lot of 'density' to the object, as it doesnt 'fill' the corners and the object great.

But ultimately its your call, and if you made the backpack once, you can do it again if all else fails.

I personally would use the large sheets of foam from lowes, and glue it inside, in all the corners. You have a lot of basic shapes there, and you could add real rigidity, it just would take some time 'planning' how your going to do it.

Just put me on record saying I dont think the expandable foam is going to do what you think its going to do. At least not any of the kinds ive tried, but those were the simple off the shelf at lowes types.

Lookin great.
sr
 
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Thanks for your input stormrider, and also for reminding me of the foam. I remember awhile back I was going to get it, but something had stoped me before and I decided not to. I forgot why.

So I guess I'll go ahead and get that tomorrow, got a gift card to lowes from my gf :)

I just gave it a thought as well to help move along on both the JP and the back piece. I was thinking about trying to get my hands on an FX TK backpiece, and modifying it, such as filling in the details on the back box so that its a flat smooth surface, and possibly increase it's size if its too small for me, and then molding it or whatever.

But Im afraid of that being considered as "recasting" because that may be close to crossing the line. I'll see..
 
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Ask the person you get it from, in my experience they don't mind that to much if you explain what your going to do and why. Although my experience is limited. Of course you could always bribe them with a nice copy of your dark trooper helmet. ;)
 
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Ask the person you get it from, in my experience they don't mind that to much if you explain what your going to do and why. Although my experience is limited. Of course you could always bribe them with a nice copy of your dark trooper helmet. ;)


LOL Gotta have a finished helmet first, THEN the bribing can begin.....*excellent*
 
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Just a thought... You could always do the duct tape(DT) mannequin thing just for your torso and build your own custom fit back plate from sintra or styrene. And your gf or friends will have fun wrapping you in DT. I used that method to get a back plate for my Boba. I even filled the DT shell with the expanding foam so I have a permanent mold of my torso for future projects.
 
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Just a thought... You could always do the duct tape(DT) mannequin thing just for your torso and build your own custom fit back plate from sintra or styrene. And your gf or friends will have fun wrapping you in DT. I used that method to get a back plate for my Boba. I even filled the DT shell with the expanding foam so I have a permanent mold of my torso for future projects.


Yea, but as of right now, I dont have the space to have any real maniquine sized parts, plus, my roomates wont help me at all with any of this stuff. I figure that if I can use pre-made parts as a sizing guide, it will really push along my progress on this. To think of it, I can use it to construct the chest, which will help me for the ab plate as well. It will help in the long run.

Today, I had went to Lowes, but I didnt see any foam sheets. They had this really thin blue stuff, but it wasnt worth it. I got some materials to help build the armature for the helmet..oh man, I cant tell you how much of a pain it was for me to try to figure what to use to make it. I mean, I had the idea of how I wanted to make it, but they just didnt have the parts I wanted to use.

So, what I got is a large diameter PVC pipe, flat 2'x2' sheet of wood, and some wood screws. What I plan to do, is cut the sheet of wood down to a certain size, to make the base, cut a hole just big enough for the pvc pipe to fit, then glue it in place, then do the same for the top, however, im going to use the excess wood to make a square/rectangular piece, which I will secure to the top of the PCV pipe, and then drive the wood screws through that, directly into the helmet buck.

It works in my head, but I'll have to see how it turns out.. :ughs:

So thats it. Ive been trying to think how to go about thruster construction. I was planning on heading to micheals, but I ran out of time today, I had wanted to see if they had some foam sheets, and also some oil based chavant clay..So thats whats going on.
 
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I began getting things started with the armature. I decided to just glue the PCV pipe directly onto the buck, because trying the alternate method IMO after trying it was somewhat pointless. Regardless, I think it will turn out fine. So now Im just waiting for that to set, which Im thinking I will for a day (just because of the weight and the strength of the bond that is required)

I also picked up some styrafoam sheets from micheals, and man, they were expensive! I had bought two, but soon realized that I only need one for the JJP, so I can return the other for some food money rofl. Also, I just got some cheap clay sculpting tools in preparation. They didnt have any chavant clay, or the type I would need, so I'll be ordering it online.

Im not going to post as many pics of my progress this summer, except for some big updates, especially with the helmet. Thanks
 
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Thanks again Jodo, Im tryin my best.

I just came to a somewhat scary realization about the helmet. I was try to temporarily mock it up, especially with the dome, I have to sand some edges, and actually need to remove a whole half inch of height from the buck.


But aside from that, Ive realized that the buck is completly out of proportion; its just too short horizontally. I did a rough measurement/guess of the length of an FX lid, from nose to back, and it was around 12 inches +-. Well, just using my eye, and seeing how much longer I need to make the swoop....its probably going to end up around 2ft long, just so that it will look right, and correct with the game.

To be quite honest, if there is any time during this whole project that I really needed some assistance, this would be it. I am almost scared of the thought of doing this alone because of the potentially high failure rate from this. Like I said, Im at a point right now where I really need actual hands on help with this, but there's no one but me right now.

Ive never been so nervous about something like this before..
 
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