Daltana's ROTJ Boba build

[Daltana]

I guess it was inevitable after I got into costuming that I'd end up doing a Boba Fett. I've been lurking on here and other forums for the better part of a year planning it all out. I really like the non-SE ROTJ look. I wondered why I bucked the trend on this and realised I had a toy of that look when I was a kid, so that colour scheme is what I really associate with Boba.

Anywho, my plan is...

• Armour, helmet, jetpack, shin tools, ammo belt, flightsuit, vest, neckseal, pouches, spats, gloves - Boba Maker
• Chest Electronics - Fettronics (Recieved)
• Jetpack harness - Signed up for the current run of Big Dane's harness kit
• Girth Belt - I've ordered one from ReGeekedProps, but if it's iffy, I'll fall back to this one and dye it
• Wookiee braids - scratch build
• Cape - scratch build from a half shelter
• Boots - Crowprops (Received)
• Gauntlet hoses - Reasonably sure this will work
• EE-3 - Sidewinder
• rangefinder server and lights (though I know they're not strictly necessary) - I bounced around following suggestions, but got hold of one of NeoFett's kits and will check how that matches the stalk and helmet
• Hollow rangefinder stalk (for the lights) - MachineCraft Replicas (Received)
• Metal spikes for the boots - MachineCraft Replicas (Received)
• Paints - following templates by RafalFett and others, I was thinking of using Humbrol enamels, but they've been a sod to work with in some tests, so I'm probably going to switch to Archive-X for the helmet at least. Armour may end up using Tamiya. I'm deciding on that.
• Will probably also get a micon to do the voice - My Temuera Morrison impersonation isn't bad, but a bit unreliable!

The only thing I've really done is the braids. I followed this guide up to the ~6 min mark for the pineapple knots.

Ultimately, I'm incredibly happy with them, but I do hope that now they aren't coiled up for shipping, the ends uncurl a bit. It's probably tough to really see the size with street clothes, but here's a Daltana for scale:

Horsehair, thread, lots of superglue and some ribbon on the wide black sections.
Also, actual conversation when I did the first braid:
Mrs Daltana: "Wow, that looks like real hair!"
Me: "Well, it was at one point attached to a horse..."
Mrs Daltana: *audible retching*

Current work is on the boots - painting the central black section, replacing the basic rubber spikes with MachineCraft Replica metal ones and weathering them.

 

[Daltana]

I think I'm set with the boots. I'm so happy I went with the metal spikes instead of keeping the rubber ones they came with. Painted the front black stripe, toned it down a little, and weathered the rest of the canvas and the soles. Overall, I'm pretty happy with them. Tough to decide if I've got the weathering right, as I kind of feel that the 501st CRL (side panels much less weathered) is quite different from some of the references, like the MOM exhibit (weathering much heavier so it's hard to even see the difference between the side panels and the centre black panel). I've erred more on the side of the CRL and the look of other recent ROTJ Fetts who have cleared in my local garrison, since it's easier to weather it more than take it off. What do you experts reckon? Am I in the ball park?

I have a US army half shelter, so I guess the next task after boots is the cape!

 

[Daltana]

Beware a random ping pong between things. I have patches of time I can do stuff, much of it means I have to be quiet while the little'un sleeps, so I've been doing bits as and when I can. Most of it is still not worth sharing (eg jetpack harness is mostly done, but the straps that go to the top of the jetpack aren't on yet, everything that needs silver paint has that layer, but nothing else on top, cape is mostly there but I'm still working on the tag). But I have done some weathering on the soft parts

Flak vest and neck seal (lightly weathered)

Flight suit, gloves, pouches and spats, with heavier weathering. I'm not sure I've done enough on this, so I'd appreciate any opinions of it. I figured it's easier to add weathering than remove it!

Hoping for a chance to crack out the airbrush and start getting some fun colours on the armour soon!

 

[Mythosaur]

First, welcome to TDH! Nice to have another ROTJ as well, there seems to be quite a few of us now which is exciting! Makes the ESB/ROTJ divide a little more even! You're making good progress, but figured I would chime in on your weathering concerns. Your flightsuit itself seems a little dark for ROTJ, could be the lighting but I would try to lighten it up some. The weathering looks good, but I find it's usually hard to tell until it's on you. As for your boots, I would go darker. You're right to be cautious of the MoM pics, I personally think there are some aspects that do not accurately represent the ROTJ suit, but the boots seem correct. They are much darker in ROTJ and there are plenty of other pictures that show this. I hope that all helps!

 

[Daltana]

Right, cheers Mythosaur. It's great to be here - I'm having a blast with this and really getting to know the costume from references.

With the flightsuit, I think in person it's ok - it was a bit of a gloomy day when I took those photos. But I'll keep that in mind. Maybe see if I can tone the colour down a bit.

And thanks on the boots! I really was suspicious of the 501st CRL on those. Even in tiny screen grabs from the film, they looked way darker. Good to know MoM was ok for the boots - I was merrily bookmarking shots from that when I suddenly realised the cod was different from any others I'd seen so far, so I lost confidence with them and junked the bookmarks I had!

Cheers again!

 

[Daltana]

I haven't darkened the boots yet, but I have just about finished the cape (and had fun with peeling layers of liquid latex off while painting the armour!)

US Army half shelter. It wasn't one of the ~10% that had the right stitching, so I added the wider stitches myself. I initially went off the reference on the 501st CRL, but again, it was a bit off when compared with TDH references, so after run through the washing machine the stains looked much more under control. It also helped fray the edges a bit more, which really makes it look good imo. Also added the tag near the attachment point. Obviously it's tough to know if the length is right without it being on me, but a couple of tests have looked good to me.
Inside:

Outside:

I am now deliberately storing it in a bit of a scrunched up ball, as I don't think it'd sell the look great if it were freshly laundered and folded!

Hopefully the next update will either be some of the armour or the EE-3 once I've got them painted, weathered and clear coated.

 

[Daltana]

So, I've left this thread quiet because it's so much more fun doing stuff than talking about it!

But it's long overdue for an update, so here's what I've been up to!

First up, I refined the weathering on the boots

The Sidewinder EE-3 blaster is a beautiful kit! I originally finished the job with an overly glossy finish (humbrol acrylic satin varnish sprays is way too glossy!), so I eventually brought it down with Vallejo mecha satin

I got the shin tools done

And the jetpack

And of course, the helmet!

It includes a rangefinder motor kit from neofett, which is great (got a glove button, so looking forward to activating that without it being visible

I also have actually done all the other pieces of armour, but I realised that all the photos I have of those are still with the overly-glossy humbrol finish, so I've got to get new photos of all that