Joe's Mandalorian Beskar Build

[joe]

I totally agree...I know his prints are from the Great Ape files, so I'm wondering what accounts for the differences?

Can you tell me what looks wrong about the chest diamond as well as the half beskar thigh plate? I'd like to address it with him.

He might just have bad pictures then since I can't see it very well on his IG.

I think it's pretty common to lose some detail when you mold, but that's my own conjecture since I've never cast a mold myself. I've only 3D printed stuff. I know vacuu forming loses detail too since the edges aren't as sharp as fiberglass.

If he's using Great Ape though then you should be in good shape. I still think it's the best 3D designs right now.

The details that don't look right to me are the actual weird putty type damage on the thigh and that little recess below the chest diamond. Again, his IG photos aren't very clear though. You'd have to have him send a picture actually showing his armor.

 

[joe]

First update in awhile.

Decided to not go with ESCProps since the armor sizing and fitting of the soft goods wasn't correct for my measurements and ending up selling it all.

Just got Sines Leather and everything seems pretty nice. Had to add some Weldwood on the cylinder pouch on the belt since the glue was coming off that was already placed there. As well as a simple plier bend on the belt buckle since I couldn't get it to fit through the hole. Very minor to get it to fit right. I'm debating if I want to leave the buckle loop with nothing on it or glue some velcro onto it since it needs to be pretty snug to stay in the belt buckle hole on the other side.

Showing the velcro adjustment vertical piece and the actual belt buckle since the system Sines created works pretty well to be adjustable so you can get a good fit.

I went with measurements of where my actual pants sit since I figured Mando's cummerbund will end right around where my pants sit and it seems to have worked out great. For instance, measurements over my belly button are about 35-36 inches, but where my pants sit the measurement is more close to 37-38 inches.

 

[sandtrooper8867]

Probably a dumb question, but are the buckles on the belt/bandolier made of metal?

 

[joe]

Probably a dumb question, but are the buckles on the belt/bandolier made of metal?

Yeah it is metal. I think it's sandblasted aluminum.

 

[sandtrooper8867]

Thanks for the reply. I have the leg pieces from Sines minus the cylinders, so am planning on ordering the belt when the store opens again and was just curious.

 

[joe]

It's been quite a long time since I've made a post.

After giving up on Jango I needed to take a break from buying props and worrying about rigging everything up in costumes.

I got my flight suit from Dark Side Closet and love it. I sent back one piece for an alteration, but it's very minor and I'm very very happy with it. I also got a JSIN Props helmet.

The gloves are originally from ESC Props, but I honestly think they're just CrowProps ones.

 

[joe]

Expecting a good amount of feedback, but here is the first submission photos. I'm hoping it's just a lot of weathering for what is needed. Boots and yellow gloves are what stick out the most to me.

Breakdown of the parts are:

• Armor: Great Ape Studios - Cast and painted by Jon Stark
• Leather, buckle and metal bullets: Sines Industries
• Grav Charge Holder, Grav Charges and Belt Rifle Plate: JJ Industries
• Boots: CrowProps Boots
• Pistol: Nomad Props
• Soft Parts: The DarkSide Closet

 

[Andy]

Congrats on getting the build to this point, proportions look great and your soft parts are dynamite. (Mike's work is fantastic.) Your observation about the weathering is correct, that armor needs to be a tad more wore in. Brown oil leather works wonderfully for the gloves. The boots overtime will age up nicely but I know there are a few tutorials online for tackling those. Overall nice job sir!

 

[joe]

Some weathering updates. Used some acrylic raw umber on the gloves then used light brown angelus dye and I think they turned out really nicely.

Boots were dyed dark brown with angelus leather dye. Sanded and then some muddy raw umber/white mix acrylic to look similar to the reference shots we have here on TDH from the D23 event. Put some mud acrylic on the leather leg stuff and sanded it too. Orange leather pieces I put some burnt sienna with just a touch of raw umber afterwards. Also painted on some black onto the T plate at the top of the armor greave. I think overall it looks much better and will make a difference when fully suited up.

All of the metal was weathered with oil paint raw umber and I really like the way it turned out. Same as the hand plates and grav charges.

 

[SolarFett]

I've seen a lot of ya'll doing the raw umber/burnt sienna oil paint weathering...can someone point me to a tutorial or walk us through the process? I'm very confident weathering with acrylics because if you make a mistake, you can just wipe it off with water or alcohol...I've never used oils and it's intimidating me lol...I ordered the oils and I'm ready to go on 2 helmets...just haven't found a good tutorial.

 

[joe]

I've seen a lot of ya'll doing the raw umber/burnt sienna oil paint weathering...can someone point me to a tutorial or walk us through the process? I'm very confident weathering with acrylics because if you make a mistake, you can just wipe it off with water or alcohol...I've never used oils and it's intimidating me lol...I ordered the oils and I'm ready to go on 2 helmets...just haven't found a good tutorial.

Oil you can wipe off to an extent but it does leave a bit of a film. You can thin it with Naphtha VM&P, but I just brush it on and wipe it pat it off with paper towels and then use some simple dry brushing if I want it more gunky. It takes like 24 hours to dry so you have a lot of time.

I wasn’t a big fan of the thinner since it’s super toxic and I couldn’t find a good mix of it that I felt was better than just oils by themselves.

I also found this YouTuber ->

 

[SolarFett]

Just watched it! Thanks so much!!

 

[joe]

Just watched it! Thanks so much!!

Definitely do it on a test piece! I think the oil actually looks phenemonal on the metal, but I wanted that gross greasy car/tire type dirt look to it.

Acrylics are still good, but I think it just comes down to preference. If you want to weather Beskar though I think oil paints would be the move since the scenes you can see Din really gunky it's not just acrylic paint... it looks like grease/soot/car dirt.

 

[SolarFett]

Yeah I agree...That's exactly why I wanted to learn how to apply the oil paints...it looks very authentic

 

[joe]

One more test fit now that all the soft parts have sewn on velcro and used about 6 tubes of E6000 for the armor. Hoping Basic Apporval in the 501st is a go!

 

[Andy]

Best of luck getting approved! Love the weathering you did on the bandolier/belt metal bits to distinguish it from the armor, you also did a great job on those gloves, I see too many mustard finger mandos and it always makes me chuckle. Stark's work is always solid and if I wasn't picking up nomad armor I would totally buy from Jon.

 

[joe]

My greaves/legs were on the wrong sides for the last photos above.

So these are the LAST submission photos for this costume since my GML let me know it's approved. Just waiting on everything to be processed.

 

[Andy]

Congrats on getting unofficially legion certified joe ! It's always a happy day when reaching this milestone in a build. You did a tremendous job! Seeing others complete there Dins motivates and inspires me to keep working on my own. Again way to go man!

 

[RBF]

Your costume looks insanely good!!! Very, well done and congrats on getting it approved!!

 

[joe]

Some photos from Phoenix Fan Fusion (Arizona's comic con).

Got the S2 kit from Jon Stark with a Vibro Blade instead of a replacement helmet (100% is too big for me), and am loving the thigh, shoulder and knee! Knee held up really well for being resin and some hot glue with like backpack weave black fabric and velcro.