Lowberg's ROTJ SE Build
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lowberg
Active Hunter
A couple BIG BIG updates.
#1 - As proud as I am of my helmet and how it came out for being my first paint up, It was a bit too small for me in proportions. It was a PP2 lineage helmet (recast of a GMH I think unfortunately), which was too squished side to side especially at certain angles it just looked straight up weird on me. I started this project just with intentions of making a nice display helmet, so I didn't put too much thought into it at the time
An opportunity came up to purchase Chris4321's old bucket which is a Uhbif sculpt, fiberglassed (Mine was just resin) and just wonderfully painted by Uhbif's friend in the SE paintjob. I'll still be keeping mine as it's sentimental but the new helmet is just a huge upgrade for my kit, and the paintjob is just a whole new level of awesome
#2 - I had plans to make the scuba harness, but since I'm a bigger guy I wanted to try a soft / lower profile harness out first.
I bought a posture support vest a while back to try out and today I gave it a test with the jetpack straps. I'll be replacing the waist strap portion of it with a seatbelt style and diving buckle. But this is a great lower profile comfortable solution.
Sewed some button holes for the straps in my vest
And for the first time... I was able to wear my jetpack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#1 - As proud as I am of my helmet and how it came out for being my first paint up, It was a bit too small for me in proportions. It was a PP2 lineage helmet (recast of a GMH I think unfortunately), which was too squished side to side especially at certain angles it just looked straight up weird on me. I started this project just with intentions of making a nice display helmet, so I didn't put too much thought into it at the time
An opportunity came up to purchase Chris4321's old bucket which is a Uhbif sculpt, fiberglassed (Mine was just resin) and just wonderfully painted by Uhbif's friend in the SE paintjob. I'll still be keeping mine as it's sentimental but the new helmet is just a huge upgrade for my kit, and the paintjob is just a whole new level of awesome
#2 - I had plans to make the scuba harness, but since I'm a bigger guy I wanted to try a soft / lower profile harness out first.
I bought a posture support vest a while back to try out and today I gave it a test with the jetpack straps. I'll be replacing the waist strap portion of it with a seatbelt style and diving buckle. But this is a great lower profile comfortable solution.
Sewed some button holes for the straps in my vest
And for the first time... I was able to wear my jetpack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited:
lowberg
Active Hunter
Did some re-working of the braids my wife helped me make (She did all the braiding, very thankful for her!!) . The SE braids are very confusing because they rotate all over the place in the promo photos and by the time they were documented in the costume exhibit photos they were more or less completely falling apart. I tried my best to dial them in to the promo photoshoot photo version, but had some help understanding the chaos from other's build threads and looking at some of Woodman's interpretations of the braids.
I heated some of the ends to curl and tatter them up a bit and re-did the length positioning and tying of them.
A few pages pack in my thread, I had realized that my center diamond looked oddly small compared to the rest of my chest armor. It was about the right width but too short top to bottom. I utilized Rafalfett's 3D files and resin printed a new one that was about 8-10% taller than the one that came with my MinuteFett armor. Looks much better to me now.
I heated some of the ends to curl and tatter them up a bit and re-did the length positioning and tying of them.
A few pages pack in my thread, I had realized that my center diamond looked oddly small compared to the rest of my chest armor. It was about the right width but too short top to bottom. I utilized Rafalfett's 3D files and resin printed a new one that was about 8-10% taller than the one that came with my MinuteFett armor. Looks much better to me now.
lowberg
Active Hunter
Circled back around to revisit my gauntlets which I intially painted first over a year ago.
My gauntlets kit was missing the track-like strip under the flame thrower so I scratch built it out of styrene.
I also went back through the references and added some missing damage and scratches. Installed machine craft replicas darts and flame thrower tips and did some additional dirt and grime weathering. Calling these done!
My gauntlets kit was missing the track-like strip under the flame thrower so I scratch built it out of styrene.
I also went back through the references and added some missing damage and scratches. Installed machine craft replicas darts and flame thrower tips and did some additional dirt and grime weathering. Calling these done!
lowberg
Active Hunter
Thanks man it's finally all coming together and I'm close to the finish line!!!!!
My goal is to be able to do a full suit up on Halloween, will be a good dry run of the whole thing.
Started to get the waist situation figured out. I have my cod and kidney semi-assembled, minus the side studs.
I used a thin hook and loop tactical belt as an inner belt system to the whole thing, with patches of velcro on the cod and kidney to marry them together. The side studs will probably be cosmetic, so the whole thing can be adjustable for tightness with the internal belt.
My first girth belt was a little small, the new one has maybe 2.5" gap between the buckles, and even if it shrinks a bit after dying we should be good. I have to remove some velcro on the ammo belt, as I did not accommodate for going over the girth and buckles.
Had to to a test run with the finished gauntlets and other upper body items.
Hoses have to get cut to length but we just shoved the excess up the sleeves.
And yes the most dangerous bounty hunters wear Crocs.
My goal is to be able to do a full suit up on Halloween, will be a good dry run of the whole thing.
Started to get the waist situation figured out. I have my cod and kidney semi-assembled, minus the side studs.
I used a thin hook and loop tactical belt as an inner belt system to the whole thing, with patches of velcro on the cod and kidney to marry them together. The side studs will probably be cosmetic, so the whole thing can be adjustable for tightness with the internal belt.
My first girth belt was a little small, the new one has maybe 2.5" gap between the buckles, and even if it shrinks a bit after dying we should be good. I have to remove some velcro on the ammo belt, as I did not accommodate for going over the girth and buckles.
Had to to a test run with the finished gauntlets and other upper body items.
Hoses have to get cut to length but we just shoved the excess up the sleeves.
And yes the most dangerous bounty hunters wear Crocs.
lowberg
Active Hunter
Worked on my cape tonight, adding in all the holes and rips I could find between the promo photos and the exhibit photos. The big tear near the top was scary but I really like the look of it so I wanted to include it.
The SE cape is attached with the hand written "Boba Fett" top edge text as the face-up side, but the top right corner is pinched and twisted around before it's bolted on so the "back" of the right corner is face-up as well.
easier to show here:
This allows it to have a nice natural twisting look as it hangs.
The SE cape is attached with the hand written "Boba Fett" top edge text as the face-up side, but the top right corner is pinched and twisted around before it's bolted on so the "back" of the right corner is face-up as well.
easier to show here:
This allows it to have a nice natural twisting look as it hangs.
lowberg
Active Hunter
I hate weathering all together lol Speaking of, I've began to weather my soft parts. I tried using crushed up chalk pastels but they didn't really take to some of the material, so I ended up with using watered down acrylics airbrushed. A greyish black and a yellowish brown. I want to go very subtle with the weathering on this build so I'll probably do a bit at a time, assess and add more if I need to.
I did a very light amount on the flak vest, mostly around the shoulders/pits areas to give it a subtle worn look, like it's been sweat in and washed a few times.
At the same time, since I removed all my armor. I decided to add a top coat for protection. I realized in previous test suit ups that banging my gauntlets into my chest armor is going to be un-avoidable so I wanted to add something to help with durability. I ended up going with a few light coats of Testors Dullcote enamel, which didn't change the look I already had too much. Just added a tiny bit of satin sheen in bright lights.
I had to re-mask all the silver damage with liquid latex before applying the dullcote, because it kills reflectivity of metallic paints.
Green armor back on the barely weathered vest.
My original girth belt was too short, and more of a brownish red, so I stained a new longer one with latex based wood stains.
I did a very light amount on the flak vest, mostly around the shoulders/pits areas to give it a subtle worn look, like it's been sweat in and washed a few times.
At the same time, since I removed all my armor. I decided to add a top coat for protection. I realized in previous test suit ups that banging my gauntlets into my chest armor is going to be un-avoidable so I wanted to add something to help with durability. I ended up going with a few light coats of Testors Dullcote enamel, which didn't change the look I already had too much. Just added a tiny bit of satin sheen in bright lights.
I had to re-mask all the silver damage with liquid latex before applying the dullcote, because it kills reflectivity of metallic paints.
Green armor back on the barely weathered vest.
My original girth belt was too short, and more of a brownish red, so I stained a new longer one with latex based wood stains.
lowberg
Active Hunter
And first round of suit weathering.
Used watered down Roof Brown and Weathered Black applied with an airbrush
The SE suit is not too weathered so I more or less did a light misting of the entire suit just to give it a little dirtied up look, then focused a tiny more heavily on the pouches, ankles and sleeves
Used watered down Roof Brown and Weathered Black applied with an airbrush
The SE suit is not too weathered so I more or less did a light misting of the entire suit just to give it a little dirtied up look, then focused a tiny more heavily on the pouches, ankles and sleeves
lowberg
Active Hunter
Did my first full suit up today, which was a lot of fun!!!!
Few small things giving me trouble....
My knee armor wants to fall because of the heavy metal greeblies so I added a strip velcro on the flight suit to help keep them from slipping down. This helped but but they are still back heavy and and the greebly part is sagging causing the bottom front to point outwards away from my legs. Maybe more velcro on the front lower area to keep it pushed down on the leg?
Second is more of a quirk to the SE Promotional configuration, the left arm rocket hose technically goes behind the back armor, which is super weird. We shoved it back there and it worked but kept slipping out. Scratching my head on how to create a secure attachment point that's behind the back armor.
Few small things giving me trouble....
My knee armor wants to fall because of the heavy metal greeblies so I added a strip velcro on the flight suit to help keep them from slipping down. This helped but but they are still back heavy and and the greebly part is sagging causing the bottom front to point outwards away from my legs. Maybe more velcro on the front lower area to keep it pushed down on the leg?
Second is more of a quirk to the SE Promotional configuration, the left arm rocket hose technically goes behind the back armor, which is super weird. We shoved it back there and it worked but kept slipping out. Scratching my head on how to create a secure attachment point that's behind the back armor.
lowberg
Active Hunter
Yea I see what you are saying, yesterday I misted a ton of greyish black weathering on my vest, the lighter pouch, and my lower legs and it still doesn't show much on camera lol Anyways re-suited up, added some glue on the greeblie side of the knee straps (the snap on that side was allowing rotation) and the knees are sitting much straighter now. Belts and cod slipped down a bit but I just have to crank down that inner belt and should be set, I'm shaped like a barrel so not much hips to hold it up lmao. Super hyped that this is pretty much wrapped up!
lowberg
Active Hunter
Had my first troop last weekend with the costume. Was a lot of fun. Was in it for almost 6 hours which was probably too much for a first run but really helped run it through its's paces and put things to the test.
Some things I discovered I need to work out.
Fett Wrist / Fett Thumb - My left hand flamethrower side gauntlet is not necessarily too tight on my wrist, but the inside lip of the lower shell is putting forward pressure on the wrist right at the base of the thumb pinching a nerve. After a few hours my thumb went numb and tingly and still is a few days later. From what I've read, this is a somewhat common thing but I'd like to figure out a way to mitigate this. Possibly with more foam.
Cod/Kidney Sag - As the day went on my cod and kidney armor was loosening up and falling down my butt lol. I use a tactical velcro inner belt which I may just need to get tighter but since it has velcro on both sides of the inner belt I'm considering adding a few concealed velcro patches around the waist and hip of the suit to help counteract gravity.
Gauntlet hoses - My gauntlet hoses just slip over pegs and are secured with electrical tape. It was apparent that this wasn't enough as the tape came loose a few times and they came unplugged. I might add a dab of epoxy and try to get them semi-permanently secured on the gauntlet side.
Knees Tilting - The heavy weight of the metal greeblies cause the rear of the knees to sag a bit and make the bottom of the knees tilt out. I added even more velcro to the flightsuit in this area but still had some issues with them wanting to do this. Not sure what the solution is here other than to get some lighter weight or thinner knees that can wrap and flex more around the leg.
Jetpack Sag - The jetpack harness I made has elasticity to the arm straps, and is only a 2 point harness. This is causing the weight of the jetpack to stretch the arm straps and thus make the mounting tabs extend out the armor more than they should be. As a temporary fix I want to either shorten/move the white mounting straps to make them shorter, and as a long term fix I want to replace the shoulder straps with nylon or a material that won't stretch.
Armor Scratching - Even though I clear coated the armor, the ab plate got banged up pretty good from my blaster and gauntlets I assume. I don't think there's much you can do to prevent that and honestly the scuffs and scratches that add to the "naturally weathered" look. But I may try and touch it up and add some more coats of clear to it just to add to the durability.
Anyways had lots of fun with the costume on it's first day out!!!! Overall I was very comfortable and cool in it to my surprise.
Some things I discovered I need to work out.
Fett Wrist / Fett Thumb - My left hand flamethrower side gauntlet is not necessarily too tight on my wrist, but the inside lip of the lower shell is putting forward pressure on the wrist right at the base of the thumb pinching a nerve. After a few hours my thumb went numb and tingly and still is a few days later. From what I've read, this is a somewhat common thing but I'd like to figure out a way to mitigate this. Possibly with more foam.
Cod/Kidney Sag - As the day went on my cod and kidney armor was loosening up and falling down my butt lol. I use a tactical velcro inner belt which I may just need to get tighter but since it has velcro on both sides of the inner belt I'm considering adding a few concealed velcro patches around the waist and hip of the suit to help counteract gravity.
Gauntlet hoses - My gauntlet hoses just slip over pegs and are secured with electrical tape. It was apparent that this wasn't enough as the tape came loose a few times and they came unplugged. I might add a dab of epoxy and try to get them semi-permanently secured on the gauntlet side.
Knees Tilting - The heavy weight of the metal greeblies cause the rear of the knees to sag a bit and make the bottom of the knees tilt out. I added even more velcro to the flightsuit in this area but still had some issues with them wanting to do this. Not sure what the solution is here other than to get some lighter weight or thinner knees that can wrap and flex more around the leg.
Jetpack Sag - The jetpack harness I made has elasticity to the arm straps, and is only a 2 point harness. This is causing the weight of the jetpack to stretch the arm straps and thus make the mounting tabs extend out the armor more than they should be. As a temporary fix I want to either shorten/move the white mounting straps to make them shorter, and as a long term fix I want to replace the shoulder straps with nylon or a material that won't stretch.
Armor Scratching - Even though I clear coated the armor, the ab plate got banged up pretty good from my blaster and gauntlets I assume. I don't think there's much you can do to prevent that and honestly the scuffs and scratches that add to the "naturally weathered" look. But I may try and touch it up and add some more coats of clear to it just to add to the durability.
Anyways had lots of fun with the costume on it's first day out!!!! Overall I was very comfortable and cool in it to my surprise.
