WIP - ESB Fett a rapidly expanding project

Bounty1138 · Dec 18, 2014

So, Christmas came early this year after this package arrived in the mail.
It's my painted jetpack from Fett Seven. My crappy pictures don't really do it justice, so I'll try to post better pics soon.
He did an awesome job and the detail is amazing.

I've since added the thrusters, but I still need to attach the beacon and stabilizer.
I'm hoping to do a step-by step photo spread for the attaching of the clips and hooks and then getting it onto my 3D printed harness, but finding time is the challenge.

Bounty1138 · Jan 11, 2015

So, here's the start of a much overdue update.

Here is a pic of my finished knee armour with the aluminum launchers. I'm pleased with how they turned out. I'm using 2 rare earth magnets on each to hold them up. They stay up well. I still have the elastic band around the back, but it's mostly cosmetic.

Here is the top of the left gauntlet. I got a 3-D printed keypad and repainted everything. I don't have a flame thrower yet but it's on my to-do list. I have a buddy who works with aluminum and he's expressed some interest in helping me build the flamethrower. We'll see how it goes.

Here is a pic of the right gauntlet. I made the whipcord housing a lot smaller, removed the tubes and repainted everything. I did a layered paint job and had issues with the whipcord housing falling off because of the silver layer. The glue stuck well to the green paint, but peeled off at the silver layer. In hindsight, I should have not painted that part silver since it was going to be green there and then covered with the whipcord housing. oh well. That's the reason for the extra silver above the housing.

The gauntlet are a vast improvement from what I started with, but they'll still probably be upgraded some day down the road.

So, I took my latest iteration of Fett out on the town for Halloween (yeah, I'm that overdue for an update). I still hadn't received my jetpack at that time.
Here are some pics from a sci-fi halloween party that I attended with my wife. I won best costume and got a $100 gift card. Now I just need to win 20 or so contests like that and and I can break even

As you can see, I still have the repainted Hasbro ROTJ EE-3 and I used a temporary sidearm in my holster. I've ordered both from Sidewinder, so I'm just waiting on his next run to upgrade those parts. From the pics, I noticed that both the flighsuit and the flak vest need more weathering. I also find that the ammo-belt sags a bit with the weight of the holster and will probably sag even more when I get the correct sidearm. I'm not sure how to address that yet, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Bounty1138 · Jan 12, 2015

I have a question about jetpack placement. I've started to install the hooks and clips so I can mount it on my harness.
I've added the clips (or are those hooks?) as you can see below. This went relatively well. In hindsight, I might have installed them a little closer together, but they work fine and fit on the aluminum bar on my harness.

I never thought much about how the jetpack sits against the back plate, until I started installing it.
I had just sort of assumed it sat flush or almost flush with the back plate somehow. However, I temporarily taped the hooks into place and noticed there is a bit of a gap. The points of contact are the clips on the aluminum bar and the tops (sides?) of the 2 hooks. Is this correct?

After taking this pic, I realized that the jetpack needs to sit higher on the backplate so the top of the pack (not including the removable rocket) is only a bit below the top of the back plate (and the part that holds the rocket is just about even). However, the points of contact are the same as is the gap, even if I have to move the hooks a bit for the new placement. All of the reference and build pics that I've been able to find don't show the back plate and jet pack from an angle that I see how it sits. Any help would be appreciated before I start drilling into my shiny new jetpack.
Thanks

DeathProof · Jan 12, 2015

While not an ESB pic, I think you've got the jetpack in a fairly good spot already:

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/gall...164-boba-fett-return-of-the-jedi-costume.html

I personally like the idea of it sitting more flush to the backplate, but it's not uncommon for it to sway a bit more outward. The idea of the hooks (top) is that they keep the jetpack closer to the body. The weight is all taken up on the clips (bottom).

I personally like the idea of having the top of the missile meet the top of the head, but from looking at some ESB shots, it looks like the missile peaks just above Fett's helmet.

Bounty1138 · Jan 12, 2015

That pic does show it a little lower than some of the pics I was looking at.
I was originally looking at these, which show it a fair bit higher.

But these movie still seem to show it lower too.

Boba-Fett-Costume-Empire-Strikes-Back-Interrogation-1 copy.jpg

So, you think the jetpack should sit closer to the backplate? I don't know how I could use the hooks and make it more flush. Any ideas?

DeathProof · Jan 12, 2015

If you want to keep the pack closer to the body shorten the white straps

It's really more preference...you don't want that thing hanging out tooooo far. But if there's a gap, that's no problem.

Bounty1138 · Jan 12, 2015

It's the hooks against the backplate that are causing the gap. There could be no slack in the straps and the gap would still be there as the backplate is up against the edge of the hooks. It makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. Maybe I'll try to take a better pics to show what i'm trying to explain.

DeathProof · Jan 12, 2015

Based on the current picture that you have, I don't know how you could get any closer than that. I understand what you mean now by the hooks causing the gap. If that's the case, I think that's as close as you can get. Are you not happy with that?

Bounty1138 · Jan 12, 2015

Thanks DeathProof. I'm not sure what I think

Thats' why I was hoping for some opinions.
I think these pics may show the gap a little better with the hooks right up against the backplate. It seems like i have limited options unless i start bending the hooks.

Is that just how it's supposed to look?

DeathProof · Jan 12, 2015

Ooook. I think I got it. Where are your hooks from? The corner of the hook should be facing upward. You have it so the corner is facing into the backplate, which is creating more distance. See how full metal fetts hooks have one flat side and then just the hook: http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f31/jet-pack-hooks-clips-48967/?highlight=Jet+pack+hooks

I think that's the problem..hope this helps!

edit. Just looked back....you do have full metal fett hooks and clips. Hmmmm.

more research ....mind the gap

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/gallery/magic-of-myth-2001-12-16-a/p5528-boba-fett-costume.html

I think you're fine with what you have man. You should not have to bend those hooks.

Bounty1138 · Jan 13, 2015

That last pic helps a lot. Thanks for finding it. I think it shows two things. One is that there is a gap, which is probably unavoidable (and maybe not a bad thing). The other thing is that the back plate in the pic is more curved below the slots for the straps than mine. That seems to make a difference on the size of the gap. That pics shows quite the curve lower on the back plate.
I think bending the hooks is a bad idea.
I'm just going to move ahead with the hook installation as planned and live with the gap unless anyone else has an idea. It will be covered on one side by the cloak anyway.

Bounty1138 · Jan 15, 2015

So, I moved forward with installing the hooks. It went well without an major issues,
It was trickly to thread the nuts inside the pack without being able to see them and having limited room, but I managed.

Since I had the hardware mounted, I figured I should take it for a test drive to see how it worked with the harness.

I hadn't cut the slits in my vest yet, so I just put it on over my flightsuit. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was and how well the weight was distributed with the harness. Now that I know it works, I can properly tighten the white straps, add the beacon, etc.
My fears about the gap between the jetpack and the back armour seem to be unfounded, since I think it looks fine.
I used magnets to keep the collar armour in place and that worked remarkable well. Since the harness bears all the weight of the pack, the rare earth magnet was plenty strong enough to keep the collar armour exactly where I wanted it to be, without choking me or riding high.

DeathProof · Jan 15, 2015

Looks perfect to me! Nicely done!

Bounty1138 · Jan 22, 2015

So, I finally got to try everything on at the same time, which was exciting.
The jetpack is surprisingly light and comfortable. It feels very secure on the 3D printed harness.
Here are some pics.

The lighting isn't great and some of the colours seem off with these cellphone pics. The knee armour looks weirdly orange and they are hanging at strange angle (can't blame the camera for knee armour angle ;-).
I also need to tighten up the white straps holding the jetpack.
I'm still toting around the repainted Hasbro ROTJ EE-3, but have placed an order for the ESB EE-3 and the sidearm from Stormrider.
I also ordered a new vest and neck seal from Arkady, as I'm once again leaning towards going for 501st certification at some point (although there is more to be done before that) and the MoW vest won't cut it.

Feedback is welcome. I will try to get some pics with better lighting soon.

hamsandwich72 · Jan 22, 2015

Man, that is really coming together. Excellent work!

Bounty1138 · Feb 13, 2015

So, I went to the Star Wars and the Power of Costume exhibit at the EMP museum in Seattle and here are some Fett pics. I'm sure I won't be the only one to post some, but the more the better. I took these pics with a decent DSLR and a good lens. I did have to shoot through glass and I did what I could with the while balance, as there was a lot of coloured lights on the display..

The Boba and Jango costumes are in the main part of the museum and not with the rest of the Star Wars exhibit. They're some of the only costume surrounded by glass, but you can walk around them.

I took some close-up shots a few areas of interest, even though I'm going ESB. You never know, I may need to build a ROTJ or a Special Edition one day and it's best to prepared