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| SpitFire style; Fun with Metal and Paint | |
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| Topic Started: Aug 21 2007, 11:47 PM (1,871 Views) | |
| SpitFireScout | Aug 21 2007, 11:47 PM Post #1 |
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Hello everyone, (wanted to say something witty and star wars related but failed) I ran across your DET after some discussion with the 501st, asking questions and getting very prompt and helpful answers. First off, i would love to get to say that everything i have seen here is amazing, fantastic work and dedication to making the best costume you can, i'm really impressed. My name is Daniel, i live in Portland Oregon and am currently going through the initial stages of planning out a Custom Biker Scout Costume, and i am thrilled that you guys support Custom Designs. It all started when my dad was going to sell the z50r honda motorcycle that we had as kids, i said, "no way, i'm taking it with me and patching it up." Then my older brother suggested that i build a speeder bike kit for it, i thought that would be AWESOME. (still in the process of getting that made as well) One thing led to another and now i'm designing some custom armor as well. What i plan on doing is taking a DOT approved skull cap helmet and building my Scout helmet design around that (more comfort and protect the noggin a bit more  ) Then i am going to find a biker jacket and probably some pants, and build my armor to that (pads under the armor and rivit the pieces to the jacket). Here are some photoshopped images from the web (and 501st personell files) of what i want to do for the paint job (on the armor and bike) I'm not sure about the shark mouth on the helmet (don't want to scare any kids), and if i have the shark mouth on the bike it might be a little redundant on the helmet as well, but i think it looks kinda cool. (has the potential of looking like a big red mustache or pair of lips i fear).    If those images didn't show, i have them posted here: http://dpbsculpture.blogspot.com/ as well. I have the white armor in there with the shark mouth for comparision. It will be a while before i'm able to start on this, but i wanted to get some imput on the designs now, before i commit to anything. The Bike will also have some more customization done to it, such as retro machine guns and such. The body armor i will make will probably be more like Boba Fett armor (especially the chest armor) because of the way i intend on constructing it. I will still have the back hump. I also wanted to intigrate some sort of cooling unit into the helmet and back hump. For the helmet i was think of something along the lines of those battery powered neck coolers they sell, build it into the helmet or something. Not sure what i will do for the back hump. PLEASE NOTE: those images of the biker scouts in the framing of the 501st, are images i edited, they are accurate costumes aside from the paint job i put over the images, and i do not take credit for the actual constructed costume that i mearly painted over. |
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| COS_Vader | Aug 22 2007, 02:45 AM Post #2 |
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Looks like a very cool project! Keep us updated on it - I'd love to see this finished. Kev |
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| SpitFireScout | Aug 22 2007, 03:42 AM Post #3 |
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Indeed i will. I am also a full time student so my time is limited, so it will be a slow process. Right now i'm waiting for the base helmet to show up, and i need to go thrift store hunting for the jacket and pants. I realize that this costume in no way could be considered a 501st suit, Crazas suggested the BARC trooper to me, since ROTS has a cammo trooper featured in it. I think i'm going to continue with this design i have, but i am not ruling out doing a more detailed and true to form 501st standard costume in the future. Right now i don't have the equipment to do vaccumform molding. Are there any other methods that have proven successful for modeling proffessional grade pieces without having to make casts? I work alot with clay and have made plaster casts before so it's not a matter of skill, but more-so: space, time, and materials. |
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| SpitFireScout | Aug 22 2007, 06:17 AM Post #4 |
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I did some sketches of what i might do. Really the main differance between my armor and the real stuff is that mine will be fabricated from metal sheets, foam pads glued to the back of the metal, and then the whole piece will be rivited to a jacket. then of course there is the paint job :P. You guys think something more along the lines of camo is better than straight up black? I found a Biker Scout that was black here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51453931@N00/...in/set-1812315/ I'm sure you all know of this guy. Just looking for imput, i'm not going for a 501st suit (would love it, but..).   Again if the images don't show, you can find them here: http://dpbsculpture.blogspot.com/ Any advice why the images don't show? I click on IMG and copy the url to the bar and enter it, no dice the first time :P. I took the liberty of adding the Special Ops patch to the shoulder on the sketches (is that okay?).. oh wait thats the 501st patch isn't it? oops. I'll fix that on future sketches. |
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| SpitFireScout | Aug 23 2007, 12:22 AM Post #5 |
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I jsut realised its the p-40 Warhawks that tend to have the Shark paint job on the nose, my bad. One other thing i want to add to the uniform was a light. You can see it in the sketches on the outside of the visor. i wanted to have it under the lenz, but that would kill any sort vision in poorly liter situations, so it has to be on the outside of the visor somewhere. I'll probably purchase one of those LED head-lamps and incorporate it into the helmet design. I noticed some larger openings on the helmet, about center on the side of the helmet, they look like air intakes or something, could anyone explain those a little better and their actual purpose? UPDATE: http://bp1.blogger.com/_nyvwaivjOOo/RtETak...empletsMade.jpg Pictures, I just made some paper templates for the body armor pieces and arranged them on the jacket and pants i will be fastening them to. I bought a black pair of jeans and a Pacific Trail outdoor jacket from Goodwill (in the effort to recycle and save $$$). I will be taking the paper templates to the shop i work at and use them to referance my line work on the metal plates before i cut them with a plasma cutter (new toy i got a few months ago, very fun ;)) They will need some cutting and working to get them in the right shape, then i will drill holes on the edges (for rivits) then glue padding on the underside then see about riviting the pieces to the jackets and pants. This should be a good practice project to ease me into armoring. After this i'll see what i want to tackle as a more professional suit, maybe a Sith trooper (i think thats what they're called) |
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| SpitFireScout | Aug 27 2007, 10:20 AM Post #6 |
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Well, the project is currently on permanent hold. Some people broke into the shop and stole my plasma cutter and welder, as well as several of my bosses welders and a bunch of stuff from the other guys in the shop. They even took a motorcycle one of the guys had jsut finished building. It sucks, watching Cregs List and Ebay if any of it shows up, if nothing happens then i'll jsut have to pick-up, get new equipment and move on. Kinda sucks though <_< |
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| COS_Vader | Aug 27 2007, 03:17 PM Post #7 |
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Sorry to hear that - Dunno what some people are thinking. I hope you get everything back ok. |
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| tavrikgannon | Aug 27 2007, 06:38 PM Post #8 |
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SpitFireScout: I don't know if you know this or not, but I am in Gladstone. Not too far from you. Both Rob ( SandyDay/SpecOpsNight ) and myself are a part of Cloud City Garrison. I think it is safeto say that should you need any assistance from the garrison that you shouldn't shy away from contacting us! As far a vacuumforming..... we have a buddy that does happen to have the vacuumforming table. We have armor parties every now and again. So as to avoid cluttering up the message boards here, just send a PM and we'll get you taken care of as far as assistance is concerned. Take care! |
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| SpitFireScout | Aug 27 2007, 07:31 PM Post #9 |
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Thanks guys, that would be awesome |
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| tavrikgannon | Aug 27 2007, 07:57 PM Post #10 |
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Hey that is what we are here for... to help other troopers along with their projects! PM or email me anything, dude! |
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| SpitFireScout | Sep 4 2007, 05:14 AM Post #11 |
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Good news, the shop i bought my plasma cutter from is going to give me the same price for a new cutter as what i paid for my old cutter (which i got on sale too) . So that saves some $$$, i'll be back in the proverbial saddle again soon and start cutting those pieces and shaping them, pics to come! Jsut ordered my Scout helmet, i'm getting one as back up in case the one i build fails, it'll also be good referance and it looks cool. Can't wait for it to show up! Update: 9/13/07 Got the motorcycle helmet in the mail today, its way too big to do what i was planning with it. So that idea is scratched, looks like i'll be building the helmet from the ground up. I still hope to build it with metal, but those smooth curves for head covering will be tough to achieve with metal. On a better note, these next two weeks are school free, which means i'm starting on my armor very soon. I need to get the set up taken care of for my plasma cutter then i'll be set to cut and shape metal. I jsut ordered a different helmet, this one is a Pro-Tech, classic helmet. They say its ment for kayaking? But the old one i have we have always worn for skating, it fits great, very comfy, lower profile, and should make an excellent base to build off of. Don't know why i didn't get another one of these before... or jsut bought this one in the first place   Not sure how i am going to fill in the air holes and stuff. It would be nice to keep them, allow for venting. I'll work through it as i go i guess. Update 9/18/07 Finally Started! Hey guys, i finally got to start on my Custom Scout armor. The chest plate went quickly for me. The bicep, elbows and knee pads are next (tomorrow). The back hump and shoulder pads i'm going to have to hunt down some found parts, air tank or something to get the proper shape. The curved shape of the shoulder pad is near to impossible to make out of a flat sheet of metal. All in all, a good start i think and fairly close to the actual armor. Once i have cut all the pieces and welded them together with spot welds, i am going to run welds along all the seams and then grind them down for a nice smooth look. In regards to the paint job. I was thinking of painting it desert camo, and dedicating the armor to our troops. What does everyone else think of that idea and what are the proper channels i need to take to make it more than just me saying "i dedicate this project to our men and women in uniform."? 
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| SpitFireScout | Sep 20 2007, 04:57 AM Post #12 |
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so what do you guys think so far? |
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| COS_Vader | Sep 20 2007, 05:46 AM Post #13 |
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I think that's some great work and talent! Keep up the great work and keep showing us your progress pics. Fantastic! |
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| SpitFireScout | Sep 20 2007, 06:13 AM Post #14 |
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Thanks COS_Vader I will, i would have gotten more done today but i ran out of welding wire. I don't have a printer so i wasn't able to take schematics of the armor to be more exact, but i can make adjustments later. |
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| tavrikgannon | Sep 20 2007, 03:29 PM Post #15 |
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Looking good, Daniel. And I think the dedication to the troops is an awesome idea. Great work, so far! - Bill |
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