Jump to content

Re-creating the "roadblock" scene and designing TD backpacks


MonCal
 Share

Recommended Posts

To go along with the landspeeder project we have been doing a lot of research on the sandtroopers in the famous "roadblock" scene in Mos Eisley from ANH.

I have slowly done research on the backpacks here and there over the years but I had no idea how much research was needed. These silly props / costume pieces are kind of intense. They are not all the same, of course. Each trooper is slightly changed for each scene in the movie to make it seem like there are more than 7 sandtroopers (total) with 5 backpacks (total). Lucas (presumably) had pauldrons flipped over, pouch arrangement, and blasters changed per each scene.

Well, I'm focusing on the roadblock scene.

Going off of the awesome reference and research that has already been done here on the MEPD I have delved a little further in designing this scene. The 501st folks here have already given the packs a number, for reference so I will continue to follow suit.

Here is the arrangement of the packs in this scene:

Posted Image

I will borrow the awesome reference / research that has already been done here on the MEPD and add a few more notes of interest, for this particular scene:

Pack #1:

Posted Image

Pack #2:

Posted Image

Pack #3:

Posted Image

Pack #4:

Posted Image

Pack #5:

Posted Image

Now, here are just a few reference shots for each of those packs:

Pack #1:

Posted Image

Posted Image

Pack #2:

Posted Image

Posted Image

Pack #3:

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Pack #4:

Posted Image

Posted Image

To show the MG34 (based on this particular photo):

Posted Image

Pack #5:

Posted Image

Posted Image

For each of the sandtroopers in the "roadblock scene", this is each of their pack, pauldron, pouch, and weapon configurations, using the backpack number for reference:

Pack #1:

* Black pauldron (white underneath)

* "roadblock" pouch

* Smooth MP40 pouch on left shoulder

* MG-15

* Cheese grater hand plate (the one with the bumps)

Pack #2:

* White pauldron

* no pouches on the hips

* MP40 pouch (with the tool pouch) on left shoulder

* MG15

Pack #3 (Move along trooper):

* Orange pauldron

* Leather MP40 pouch on right hip

* Leather MP40 pouch on left hip

* MP40 pouch (with the tool pouch) on left shoulder

* E-11 blaster

Pack #4:

* Black pauldron (not sure what color underneath)

* Leather MP40 pouch on left shoulder

* Possibly MP40 pouches on both hips, depending on the reference shot

* MG34 (based on one reference shot)

Pack #5:

* White pauldron

* Small spanish pouch on left hip

* Leather MP40 pouch on left shoulder

* E-11 blaster

Guy with no pack (standing behind speeder on right side, as you're looking at the scene)

* Orange pauldron

* Large spanish pouch on left hip

* no sniper knee

* white ears (don't paint them gray)

* MG-34

Now, on to our progress pics :)

All 5 kits organized and ready for attention:

Posted Image

Soaking the faucet covers in water so the labels will come off easier:

Posted Image

5 aluminum pack frames built and ready for paint:

Posted Image

I've been making the "seed trays" for years but with recent events I decided to revisit the design and make our vacuum forming tools more accurate:

Posted Image

Pulled in .090 virgin grade black ABS plastic so durability is not a question:

Posted Image

The "bee stinger" / faucet cover needed a cap / cover to be more accurate than just using the faucet cover off the shelf so I sculpted a cap for it:

Posted Image

Posted Image

The "bee stinger" kit with the vacuum formed cap:

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Our "lab pipe" kit:

Posted Image

The "radar dish" kit:

Posted Image

Posted Image

Now, 2" PVC isn't the "correct" size but I've bolted it to a piece, just to show the profile shot:

Posted Image

And a reference shot:

Posted Image

I designed a kit for the cistern:

Posted Image

A few shots from the tutorial for the cistern kit:

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Pack #1 in the roadblock scene has the threads cut off of the cistern so ... cutting that puppy off with the bandsaw ;) :

Posted Image

With a coat of primer:

Posted Image

Posted Image

On to the most difficult part of the kit... the radio.

Aaron (garbz) found a model of the radio that has some parts that are "almost" correct so he purchased a radio and is helping us reference and design the radio for the TD pack. Thanks Aaron! :) This is the faceplate and main dial:

Posted Image

The main dial isn't 100% correct on this model of radio but it's a good reference piece to work from.

A few of our reference shots and design notes:

Posted Image

We are getting the faceplate and knobs 3d printed, using the state of the art technology (SLA) so the parts come out perfect, with no cleanup, ready to be molded:

Posted Image

I currently don't have my costs worked out for all the individual "kit" pieces yet but eventually we will so just keep an eye out.

We are also crazy busy so I don't know how soon we'll get these all finished up.

I just wanted to share what we have so far.... actually there is more... I just need to edit a bunch of photos ;)

Enjoy!

Who remembers this from Saturday morning cartoons?

..."After these messages..... we'll be riighht back!" ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ohhhhh yeah cal,

you have been a busy guy dude,your attention to detail is awsome and its

great to see your foot rather than your big toe into the amazing

but can be very confusing world of the sandy backpack!!!!!!!

looking forward to more photos of your build as its done,i will be keeping a

special eye out!!! :yes:

p.s. let your wife know i havent forgot about my snowy,funds have just hit a

bit of a bump but will be on there way real soon,all the best mate!!!! :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

forgot to say cal,

once youve done all the finding you need it would be great

if you could catch a plane over the pond and come to live!! :yes:

we are without a pack supplier here ,so if you could consider please!

the payment will be nothing,but our love and respect from the britannia patrol ozzes a thousand words, :dance:

ohh,that goes for rick and john too,were really not fussy! :thumbsup:

all the best,pack makers of the world,sorry U.S. unite :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Thank you all for the kudos.

I really do enjoy these forums. I swear I can feel a tiny bit of the excitement I used to feel when I started in this hobby ... oh... 14 years ago or so, on these forums. It's a lot of fun. Unfortunately I don't have very much time... but... My buddy / helper Andrew is working on these packs again (starting yesterday). Not only is he making new progress, I have some progress photos from late March that I still need to edit and upload.

Maybe later next week I'll be able to post some more info and progress.

Take care all :D

Oh.. I think I've discovered an actual part used on the "move along pack"...but I need to confirm first and it might take some time before I can get the part...but it's exciting nonetheless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 5 months later...

Thanks again everyone!

Ruggero, I will definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for the heads up :)

Oh my...it's been a while since I updated this project :)

It's a big one, so it's gonna take a while.

Anyway, here are some old pics from a few months back.

Gluing the lab pipe "kit" together:

td_pack_build84sm.jpg


Putting the rivet nuts in the tops of the mushroom caps:

td_pack_build86sm.jpg


Preparing our "exhaust port kit" (or whatever it's called for pack #3 :) );

td_pack_build87sm.jpg


I mentioned this earlier but in my research and scaling, I don't believe the typical 2 1/4" pipe that most troopers use for the mortar tube is the correct size. We are going with this slightly larger, lightweight aluminum tubing.

td_pack_build88sm.jpg

td_pack_build89sm.jpg


Putting primer on all the parts:

td_pack_build91sm.jpg


More paint:

td_pack_build94sm.jpg


For the "filter" on pack #5 we went with a piece of pvc tubing for the core and glued a chunk of exercise mat to it. Then we squished it to make it more egg shaped instead of being round.

td_pack_build92sm.jpg


For the "bee-stingers" we made some shims with wood blocks:

td_pack_build98sm.jpg


This made gluing on the vac-formed bottoms much easier.

td_pack_build99sm.jpg


For the "tool boxes" we made vacuum forming bucks to make the boxes and I had these square picture frame pieces cut for the kit:

td_pack_build100sm.jpg


Masking so we can paint the "stinger" portion:

td_pack_build102sm.jpg


Getting the bottles and "shotgun shells" ready:

td_pack_build104sm.jpg


Lab pipe, strapping, and mortar tube attached to the frame:

td_pack_build135sm.jpg


Radar dish attached to the mortar tube:

td_pack_build150sm.jpg


To put the two halves of the seed trays together, we came up with this method. We glued in some alignment tabs and drill holes in the back seed tray (against the frame) for zip ties to go through:

td_pack_build155sm.jpg


For the outer half of the tray we glued in these brackets for the zip ties to loop around:

td_pack_build157sm.jpg


It's tough to see but here you can see, when looking at the back of the pack (against your body), the zip ties are pulled through. This way we can clip them if we need to take the pack apart:

td_pack_build206sm.jpg


I have a bunch more photos to add. I will have to get to those later :)

...until the next post ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are some more pics.

To get ready to mount the cistern, we drilled holes in the seed tray and the cistern so the cistern can just be screwed on with drywall screws (drill a smaller hole in the cistern for the threads to bite).

normal_td_pack_build158sm.jpg


You can see the holes in the cistern in this photo:

td_pack_build159sm.jpg


Since we went with the larger tubing for the mortar tube, the detonator part is a little "springy" but not too bad. It was still easy to glue on with goop glue. We used some velcro cable ties to hold it while it cured:

td_pack_build161sm.jpg


Two of the packs have this "filter" piece. I made this from our Dengar backpack filter part by cutting one down, re-building, making a new mold and casting up this smaller "filter" box:

td_pack_build162_0sm.jpg


We drilled some holes in the seed tray and the back of the filter box. Then we attached it with drywall screws:

td_pack_build163sm.jpg

td_pack_build162sm.jpg

td_pack_build164sm.jpg


Next we attached the bottle and used the same process as the filter and the cistern by drilling a hole in the seed tray that allows the drywall screw to pass through and a smaller hole in the bottle so the screw bites.

td_pack_build167sm.jpg

td_pack_build168sm.jpg


Voila:

td_pack_build169sm.jpg


Next we worked on the "bee stinger". First we bent some aluminum brackets:

td_pack_build175sm.jpg


On most packs the brackets appear to be painted black. I believe pack #3 has unpainted aluminum brackets. Here we are making pack #2.

td_pack_build185sm.jpg


We were able to pop rivet it to the seed tray as shown here. Notice we decided to flip the brackets around so they are hidden:

td_pack_build198sm.jpg


Since we are making pack #2 at this time, we are making the box that the hose attaches to. Notice the hose on top of the pack here:

td_pack_build176_0sm.JPG


The beginnings of that little box:

td_pack_build176sm.jpg


We drilled a hole in the "front" of the box for the hose (here we are using our tie pilot hose):

td_pack_build177sm.jpg


we drilled some 1/8" holes in the back of the box and in the seed tray so we could pop rivet it to the seed tray:

td_pack_build178sm.jpg


See the pop rivets:

td_pack_build180sm.jpg


Next we drilled a hole in the top of the seed tray for the other end of the hose:

td_pack_build182sm.jpg

Voila:

td_pack_build184sm.jpg


I had to make custom caps for the mortar tube since our normal detonator caps are too small. We toyed with ideas on how to attach the caps so that we could still get to the attachment bolts inside the tube. This was our first idea for a solution:

Chicago screws (aka: binding screws, binding posts, sex bolts)

td_pack_build189sm.jpg

td_pack_build191sm.jpg


Bungee cord:

td_pack_build193sm.jpg


Voila:

td_pack_build194sm.jpg

This method works nicely. Another method that works is by putting small round adhesive velcro tabs on the end (side) of the tube and inside the cap. This holds well too.


Next we attached our "tool box" by pop riveting it to the seed tray:

td_pack_build200sm.jpg

td_pack_build205sm.jpg


Shazam... pack #2 :) ... sans weathering:

td_pack_build208sm.jpg


The pack weighs 9 lbs. I don't think it is possible to make it lighter and this durable at the same time. It's not too bad at all actually! We did add some leather pads on the shoulder straps that go under the shoulder armor so it doesn't dig into the shoulders.


Next we started on pack #3 (the "move along pack")

Ignore the temporary / what I call the "fake" radio from pack #2 that's sitting on it:

td_pack_build209sm.jpg


In starting on the next pack we needed to work out how to attach the tupperware stow n' go box:

td_pack_build212sm.jpg


We gooped in these pvc standoffs:

td_pack_build213sm.jpg

That held the backer plate in the right spot. Next we zip tied the backer plate to the stow n go by drilling into the storage divider walls inside the box and then bolted it to the seed tray.

I need to take a picture of that.. as I cannot find one :)


We are still waiting on our 3d printer guy to finish up with the radio face and then we will be able to finish up all the packs.

... until next time :) ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks awesome. I was wondering what materials did you use for the exhaust pipe, specifically the black coil part? I tried to find things like electrical wire casings and vacuum hoses that looked the part but they just don't look accurate enough. Is it black shrink wrap or black tape wrapped over some coils? The original part for this looks something like a flexible tube of some sort.

Can't wait to see more progress pics especially of the radio when it is finished!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...