trooperexpert Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 OK, after a ton of soul searching It has come to this: I am spilling it. Now, this is what I saw at LFL. I know people think they see things in pics and I can tell you some of your are kinda close and others are WAY off. OK, the main item used for the strapping is: CANVAS. The strips are about 1 1/2" wide and as long as need be to make the armor fit. Here is where we start: -shoulder straps under the chest (epoxied) and connects to the inside of the back plate. -Shoulder plastic connector has a popper or snap glued ot a piece of plastic to the inside underneath and it is for attaching the shoulder to this. -Chest to cod plate: this is an area where it seems so simple and it really is. ONE single piece of cnavas epoxied to the inside center to and it connects to the center of the cod plateslightly overlapping but allowing just enough play for free movement. -back plate to kidney plate: same deal as above. One piece in the middle of the back plate to the center of the kediney plate. The kidney plate was attached with canvas strips to the center left and right and outside left and right (4 total strips) -the cod and butt were attached with a snap system on each end. the belt is canvas and it is NOT white, but off white bone color and the holster is pop riveted to the belt. The belt dangle boxes are attached with, you guessed it! Canvas glued to the boxes and attached to the canvas belt. could not see how as I could not see under the plastic belt facing. Now the funny as **** part. The four rivets on the left side of the armor are acutally not rivets at all. They are decorative little sewing deals. Some were flower shaped and some were star shaped. I am NOT KIDDING. Some had a mixture of both on one suit. I about **** myself when I saw this and laughed. They are metal and painted white. Now, I know the hero suits have had a harness system mentioned. These were not present and may be lost forever. I only found 6 suits, all in bad shape but complete with all armor and no helmets. None of the suits seen had the rivet holes on them or metal areas present seen in some photos. Could they be there? sure.. but we will more than likey never know. Armor thickness: .060 So please enjoy and this is really not open for debate until someone goes to LFL and takes pics.. which I am TRYING TO DO soon If possible. Just please use the info to make your costumes more accurate and correct. I am not going to answer a ton of questions on this as there really is nothing to say more really. Are there suspenders? No.. Is there a waist belt for the thighs to be held up? YES... But again this was done on the fly and they learned a ton making this movie to NOT strap them this way and they changed it for ROTJ. So this may not work for you if you plan to do a ton of trooping in your suit. Matt/STE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilovesand&dirt Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Thanks for the info, Matt. Nice insite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCKo Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 GREAT INFOS! thanks matt for sharing these with us! i´m glad you changed your mind on this topic! it may cause of my lack of english but i don´t get the attachment of the shoulder bells to back/chest plate and with this the connection between shoulder bells and biceps parts... i would really appreciate your explanation on this! thanks matt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Are you sure they weren't ROTJ suit's They do not sound like ANH suit's at all.I know I have never actually seen one,nor claim to,but your description doesn't match any refence pics I have.The chest definately has straps at the edges and not just one in middle,and the rivets are clear to see on just about all the stormtroopers in ANH and ESB. Until you show any evidence of what you claim to have seen then I can't really take any notice of your description,it just doesn't make any sense.This is what a real ANH looks like...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperexpert Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 uh yes.. thats why LFL called me was to come down and Identify them. On these 6 suits, I saw, there were no straps on the outer edges. Again, reference photos and seeing them in person is entirely different. I am not saying some suits were not like this, but the ones I saw were all strapped and glued and not able to be adjusted in anyway shape or form. I know ROTJ from ANH thanks.. Matt/STE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Interesting, I hope you are able to get some pics! Everyone play nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperexpert Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 I AM playing nice. Again folks, I SAW these all and held them and looked them all over. I am not making this up to **** you all off. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCKo Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I AM playing nice. Again folks, I SAW these all and held them and looked them all over. I am not making this up to **** you all off. Matt i´m sure seth didn´t want to start an argue right here, matt! once again, thanks for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperexpert Posted August 7, 2006 Author Share Posted August 7, 2006 man, you cannot even take a joke.. Pulp fiction royalle with cheese? Its a joke Howdy. Actually there were 2 different Molds for Kener figs.. Us and China/Taiwan depending on where they were released and some, very few were released in the US. I have a stormtrooper made in China and a Biker Scout from Taiwain.. Now when I said I found the part, its **** close but I did not say "THIS IS IT END OF DISCUSSION' weouldnt you agree that thing is so close it is scary? Also we have never found some of the other things and really cannot gauge a ton of parts becuase the orignals are all gone. I did see the SE packs and about barfed when I saw them. Total crap and I would not even save that from the trash... Again, it was a joke... Nothing more.. Laugh Dammnit... Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Andrews Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 No, wow, you are so off but there is an explanation.. Here is the reason the rdiges are a bit smaller on the movie packs: The US version of this was made for 1/4 lb hamburges. Now, we all know that they use the metric system in Europe and other places in the world. So, this is a ROYALE Burger press, metric and slightly smaller. So, Just look for a metric one if the US version is slightly larger. Simple... Matt Any proof to backup this theory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Andrews Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Guess I posted too soon.... So, just to verify, we have not definitively ID'ed the "bellows" part but the hamburger stackers are similarly shaped and being used, by many until the true part is IDed, correct? And for once... we finally agree on something. the SE packs were total crap. I did see the SE packs and about barfed when I saw them. Total crap and I would not even save that from the trash... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperexpert Posted August 7, 2006 Author Share Posted August 7, 2006 Art- take a pack, burn it... bury it and then also crap on it and say its close enough.. WOW.. they were bad.. Aon piece hollow back with some things bolted on.. EEEESHHH Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Actually, there were two sizes of hamburger stackers made for the US market. If you search the bay you'll come across both sizes. Unlike many, I'm not convinced these need the extra ridge trimmed off. I have a couple of pics where you can see what looks like that extra ridge pretty clearly. Don't know if that's the actual piece used, but it sure looks close. Just my two cents. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooperexpert Posted August 7, 2006 Author Share Posted August 7, 2006 SEE! SEE!!??! ROYALE WITH CHEESE! LOL! Man I knew it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gino Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 I think someone should put together some really good photo comparisons, start a new thread about it, and let the discussion begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk-4224 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 thought we´re talkin about strapin system with no diskussions till Matt is going to show some pics sorry guys you can´t say matt is right or he´s wrong wait for photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCKo Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 I think someone should put together some really good photo comparisons, start a new thread about it, and let the discussion begin. i will photoshop the reference picture i have once again just for these below parts this afternoon! i´ll do my best to show the details! stay tuned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970s Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Dear All, First of all Matt - You said about the hamburger Stacker that - "I've been to LFL - I DON"T THINK I KNOW" - Now your backpeddling. I think the Hamburger stackers are like the Boy Scouts Backpack Frames - They could work pretty good and look close - But they are not the Real McCoy. So is your strapping a guess or are you saying you know? Because like the Hamburger stacker - I say your guessing! Thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD 8733 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Since the original packs are gone how will anyone ever PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt what is what??? All anyone can do is build there best screen accurate looking packs and thats it. I personally think the part is so close that I would not change it even if someone came up with another. Whats the point you cant prove one is right and the other wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Andrews Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Since the original packs are gone how will anyone ever PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt what is what??? All anyone can do is build there best screen accurate looking packs and thats it. I personally think the part is so close that I would not change it even if someone came up with another. Whats the point you cant prove one is right and the other wrong. While I definitely see your point, I do think some pieces can be positively IDed, while others most likely never will. I think we can say with assurance that the one tupperware piece on Davin's pack is indeed a tupperware craft box. There is no picture that dusputes this and all pictures we have confirm it. As stated above, items such as the frame will most likedly never be positively IDed. The problem I have is with people saying something IS positively IDed when there are clearly ref out there that doesn't match up. We may want this or that part to be it but if it isn't, it isn't. I just hate for misinformation to be spread. Lets say something is "LIKE" the original if it isn't an absolute match. Again, the scout frame comes to mind. Is it exact? No. But I think it is the closest thing we have found so far and most likely the closest thing we ever will find, but it still is not exact. To sum things up, I think we just need to be a little less quick to say "this IS the part." Seems like some are a little quick on the draw in this regard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-1536 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Since the original packs are gone how will anyone ever PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt what is what??? All anyone can do is build there best screen accurate looking packs and thats it. I personally think the part is so close that I would not change it even if someone came up with another. Whats the point you cant prove one is right and the other wrong. While I definitely see your point, I do think some pieces can be positively IDed, while others most likely never will. I think we can say with assurance that the one tupperware piece on Davin's pack is indeed a tupperware craft box. There is no picture that dusputes this and all pictures we have confirm it. As stated above, items such as the frame will most likedly never be positively IDed. The problem I have is with people saying something IS positively IDed when there are clearly ref out there that doesn't match up. We may want this or that part to be it but if it isn't, it isn't. I just hate for misinformation to be spread. Lets say something is "LIKE" the original if it isn't an absolute match. Again, the scout frame comes to mind. Is it exact? No. But I think it is the closest thing we have found so far and most likely the closest thing we ever will find, but it still is not exact. To sum things up, I think we just need to be a little less quick to say "this IS the part." Seems like some are a little quick on the draw in this regard. Beat me too it... for the record, if I never said it before, I should state here that while I think I'm certainly over-the-top, gung-** about making Sandtrooper back packs, I have never claimed to have all the answers or identified 'exact' parts. I make stuff, people ask me how I did it because it looks close and then everyone thinks it's 'correct'. Please folks, I ask everyone to take what I or anyone else says with a grain of salt and use your best judgement when putting your stuff together. As Brak's said, the only part we've (he's) 100% identified is the Tupperware Stow-N-Go. Everything else just looks 'close' or similar. Oh, and probably the radar dish, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD5422 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 why can't we all just get along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD 8733 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 I think its easy for us to get caught up in how this guy or that guy does it. Really folks at the end of the day you have to be happy with your own props. It really does not matter what Braks or TE thinks. That is not a knock at you guys you are very talented as is Mike and Seth and lots of other Troopers here. But everone has the right to do there own thing and be happy about it. No one has the know all see all opinion or is God when it comes to props Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-1536 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 why can't we all just get along Rob, Because I virtually live on the net, I have time (too much time) on my hands to prowl message boards, dispense info, etc. The problem is, I kinda shot myself in the foot because I put so much info out there, that people tend to think I have all the answers... when I don't. Honestly, it gets old after a while when folks keep asking me"How do I do this... what did you use... I want mine to look like that." I made my web site to answer most people's questions, but what I'd really like to see are other people using the same M1A1 brain that I have to come up with their own solutions or answers to problems rather than just relenting to, "Oh, I'll just ask Mike what he used." I love to help others, I really do, but I don't have all the answers. Maybe I'm just burned out right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runJEDIrun Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 whether the info is correct or incorrect everyone should just read it, store it in their minds, and move on. Just because it might be how the armor and backpacks were done doesn't mean you have to do yours that way, and quite frankly, i think the way suites and packs are assembled now are 100 times better than the originals. If you made every aspect of your armor 100% accurate with the originals you would have backpacks falling apart at the tape, shoulder bells around your forearms, and things sliding all over the place. I feel that he is putting some knowledge out there, be it right or wrong, and we should be happy he is sharing now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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