Jonboy2312

I'll probably adjust the shape of those handplates a bit, but first I want to compare them (and everything else too for that matter) with good ANH kits at the Dagobah 2007 con in two weeks. BTW, there's a lovely set of MP40 pouches custom tailored to fit a sandtrooper that's coming my way http://www.allegro.pl/item218801410_cza ... szona.html I also had a few pics taken this sunday. Not really a desert, but as close to one as we can get in these parts. I just can't wait to have my puches and kneeplate...

Thanks, Nico... But I'm really not THAT skilled, I failed miserably in building my own legs and had to buy a set from TK-560. I'll just be getting an excellent backpack from TD-1408 at Dagobah 2007. Whew... I'm still waiting impatiently for my mag pouches and my kneeplate, so I decided to kill some time by doing another little photo session. Like I said, still lacking the proper kneeplate and the pouches (the drop boxes will go as soon as I install my pouches). This time, I also have my ANH handplates on. Seth, do they still look too long when worn? I'll trim them if necessary, but they seem fine to me And finally, a little OT... my other half

ALLRIGHT!! I've been bidding on two replica MP40 canvas pouches (not the design seen in the movies, but the kind with the extra straps for closing the compartments...), but all of a sudden I've been contacted by a craftsman who specializes in WW2 bits with a better offer... Of course I presented TD reference pictures to her, kind of startling her with such an unusual project, but she eagerly accepted the challenge and I'll soon have a set of three lovely, screen-acurate ammo pouches, tailored specifically to easily fit onto the trooper belt and a shoulder bell velcro Yaaaaay! I'll also be getting an accurate backpack (even though I HATE this requirement - there's no way I'll ever be able to take the lugger with me to Canada, and not all the sandies in the movie had them anyway...) The TD kneeplate I got from TK560 is on its way back to me as well (it didn't want to fit my friend's AP armor too well) and... what do you guys think, with those items coming to me any moment now, will my TD be complete and up to MEPD standards?

Another bit that I've converted to ANH standards - the handplates, made of a paint bucket in under 10 minutes but they'll do The diamond kneeplate is next. Okay, I know this no longer reflects the original topic, but... come on, no feedback at all? I need opinions, comments and CC, guys...

okay guys, how's THIS? I'm delighted with the helmet now, but if you see a glaring problem that I missed, please tell me. I'm also presenting the ab plate mod. Still working on: ANH handplates, screen accurate biceps, diamond kneeplate Still waiting for: MP-40 mag pouches, 'ALICE' backpack frame, etc

Thanks guys I'm pretty much satisfied with the helmet now, of course I'll re-shape the trapezoids over the brow but not right now. I still have to sculpt some proper biceps first. Yesterday, I refinished the shoulder bells and the forearms (some finishing putty and sanding, then a new paintjob and weathering) and they're much smoother now (previously they were finished in a hurry). And perhaps most important of all, everybody seemed to suggest a classic ANH look, so... How's my ab plate mod? Sorry about the lip, but my fiberglassing has such crappy edges that it really should stay there...

Well, with the wider teeth I can't really make it fully "kosher", but at least it's painted like the originals were, LOL! And I'd say it's way sharper than most replicas. Too bad my fiberglass laminate isn't the same color as the old HDPE was. It's indeed khaki here and there, but mostly red or pink. As imperfect as it is, it's still my baby and I love it

Yes, it's indeed Photoshop! CS2 to be exact, as it also has the best RAW converter for my camera - two birds with one stone, that sort of thing I actually had a lot of help from my wife (she's an animator) in coloring the sandtroper girl, as I was too busy in my little workshop, but I'm not that bad with coloring too. Some of my pieces are at http://jonboy2312.deviantart.com , hers are at http://nalafontaine.deviantart.com , if you have a moment to have a look And geez, by all means, draw something! I'd love to see what you come up with

Thanks, but you guys praised me too early... I botched it a bit, and only realized it when I came home from work and saw it again after all those hours. The dome was all wrong! Take a look! I know the SDS Battle-Spec is not the most screen-accurate lid out there, but it's still excellent and I have plenty of shots of one as TK-1410 used to own one), so that's what I'll compare it to... I felt pretty devastated and was thinking hard about what I could try to do to fix it, but then i remembered yoda's "there is no try", grabbed the bucket, measured how much room can I subtract and still have it fit on my head, then I filled the inside of the dome with that exact thickness of fiberglass laminate, and... went after the helmet with a big electric grinder! Scary, scary moments, but it was a success in the end The trapezoids are still too rectangular, but that's just a minor detail which I'll fix later... a lot later... right now I'm just resting and enjoying my entirely self-made bucket I just can't wait to re-weather the dome and pose for some new shots The plan for tomorrow: abdominal plate mod, more sanding and polishing work on the shoulder bells.

Thank you! I'm glad you like. Sorry I haven't been showing any progress - I've been too busy with my helmet and armor... I've found a huge problem there

Looks absolutely spectacular! Can't wait to see the finished thing ;]

Allright, it's decided, ANH look it is, I'm bidding on my first MP-40 mag pouch and I'll gradually be replacing parts after the upcoming convention. I don't mind getting rid of the control panel, it turned out rather rough and I'm not too happy with it. It's just a shame about the kneeplate - I had a really nice one from TK-560 but already traded it to another TD. The rubber lip on the armor, however, should stay... my fiberglassing was crappy and it's just the nature of this armor now. I'll see if i can do something about that at a later stage, though. Now, the question is... With the armor in this work-in-progress condition, can I register it in the Legion? no, no, not MEPD yet, very, very far from THAT standard yet, LOL. So far I only have my old, 2002/2003 Imperial Officer registered and I'm dying to be a TD. TD-1226 sounds better than ID-1226, too Who do I talk to? The local GML? I was the first member in the Polish Outpost so previously I've dealt directly with top brass, LOL

better ask someone who owns an ANH helmet - I was only guessing the ear diameter

I think it'll be easier to convert the armor back to ANH standards - a new kneeplate, no ab buttons (mine are rather rough). The only thing that would pretty much have to stay is the rubber lip... It's just that I'd hate to give this helmet those odd bulging eyes. Man, such a dilemma! Glad you like it, though I remember everything you said before (eye spacing and such) and like I said, I'll see how it compares to some of the respectable ANH lids out there directly (the convention starts on the 4th). This thing wasn't even anywhere near an ANH helmet when I was building it, so I can just pray it's close enough

I've weathered it last night I should finally sculpt some proper biceps, I guess. And I have a huge, huge dilemma... ANH helmet and an SE armor... which way should I go?

Glad you guys like Here's an update, although this is still very much a work in progress. I think I'll replace cell-shading with something more ambitious later...

A major update Here's my other half presenting the lid, which we call JN, from our nicknames (artistic aliases,actually - Jonny and Nala) s/n 00 (prototype) Sorry about the ANH helmet / SE armor mix I'll post some pictures from the building process a bit later. I was very frustrated with the back section as the two didn't want to fit together too well, and the tubes in the back were too thick - I had to fill them up with resin and shave them down, and in the end the ear 'cable covers' aren't separate parts at all... they are what's left of the first, wrong tube dimension! pretty convenient, now that I think about it. I know the trapezoids are off and the ears are very rough... I'll work on them after Dagobah 2007. Besides, I'll be able to compare this lid directly to APs, TEs and SDS's there so that I'll have a better idea what to do to it. I should trim the botom some more and bring the corners of the eyes closer as Paul pointed out, but I just want to get a better "feel" by direct comparison first. Oh, BTW, the inside has nifty earphone cushions installed and pretty frown screens, too I've just brought the lid to this troopable condition and I'm so darn happy that I barely feel the splitting headache I've had all day. I think all the resin fumes, paint smell and fiberglass dust in the air really took their toll on me, but I'm just too darn happy right now Well, there it is, the JN helmet. So far it's a one-off, but, who knows what the future holds EDIT: This is how it looked this morning - with even worse ears... way too thick, I shaved them down afterwards.

Welcome to the forum! I'm thinking of maybe putting up a tutorial on the internet in some time, maybe that will help too yup. As a pair of stickers

That's the cutest thing I've seen on these forums, ever! Congratulations!

I fifgured this didn't really belong in the fanfiction topic All drawn at work (slacking off during office hours), no reference at all, just memory... am I weird yet? Of course, none of them are finished, as you can see. I'm working on them in Photoshop now - coloring, shading, adding backgrounds... I'll post the final results in a few days, too.

Glad you like Well, I know I botched the teeth, but there's not much I can do about them now. I'll dremel the eyes a wee bit closer like Paul said, but after the back and dome of the helmet is sculpted and cast, so that I'll have a better idea about the proportions. My wife will start working on the clay sculpt tomorrow when I'm at work, then I'll take over, and hopefully we'll have the part ready by the end of the week. Then a nice pair of ears over the weekend and voila! BTW, here's how the faceplate looked earlier today after more sanding and a base coat of paint on: I couldn't resist painting the frown, the tears and the chin in order to get a better idea, so the next shots you'll see will show a painted faceplate. But that reminds me... Would anyone be willing to help me out a little bit by donating a pair of tube stripe decals?

Okay, time to hit the hay... here's how the faceplate looks after today's sanding efforts - I'd say halfway there, it'll be finished tomorrow, ready for final painting. Then we start sculpting the dome/back section Paul, I'll still work on the eyes a bit - all in due time I did shave the tusks down a bit - they were way too pointy and sharp. They still are, but not as much. I think I'll keep them like this - the whole faceplate, afterall, is much sharper than vacuformed parts, so the look will be more consistent this way, I think...

Thanks a million, Paul! I'm absolutely delighted you like my lid so far The dimensions came a bit too late as the clay model was already covered in plaster then, but you confirmed my estimates and guesses - the width on my faceplate is about 22.5, etc - all are very, very close to yours and I'm very happy about that I'll definitely work on the visors some more now that the fiberglass part is out of the mold, and there's still room for two tiny holes in the frown (there's 8 now) near the tips where the frown curves downwards. I believe the "move along" trooper had 10 holes (thus 11 gray areas - "teeth") First things first, though - I have to sculpt the back and the dome, and do a lot, and I mean a LOT of sanding on the final faceplate. My fiberglassing still sucks ( I have no idea how to use gelcoat so I simply don't ) and the surface is rough, it needs a coat of finishing putty and then a lot of sanding. I fixed the major flaws such as air bubbles and whatnot, and gave it a preliminary coat of paint so that the uniform color would give a better idea which areas need work. It seems like the entire surface does, LOL. Oh well, there's still a month to the convenstion, I think I'll make it on time. Sanding should just take one more afternoon, the back of the helmet, hopefully, another week. Please keep your fingers crossed. Thanks a lot for your help and your kind words

Aye, I've done that already. They were unfinished on the photo, I just forgot about them when photographing. Okay then, I'll cast the thing tomorrow, after I have my sleep, it's 0226 hrs...

Proposed final version, and a last chance to point out mistakes 'coz I'll be casting it tomorrow