Mike's ROTJ Boba Fett

[carpe mindiem]

 

[CadBane3]

Gaunts, gaunts, gaunts! Well, this was the most intimidating part of the build in my mind, and I think I may have nearly finished them! When we left off, I had 1 3/4 done, or at least hinged. I needed to bend the remaining part so it didn't put too much stress on the hinge area or the epoxy. Did some internet research, and I think I was doing it right, just not heating it enough. I can argue that I was scared to ruin a piece as you can't exactly just pick up a replacement. Here it was before:

20171211_133126 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

So, very carefully, I heated it up, much longer than I had been doing. I also found a place where it could be slightly squeezed so I could get the right shape:

20171211_134008 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

What, you don't have a vice in your office in case it comes in handy? I'm sorry, bro!

And, I ended up with this:

20171211_134022 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Then, I just needed to install the second hinge:

20171211_135309 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

[CadBane3]

That left the flamethrower as the only part remaining on the left gauntlet. Can't really use pleather here, so I'll use my second favorite new material (to me at least), WORBLA!!!

20171211_140917 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

First, I was going to make a Worbla box that would hold the nozzles and be able to fit into the open space. Much careful heating and shaping went in to this part:

20171211_141204 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

20171211_141327 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

20171211_141541 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

And, you generally have a plastic box that is pretty rigid once it cools. Something to adhere to the inner sides of the gauntlet.

20171211_142103 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Drilled a few holes in it:

20171211_143228 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

And viola!

20171211_143512 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Pop the seams a bit on the box that it goes in and gently insert and then glue the heck out of everything!

20171212_092647 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Allow to dry for a few hours:

20171212_093640 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

And then gauntlet selfie time! Work it, work it!!!

20171212_133846 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Pretty happy with how they came out. Of course, once trooping, I'll come up with more ideas as to how to make them stay in place and be more comfortable, but for now, they are nearly done. Need to do the hoses that come out of the right gauntlet and get them secured to the strap that Arkady thoughtfully sewed inside my suit. I also raised my shoulder armor per the advice of Luke. I'd like to give him a quick shout out and thank you for being my resident Boba expert and fielding all sorts of questions. It is much appreciated, my friend!

More to do! More to come!

[CadBane3]

Had to burn a vacation day today or I would lose it, so I had a little time to work on my ongoing projects. First and foremost, a huge thank you to my Secret Santa from last night. I don't know who you are, but it's pretty obvious that you've read my work log and thoughtfully got me this awesome shirt! Thank you and Merry Christmas!

2017-12-15_04-49-19 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Now, down to business. First, my rangefinder kept having the top part fall off and the little bolts that were holding it on were not sufficient, so I got a locking nut to use. This is only an update because it took my sausage fingers the better part of 30 minutes to get the bolt on and tightened. So frustrating that I only did one locking nut. It's good enough, trust me.

20171215_120107 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Then, I secured my wookie braids to my flak. That should now be pretty close to done. Might make a pocket for the battery pack for the chest electronics.

20171215_122439 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

I panted my knee darts and got ready to sew the strapping for the back of them. Going to need to drag the straps through some mud and get them good and weathered, but these are also nearly done:

20171215_124353 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

And lastly, I received my replacement TK belt parts. This is significant because I ordered a few ABS plastic shims.

20171215_140828 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Cut them to size and am going to make them work on my cod/kidney problem:

20171215_142837 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Got them painted up and the next update, I should have them attached. Thinking about using epoxy for one side and Velcro for the other so that they are somewhat adjustable.

20171215_144103 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

That's it for today. Have a great weekend!

[CadBane3]

Very small update today as I didn't have much time to work, but I got the back armor attached to my flak. Of course, it'll have to come off every troop, but the thought of drilling holes through both pieces was a bit overwhelming. Here is what it looks like together:

20171216_152441 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

I need to get the cape attached and will need to just but a slightly longer bolt for that, but it looks pretty good.

Also, the paint dried on my shims for the cod/kidney. These are going to be hidden at all times when in costume by the pouches, so an absolute match wasn't as important to me (although the GML may overrule that... LOL). I epoxied the front of them and added industrial Velcro to the back so that they can slip on and off and be adjustable. I'll need to add the G-string, or whatever its called at some point.

20171216_153146 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

And, then lastly, since I had all those parts together, I thought, "why not just suit up in what I have so far?" So, here is where it currently stands:

20171216_155322 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Starting from the bottom, the shin tools are at my painter. I have the knees essentially done and just need to sew the Velcro on them and then I'm going to add some Velcro to the flight suit so that the knees will stay in place (this is the same as I did with my biker scout and it works well). To make it look good once the knees are on, I may need the thigh pouches to be raised up an inch or two. Not sure how I will do that but maybe it can be hemmed at the midline or something (not sure how that works with a zipper down he middle). I need to sew the strapping on to my harness and get that on, along with the US Divers buckle. I have all that and just need access to a sewing machine. Maybe this week I'll work on it a bit and get the parts pinned together. I need the longer bolt for the cape (easy fix). I have the hoses for my right gauntlet soaking in a cooler full of coffee and grounds to try to weather them. Once they are done, they need to be attached and then attached to the upper part up my arm. I want to get my chest electronics secured inside the flak somehow. Maybe a makeshift pocket or some type of Velcro attachment. Still noodling that one. And then, lastly, I need the jetpack back from my painter so that I can add the hooks and clips and that should be about it. Pretty sure I'm forgetting something, but whatevs! Damn, I look good!

Enjoy the weekend all!

[Lidocaine]

More Fett is always a good thing! Now get your mind set on hiking a few miles in it for Starlight!

[CadBane3]

Thanks Luke! It's surprisingly comfortable so far. Not sure if that will stay true once the jet pack is added. It'll be done and submitted well before the next starlight!

[CadBane3]

Small update today as I'm hopeful that Santa will bring me a sewing machine so I can finish my strapping and jetpack harness. Finished the 7+ day coffee soak for my gauntlet hoses. Here is what they look like versus a clean hose:

20171222_112538 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

I have them just placed on the gauntlet with no glue at this point as the tension seems to keep them on, for now. I also cut some slits in them so that they were a slight bit more flexible as they are very rigid:

20171222_134426 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

The slits are mostly up my sleeve once they are secured to the clip:

20171222_140458 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

20171222_140511 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

That's about it for this costume for now. So close! Just need some finishing parts and my final pieces painted and I should be ready to submit for approval.

[CadBane3]

Got the sewing machine I needed for Christmas, so I immediately hammered out the final parts that needed completion, from a sewing standpoint.

So, I finished my jetpack harness:

20171225_130139 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

and the straps for my knees:

20171225_130542 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

I may add some Velcro to the knees of my flight suit and may need some slight alterations on the flightsuit itself, as well as holes to the back of my flak jacket for the harness straps to come through, but the costume is essentially done and ready to submit as soon as I have my jetpack and shin tools back from being painted!

[CadBane3]

Added Velcro to the flight suit to keep the knees in place.

20171228_150139 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Will need to weather the elastic on the back of the knees, but I'm essentially done with all that I can do until my jetpack and shin tools are received back.

[CadBane3]

Well, it's been some time since I've done anything on this costume and frankly, I don't even remember where I left off. The good news is that my jetpack and shin tools have finally returned from the commission painter and they were worth the wait!

20180829_145534 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

20180829_145555 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

I know I need to install the hooks on the jetpack to get it to attach to the harness, but no joke, it's been so long since I've thought about his costume that I have no recollection of anything I did before. I may have to read my own build log! LOL

Anyway, would be cool to finish it and get it submitted for RCCC. I'll have to dig it all out over the weekend and see how close I am. I honestly think I just have to get the jetpack connected and then suit up, but I may be surprised once I start reviewing it next to the CRL.

[CadBane3]

Added the Fett "g" string to my cod/kidney and then looked over everything and I'm actually quite close to being able to submit. Today, I spent some time adding the clips to the jetpack so that it can attach to my harness:

20180902_161506 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

Then, I sewed button holes in the back of my flak vest so that the harness straps can pass through the top and the bar of the harness, what the jetpack sits on, can pass through the bottom:

20180902_164936 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

I ended up adding a few extra holes to the bottom so that the bar can fit through a slightly smaller set of holes. Shouldn't be a problem as they are hidden under the bar.

And that brings me to the harness. The last piece of the costume that I need to dial in for submittal photos (except for some minor weathering of the G-string and the knee straps). This is a Big Dane harness that many swear by and I'm sure it'll work just great but the tri-sliders that I bought so far are a bunch of junk and I cannot get any of the strapping to stay in place. The slightest tug and it essentially falls right off. Not a good recipe when the jetpack weighs at least 10 pounds and I certainly don't want it to fall off my back and get destroyed. So, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. May need to find different sliders or something, but I'll have to come up with some solution.

20180902_165650 by Michael Halstead, on Flickr

[Rat]

Looking pretty snazzy there Michael.

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