Latex stunt neck seals research and build thread

[Sonnenschein]

I dont think they put 10x56 tubes on some neck seals. Way to much work.

Besides, I have a profile pic of the ribs. They are neither half round nor round. Almost like a sinus curve. I will post it later.

Man, I really do need blueray caps.

[troopermaster]

I have bought several dive suit neck seals and none have been suitable to wear with armour. They have all been too tight fitting and do not have pronounced ribs, so I have cancelled them out of the equation.

 

It's my belief that the seals are probably from a deep sea divers suit or something similar. I do believe they are a found item - I just haven't found anything that is close unfortunately.

[1970si]

Thanks Paul,

 

j

[1970si]

Karin,

 

About the neckseal comment poking out below the chin

 

- If you look in the book "The Making of Star Wars" the definitive story behind the original film by Rinzler 2007 - on page 215 - the picture is definately better than my scan.

 

If you look at the trooper on the most right side of the photo - look underneath his chin moving towards his left ear. It looks like to me that a flat bit of latex neckseal is sticking out above the "rib" section. It can be seen better if you have the book and not in my scan photo. I took the pic below with my camera - maybe it's a little better for you to see what I'm talking about.

 

Thanks,

 

j

 

[1970si]

Again - if you have the book - you can see what I'm talking about alot more clearly than these pictures I've posted.

 

j

[Sonnenschein]

I have some hi res versions of this pics. I post them later.

It is my limted english which prevents me from understanding certail parts. Lol.

Thanks again for everyone's input!

[Marv]

Karin,

 

About the neckseal comment poking out below the chin

 

- If you look in the book "The Making of Star Wars" the definitive story behind the original film by Rinzler 2007 - on page 215 - the picture is definately better than my scan.

 

If you look at the trooper on the most right side of the photo - look underneath his chin moving towards his left ear. It looks like to me that a flat bit of latex neckseal is sticking out above the "rib" section. It can be seen better if you have the book and not in my scan photo. I took the pic below with my camera - maybe it's a little better for you to see what I'm talking about.

 

Thanks,

 

j

 

 

I think thats probably something the guy is wearing to prevent a burn/rash on his neck, if you've ever worn a wet suit you often end up getting neck rash, simply from the heat, thats why you have rash vests to prevent it from happening.

[1970si]

Hey John,

 

You might be right - I don't know much about wet suits - I didn't even know that they have burn/rash stuff that you could wear underneath them.

 

One thing though - what ever is underneath his chin seems to mold up towards his neck like molded latex would - fabric or spandex would start bunching down towards the ribs - I could definately be wrong - but that's what it looks like to me.

 

one other thing about the ribs - if you look at each trooper in the picture - the ribs are not uniform at all - each troopers neck seal ribs look different - making me thing that these were all hand made and not a found part.

 

j

[1970si]

Dear Karin,

 

Sorry if I'm not explaining myself well enough.

 

jack

[Sonnenschein]

Please Jack, do not apologize. There is no need. Not at all!

I still need to learn a lot, and being on this board really helps a lot.

 

I think the ribs are not solid, but hollow. Thus they are stretched and/ or crushed, resulting in different sizes.

Once I have a sample ready I can demonstrate my theory.

 

In the meantime, I encourage everyone to share their thoughts!

 

Let us decipher this last piece of the puzzle together!

[1970si]

Hey Karin,

 

If you think the ribs are hollow - would that not make sence for them to be hollow rubber tubes joined together?

 

If you stacked the tubes on top of each other - joined the ends of the tubes together (1st sew line) then ran a needle through the tubes opposite the seam line

 

- then you would have hollow rubber tubes that are joined together at 2 points (to keep them in line) and they would still be strechy (elastic) to get them over your head and cover the neck portion of the rubber neck seal.

 

 

 

Or you could join them at 4 points (to keep the tubes in line and still be elastic enough to get them over your head and around the neck) -

 

If you picture a wall clock - the 4 joining points would be 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock positions.

 

The seam line joining the stacked rubber tubes could be at the 12 o'clock position.

 

Then at the 3, 6, 9 o'clock positions you could run a kneedle and thread down through the tubes from top to bottom - to hold them in position and still have enough elasticity to got over your head and down around your neck covering the dry suit neckseal.

 

The 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions where a kneedle and thread is run down throught the tubes to help keep them in position - would not be seen from a profile view - the only connection that would be visable from the pofile view would be the seam joining the 2 ends of the tube together at the 12 o'clock position.

 

Don't know if that made sence how I expained it - a picture is worth 1000 words!

 

j

[bobojuice]

I thought this image was interesting...

 

[troopermaster]

Also of interest is that it shows 5 ribs on the shoulder straps mounted to the chest plate. Some people think that only Luke had the straps mounted so far down onto the chest, when in fact most (if not all) troopers were assembled this way.

[MartinSivertsen[501st]]

After some research I mounted mine between the fourth and the fifth rib. Cool to see that it's accurate to go all the way to five.

Also looking forward to seeing what becomes of these neckseals. I like the project.

[bobojuice]

I mounted mine at just around 4 as well. Might have been just the beginning of the fourth. Then again, I am bigger than your average trooper so...

[Sonnenschein]

I thought this image was interesting...

 

 

 

Yes, this IS quite intereting. Thanks! Don't know what to make of it, though. Sure doesn't look like latex. Maybe the same fabric like the hero ones, with lesser ribs. A third kind perhaps?

[troopermaster]

I think it looks like latex.

[bobojuice]

Looks like rubber to me as well. It's got that dull dirty look to it. Reminds me of my grandfather's old rubber dive fins.

[Sonnenschein]

I guess your right. But no defined ribs; more like folds.

[bobojuice]

I guess your right. But no defined ribs; more like folds.

 

So I guess that's the difference between the stunt and hero neck seals. What do you think?

[iconoclasta_88[501st]]

mmmm Here is a thought.

And this probably everyone has already though about at some point, but...

 

My experience in the hobby is mostly with TDs, and over there, things do not match at all from one guy to the next one. Different ways to strap stuff, different parts for the same function/look, different solutions to specific one person problems...

I have learned to take one reference from one trooper as what it is, one reference. And understand that there are many other ways thing might have been done in the same scene, at the same moment for the same "character" (being it TDs).

 

So... It would not surprise me if there were lots of different stuff used for neckseals... from scuba seals, to turtle neck sweaters to scarfs... latex, cloth, rubber, leather or whatever. Specially for the background guys.

 

Anyway... all this you all know. Just wanted to say it again.

 

I am veeeeeeeeery interested in this thread. Been waiting for an accurate stunt neckseal for years. Keep it going Karin!! There is a lot of interest in this project for sure!

 

Saludos

 

Juan

[Sonnenschein]

Okay, I'm convinced now. I starred at this pic for over an hour

 

If the ribs/folds are that soft/sloppy I can whip up one proto within hours LOL.

So far, I ve been working precisly with calipers and such, casting up ribs with mirror like shiny surface, etc...

 

Ma, those bluray thingies DO help a lot!

 

Any many thanks for Mason for doing this!

[Sonnenschein]

You got a point there, Juan. I agree serveral versions were used (like hand guards)

But we can only go screen accurate from what we SEE, not ASSUME.

As I said before, a seal like in this pic is NOW easy to make for me.

[iconoclasta_88[501st]]

Yeah! I know sis. You are right with not wanting to assume. Assuming is not going to take us closer to accuracy ever.

I just mean, do you want to be accurate to THAT reference???

Honestly, and this is not meaning to discourage you in any way, but I don't.

 

I rather be accurate to other references where the neck seal looks better and more "standard" to other troopers along the saga.

 

Just an opinion.

 

Still, I would love to see this prototype done too!

 

 

Saludos

[Sonnenschein]

Look at the back of his neck, Those "ribs" look almost exactly as we know from this

 

 

 

Maybe the seal brom the BTS pics is already a little worn out?

 

Also, they look wide enough to pull them over your head and put it on your chin like this guy on the right

 

 

 

I'd make them a little more "cleaned up", but you can see at least the "structure" in the recent pic.

 

No, you don't disencourage me, Juan, not at all. The more opinions, the better!