RS Props build in progress

[BlackSun51[TK]]

Looking Good Steve!

[gazmosis[501st]]

Well thank you Eric!!!

[gazmosis[501st]]

I went to a leather warehouse and picked up material for the holster. Sadly, you just can't buy material for one. I came home with a cow. MOO!  I decided to cut some connecting straps first. 20mm X 4 3/4" (121mm).Next I hoisted the cow hide up to measure for the holster blanks.You are correct. This is much thicker leather than is commonly used for standard holsters. I built mine like this and others noticed. They liked the way the thicker leather allowed for a permanent  opening in the holster that made holstering and drawing your weapon easier and so do I. Anyway. Troopermaster  blueprints are followed with one change.Since the leather doesn't collapse and stays rounded, one inch needs to be added to the front portion of the holster that folds around the front and get's stitched.   A couple blanks prior to detail trimming.After the front detail has been trimmed and the hole for the front snap drilled out. Material needs to be removed from the inside of the holster in the snap area so the post can protrude enough to be set properly. I don't have a sewing machine big enough to do leather work. As a result, hand stitching is necessary for me. In order to stitch, you need to make accurate holes to do this. The holes are measure along the stitch line at precise increments to assure that when folded over, the holes align. The holes can be made either with a punch or in my case drilled out. In order to guarantee that the holes are exactly the same distance from the edge. I set a fence on the drill press.Once the holes are drilled, I need to install the snap because that can't happen after stitching.  To prepare for stitching, You just can't use standard needle and thread. Leather sewing needles are used and wax coated, nylon thread is used. The needles are not sharp so they wont catch on anything. Here's the secret: TWO needles are used at the same time. A pre-cut length of the thread is cut. I have honed this down almost to the inch.   Anyway, I clamp the two halves together and begin by passing the needle through the THIRD HOLE FROM THE BOTTOM. With a needle in each hand, I make sure the thread length is even. I then pass the needles through the same hole back and forth working my way toward the bottom pulling each stitch tight. Then I work my way up passing each needle back and forth through each hole. Sometimes it requires a set of pliars to pull the needles through. But starting three holes up makes certain the thread is locked and won't ever come loose. This "back and forth through the same hole" stitching method assures that even if a stitch or STITCHES are broken, the seam will not separate.

Edited October 18, 2013 by gazmosis

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Nice progress dude.

 

I'm a proud owner of a Gazmosis holster and I luff it.

 

-Eric

[gazmosis[501st]]

It's an honor, Sir! I will have a few more coming here soon so if you know anyone needing one, pass the word!!

 

 

 

 

Once I have worked my way to the top, I go back down three holes to ensure the end stitches are nice and tight and will never come loose. I end in the back of the holster with both threads.I will tie off the ends to create a small knot.I will cut the threads and leave about 1/4 inch tail. I will twist this together tightly.I grab a lighter and gently heat this tail until it melts down to the knot. I wet my finger and press it into the knot. this melts all the threads together permanently.The finished stitch line.I won't bore everyone with the installation of the straps. I cut 3/4" squares out of scrap leather. Drilled some holes, popped some rivets and completed the holster.  Next it was time to attach it to the belt. The owner wanted his holster detachable.  I used line 20 snaps which are a tad smaller than the regular line 24s. I used the smaller ones because the male snap can be set with rivets to the canvas belt.The rivet was not POPPED because of its small size, this might damage the snap. The rivet was drawn just tight enough to hold. It was installed with a washer underneath so it would never pull through.The hole locations on the holster straps were marked. A little extra material needed to be removed from the straps so enough of the post of the smaller snap could come through. The snaps were set.The completed holster ready to hang.The armor's owner came by for some final fittings and helped me out with these final steps. Time to get him in his undersuit and fit the final parts. He put on the garter and thighs. He pulled these up as high as he could get them in his crotch. I then marked them. Boy that flash makes my hair look gray!!!  Anyway......I left far more elastic than was necessary to hang the thighs requiring them to be cut down. I like the ends of elastic sealed. It will fray if not sealed. I found that folding it over and sewing it is one way, but if you superheat a nail and gently pull it across the end, it will gently melt the edge.We superglued the straps in place. They will be coated in E600 later. The attached thighs.No they are not mounted that close to the belt. The belt just wasn't held high enough. Anyway, next we installed the straps and drilled the holes in the back of the grieves. these were superglued in.I opened the clips slightly so they would go on and come out easier. Next we attached the shoulder bells to the chest. We positioned the biceps, marked them and glued the straps in place. We also installed the elastic that attaches the forearm to the bicep. As soon as this was done I could see that the owner's proportions were going to affect a few things. He is 6' 1" or 2" has long arms and a long torso. If the biceps are moved up any, there will be way too much room between the forearms and biceps. It is what it is. There were troopers like that in the film. When fitting the back plate on, his torso length made the back sit way too high from the Kidney plate. I lowered it a bit to compensate and shorten the gap.  BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT>>>>>>>>>>>>>LAST THING TO BE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some paint on some rivets!!!!!!Drum roll please!!!!

The owner was very comfortable and VERY EXCITED!!!! It is always such a pleasure to see a smile on a new trooper's face!!!!  It was a pleasure to build this and I hope I provided a cool tip here and there. Thank you.

Edited October 18, 2013 by gazmosis

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

I was impatient to see the result and for a first full suited test and a 6' 1'' trooper, the fitting is amazing!

Congrats Steve, you've built that armor extremely fast and very well, the new owner must be really pleased 

 

As i love to throw (little) rocks  :

- The holding blaster strap looks a bit loose. Perhaps it's different with the blaster in it though.

- And the right shin looks like it want to twist, might need to link it to the shin

 

It's good to see a build that comes to its end. Once again, congratulations!

Edited October 18, 2013 by The5thHorseman

[gazmosis[501st]]

Normally, the blaster retaining strap would be left unsnapped. As for the shin......I don't know. He did not have his compression wear when we fit them, he wore mine. His new pants were very tight and it might be a little loose. Nothing a small strip of foam won't fix. Thank you for the good words and yes, he was very happy. He told me he slept in it.

[TK5144[TK]]

. Next we attached the shoulder bells to the chest. We positioned the biceps, marked them and glued the straps in place. We also installed the elastic that attaches the forearm to the bicep. 

 

Is there elastic that attaches the bicep to the shoulder bell? or just the elastic the loops around the bicep that is only physically attached to the shoulder bell?

[BlackSun51[TK]]

Derek,

 

Yes, nylon attaches the bicep to the shoulder bell in this picture.  I had Steve do the same thing for mine. The nylon is glued using E6000 to the shoulder bell in the channel and the snap is put near the top of the bicep which will be hidden by the shoulder bell.

 

Just a nice way to keep everything in place.

 

And Steve, fantastic finish!  So does this mean your available to work on my bucket?  

[gazmosis[501st]]

Sure, Eric!!!  Elastic could also be used...there is no law against it.

[JETC]

This is great info on the shoulder bell/bicep piece connection. The RS Props armor I have has no connection between the shoulder bell and biceps so it tends to twist and drop down a lot. One thread build made a hook out of an ABS(?) piece and glued them inside the bicep piece. The bicep then hooks on the elastic strap of the shoulder bell.

 

Are physical attachment like those against EIB requirements?

[gazmosis[501st]]

No they are not. The way we did this was our only option because he is so tall and has such long arms. A bicep strap hook would still have held the bicep up way too high.  Physically attaching your bicep has been done since armor has been around

[troopermaster]

If you have long arms and want to use bicep hooks, simply make the shoulder bell strap that goes around your bicep longer to allow the bicep to hang lower.

[gazmosis[501st]]

Duh!!! That's why you are the Troopermaster, Paul

[mx10]

I am the eternally gratefully owner of this armor made beautiful by the extremely talented, detail oriented and most gracious person I've ever met, Steve (gazmosis)!

 

I've always been a life long Star Wars fan but exactly one year ago when Lucusfilm accounced they'd be releasing more films I decided to double-down on my fandom and fulfill a life-long dream of owning an accurate Stormtrooper "costume". Well, I spent months researching and stumbled upon this forum where Steve was the first to reach out to me - and happened to live near by. He and another local trooper let me take a peek at an RS build and I decided, if I'm gonna do this, I better do it right and spend the money on RS. Spending the money was about 5% of the real work involved - so I found out. During all this my family and I were in the middle of a move and I lost the time and workspace needed for this project - and though Steve warned me there was "no way" he could take on another RS build with his busy schedule - he fit me in (literally and figuratively!) 

Most of what came next is documented in this thread - and Steve was absolutely vital in helping me reach my goal of a completed suit by Halloween.

 

Steve - there is absolutely no way I can repay you, you are the most generous person I have ever met, there's no way I could've completed this alone in the time I had - nor would it have been anywhere close to the very high standards that you hold yourself to. 

 

I can't wait to get started trooping with you and EVERYONE! - what an incredible way to be introduced to this awesome community!

 

Thanks again!

[gazmosis[501st]]

This Legion is about Troopers helping Troopers. It was a pleasure to work with you and will be as much a pleasure to troop beside you!!!!