Toddo's ROTJ Rubies mod

[Toddo[TK]]

I apologize for not having documented this in progress.  As a retail manager in December with three kids and house guests, I had to work quickly in tiny windows of opportunity.  Anyway, Daetrin is always encouraging me to challenge myself, so I found a discounted Rubies suit and wanted to see what I could do with it.  The suit was discounted because the helmet was cracked in a number of spots, but we all know the helmet isn't salvageable anyway, so I replaced that with a second-hand CFO helmet I had laying around and decided to convert the Rubies disaster into a quality ROTJ suit.

 

My modifications include the following:

 

• Replaced helmet with CFO bucket
• Trimmed biceps, forearms (including removal of return edges), thighs, and shins.  The shins were giant not just for my skinny legs, but in proportion to the entire suit.
• Drilled out the rivets on both ends of the shoulder bridges.  Trimmed the bridges to a reasonable length and re-attached using Velcro. I then added nylon load-bearing straps under the shoulder bridges.
• Trimmed the oversized hand guards to better fit my hands.
• Cut out the ab button plate and inverted ROTJ-style.  Painted all of the abdomen buttons with Testor's to match the screen-used pattern.
• Drilled-out the rivets connecting the belt to the abdomen.  Trashed the ABS belt strap and replaced it with fire hose.  
• Tried to add a pair of Kev's inner drop boxes the existing drop boxes, but they don't fit.  Instead I modified Kev's boxes to work inside the smaller Rubies' drop boxes.
• Riveted the new belt assembly and drop boxes to the abdomen plate.
• Re-strapped the entire suit ROTJ style.  The existing straps were way too long for anybody really.
• Drilled out the rivets connecting the thigh ammo belt as Rubies installs this upside down for some reason.  Reattached with rivets to the correct orientation.
• Removed the arm straps from the shoulder bells and added padding for that ROTJ linebacker look.  
• Painted the soles of a pair of TK boots white.
• Weathered the whole suit with inspiration from sskunky.  Instead of wood stain (and because I'm a scaredy-cat) I used acrylic paints. Now the suit looks like it has spent a little time on Endor.
• Replaced the ears on the helmet with a pair from Scootch as the exiting ears had visible screws attaching them.  Scootch also made some bubble lenses for the bucket.
• Built a holster with longer straps from one of Darman's kits and attached to the belt.
• Replaced the weird undersuit with my usual Under Armour stuff.

 

I didn't even both to take photos of this thing before the mods as I could hardly even wear it.  Zvask has some good shots of what it looks like before modding in his thread from 2009 though.

 

Here's the result of my mods:

 

So I now have TK versions from ANH, ESB, Incinerator, and ROTJ.  

 

 

 

[Minuteman]

Woohoo!

Nice outcome for the rubies armor!

More pics and an EIB application ?

[snoopy trooper[TK]]

IMO to me still looks like's  Rubies in a way . but good job so FAR

[SuperficialBurn]

Nice work Toddo.  I still think you need to teach classes.  Maybe some secondary income?

[Daetrin[Admin]]

ROTJ troopers are rare, and I think there only was one other person who got a Rubies 501st acceptable. Todd has really come through and has a singular talent for taking something b-grade and making it a-grade.

 

I agree with Steffan - go for EIB!!!