Fully finished ANH Stunt TK (1,5mm ABS) from Troopermaster with some modifications

[T-Jay[TK]]

Hello there,
 
last year I started my research to build a life-size stormtrooper display. After 8 months of investigations, discussions, emails and phone calls, I decided to go for the ANH Stunt TK from Paul (Troopermaster). As I had no experience in building armor and was afraid to mess up this expensive prop, the order got placed for a fully finished TK. The waiting time was used to start building my E-11 blaster. Just 2 months later the big brown box from Paul already arrived - and he had done a fantastic job! That was a nice day!
 

 
Let's skip unboxing and go straight to the helmet and the modifications. Grown up with the original trilogy, my TK has to look a bit more like what we believed to see on the screen, as what the high resolution pictures revealed some decades later. The statue simply needs to look good - even on close distance. Of course this is not everybody's opinion - but it's mine.
 




 
If the trimmed eye brow is wrong, it can be fixed by simply turning the inside out... Later I decided to paint the interior of the helmet. Chose PlastiDip black spray paint because it can be peeled off (if necessary).
 

It looks so much better (to me) and has some positive side effects:
- No more light can shimmer through the thin vac-formed ABS, which keeps the inside very dark and that makes the green lens look really black.
- It also gets even harder to see the wearer's eyes behind the lens.
- If you watch the back side of a TK, many times you'll be able to see straight into the helmet. The black interior then is an advantage. I'll also use a balaclava for my TK display to avoid seeing any skin or mannequin parts.
Will continue with the next steps in a few days. As always, please feel free to leave any comments, critics or advices. Thank you.

Edited September 20, 2017 by T-Jay

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Looking good Tino. You did very well! Every time I mask, I always seem to get some overspray. In my case a little bit of black leaked out between the ears.

 

Those last 8 photos - is that deliberate weathering, or just scuffing from the masking?

[Darth Niob]

Hi Tino,

 

again you did a great job in optimize your prop stuff. I'm very happy for you finding the right armor for display and the result couldnt be better...especially in combination with your great selfmade blaster. Dont forget to post pics of the full display if you have found the proper mannequin for it.

 

best

 

Nick

[Bone[501st]]

Now that is something to see!

 

Looking good!

 

BTW, what Kind of mesh did you use?

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Now that's the legendary German strictness to do things, i've never seen a thread so well organized  . And i gotta say that i dig that weathering you have on your helmet!! Did Paul do it or was it you? I'm also impressed by how tight the lens is with the eye openings, very nice. 

 

It's good to finally see that armor and i look forward for the next episode!

[illusionz_09[TK]]

looking good. Love the bucket

[MotioN]

Ouuuuu, its beautiful 

[T-Jay[TK]]

@ Ian (Sith Lord): I also masked the gap at the ears to avoid this color-fog.

Yes the last 8 pictures show the helmet with a later added weathering. Thought it wouldn't be noticed. How could I ...

 

@ Nick (Darth Niob): Thank you very much for your assistance and help, to make the right choice at the end.  Hope we will meet again soon.

But pictures of the completed display are still far away...

 

@ Bone (Bone): Uuh, I hoped nobody would ask this. To be honest: I cut a pair of old black socks in shape - of course these were washed

 

@ Germain (The5thHorseman): Just wanted to keep the thread in the familiar look .

Weathering was done by myself and I saved it for one of the next updates...

 

@ David (illusionz_09) and Cory (Motion): Thank you guys. Indeed Paul did a great job on the helmet - and the whole armor. I just try to optimize it a little bit.

[Burn[TK]]

It looks amazing! Well done mate

[T-Jay[TK]]

Update 01:      - medium brown box arrived
 
In January 2014 I started research on the boots and placed an order at TK-boots. They had some delay and put me on a back order list. So it took half a year and a visit at a German customs office to finally hold them in hands.
 

 

Regarding the color: these boots are so shiny white, they even make the armor (1,5mm standard ABS) look off-white. Troopermaster's acrylic capped ABS might not get this problem (cannot confirm). But the elastics are even whiter than the leather. So there is no way around some weathering here - in one of the next updates.

Edited September 20, 2017 by T-Jay

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

TKBoots are indeed much more white than TM's ABS so i guess they will need some good weathering! But you seem pretty good at this job, your blaster and helmet are here to attest it !

[T-Jay[TK]]

Thanks Germain! I am currently working on exactly that issue

 

TKBoots are indeed much more white than TM's ABS ...

 

At least more white than the 1,5mm standard ABS. Don't know if it's the same for the 2mm acrylic capped ABS with gloss.

Will hopefully soon post some progress...

[T-Jay[TK]]

Update 02:      - rubber and latex (that sounds so wrong )
 
For a long time I worried about the latex hand guards but didn't want to replace these. Next pictures show you, why I finally did. But I still feel seriously guilty for tearing this masterpiece apart. Sorry Paul, hope you will forgive me .
 



 

   

 

  

  

 
The pictures above are not meant to judge any of the gloves and handguards. And I'm not going to say that one is better than the other. It simply depends on how you want your TK to look at the end: screen accurate or idealized.

Edited September 20, 2017 by T-Jay

[Dday[501st]]

You're absolutely right. In the end, we each have the ability to pick how we want to troop. There are people in both camps. In the end, it's what makes you happy, and gives you the most enjoyment while trooping.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

It's very nice to have comparison pics of these two different handguards makers. And i'm actually quite surprised by the scale difference between both.

 

Isn't the rubber too white next to TM's ABS though?

 

Also I'm glad you decided to stick with flexible handguards and chemical gloves. I have begun with ABS handguards and leather gloves, but now i love my flexible handguards too much to think of ever swapping back, and in addition it's more accurate .

[Bone[501st]]

Your tip about "Sonax Reifen Pflege" is very good!

I was also not satisfied with the"blackness" of the gloves ...

 

Very nice work so far!

 

I know that "idealized" is frowned upon, but I like the armor to look as good as possible and the original handplates just don't do the job, sorry ...

 

But I have a question about the "fingerprints" and lines on the gloves: I thought the gloves are supposed to be completely smooth?

Smooth gloves are still available without much hassle ...

Edited September 27, 2014 by Bone

[troopermaster]

The original prop gloves had the fingerprints. Some people use NBC/chemical gloves which are smooth but not accurate.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

 

Gloves should also be textured on the inside if you look closely at the picture above.

 

But I have a question about the "fingerprints" and lines on the gloves: I thought the gloves are supposed to be completely smooth?
Smooth gloves are still available without much hassle ...

Edited September 27, 2014 by The5thHorseman

[Cantina Security[501st]]

TM is the shiznit.... Nice work on your mods!

[Bone[501st]]

Dang! You are right!

[T-Jay[TK]]

@ Derrek (Dday): Thanks man. This tolerance is exactly what I hoped for! Also very important to everything I change: out of respect to Paul's work this can all be undone! So if I want to go for rough screen accurate some day, no problem...

 

@ Germain (The5thHorseman): Karin's white rubber hand guards are a tiny little bit whiter than the 1,5mm standard ABS. Planning to adjust this with minor weathering...

 

@ Bone (Bone): The glove color can also be refreshed with some black plastic care for cars. It depends on what you have available and what brings the desired result - without transferring the black color to other things.

 

@ Paul (troopermaster): Hey, happy to have the master himself onboard . And thanks for answering Bone's question in my absence .

 

@ Germain (The5thHorseman): How much time do you spend watching these photos to always find some perfect evidences?!  Nice work, man!

 

@ Jason (Cantina Security): You are absolutely right. I could not imagine building this display with any other armor than Paul's!

Edited September 10, 2015 by T-Jay

[T-Jay[TK]]

Update 03:      - weathering the armor
 
People might wonder why an "idealized" armor should get any weathering at all. Well, some color deviations between armor, hand guards and boots forced me to do this. Weathering will hopefully conceal or at least reduce these. But first I concentrated on the armor itself. Decided to go for a weathering which I had seen on the TK from Stefan (Turrican). Old newspapers got soaked with water for a few minutes, then rubbed over the armor. This transferred some black ink and highlighted the edges. It was done on all parts, increasing from the helmet to the boots. It is water resistant, but can get removed with some mild plastic cleaner or with ultra-fine sandpaper. Enough words. Pictures:


 

 

 

 


And the rear side:


 

 

 
In case you haven't already seen it, here is the inside view with the standard strapping. I preferred this, because the original strapping has some visible screws in the torso.


 

Unfortunately the camera's automatic mode changed while shooting. This caused some pictures to have warmer colors than others

Any comments and critics are welcome. Please let me know, what you think of the weathering so far. Thanks in advance.

Edited September 20, 2017 by T-Jay

[Dday[501st]]

How was the splitrivet look on the outside preserved with the snaps on the inside? Can you do photos form outside and inside so we can see some details?

[T-Jay[TK]]

Hi Derrek, here are the pictures

[Dday[501st]]

Perfect, thanks!