11B30B4’s ROTK Build

[11b30b4[TK]]

Just a quick update. I attended an Armor Party last night and conducted a test fit of most of the armor. I figured out a few other things that I need to change but overall I am pleased with how this looks.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the items I will be addressing is the undersuit shirt. Where I took in some of the mesh along the zipper to bring the ribbed sections in more to cover all the exposed areas along the sides of the back plate; the material is now bunching (yellow circle). I will need to figure out how to prevent this.

 

 

Additionally, I need to replace the elastic suspender that hold up my pants, assist in keeping the abdomen at the proper height, and the shoulder bells attach to. I found this behind the scenes photo and notice the webbing suspenders (yellow circle).

 

 

Another thing I learned is that the Velcro and cut out area of the shoulder straps for the chest armor seems to be working well.

Also, a friend was working on his clone trooper armor and I noticed he had silicone rubber shoulder straps (yellow circle). I really like this idea and have considered making some for my TK. If my fiberglass ones become a real issue I will look into this. The only concern I had was painting them to match the armor but Smooth-On has a paint designed for silicone that will stretch with the silicone and not delaminate or crack.

 

 

Anyway, its nice to see progress on the kit. Thanks for the interest.

Edited June 11, 2018 by 11b30b4

[11b30b4[TK]]

Updates:

Ok so I decided to ditch the elastic suspenders that were strapped to the belt on my pants and go with the idea from the previously posted Rogue One behind the scenes strapping. I did not have any 1 ½” black webbing on hand so I used 1” but I can change this later if it becomes too uncomfortable. I permanently attached the straps to the back of the abdomen (at the top of the picture) and used snaps to attach them to the front. I made them adjustable with Velcro and a plastic D ring. Again I did not have a black 1” D on hand so I used some green ones. You will be able to see this better in a later picture. Also I added two small straps that attach to the outer edges of the posterior plate with Velcro to hold is closer to the body.

 

 

Next I placed some soft Velcro on the inside front of the abdomen to attach the strap you see in this picture. The strap has a snap at the top and will snap where you see the clamp to help hold the chest plate in position and not let it ride up.

 

 

Next I started filling in the inside edge of the back cover plate to the Velcro or whatever method I come up with, will mount to the back of the armor better. I used two layers of .90 styrene and glued it in place. It is still recessed under the edge by 1/16^th”.

 

 

Next I sanded the gauntlets with 100, 150 and 220 grit then filled in some cracks with glaze.

 

 

Ok so I was figuring out how to attach the back belt and make sure it was centered when I found this behind the scenes pic. Notice the snaps on the side of the front belt (yellow circle). I assume they are to hold the back belt centered, so I figured why not. I glued two 2” white cotton straps on each side of the front belt with E6000 and added 3 snaps to each side. There is one snap that connects the ends of the front belt to the abdomen and two snaps that connect to the back belt.

 

 

 

Next I lined up the snaps with the back belt and added the snaps to receive the front snaps.

 

 

Lastly I tested most of these changes and here are the results. Notice how well the chest armor and front belt lay on the abdomen.

 

 

Also, since I discarded the elastic suspenders and crisscrossed the new 1” straps, I needed to attach the shoulder bells to the elastic straps that sit under the shoulder straps.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a picture of the abdomen where you can sort of see the 1” shoulder straps snapped on the top and the chest armor strap hanging from the center.

 

 

Ok so I need to test the back belt and figure out how to attach the back cover strip and then its heavy sanding. I am planning on painting in late July or early August if not sooner. It really depends on how far I get with the sanding and prep work and then I need to construct the paint booth.

Thanks for the interest.

[11b30b4[TK]]

Update, just a quick one…

So I test fit the back belt with the front belt and it looks like everything is good to go. The snaps for the back belt are about 3” back from the forward edge of the sides of the back belt (confusing?) I added a small section of Velcro at the forward edge of the back belt. I used some black Velcro for this but will use white Velcro after the paint. The back belt protrudes from the sides about 1/8” (yellow circles) and this is because of the Velcro. I will need to see how over time is my arms swinging when I walk will be hitting the back belt but I think it will be fine.

 

 

 

 

I have ordered the air brush paints needed to do the greys and blues on the abdomen and helmet. This pretty much completes the fitting and cutting. I will be reworking the back zipper of the undershirt tonight and see if I can fix the bulging issue. That means starting tonight; its time to sand, fill, sand, and sand some more. Then its masking and building the paint booth. Thanks for the interest.

[sandtrooper[501st]]

Thanks for posting your build process for the RO TK, Jeff.  I have enjoyed reading about your progress.

 

I'm curious what you are going to use for a paint booth.  It is something I'm contemplating for a current build using a spray gun, so have looked at some videos on line and some other tutorials.  The main issue is whether to build a full sized "room" or go for a desktop approach.  I would like to know what you have in mind.

Thanks.

[sskunky]

33 minutes ago, sandtrooper said:

Thanks for posting your build process for the RO TK, Jeff.  I have enjoyed reading about your progress.

 

I'm curious what you are going to use for a paint booth.  It is something I'm contemplating for a current build using a spray gun, so have looked at some videos on line and some other tutorials.  The main issue is whether to build a full sized "room" or go for a desktop approach.  I would like to know what you have in mind.

Thanks.

I built one out of Polycarbonate roofing sheets. Cut to shape with a jigsaw. I purchased a filter and a extraction fan etc and built it around that. It works a treat. I really recommend a booth or you’ll be at the mercy of the weather and paint dust!

[Thumpy~[501st]]

Hard-core build.  Awesome progress and pictures! 

[Big Deal]

See how your back plate sits with the added foam. I found that it’s hollowness allowed it to sit tighter as it let the curve of the rear abdominal bow into it. You might be fine, but if it doesn’t sit as close as you'd like you may want to feather the edges of your foam.

[TKSnake[TK]]

Digging this build. Looking forward to seeing more

[11b30b4[TK]]

Sandtrooper, thank you for the compliments and you question. I already have a paint booth that is roughly 4’ wide 4’ tall and 3’ deep. I made this out of wood and metal sheeting and it has a 12” inline exhaust fan. But I use this booth for smaller projects rather than all this armor.

 

Since I am using automotive primer, base coat, and clear coat; I really need to paint everything at one time and need the room to do it. Further, with a quality paint job I do not want dust or anything else to ruin the paint job. As it happens, my friend DAC and I made some 1950s Retro Sci-Fi costumes in 2015 for DragonCon and we used automotive paint for that project. So we built a temporary paint booth and this is my plan for this build. Here is a link for the 1950s Retro Sci-Fi costumes build if anyone is interested: https://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=244683

 

So here is a picture of my work shop from back in 2015. We moved my build table and constructed a frame from 1” PVC pipe. You can see my main paint booth (with the arched top) in the background.

 

 

And here are two more of the temporary paint booth. We just used 3mil drop cloths and clamped/ taped them to the frame including the floor. We used my exhaust fan from the smaller paint booth for the temporary paint booth. The whole temporary paint booth cost about $30.00 total. If you do this make sure you test the fans because it will cause the drop cloths to collapse into the booth so you need to get the input air (filtered) and the exhaust fan working together to avoid this.

 

 

 

I hope this helps to answer your question.

 

Sskunky, good advice. I chose to stay indoors to help compensate for the insane humidity we have in Atlanta.

 

Thumpy~, thank you. I hope it all turns out as I am picturing it.

 

BigDeal, I did consider this and you are correct, I may need to angle or feather the styrene inserts and this is not something I will be able to see alone so I will need to get a second set of hands to determine this. I may wait until after the painting to address this. As always, thank you for your suggestions and lessons learned.

 

TKSnake, thank you. I am anxious as well to see this build completed.

 

Everyone, thank you for your interest and comments. I am afraid that the sanding going forward will not be all that interesting but I will continue to update as I progress.

[sandtrooper[501st]]

Thanks for the response on the paint booth!  That is similar to what I'm contemplating with a PVC frame.  It will be placed in the garage but there is limited space and would like it to be positive pressure as well.    Using automotive paint is why the booth is needed - want to keep dust away.

[11b30b4[TK]]

Sandtrooper,a suggestions is that if it is raining or has been very humid wait to paint once you have dry air, if you can not wait when you do the painting, consider using a dehumidifier. I have not done this since i am in a somewhat climate controlled basement; however, in a garage I would think it may be necessary if its humid outside. When DAC an I did the Retro Sci-Fi stuff I stayed outside the paint booth to mix paint and pass stuff inside to DAC. DAC did all the spraying and we were not smart enough to test the over pressure before we started so in the middle of priming we turned on the exhaust fan and it slowly sucked all the drop cloths inwards. I was running around the outside of the paint booth try to tape and tighten the drop cloths to remove slack and prevent them from collapsing. The biggest issue was the top drop cloth. This time around I will add across member halfway down on the top to help with this.

[11b30b4[TK]]

Update…

I fixed the back zipper as best as I can by removing the additional black material and the zippers. Sewing in a binding along the seam of the mesh seems to help stabilize the seam. Then I added the additional black breathable fabric and finally the zipper. I should have some pictures of this in the next few days.

 

Sanding, ho hum… Ok I sanded the glazing on the gauntlets and they are done I think.

 

 

I also 220 grit sanded the chest plate, thermal detonator, back belt, posterior plate and groin plate. These parts will need to be inspected and glazing putty applied if needed then re-sanded.

 

 

I forget if I mentioned this in a previous post so I will add it here.

My sanding process:

So once a part is cut and fitted, I prepare it for painting by sanding and filling imperfections.

All the sanding I do is wet sanding. I use a square (2.5” wide 4” long and ½” thick) of EVA foam as my sanding block. The foam is stiff enough to hold its shape but will bend and conform around uneven surfaces. I use two types of sand paper. The first type is 3M pro grade ultra flexible sand paper. This stuff comes in rolls and sheets but I get the roll from home depot. I have only seen it in 3 grits; 100, 150, and 220.

 

 

The other type is 3M silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper. You can get this in almost any grit so I use 300-2000 grits. You can get this stuff at any auto parts store, home depot, and Lowes but I get mine at Ace Hardware, they seem to have a larger selection of grits.

 

 

SO my process is as follows: I start with a 4” square piece of 100 grit and soak it in cold water. I keep a bowl of water next to me that I will repeatedly dip the sandpaper in as I sand. I warp the sandpaper around the EVA foam and start working on a part using light pressure and working in a circular motion. This will become more important when I sand the primer before the pain but is a good practice to get into. The goal here is to smooth and feather any imperfections form the surface being sanded “without” leaving any sanding lines in the finish. I constantly re-wet the sand paper and keep the surface wet. I change directions randomly and keep working in a circular motion. It is tempting to go in one direction along seams and squared off features but I try to avoid doing this as it will leave sanding lines.

 

Next, I repeat this exact process with 150, and then 220 grit. For good adhesion of the primer the finest grit I will use will be 320 grit, anything finer and the primer may not stick to the surface and may delaminate later ruining the entire paint job. Once everything has been sanded to at least 220, I wash off the part with mild soap and water and let it dry.

 

Next, I inspect the part. I am looking for any uneven surfaces, pin holes, sanding lines, gaps, etc… Anything I find, I circle with a Sharpie. Next, If I can fix the problem with sanding, I do so. After that, I apply a filler. If the imperfections are small pine holes or very minor issues, I use an automotive grade glazing putty like Evercoat. Most fillers are two part, the filler and a hardener cream. If the issue is larger I may use Bondo. If the issue is on a heavy ware area like an edge that sits on top of the boot and may be exposed to stress, then I would use fiberglass resin, PC-7, or some sort of reinforced filler that will not simply break off with use. If one of these is used, the area will need to be sanded after the reinforcement and filled with bondo or glaze to smooth the surface. Regardless, once all the areas are marked and filled, I let them cure and then wet sand with the last grit I sued on the part, such as 220 grit. I blend/ feather the filler with the surface. Re-wash everything and let it dry.

 

Next, I use a rattle can of automotive primer and apply it to the part. One this is cured, I look for imperfections. Some people use several different layers of primer and alternate primer colors to know how deep to sand. Regardless, the purpose of priming at this stage is to use the primer to bring out the imperfections and now is your last opportunity to fix them. If needed, sand and/or fill the issues then re-sand as needed. Do not be concerned about removing the primer when you do this final cleanup. You will be applying additional coats of primer once you are done with this stage. Re-wash and dry the part and it should now be ready for priming and painting.

 

So that is my sanding process, I hope this helps some people who do not have a lot of experience doing this kind of stuff. I know I have read several posts from people who are intimidated with spending this kind of money on a costume and still have to do all this work. I can only say that building it is half the fun and do not let a lack of experience deter you from building a set of armor. This forum is here to assist you as is your local garrison. Dive in and if you make a mistake, most can be fixed and you will learn more about your armor in the process.

Thanks for the interest and I will continue to update this as I progress.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Sorry just now catching this build, looking great Jeff 

[11b30b4[TK]]

Ukswrath, thank you for the compliment.

 

Updates, Ok so I took a few shots of the undershirt to show what I did. In this picture you can see the inside of the back along the zipper. The material I used is a breathable black stretch fabric. I also reinforced the mesh then applied the zipper to aid in smoothing the zipper section.

 

 

In this picture you can see the outside of the back along the zipper. You can see how far down the material goes.

 

 

Ok so we tested the back cover plate and notice how it does not wrap around the curve of the back. There is a gap between the plate and the back of the abdomen armor.

 

 

 

Big Deal, you were correct. I needed to modify the glued in styrene to allow for the curve. Once I did this and used some Velcro to hold the cover plate in place, it looked much better. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

So I got more sanding done over the weekend but not a lot of sanding (Father’s Day). Anywho, I also snapped a closer picture of my friends Clone Trooper shoulder strap. Here you can see the silicone and/or rubber shoulder strap. I think this would be a great option for the ROTK but until I build the Jedah crystal pack and see how heavy it is and if it interferes with the shoulder straps, there is no way for me to know if I need to make a version of these for the ROTK.

 

 

Well, that is it for the update. Thanks for the interest.

[11b30b4[TK]]

Update…

And the sanding continues. So as you can guess, sanding, sanding, and even more sanding.

 

 

 

 

Ok lets start with the lower leg armor. I have found a few cracks in the lip of the top of each armor. These cracks appear to be due to the opening and closing of the armor to put it on. If you recall, the lower leg armor was a two part set for each leg and I made a permanent weld on the forward side of the armor. The back seam of the armor was open and would be closed with Velcro as per the CRLs; however, the flexing of the sealed side has experienced stress and is not cracking. These cracks are not deep but I do not want them to get any worse. So I backed them and filled them with PC-7.

 

 

 

And once I fixed the lower legs, I inspected and found similar seams on almost all the two part sections. Biceps and lower legs curing. Before someone asks, the mesh you can see inside the armor is metal mesh that I rolled and placed inside the armor to hold the armor open for painting and to provide a place to hang the armor from.

 

 

Next I sprayed a coat of automotive primer on everything that was sanded to uncover issues that need correcting.

 

 

 

 

 

So once all this is cured, more sanding and filling. And these are the parts that still need to be sanded.

 

 

And that is it for now. Thanks for the interest.

[11b30b4[TK]]

Updates…

So the sand continues…

I primed all the sanded parts and hung them to dry. Next they will get filled and sanded again. Then they will be masked (if needed) for final primer and painting.

 

 

Next, I sanded the final parts that needed sanding and washed them off. They will need primer, filler and more sanding.

 

 

 

And that is it for the update. I told you guys this was the boring part. Thanks for the interest.

[DEVOLVER[501st]]

I really can't wait to see this all put together. It's looking awesome already.

 

How many R1 Troopers are actually approved at this point? I don't think it's many. 

[11b30b4[TK]]

Devolver, thank you. As best as I can figure based on posts here in FISD and on MEPD, there 5 completed RO kits. All were TKs but at least one (Yoshix) is now a TD. Also there are a number of people who have built the RO sandtrooper pack and/ or Jedah crystal patrol pack but do not have RO armor. There appears to be 8 works in process including my build. All the builds are using Jimmiroquai armor except one (Sascha9481G) who is modifying an OT armor set. About ½ of the people working on RO kits are modifying the black series helmet and the others went with a Jimmiroquai helmet.

 

ID	Date Completed	Date Started	Location	Variant	501st Approved	Armor type
Jimmiroquai	6/11/2017	3/26/2017	Philippines	TK	Yes	Jimmiroquai
THMAustin	9/19/2017	6/28/2017	Oklahoma	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
darthcue	12/25/2017	8/11/2017	Philippines	TK	Yes	Jimmiroquai
Yoshix	1/29/2018	11/29/2017	Florida	TD	Yes	Jimmiroquai
porg_executioner	6/1/2018	2017	Puerto Rico	TK	Yes	Jimmiroquai
NaturalBornDT	WIP	5/20/2018	Florida	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Big Deal	WIP	10/12/2017	Canada	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Zeddy	WIP	4/14/2018	Australia	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Parquette	WIP	9/26/2017	Illinois	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
NotRookie	WIP	10/22/2017	Florida	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
cjkirk11	WIP	7/26/2017	Unknown	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Sascha9481G	WIP	5/22/2017	Germany	TK	No	Mod OT
11B30B4	WIP	4/2/2018	Georgia	TK	No	Jimmiroquai

 

If any of this information is incorrect, please let me know and I will edit it.

[DEVOLVER[501st]]

46 minutes ago, 11b30b4 said:

Devolver, thank you. As best as I can figure based on posts here in FISD and on MEPD, there 5 completed RO kits. All were TKs but at least one (Yoshix) is now a TD. Also there are a number of people who have built the RO sandtrooper pack and/ or Jedah crystal patrol pack but do not have RO armor. There appears to be 8 works in process including my build. All the builds are using Jimmiroquai armor except one (Sascha9481G) who is modifying an OT armor set. About ½ of the people working on RO kits are modifying the black series helmet and the others went with a Jimmiroquai helmet.

 

ID	Date Completed	Date Started	Location	Variant	501st Approved	Armor type
Jimmiroquai	6/11/2017	3/26/2017	Philippines	TK	Yes	Jimmiroquai
THMAustin	9/19/2017	6/28/2017	Oklahoma	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
darthcue	12/25/2017	8/11/2017	Philippines	TK	Yes	Jimmiroquai
Yoshix	1/29/2018	11/29/2017	Florida	TD	Yes	Jimmiroquai
porg_executioner	6/1/2018	2017	Puerto Rico	TK	Yes	Jimmiroquai
NaturalBornDT	WIP	5/20/2018	Florida	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Big Deal	WIP	10/12/2017	Canada	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Zeddy	WIP	4/14/2018	Australia	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Parquette	WIP	9/26/2017	Illinois	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
NotRookie	WIP	10/22/2017	Florida	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
cjkirk11	WIP	7/26/2017	Unknown	TK	No	Jimmiroquai
Sascha9481G	WIP	5/22/2017	Germany	TK	No	Mod OT
11B30B4	WIP	4/2/2018	Georgia	TK	No	Jimmiroquai

 

If any of this information is incorrect, please let me know and I will edit it.

Very cool. Thanks for the info.

 

You are definitely going to stand out in the crowd!

[11b30b4[TK]]

Devolver, no problem. I wanted to get a list going anyways, so now it is done.

 

Updates…

 

So sanding………………………………………………………

Yep sanding, and here is what this stuff looks like after a 220 sand job. Note the areas where the primer is still on the part. Most of the time this is because I cannot get into those areas very well with the sandpaper. Other times it means that the primer is sitting on a depression on the surface. This is one of the reasons you apply primer, it shows you the faults. So in this case I run my finger over the surface and if I can feel the depression then I will fill it in with glazing putty. If I cannot feel the depression then I don’t worry about it since the surface looked fairly uniform when the primer was applied. In case you are wondering, the white bottle in the picture is the Evercoat brand glazing putty. You can get it online or a local automotive paint supply store like PPG paints.

 

 

So most of the time I apply the glaze directly to a part that been primed and I can see holes or imperfections. In most of these armor parts, the seam where I adhered two parts together is a major area of concern. Also anywhere the cracks have become a problem needs to be addressed.

 

 

Even after sanding, I may detect flaws in a part such as the depression areas. I normally circle these areas and when I have enough issues to warrant the mixing of glaze, I mix it and apply it.

 

 

One lower leg done and one to go.

 

 

Still waiting to be sanded.

 

 

And, Das ist alles für heute, thanks for the interest.

[Thumpy~[501st]]

On 6/8/2018 at 9:59 AM, 11b30b4 said:

 

.. . . Also, a friend was working on his clone trooper armor and I noticed he had silicone rubber shoulder straps (yellow circle). I really like this idea and have considered making some for my TK. If my fiberglass ones become a real issue I will look into this. The only concern I had was painting them to match the armor but Smooth-On has a paint designed for silicone that will stretch with the silicone and not delaminate or crack.

 

 

Anyway, its nice to see progress on the kit. Thanks for the interest.

 

or some comparable fabric paint.  I used this type of paint for a rubber clone belt years ago.

[11b30b4[TK]]

Thumpy, thanks for the suggestion.

 

Updates, more sanding but also some progress. Here is everything that is ready for masking and painting at this time.

 

 

Once all the parts are on this table then I will begin building the paint booth.

 

Ok so a small package arrived today and I am so excited. I will be doing a full review of this product in the future but here is a quick down and dirty.

I contacted Brian Hall owner of Bulldog Props in Japan through his Bulldog Props Facebook page on May 9^th 2018. I was familiar with his products from his post on RPF. I knew Brian made resin cast versions of 1942 M38 scopes used on E-11s in the OT; however, these were not just a cast of the outside of the scope (like DoopyDoo’s). These were a complete reconstruction of the entire scope in resin parts. The scope can be completely assembled and disassembled. If you are seeking a very realistic but low cost (less than $50.00) and extremely light weight option to an actual M38 then I urge you to consider Bulldog Props.

 

Anyway, I contacted Brian on May 9^th inquiring about him making a 1943 version like was used in Rogue One. In our conversation Brian pointed out that they used the 1943 resin scope made by DoopyDoos for the film. I found his honesty and candor refreshing and asked him if he could make a version of his 1942 into a 1943. He advised me that he could not alter the 1942 model but he did have a 1943 scope and would be happy to attempt to cast it. Casting these small parts is very tricky give the level of detail in the threads and how the parts fit together.

 

On May 12 Brian began disassembly of his 1943 scope and completed casting on June 17^th. He shipped it to me on June 17^th and I received it on June 25^th. So here is my open box review:

 

The packaging is well protected and professional. Once I removed the outer wrapping and bubble wrap I expected a simple box with the scope inside wrapped in bubble wrap since this was the first cast and not a production item. I was surprised with the presentation.

 

 

Not only did I get the scope which looks awesome but also two sets of instructions. These were not an extra set of instructions from a 1942 scope but a 1943 specific instruction sheet. Apparently he is all set to produce and sell these 1943 scopes.

 

 

All the small parts were packaged and protected.

 

 

Once I unwrapped everything I discovered just how detailed the scope was and how much time and work Bulldog Props put into this.

 

 

 

So what to expect from a resin cast scope. The small thin parts (like the locking rings) are brittle and cannot take a lot of force. Brian had notified me that one small ring in particular would not screw in properly but that it would most likely not be needed. Brian even included a few extra rings in case I damaged some in the assembly process. This is obviously one area where actual metal parts win out but it was not the goal of this product and I did not want a metal version of the scope. Regardless, this is the first version of this product and I do not know if Brian will make an attempt to address this issue. Even if he does not, I am very happy with the results.

 

Next, due to the molding and casting process, most of the screw holes need to be drilled out. For this you will need some very small bits (which you can get at harbor freight or in Dremel kits).

 

Lastly, the prism cell is a cast part and does not have any reflectivity, so actually looking through the scope is not possible unless I alter this because the objective lens is not aligned with the eye piece. I will toy around with some mirror vinyl when I have time and see if this works but to be honest I wanted this scope to add a reticle and LEDs and possibly the small micro display made by Trooper Amps.

 

 

So far the only issue I have found is the two things that Brian told me about before I agreed to purchase the scope. There is a small bubble defect in the Eyepiece Mounting Plate which is an internal part and will not be seen and does not affect the scope in any way. The other issue is the Ocular Lens Retaining Ring not screwing in properly. I will most likely make a sleeve insert that will hold this lens in place and again will not be seen or affect the scope.

 

Overall, I am very impressed and pleased with this product. Yes you can purchase a brass 1942 version and/or an aluminum 1942 version but if you need a 1943 version of the scope for a Rogue One or Solo build the only options I am aware of are DoopyDoos and Bulldog Props. Personally I feel for the price and the detail, you cannot beat this option. I asked Brian to make something new to fit my needs and he achieved this. I appreciate his willingness and professionalism. I will do a more detailed review in the E-11 thread in the coming days.

 

And that is it for this update, thanks for the interest.

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Thank you Jeff for that great review and super kind comments. Happy you like the scope kit and based on your detailed review, I will try to make some more improvements on the rings and bubble areas. Arigato!

 

edit: one retainer ring might be slightly smaller than the other. Sometimes it takes a little even pressure to press the threads in a bit and the ring then screws on.

 

 

amazing build as well. I wish I had seen this earlier! Following from now on. I want to go R1 at some point, built the pack already but no armor or helmet. 

Edited June 26, 2018 by Bulldog44

[Ripper_L[Admin]]

Your attention to detail is amazing, Jeff. ( @11b30b4 ) This build is coming along very nice and is definitely top notch. Sehr gut!

 Nevertheless, I'll have to move your thread as most of the other build threads. There's a subsection for build threads in the R1 forum

Continue with your good work! Looking forward to see this done and approved!

[11b30b4[TK]]

Brian, you are most welcome. Thank you for making the scope for me and everyone else who wants one. I finished my review and will post it here after my update and I also posted it in the E-11 Rogue One thread.

 

Ripper_L, thank you for your comments. No worries on moving the thread. Somewhere on page one I mentioned that I just noticed the build section on the board and I did not see that section when I started the thread.

 

Ok update….

Sanding…

More parts completed and ready for masking and painting.

 

 

I also added a ton of glazing to the thighs, they were very rough on the sides. All I have left here is to finish the sanding and then its on to the paint booth. Bear with me…

 

Also I finished my full review of Bulldog Props Resin 1943 M38 Telescope. Here it is in total and I apologies for re-hashing part of it.

I contacted Brian Hall owner of Bulldog Props in Japan through his Bulldog Props Facebook page on May 9th 2018. I was familiar with his products from his post here in FISD and on RPF. I knew Brian made resin cast versions of the 1942 M38 scopes used on E-11s in the OT; however, these were not just a cast of the outside of the scope (like DoopyDoo’s). These were a complete reconstruction of the entire scope in resin parts. The scope can be completely assembled and disassembled and the price is less than $50.00 shipped.

 

Anyway, I contacted Brian on May 9th inquiring about him making a 1943 version like the ones used in Rogue One. In our conversation Brian pointed out that they used the 1943 resin scope made by DoopyDoos for the film. I found his honesty and candor refreshing and asked him if he could make a version of his 1942 into a 1943. He advised me that he could not alter the 1942 model but he did have a 1943 scope and would be happy to attempt to cast it. Casting these small parts is very tricky given the level of detail in the threads and how the parts fit together.

 

Timeline:

05/09/18              Contacted Brian with request

05/12/18              Disassembly began on the original scope

05/27/18              Mold Making

06/05/18              Molding

06/08/18              Mold Complete

06/09/18              First Casting

06/17/18              Completed and shipped

06/25/18              Received and reviewed

 

 

 

After receiving the package sooner than I had expected, I examined it and determined the packaging was well protected and professional. Once I removed the outer wrapping and bubble wrap I expected a simple box with the scope inside wrapped in bubble wrap since this was the first cast and not a production item. I was surprised with the presentation. I recalled Brian testing out ideas on how to package the 1942s and M19s on RPF and I thought his advertisement sheets and packaging were first rate. Well, not only did I get the scope which looks awesome but also two sets of instructions on different types of paper. These were not an extra set of instructions from a 1942 scope but a 1943 specific instruction sheet. Apparently Brian is all set to produce and sell these 1943 scopes.

 

 

All the small parts were packaged and wrapped in protection then neatly secured in the shipping box under the scope. Brian put some serious thought into how he would package these scopes and parts.  

 

 

Once I unwrapped everything I discovered just how detailed the scope was and how much time and work Brian put into this. All the parts are a resin plastic that is slightly flexible and less rigidly shatterable if that makes any sense? In other words, I do not think it would shatter if dropped and you are more likely to scratch and dent it than you are to crack it. For anyone who 3D prints, its more like ABS than it is PLA. This is also a pleasant surprise for me because I was concerned just how fragile this scope would be to drops and trooping. All my concerns are now set aside for basic trooping.

 

Anyway, the lenses are crystal clear and two of them are convexed on one side. The screws are all machine thread and look to be near perfect matches for the original screws in the original scope.

 

 

 

So what to expect from a resin cast scope. The small thin parts (like the locking rings) are brittle and cannot take a lot of force. They don’t just break like a rigid plastic would, instead the plastic will deform and peel away like nylon would if you forced it with a tool. Once Brian finished making the first scope, Brian notified me that one small ring not screw into one of the lens subassemblies properly but that it would most likely not be needed. Brian even included a few extra rings in case I damaged some in the assembly process. This is obviously one area where actual metal parts win out but it was not the goal of this product and I did not want a metal version of the scope. Regardless, this is the first version of this product and I do not know if Brian will make an attempt to address this issue. Even if he does not, I am very happy with the results.

 

Next, due to the molding and casting process, most of the screw holes need to be drilled out. For this you will need some very small bits (which you can get at harbor freight or in Dremel kits). Brian notes this in the instruction sheet and suggests using a bit that is slightly smaller than the screw. The only difficult part in drilling these is making sure they line up properly with the parts. There are a few screws that pass through two or more parts and must be aligned properly. Once you get one drilled, the rest are fairly simple.

 

Lastly, the prism cell is a cast part and does not have any reflectivity, so actually looking through the scope is not possible unless I alter the prism. This is because the objective lens is not aligned with the eye piece. I will toy around with some mirror vinyl when I have time and see if this works but to be honest I wanted this scope to add a reticle and LEDs and possibly the small micro display made by Trooper Amps. Looking through the scope was never my intention.

 

 

So far the only issues I have found are the two things that Brian told me about before I agreed to purchase the scope. There is a small bubble defect in the Eyepiece Mounting Plate which is an internal part and will not be seen and does not affect the scope in any way. The other issue is the Ocular Lens Retaining Ring not screwing in properly.

 

So to address the Ocular lens subassembly I put a piece of aluminum tube on my lathe and machined it to fit inside the subassembly. This is necessary because the actual lens from the original scope is thicker than the one furnished by Brian.

 

 

Once I milled the sleeve (yellow arrow), I cut it to fit inside the subassembly and then screwed in the retaining ring. It will only screw in three or four threads but that is all that is needed to hold the sleeve and lens in place.

 

 

After that I finished assembly and I am very pleased with the results.

 

 

 

 

 

So I wanted to also compare this scope to other options available. For a 1943 scope like the ones used in Rogue One and Solo, there are only three other options that I am aware of:

1. DoopyDoos resin cast scope which is only the outside of the scope. I believe it is solid and most of the builds I have seen, people have drilled out the scope to add lenses. It sells for 9.99 British Pounds or $13.08. This is not including shipping to the US. Also keep in mind that it would still need to be sanded before painting.

 

 

2. An actual 1943 M38 Sherman Tank Sight Scope if you can find one for sale goes for about $185.00.

 

 

3. A 3D print of the scope, I found one version on Shapeways for $32.00 and I do not know if that includes shipping. With some time I could probably find a free version of the model but like this paid version, it is just the outside body like the DoopyDoos; however, it is hollow and modifying it would be less work in my opinion than the DoopyDoos. Also keep in mind that it would still need to be sanded before painting.

 

The other available M38 scopes out there are 1942 versions like the ones used in the OT. There are some really nice options for the 1942 versions made in brass and aluminum ranging from $169.99 for the brass version, $105.00 for a hybrid version of aluminum and brass parts, or 79.00 for the all-aluminum version. All of these are completely assemble and disassemble capable; however, I have not found a 1943 version of these and there are enough differences that for a Rogue One or Solo build, you really need the 1943 version.

 

 

Overall, I am very impressed and pleased with this product. Personally I feel for the price and the detail, you cannot beat this option. Last month I asked Brian to make something new. Something he was not already making and had no way of knowing if it would sell. This scope was a special request to fit my needs and Brian achieved this. I appreciate his willingness and professionalism. I recommend this product and doing business with Bulldog Props.

 

I have been in contact with Brian and we have discussed many of the things I have mentioned here. I also suggested that he make a video and post it showing the assembly for those people who are not as mechanically inclined as he or I am. Brian has been very receptive and open in our conversations.

Full review here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/45138-bulldog-props-1943-m38-scope-review/

 

And that is it for this update, thanks for the interest.