Episode 9 Stormtrooper research (Caution Spoilers Ahead)

[ukswrath[Staff]]

4 hours ago, bear0902 said:

So I saw in a Facebook post that anovos will be doing a run of these anyone think that might be true ? Lol just curious I know a lot of people joked about it but could it be serious
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Anything is a possibility but I wouldn't hold your breath just yet. 

 

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

3 hours ago, JAFO said:

As for a full suit, they can’t even get an FOTK right and they’ve had access to those files for almost five years!

 

 

It's been 5 years and NOBODY has produced a screen accurate FOTK costume, not even by those that worked with the movie suits. It's not going to happen, not by Anovos nor anyone else. All we can hope for is someone makes something close. 

 

 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

11 minutes ago, ukswrath said:

 

It's been 5 years and NOBODY has produced a screen accurate FOTK costume, not even by those that worked with the movie suits. It's not going to happen, not by Anovos nor anyone else. All we can hope for is someone makes something close. 

 

 

Why do you think that is? Too expensive to do it right?

[Sly11[Admin]]

3 minutes ago, Harbinger said:

Why do you think that is? Too expensive to do it right?

That's one possibility, along with the manufacturing process used by the big movie houses.

Extrusion molding of parts is prohibitively expensive to most, so vac forming or fiber glass molding or 3D printing is as close as we get.

The ability to to use a vast array of materials , flexible and rigid is where the production costumes are at so there is a disparity from the start.

Over time some of the makers have improved to get closer in design and measurements and there is certainly an abundance of reference material in screen shots and actual images of screen used armour in parts and from every angle, the rest I guess is up to the individual makers interpretation.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

16 minutes ago, Harbinger said:

Why do you think that is? Too expensive to do it right?

Very expensive and the process is complex, even more so with the Sith suits from what I understand. Most hobby enthusiast lack the resources to replicate screen suits. I also suspect customers being able to afford it would be limited. 

[JAFO[TK]]

I’m fortunate enough to own a SW screen used asset made from the infamous PU used on the FO stormie kit.

It’s an amazing material. Strong but flexible.

If only someone could crack the code and make a kit with this stuff! It would be amazing.


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[Sly11[Admin]]

You know what they say, Photos or it never happened

 

 

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[JAFO[TK]]

You know what they say, Photos or it never happened
 
 
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That’s just the reaction of doubters and naysayers

Next time you come down to Sydney Andrew I’ll happily show you first hand.


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[Sly11[Admin]]

No not at all, it’s what FISD is all about mate, we love photos, come on, I thought you would know that!! Lol

 

 

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[ukswrath[Staff]]

 

5 hours ago, JAFO said:

I’m fortunate enough to own a SW screen used asset made from the infamous PU used on the FO stormie kit.

It’s an amazing material. Strong but flexible.

If only someone could crack the code and make a kit with this stuff! It would be amazing.


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Let's see some photos. The FISD is about sharing information. You say you have a kit or at minimal the material it's made from please post a photo with you holding it. That's not too much to ask is it?

Edited July 28, 2019 by ukswrath

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

10 hours ago, JAFO said:

I’m fortunate enough to own a SW screen used asset made from the infamous PU used on the FO stormie kit.

It’s an amazing material. Strong but flexible.

If only someone could crack the code and make a kit with this stuff! It would be amazing.

The stuff is already outthere you know. There are countless of different kinds of resin available to buy, even if you're a particular. Some are rigid, but others are flexible (it's called shore index). In the end it comes down to the makers to research and use a correct PU resin.

The only difference with screen-used parts is that they're injected instead of rotocast, or poured like most of our stuff is made. It allows details to be added to the inside of the parts and also insures an even thickness everywhere. But that's pretty much all.

And in the end you can also replicate an injected part by making a two parts mold (one that captures both the outside and inside of your piece). However it costs twice the price of a regular mold, and it gets more challenging to assure that your resin is going to fill every part of your mold because as you're not pushing the resin (injecting) you can mostly only rely on gravity. 

 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

I wonder what a proper PU kit would cost... $5k?

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

The actual raw material for a single cast wouldn’t be too bad (can’t imagine there’s much more than 2 gals in one so maybe 200-300 in resin?) but the setup costs and running costs for mould up keep would be pretty outrageous. Also it assumes you have a good starting point to mould from, and you’d want to keep it around as moulds expire and need replacing.  

 

Maybe you you could replicate the injection process with syringes but the volumes would probably be a bit large for that. Really you need someone who knows what they are doing so you don’t waste money on badly designed moulds, short life moulds and poor castings. Material choice could be made with a few small scale tests before buying a bigger batch of something. 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

4 minutes ago, themaninthesuitcase said:

The actual raw material for a single cast wouldn’t be too bad (can’t imagine there’s much more than 2 gals in one so maybe 200-300 in resin?) but the setup costs and running costs for mould up keep would be pretty outrageous. Also it assumes you have a good starting point to mould from, and you’d want to keep it around as moulds expire and need replacing.  

 

Maybe you you could replicate the injection process with syringes but the volumes would probably be a bit large for that. Really you need someone who knows what they are doing so you don’t waste money on badly designed moulds, short life moulds and poor castings. Material choice could be made with a few small scale tests before buying a bigger batch of something. 

Heck I'd be willing to pay big $ for a suit that was more authentic. 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

29 minutes ago, Harbinger said:

I wonder what a proper PU kit would cost... $5k?

I was told by someone that worked on the TFA costumes (arm chair info ) they cost roughly $10K each. 

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Like Chris says, the cost in material isn't that much. It's the molds that are extremely pricey. But we're talking about injection molds, so most likely two part molds that are CNC cut from aluminum. I also guess that all the stuff and equipment required to inject the resin is costing a lot too, so unless you're doing that as a bussiness and already have the tools, the set up cost for a propmaker would be far too much.

However a regular mold would probably work fine too, you would only lose the inside details. But the issue with resin is that the more flexible it gets, the thicker (gooey) it gets too and the faster it kicks (start to harden) which makes it more difficult to work with. Because of that short lifespan it's more difficult to cast large parts, but also to obtain something that has a somewhat even thickness, and free of air bubbles. In this case the best way for us (one that doesn't involve a crazy amount of money) is to project it with a spraygun. 

But if you look at what MIMIC has done with his armors this is pretty much it (I'm not here to debate his reliability or else, I know he can't be trusted anymore). Flexible gelcoat on the outside for the shine and smoothness, and fiberglass to back it (done with a flexible resin of course) and you get something that is extremely close. Even what Jimmiroquai is doing is not bad. I only wish he'd spend the time perfecting his surfaces before molding.

Edited July 28, 2019 by The5thHorseman

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Does anyone know if costs became a factor with MIMIC? I can't imagine the process was cheap

[JAFO[TK]]

All the masters were 3D printed and cast in a new crystal clear silicone so they could eliminate any air bubbles. The new silicone was expensive but allowed them to get double the amount of casts from each mould. It looked like each piece of armour was encased in a solid block of glass.


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[Sly11[Admin]]

3 hours ago, JAFO said:

All the masters were 3D printed and cast in a new crystal clear silicone so they could eliminate any air bubbles. The new silicone was expensive but allowed them to get double the amount of casts from each mould. It looked like each piece of armour was encased in a solid block of glass.


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Is this for Mimic armour or the real screen used suits?

[JAFO[TK]]

Is this for Mimic armour or the real screen used suits?

Screen used.


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[Sly11[Admin]]

4 minutes ago, JAFO said:

 

Screen used.


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Cool, thanks for that, I learnt something new today.

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

The 3D designer for a lot of this mentioned this in an older Instagram post. Spoke of "big block molds" for vacuum casting.  I of course can't find the comment post I am thinking of but the basics is here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BpCgNhNgI71/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Interesting read on MSW

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

 

https://makingstarwars.net/2019/07/the-sith-fleet-the-super-weapon-and-what-it-means-in-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker/

[Sly11[Admin]]

Interesting read, thanks for posting.


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[heartstopper85[TK]]

There some lego mini figs floating around of the Rocket trooper; looks like a hoover tank trooper from r1 in some ways.

 

D23 approaching I bet we get over our heads in new costumes. I'm slowly starting to get things to get for the first order mountain trooper which I don't think will ever end up on screen but might be in the park