R1TK belt teeth

[TerribleBen[TK]]

My question is the height measurement on the belt teeth that fit in the gaps of the abdomen. Look about half

an inch but would like a more sure answer. Not mentioned in the CRL....thanks Ben

[BigJasoni[TK]]

Ben,
In your FB post, you mentioned that your belt is 3" tall. How tall are the boxes? This sounds a little short, but similar to tab height, it's not listed in the CRL, so just make sure it proportional to the rest of your armor.  I think the best you're going to get is people providing measurements for their kit, but as you can see, my belt without the tabs is 3.75". This is one of those instances where you'll have to rely on the CRL clause that states "requirements for all 501st costumes are proportional to the wearer in scale, fit and size." If it helps, he tabs on my Jimi belt are about 5/16" tall.

Hope this helps.   

 

[TerribleBen[TK]]

Hey thanks for the "heads up". My boxes are 2 3/4 tall and the CRL states the belt should be 1/8 to 1/4 larger top and bottom. This how I came to the 3 inch belt. I am ordering some white ABS so I will work it out. Thanks!

 

[BigJasoni[TK]]

That works. A few of us have made our own belts. I did one on page 4 of the 3D print build thread found here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/49826-the-bigjasonis-rotk-3d-print-build-thread/page/4/ and @11b30b4 (Jeff) helped out with one on Kyle's build thread here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/49604-r1tk-wip/. Since doing the 3d print build, I've learned a lot more about the armor and have made several updates, but the belt has remained relatively unchanged. However, I did switch out the ammo boxes for the far more accurate ones I posted in the 3D Print Repository: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/50811-rotk-ammo-boxes/?tab=comments#comment-715128

You're probably going in the right direction if this is what you're doing. The belt should be a fairly straight forward project, but it can also be extraordinarily frustrating. If you build your own belt, I highly encourage you to measure 10 times and cut once. In my build thread I outlined how I initially laid out the HIPS and cut my tabs, but then stated that "a flat piece of material measures different than a curved piece." I almost had to throw the belt away once I attempted to put it on over the abdomen. Get good measurements with the belt bent around your abdomen, then mark the tabs. Even my Jimi kit belt suffers from this a little bit. Not everyone is the same shape but the belts are pretty much made one size; when you put on your abdominal armor, then fit the belt, stuff stretches, or shrinks a little bit. This is especially true if your weight fluctuates.

Finally, I would encourage you not to try and make tabs that glue on top of the belt. You may get away with this initially, but the tabs snap off very easily. Gluing them back on is easy enough, but it really messes up the paint when you're repeatedly doing "field repairs." Also, since they're supposed to sit somewhat flush against the abdomen surface, you can't really back them with a second piece of ABS, otherwise they stick out too far and it skews the appearance a little bit.
Honestly, I'm starting to like the idea of a rubber belt.
 

[11b30b4[TK]]

Ben, it sounds like you are on the correct path. Jason is correct that there is no one answer, as long as everything is proportional to your build, you will be fine. In the end, the overall look of the armor and its correct appearance in proportion to the wearer is what matters.

 

Jason, on the rubber belt idea, I know that a lot of the clone trooper have rubber belts, I am not sure the rubber would look "shiny" enough to blend with the armor and then there is the how to keep it clean. I have had to deal with these issues with my urethane shoulder straps and just about all the flexible materials (rubber or urethane) attract stuff to them that seems to stick to them like static cling. These are not really issues for the clones since their armor is based on animated or CGI armor. I do know that Smooth-On makes a glossy plastic like coating but I have not investigated if it would stick to the urethane or rubber or silicone and would not crack if flexed. 

 

Surely, this is something to investigate and possibly something to produce for sale. I would be interested to see what you come up with. I am slammed with project ATM or I would spend some time looking into this. Good idea.

Edited April 22, 2021 by 11b30b4

[Moredhel]

Can I ask a clarifying question here? It's related to the overall height of the belt, which influences how easy or difficult it is to work these teeth into it. The L3 CRL states "The front belt protrudes past all mounted ammunition boxes above and below by approximately 1/8”-1/4” 3-6mm." I find this odd, considering that there are screen examples with curved or angled lower sides. Like this picture that shows at least two variations in one shot: 

 

 

I'm also sure I've seen a photo of a belt with all of the boxes overhanging the bottom edge, but I can't remember where it was right now. I hope I'm not stirring up anything, but I could see a potential benefit in terms of movement perhaps with a narrower belt (especially near the thighs). And if it's screen accurate, why wouldn't it be an option for L3?

 

Thanks.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

With most versions of Stormtrooper there can be some on screen oddities, this could be because of fit or size of someone or Stunt/Hero versions, some of the details you mentioned have been noticed but since they are not the generally overall look of most of the onscreen seen Stormtroopers those details would not have been taken as normal, it's a bit like "Mr No Stripes" in ANH.

 

It's entirely up to our DO's if they would allow these differences in the higher levels @justjoseph63 @TKSpartan, who may jump in on this thread

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Let me do a little research on this, but there are definitely 2 versions.

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

The photo shared is from either deleted scenes or promotional materials and never actually seen on screen in Rogue One. That being said, the majority if not all of the belts I have seen (including ones seen on set in person) were even across the top and bottom, not stepped on the bottom like in the shared promo photo. I think either way should be allowed by the CRL though, personally. I'd be surprised to see any with the boxes hanging past the edge of the belt, so definitely post some official reference if it's out there.

Edited May 17, 2021 by TheRascalKing

[Moredhel]

I can't seem to find the photo I remember with the boxes overhanging. The best I can do is this poor guy (during rehearsal I assume) whose boxes overhang a little:

 

Here's another beveled edge before the drop boxes in the Celebration Europe photos:

 

 

Don't know if it was a screen-used suit or not though.

 

The TK on the left has the drop box hanger overhanging:

Lastly this is blurry, but again the middle boxes appear to have a taller section leading into a narrower one at the drop boxes:

 

 

From these I infer that

* The four boxes are can be mounted on a more prominent base and that the belt underneath continues at the same or narrower thickness to the drop boxes.

* If the narrower option is chosen, it's a matter of fitting/customization whether to "cut corners" or not.

* Center boxes overhanging must be an anomaly, but drop box hangers do overhang from narrower belts.

 

Food for thought!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

 

 

The trooper on the left doesn't appear to have the cut corners on the center belt, but this may have just been bent under, the thinner section appears to go all the way behind the center belt area, which could have been made this was so the cod was brought up higher, for shorter people, it then goes wider at the start or behind the drop boxes and is the same width of the back of the belt. 

 

 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Here's an image from The Mandalorian, which used the same R1 armor, could even be the same one as we see pictured above as it also has the missing or bent corner of the center belt. You can see the cod behind is right up against the thinner cut belt. Looks like some tape was added on the sides of the belt too just behind the drop box, the belt itself would have taken a pounding due to many troopers seen running in R1, thigh thighs smashing into the belt I guess something has to give

 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

So you have full belt

 

Angled belt and thinner side, does not appear to have drop box overhang

 

Shorter belt sides, no cut corner, or bent behind, with drop box overhang, cod wider than center belt section

 

But also angled belt behind the last center belt boxes so much shorter than the above image and overhang of drop box. This shorter front center belt section could have been cut this way to follow the sides of the cod as the cod height appears a lot shorter than on other troopers. Cod shorter than center belt section

 

 

And another shorter sides of the belt, drop box overhang and shorter center belt area with angled cut under last box. Cod larger than center belt section.

 

 

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

Fascinating. Could be "stunt" suit mods. Great collection of photos and I concur that the L3 requirement:

• The front belt protrudes past all mounted ammunition boxes above and below by approximately 1/8”-1/4” 3-6mm.

should be struck from the CRL or modified to reflect the reference presented at the next overhaul. 

[11b30b4[TK]]

Wow, great job researching this. I also suspect that the modifications were made to belts for stunt scenes just like the omission of the Thermal Detonator on most of the stunt TKs in the fight on Jedha. Although, I believe the intention of the designers was to have the belt protrude past the ammo boxes by 1/8”, I would not be opposed to removing this requirement or changing the wording to allow for more flexibility give these references. Another possibility would be to develop a stunt class of the ROTK like ANH and no, I will not be writing that CRL but I am happy to assist anyone wishing to tackle that task.

[Moredhel]

I finally found the other picture. It was in the middle of 11b30b4's ROTK vs. OTTK thread from last year:

 

It's that "Original Prop Blog" picture that shows a layered belt construction. The boxes are overhanging the thin strap but still have some backing from the wider base strap, and again the rounded edges terminate around the drop box.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

5 hours ago, Moredhel said:

I finally found the other picture. It was in the middle of 11b30b4's ROTK vs. OTTK thread from last year:

 

It's that "Original Prop Blog" picture that shows a layered belt construction. The boxes are overhanging the thin strap but still have some backing from the wider base strap, and again the rounded edges terminate around the drop box.

Looks like that is the image from one of the cons, it has the blaster arm strap to the side.

 

I wouldn't take too much info from display costumes as they aren't always dressed correctly, it could very well be a belt from another costume mix matched to this one, hence the V section behind it.

 

As we have already seen from other images there are some differences which should be allowable but this particular one I believe is not correct and should not be replicated. 

[Moredhel]

That makes sense. It definitely doesn't look as good as the others. It was just driving me crazy that I couldn't find it lol.