My Rubies TK Supreme ROTJ build/mod[*RB]

[JSmails[501st]]

I got a little bit more work done on this.  I flipped the knee ammo belt and replaced with rivets and painted the rivets white.  I also riveted on the shoulder straps and painted the rivets white.

 

 

 

Always more to do, but I am inching closer and closer to the finish line, submittal, and possible EIB.

 

Question, if anyone actually reads this....

 

Knee ammo belt rivets are supposed to be in the upper left on each side.  Any idea on how to fill the previous, incorrect, rivet hole and rivet correctly?  I could back the hole with something, fill it with bondo, then repaint the entire ammo belt but I don't know if the bondo will stay, and I'm not sure how close a color match I could get.  I suppose I could go that route, paint it close, then just dirty everything up and go Endor trooper weathering on everything.  

Edited November 16, 2017 by JSmails
PB

[KaitoTrooper[TK]]

Hey there August,

 

I'm sorry nobody answered you, I guess we RotJ are still quite shy

 

To answer your question,

your rivet hole is nearly in the middle of your ammo belt, so you should have plenty of room left in the upper left.

If you have any excess ABS, you can mix it with some acetone and carefully fill your hole with this mass.

 

Bondo sounds like a good idea, too, but watch out if the color fits in with the rest of your armor.

 

All in all, I really like where this is finally going.

Nice helmet!

[JSmails[501st]]

Hey there August,

 

I'm sorry nobody answered you, I guess we RotJ are still quite shy

 

To answer your question,

your rivet hole is nearly in the middle of your ammo belt, so you should have plenty of room left in the upper left.

If you have any excess ABS, you can mix it with some acetone and carefully fill your hole with this mass.

 

Bondo sounds like a good idea, too, but watch out if the color fits in with the rest of your armor.

 

All in all, I really like where this is finally going.

Nice helmet!

Thanks for the reply.

 

I don't know if I want to move it. It's such a big hole. And as you mention, color matching to the armor when it needs to be painted will be tough. Will most likely have to go Endor and dirty up most everything.

 

Also, what are most ROTJ using for undersuits? I've gone with a one-piece suit due to significant gapping on both sides of the armor. With a "shirt/pants" UA setup, I'd be scared the shirt might ride up and expose skin in those gaps.

 

Is that actually a concern or not? Is there a preferred vendor for a 1-piece suit now? Mine is way too tight and uncomfortable. I'd love to go with "shirt/pants" UA heatgear, I just don't know if I should with the side gaps.

 

Thanks!

Edited February 28, 2017 by JSmails

[KaitoTrooper[TK]]

The undersuit is a case of personal preference.

 

Some troopers use a 1-piece, others use a 2-piece suit.

 

As long as it is black and has no logos etc. visible, they are good.

 

For myself I wear a 2-piece with a bodyfit shirt and leggins (is that the English word? I don't know).

[JSmails[501st]]

I was going to go to Walmart tomorrow to pick up some compression gear, but I'm too worried about the sides. Then I remembered that since I started this build, I've become somewhat competent with a sewing machine. So I'm going to try to mod my current suit first.

 

I've been trying to wrap my head around moving the knee ammo band. The moving isn't the hard part, it's filling the holes left behind and somewhat color-matching it. I think I'm going to do it. If worse comes to worst, I'll just have a few holes. Though I should point out, Toddo got EIB with his Rubie's suit and only flipped the knee ammo. I guess I don't understand the EIB requirements if one is allowed to leave something in the wrong place. Basic approval, yes, of course. One should just have a quality costume that makes him look like a TK. But higher standards should be more nit-picky.

 

I spent today just putting padding in in spots. I also got my Stelmax in. O-M-G does that stuff work. Gluing down elastic, what takes E6000 24 hours to do, Stelmax does in about 5 minutes.

 

More to do.

Edited March 1, 2017 by JSmails

[KaitoTrooper[TK]]

Good to hear, keep going!

[JSmails[501st]]

So I spent today adding longer elastic to my stirrups and new thumb loops for my one piece. It's nearly comfortable now. I decided to get dressed up...

 

Here's my first effort after doing all the padding yesterday.

 

 

 

 

I didn't like how much black is showing around the groin area. This is because of the padding in the thighs. My thighs barely fit, so I tore out all the padding and adjusted the strap system to bring them up. Here it is after raising the thighs up much higher.

 

 

 

 

It looks much better IMO. Unfortunately there are large gaps at the knees. I spent most of yesterday trying to figure out a way to keep the shins higher with different padding etc. it seems nothing has worked.

 

How should I pad that out so they don't fall down so far?

 

It's also obvious due to my height, 6'5", there is going to be some black showing. The pieces just aren't big enough.

 

I COULD lower the entire armor a bit, but then more black will be around my neck. Is that preferable to around the knees?

 

If I could just get the shins to stay in place. Where the sniper plate actually covers my knee, I'd be in business.

 

Lastly, besides painting the soles on the boots white, is there anything there that will keep me from basic approval at this point? If so, let me know.

 

I think putting the knee ammo belt in the correct place will help cover some of the black on that knee.

 

Let me know how to keep the shins up higher. Thanks!

 

Always more to do.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited November 16, 2017 by JSmails
PB

[magni[TK]]

Looks like if you lower the ab section a bit you can lower thighs a bit. The ab looks like it's riding high under chest.

[JSmails[501st]]

Thanks for the help! Honestly, that's as far up as it'll go. The ab piece on the rubies just isn't that tall. I have to strap it in place so that the chest doesn't go too high and flip over and end up behind the ab plate.

 

More work today. Some new snaps in place to cut down the black area in the groin and moving up my shins with Velcro on the legs of my suit to keep it in place. This is about as good as it's going to get with this suit. Pics from today's suit up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How's that for submittal? What shots do I need? I'll shoot them outside in the sun, but it was 25 degrees today. Ish.

 

The right shin I have to bring up too high to cut down on knee black. So I decided to put the knee ammo belt in the correct spot and that will allow me to move the shin down a little. I took out the rivets that I put in recently. That left me with 4 holes. None of them in a spot for reuse when I rivet in place correctly.

 

I was worried about filling the holes then color matching. Then I thought, "Why not just plug the holes with plastic from the suit?" Color match solved.

 

I cut away a section that nobody will ever see:

 

 

I backed the holes with some plastic glued in place. Then I cut the piece I stole from the shin into small squares and used my dremel to grind out small circles which I plugged into the holes and glued in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The holes are plugged. I may take some acetone to smooth the edges a bit, but they aren't really noticeable at 6 feet.

 

Tomorrow I'm hoping to rivet the ammo belt in the correct place and then I'll basically be done with all my wearability mods. I can put the entire suit on by myself, no help, in about 5 minutes. I can take it off in less than 3.

 

Then I'll work up some helmet electronics and finish my pipe built ROTJ E-11.

 

Always more to do.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited November 16, 2017 by JSmails
PB treason

[JSmails[501st]]

Am I the first to move the Rubies knee ammo belt? Hmm.

 

After I get my TD worked up, I think I'll be ready to submit. Let me know if that's the case or if you see something I should change.

 

So today I cut the holes and riveted the knee ammo belt in place. I love the look of it.

 

 

 

 

I know others have flipped the belt, as I had, but I hadn't seen anyone actually move the ammo belt to the correct spot.

 

Next I addressed the greaves and their tendency to show too much black at the knees. I put Velcro on the inside of the greaves then sewed Velcro onto the suit pants.

 

 

 

Stand alone greaves.

 

 

 

So there it is. TD. Helmet electronics, and finish the E-11 a little better and I'm done. The suit fits really nice, is easy to move around in, and I can put it on and take it off by myself pretty quickly.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited August 4, 2021 by JSmails
PB treason

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Wow, you've taken a big challenge and are answering it well.  I would really suggest getting a nice CFO helmet as the Rubies one...well you know.  You can lower the drop boxes by say 1/8th or 1/4".  The legs are looking much better and at some point as you note with your height, there is only so much you can do.

 

I'd also suggest putting some foam padding in the small of your back to push that butt/back plate out some away form your body so it doesn't angle in as much when you look at it from the side.  You can let the biceps slide down so there is zero overlap between them and the shoulder bells to cover up some more black there as well. As mentioned, lowering the ab plate will help too as you can then move the thighs down, even 1/2" will look better.

 

Smart call on the shins - it really helped!

 

[JSmails[501st]]

Thanks Paul. That is a CFO helmet I think, though I'm sure it's a crap recast. I got it from a Garrison member who got it off Craigslist from a guy who likely got it from makerofthings on eBay. Made the best of it. 

 

The small of the back suggestion is great. I'll have to take a look at some references. When you spend all your time working to get the front looking correct, other stuff gets neglected.

 

Hmmm. There was a reason I needed to mount the biceps/shoulders in that configuration, but I can't remember it now. I'll have to experiment. 

 

I wish I could lower the ab plate. I'll see what I can do, but it's strapped, hard, in place there to preserve the relation to the chest piece. Otherwise when I raise and lower the chest piece, like raising my arms to put on the helmet, it ends up going behind the ab plate. I'll see if I can find a centimeter or two there. 

 

Is this thread going to be a record for longest active build thread withou being approved? . Lol. 8 years and counting. 

 

Thanks for the help!

Edited November 16, 2017 by JSmails

[KaitoTrooper[TK]]

Lol, I actually realised, your thread started in 2009.

 

Credits to Paul, these ideas are really great.

 

Can you lower your back plate a few cm more?

When wearing your helmet it should still look fine and you have an extra cover for some black.

[JSmails[501st]]

Since the Photobucket change in July, I haven’t updated this. Worse, PB has stolen most of my pictures.  

 

I’ll have to take some new pics,if I can remember what the pics were, and update the posts. 

 

I also need to finish this eventually. Now that winter is here, I hope to do this sooner than later. 

 

Damn you Photobucket.

[JSmails[501st]]

My goodness has it been over 3 years? Does anyone look at ROTJ anymore?

 

As before, I have to get this approved. Worse, I have to get it finished by next Friday as I’ve volunteered/been cast in a fan film for Make a Wish. I guess they must need as many TKs as they can muster, so I’ve been enlisted. Here’s where I am now. These pics were shot today:

 

 

 

Since I’m going with an endor-themed ROTJ TK, I need to weather the boots some more. They are WAY too white. Also, the bottoms are black and I’ve always had to change that. So today, I changed them to white. 
 

 

What should I use to weather the boots to match the duller/yellower color of the armor and use?

 

Also, anything glaring about the full suitup? 
 

I have other shots to look at, sides/back, if need be. 
 

Thanks for any help. If I can get this approved, it’ll be quite the achievement for me. This was my first costume in 2009. It’s been 12 years and I have 3 other approved costumes, but not this TK. Time to step on it.

[JSmails[501st]]

Okay. The other day I submitted for approval. They came back and said they want some other pics. Front, back, sides. Here they are. 
 

Does anyone see anything that would limit basic approval?

 

Thanks. 
 

 

 

 

[JSmails[501st]]

Hello! I’m back in the correct section with updated pics. No more photobucket stuff. 
 

Anyway, after asking the above questions back in April (and not getting a response), I applied for approval. 

I’ve been rejected as I didn’t have a TD in any of the pics and also my boots are too white and I have an extra snap on my holster. 
 

Does anyone have any correct ROTJ holster snap pics besides the CRL? I’d love to see them. My holster came with a snap, but I couldn’t snap my E11 in place so I put another one in. Can I just cover the other one with some black tape and take some pics for approval? I think the “correct” snap is in the wrong place for usefulness. 
 

I have since painted and weathered the boots to match the armor. This, as you can tell, is an outdoor Endor moon variant. 
 

Since my last post I helped film a movie for Make a Wish in my TK armor. So if any of my scenes make it into the movie, my armor will, technically, be “screen accurate”.   So I’m really trying to get it approved. Here are a couple of pics. 
 

On set. 
 

 

 

Outdoors on set. 
 

 

 

Thanks for any help. 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Missed your post in April unfortunately.

 

This is probably the only holster image I have come across, not that much detail. It's really up to your GML what will pass for basic approval, I would think however just adding some tape over the old snap may be seen, perhaps don't holster the blaster and have the strap inside the holster for photos.

 

You could have a look through the stills from Screencaps.com, you may find something there https://starwarsscreencaps.com/4k-star-wars-episode-vi-return-of-the-jedi-1983

[JSmails[501st]]

20 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Missed your post in April unfortunately.

 

This is probably the only holster image I have come across, not that much detail. It's really up to your GML what will pass for basic approval, I would think however just adding some tape over the old snap may be seen, perhaps don't holster the blaster and have the strap inside the holster for photos.

 

You could have a look through the stills from Screencaps.com, you may find something there https://starwarsscreencaps.com/4k-star-wars-episode-vi-return-of-the-jedi-1983

Thanks for the help. 
 

My GML conglomerate is just going by the CRL, I’m sure. This is the CRL pic:

 

With the snap on the right side. 
 

Like you, I can’t find any ROTJ-specific pictures to show that location for the snap. 
 

Mine has the snap on the right, across the \_/ part. And I added a snap on the left to actually keep the blaster in the holster as it is holstered backwards for ROTJ. 
 

 

If I don’t find any actual ROTJ references, should I pull BOTH of the snaps and put ONE snap where the CRL pic shows? 
 

Thanks for all the help!!!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

14 minutes ago, JSmails said:

 

If I don’t find any actual ROTJ references, should I pull BOTH of the snaps and put ONE snap where the CRL pic shows? 
 

Thanks for all the help!!!

Really depends if your GML will notice the extra holes, but it would be best to remove the wrong placed snaps as it looks odd.

 

I have fixed a hole in leather before by adding some tape behind the filling the hole with black silicon, although it does fill the hole you can still see the edge. Again it really depends if your GML will allow this, perhaps as him/her the question. 

 

ROTJ holster is basically the same design holster as ANH an ESB except for the belt loops, here is a template which shows the approximate hole position

[JSmails[501st]]

52 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Really depends if your GML will notice the extra holes, but it would be best to remove the wrong placed snaps as it looks odd.

 

I have fixed a hole in leather before by adding some tape behind the filling the hole with black silicon, although it does fill the hole you can still see the edge. Again it really depends if your GML will allow this, perhaps as him/her the question. 

 

ROTJ holster is basically the same design holster as ANH an ESB except for the belt loops, here is a template which shows the approximate hole position

I now believe this is 100% correct. With the snap just below the left side of the \_/ undercut. I poured through starwarsscreencaps for an hour and found a couple of definitive captures. 
 

First this strap is snapped up in this pic. Same location as the TM template. 
 

 

Second, same location in this running through Endor scene. 
 

 

In conclusion, I think the TM template is either correct, or VERY nearly correct for ROTJ. 
 

I’ll be taking the other snap off for re-submittal. 
 

Thanks for the help!!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

7 minutes ago, JSmails said:

In conclusion, I think the TM template is either correct, or VERY nearly correct for ROTJ. 
 

I’ll be taking the other snap off for re-submittal. 
 

Thanks for the help!!

My pleasure, good luck with approval