activation email

[JatneDan]

I re posted this from the armor planning thread. Incase any moderator wants to delete it from over there.

Hello all! Thank you for stopping by. Been a lurker for about 6 years. Posted for a while about 4 years ago but some miscommunication and a poor choice of words put me in a bad spot with some of the moderators. I decided to lie low, but now I've started building armor and would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Thank you very much, and I'll try to keep activity up and pictures coming.

Update 1 complete
Update 2 complete
Update 3 complete
Update 4 complete
Update 5 complete
Update 6 complete
Update 7 complete
Update 8 complete
Update 9 complete
Update 10 complete
Update 11 complete
Update 12.5 complete
Update 13 complete. (Official version 1. Dec 18)

First up, my friend helping me assemble the printed templates. They weren't perfect but we made them work. The guy on the left will be making a suit with me. So we are working together.




Here you can see the plastic trash cans my friend brought over and the outline  of the armor shapes we will be cutting.



Last picture is what we were able to do in 3 hours. The collar piece was accidentally forgotten and left out of the picture, as well as the single piece backplate. The helmet is a disaster from a long time ago I am trying to salvage. I'll try and post better pics later. You can see some of the plates on the top have started to be bent into their appropriate shape (boot, thigh, and sboulder).


Question: is there any limit on plastic thickness? The plastic I'm using is rough 3/8th of an inch and it feels nice and solid. 

[Kol Varek]

3/8th is a good thickness. This is also the right place for your armor to be, since you're now making the armor. On the right track so far!

[Excalibur.21]

What kind of trash bins are those? Never seen anything like that...

[JatneDan]

Hey guys thank you for the replies!

3/8th is a good thickness. This is also the right place for your armor to be, since you're now making the armor. On the right track so far!

Thank you for the nice words. It's my first set and I'm kind of winging it. It might even be half inch. I need to go check.

What kind of trash bins are those? Never seen anything like that...

Well I don't have much info for you right now. Industrial trashcan. Used at a bowling alley. The ones that have the dome on top and the spinning door to put trash inside. I'll see if I can find a make on the bottom.

[JatneDan]

Update #2

I cut out a few more pieces. Still don't have gauntlet or kneepads. Does anyone know good templates?  Ones they personally like a lot?


What do you guys think? I know it is sitting low, but 3 to 4 inches  up and the collar piece  will be at my throat and and the stomach piece will be right above my belly button. How is the width?




Used the heat gun to bend the thigh plates. They aren't bent exactly the same but close enough. Thoughts on size?




Codpiece. Right size? Does it need to tuck in at the bottom?


Shoulder pad.


Lastly, the boot armor. It's a bit thick, but I don't mind. In fact, I like heavy looking boots. Like HALO ODST boots.

[Kol Varek]

Spacing should be a thumb width apart, can't determine if it's a good size unless the spacing is right. Take a look at some pics of mandos in their app pictures. The collar plate should be almost choking you.

[JatneDan]

Got it. I'll try and get the spacing right and take another picture. Do the thigh pieces seem to big? I know they are bigger than jangos,  but that was somewhat on purpose

[Fenris Claddanna]

One thing I figured I'd comment on: Your cod should curve inwards, as well as having a strap to connect to the back of your belt. Otherwise, once you get your girth belt and ammo belt on, the bottom of your cod will start to swing outwards. Not a good look for a Mando, that.

[Kol Varek]

Just another thing to throw in, no laces can be shown on boots or shoes. Laces don't exist in the star wars universe, so you'll either want to do some shins, or cover them with pants legs

[Pesh 'katar]

The cod is a strange piece of kit, and there are several ways to do it. As someone already commented, you can curve the bottom point in and attach a "thong" type strap. I went with a relatively custom version, curved the bottom point, and then just mounted the whole plate onto a belt. My plates are made with PVC pipe, so they are a bit heavier than your average sintra or trash can plastic plates. The weight helps to hold it in place without the use of a Boba-thong. Since the belt is on fairly tightly, my cod doesn't move at all, nor does it flip up even when sitting. Just another idea for ya...

[JatneDan]

Thanks for the coments guys. I'll post some updates on the cod tonight. I was thinking of adding industrial velcro to the crotch of my flight suit and secure the cod in place that way.  Would that work?

Also, I know my thigh pieces  are larger than normal. But that was desired. Is it okay?

[Pesh 'katar]

I'd say as long as the thigh plates didn't look out of proportion to the rest of your kit, any size would be fine. Do they touch your knees?

[JatneDan]

I'd say as long as the thigh plates didn't look out of proportion to the rest of your kit, any size would be fine. Do they touch your knees?

Thanks for the info pesh! They do not touch my knees. I might trim the top because someone pointed out that it might dig into me when I sit down

[Pesh 'katar]

No problem! As long as they don't detract from the rest of your kit, you should be fine with whatever you do. Finish them to the best of your abilities, and just think 'screen accurate'. Make 'em look good, brother!

[JatneDan]

Will do.  Update 3 will be up tonight. Swing around then to see where I'm at!

[JatneDan]

Hello all! Update #3 is here.

These armor plates are actually for a friend, but since I am going to be heat treating and shaping them, I don't mind the practice. I did not cut anything else today. Worked on shaping the torso pieces and bending a few other of the pieces. The highlight however, was the torso. I need your feedback on sizing.

First up, the torso pieces without being heat treated. They are resting about 1 inch low because the plastic is heavy enough on my shirt to pull it forward after attaching all of them.



Don't mind the falling piece in the last picture. As you can see, my chest is too "big". It sticks out more than I anticipated and I needed to shape the pieces a bit better.

After trying to do that and learning the hard way on one of the chest pieces:


Does this look better? As in, done shaping?


I also worked on the codpiece.  I realize now this picture is somewhat inappropriate. I honestly didn't think of it at the time. Let me know if it needs to be removed. Anyway, I tried "cupping" the cod piece as TI-8342 suggested. Thoughts?I think i am going to trim the top by half an inch as it makes bending over difficult past 75 degrees.



Finished the other shoulder pad. When using a heat gun to bend these things, it is really hard to get symmetrical results. But I think this is close enough. Let me know if something seems to be obviously off.



Lastly, I started shaping the other boot piece. And i heated it a little bit too much, :/ oops.


As always, C&C welcome. This is my first build and I want as much feedback as I can get.

thank you for stopping by!

[Excalibur.21]

Industrial bowling ally trashcans it is then! Happen to find any more info?

Also it looks like there are gaps in the middle of some of the plates, did you sandwich two plates together or are they some sort of air bubble from the molding process of the trashcan? Either way, make sure to smooth that out with some Bondo or something. Probably wouldn't hurt to clearn up the edges as well. Smooth them out and and what not.
 
You're making good progress! keep it up!

[JatneDan]

Industrial bowling ally trashcans it is then! Happen to find any more info?

Also it looks like there are gaps in the middle of some of the plates, did you sandwich two plates together or are they some sort of air bubble from the molding process of the trashcan? Either way, make sure to smooth that out with some Bondo or something. Probably wouldn't hurt to clearn up the edges as well. Smooth them out and and what not.
 
You're making good progress! keep it up!

I found out the trashcan is a Rubbermaid brand. I looked at their industrial and home level trashcan and couldn't find the same one I have. But they have some which  might do the trick. Rubbermaid.com

Yes, this particular armor set... the trash can it's from has lots of air pockets. It has 2 skins that are intermittently joined together.


Thank you for the kind words! 

[Excalibur.21]

I found out the trashcan is a Rubbermaid brand. I looked at their industrial and home level trashcan and couldn't find the same one I have. But they have some which  might do the trick. Rubbermaid.com

Yes, this particular armor set... the trash can it's from has lots of air pockets. It has 2 skins that are intermittently joined together.


Thank you for the kind words! 

Alright, no worries! I have a bunch of material for mine so I'm not too worried, i'll see what turns up. Thanks again!

[JatneDan]

Hello all. Update 4 here. I didn't get to work on my armor much last week or during the weekend (I had 3 tests last week and my girlfriend came over form out of state for the weekend). In fact, what you've seen so far wasn't my armor set, but my buddies. Tonight, I present to you my armor.

Mind you, it is only bent into shape. Not trimmed and such, but just bent into shape.

Also shown are my friend's  BA shield and engraving.  Nothing professional. Just 2 guys with a jig saw and a soldering iron.


This my friend hard at work on his gauntlets


The full set. No shots of individual  pieces. Would look a lot like the other 2 updates, just slightly improved


Close up of the thigh greebles. Not refined and straight edged yet.  I've been watching the Mandalorian commando build on this thread and it has inspired me some.

Thanks for stopping by! This week should hold more updates.

C&C always welcome.

[Kol Varek]

Looking good! Although those boot plates are looking a bit big. I'd have to see everything taped on again to see size

[JatneDan]

Thanks vod! I'll get a taped shot after I clean up the edges

[JatneDan]

Hey all. I'm sorry for the double post. Here is a little more progress I've made. 

Shoulder  pad with memorial engraving.


Also, my friend got a few more things done as well.
Mythosaur skull with a soldering iron.


And finally, his shield.


Cheers, thanks for stopping by

[Hik'aari]

Is that going to be a gauntlet mounted shield? Looks really cool

[JatneDan]

Is that going to be a gauntlet mounted shield? Looks really cool

Yup! Left gauntlet.