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[Apollo Falco]

I'm making a radio pack for my mando. It's based on real world military radio packs, but I've changed around the design a little to look better for star wars. The main body is the tops of two RV battery boxes that I bought years ago for a sandtrooper. Besides that, I'm just using sintra and greeblies.

[Biohazard]

Are you going to angle the two pieces like a sandtrooper? It'll help fit the curve of your back more, probably...

Looks great! Can't wait to see your stuff get done.

[Apollo Falco]

Are you going to angle the two pieces like a sandtrooper? It'll help fit the curve of your back more, probably...

That's the plan anyway. I spent enough time on MEPD researching that costume that I can use a lot of their construction methods on this thing. Mine will just me much less bulky than a TD pack.

I've got the next week and a half off, so I'm hoping to actually be able to finish it in less that a month (unlike every other project on this costume)

[Apollo Falco]

Super-quick update!

I did some filling and sanding and painting and detailing so it looks a lot more complete.




there's still a pretty big piece of circuit board to install on the bottom, and some rigged-up lights Scur made for me to go up top.


unfortunately, in my haste to get this thing done I rushed the paint and....

ORANGE PEEL!!!!!

[Apollo Falco]

another day, another update.

I got rid of the orange peel so that was nice. The pack also needed a way to stay together and hold the shape that Bio mentioned, so I spent some quality time with my heat gun and a piece of 3/4 inch pvc to make a frame for the whole thing. I'm not sure how it'll work yet, but I'll attach the harness to it somehow too.

[Biohazard]

Great work so far man! I'm loving where this is going. Can't wait to see it on your armor.

Gotta say, ti's giving me some good ideas for my own pack (which I have to make for my new kit)

[Zur'ta Ordo]

I really love the functional look of this. The gauges and switches and such. Keep up the good work!

[DorkLogic]

Looks great! Don't sweat the orange peel... it's a nice weathering effect in my opinion.

[Sy'rus Drayven]

Yeah dude, the peel looks fine. I've seen plenty of real military gear that does that all the time. Radios, Humvees, ammo boxes. Its to happen on just about everything. It looks natural.

[Dar'manda]

nice work

[Dar'kumn Vol]

I'm impressed. That looks really good!

[Apollo Falco]

And here's some progress, only 4 months later!

I found a real nice pair of combat suspenders at my flea market (I think the guy said they were British?). I took a canvas dropcloth, cut a few strips our of it and folded them over thrice. I then sewed these strips onto the suspenders




A couple of snaps later and voila! A pre-made harness system for my backpack that doesn't need to be concealed under my vest



This is far from done, but it looks pretty good now. I've still gotta secure that huge circuit board inside, attach the blinky lights, get some general detailing done, and weather it. I'm also thinking about loading the harness up with grenades. Anyway, here are some full upper body shots since I couldn't resist suiting up with this.

[Slade Kel]

The olive drab suspenders don't really seem to fit with your kit, but that backpack's looking fantastic

[Ha'sid]

Once the suit gets dirty is should blend well.

[Brisk Arper Vok'chi]

personally i think they blend in quite well acctually, love the back back too looks amazing

and they do look like an old set of british C class webbing

[Sentinel]

Hmmm I really like this pack.  Have you thought about some type of tubing over the chain links to make it look like it's hooked together "electrically"  If not great work
GJ

[Apollo Falco]

before I saw the webbing with the armor I didn't think it would fit well at all either, but I kind of like it now that I've seen it. I might darken it up with some good old teabag weathering, but I think if if cover more of the straps up with techy looking stuff it will hardly be noticeable.

GJ, I get what you're saying about the attachment, but I'm not totally sure how I'd cover it up; it's sort of in an awkward position for tubing. I like the feeling of having things bolted together rather than glued together though

[Slade Kel]

The olive drab looks off when compared with the black vest, tan flight suit and red and white armor, but you're right, once you add more stuff and a little weathering it'll likely be just fine. It certainly looks more comfortable than any kind of pack harness I've seen or used.

[Sentinel]

I wonder if a swimming pool supply store would have some cuplings and tubing that would work,. Do you have any more pics of the rack you made from the pvc tubing?
GJ

[Dorn Has'skyrek]

GJ, I get what you're saying about the attachment, but I'm not totally sure how I'd cover it up; it's sort of in an awkward position for tubing. I like the feeling of having things bolted together rather than glued together though

You could always try out some PVC cut to fit those angles then split so they could clamshell the links and be glued together.

Second thought is making an enclosure to cover the links and close up that space *if* it is something you want to do of course.  I think the whole thing looks good as is, really nice job,  I'd only recommend darkening the hardware.

[Hondo Karr]

Apollo, youve been workign away at this as long as Ive been here. The more teaser pix I see the more I want you to hurry up and apply already! Looks great man!

[Dar'manda]

Get on the com and get us some fire-power boy!!! Hahahaha thats all I think when I see your pack; its a good thing.

[Apollo Falco]

The olive drab looks off when compared with the black vest, tan flight suit and red and white armor, but you're right, once you add more stuff and a little weathering it'll likely be just fine. It certainly looks more comfortable than any kind of pack harness I've seen or used.

it might just be a problem with the color in the camera. I say this because my flightsuit is grey (it's an ROTJ boba) and the harness is more tan than OD. Regardless, the one thing that definitely bugs me is the color of the dropcloth strips compared to the harness and that definitely needs to change.

Do you have any more pics of the rack you made from the pvc tubing?
GJ

The best pics I've got are on the first page since I'm pretty bad at taking progress shots unless I really think about it. The rack is pretty uninspiring though, just a long piece of pvc with some angles bent in and one elbow joint to bring the whole thing together. I'm actually pretty surprised that it was that simple

[Slade Kel]

It actually could be my monitor; I realized today that the colors are starting to go a little wonky here and there; it's an old one that I'm hoping to replace around Christmas.