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[mandogirl23]

Hello, I'm making my first mando kit and am looking for advice for fittings. The template I am using is for the boba fett armor off of the dented helmet. These pictures are from the first fitting I did this morning. As well as my suit design off of MandoCreator.

[corriban]

Great start! I'd say just take a little bit off the sides of the collar plate and it'll look perfect!

[mandogirl23]

Thanks, I will!

I just finished cutting the templates for the chest and belly armor pieces. Having a bit of trouble getting the chest pieces to curve. I've been using a steel water bottle and the edge of a counter to bend the cardboard. I think that I will be using the template to start molding the sintra and heat mold the rest to fit my body shape. Any advice on chest piece curving is welcome.  Also, I thought the belly plate looked bit too far down, and suggestions?

[Tramp Graphics]

The belly plate is indeed way too far down, as are the pectoral plates. There should be about a thumb’s width between each plate. You have several inches between them.

[mandogirl23]

Noted, thanks! I will make sure to fix that. Where do you guys find sintra? My local Home Depot did not carry it. 

[Noot Braska]

My local Home Depot did not carry it.

I'm in the same boat.  I was told sign companies usually have some that you might be able to buy from them.  I ended up ordering ABS sheets from Amazon.  I think they have a higher melting point then Sintra which makes it a little harder to work with but even as a first time armorer I havent ruined a piece or anything.  I've heard that the Sintra you can get on Amazon is hit or miss in quality.

[Rhue_Shofytt]

Try JPPlus .com! They sell sheets of Sintra and the pricing is pretty reasonable, I got two 2x4 sheets of 6mm for about $50 after shipping, and it's even cheaper if you go with 3mm.

You can also ask your local clan mates if they have any partially used sheets lying around.

[mandogirl23]

Thanks! I looked at the site and I think I will go for the 3mm. the sheets are 2ftx4ft. About how many do you guys think I'll need? I'm thinking I will start with 2 and go from there?

[Noot Braska]

I'm a big guy and have been able to get all of my armor out of the equivalent of two 2x4 sheets.

[mandogirl23]

Thanks! I just ordered 2 sheets of the 3mm. They get here later this week and I can start cutting out the pieces!!!!! I also got the top part of my flight suit yesterday (dump swap shops/thrift stores are amazing) and now just need gloves to complete my base layer.

[mandogirl23]

So I made some changes. I did not like the fit of the Bobba Fett armor so I ended up going with a Sabine Wren template from star wars rebels seasons 1 and 2. What do you think?

[Tramp Graphics]

Better. Still need to narrow the gap between your torso plates and your collar plates. There should be about a thumb's width between them.

[Aster Veris]

That style is cool but you need to make some modifications for approval. Crls say:

Sabine-style chest armor is approvable for custom costume applicants with modifications. Applicants must add an abdomen plate as well as a collar plate that covers the upper chest area between the shoulders horizontally and between the throat and the top of the chest armor vertically.

So you'd need to add an ab plate and fill in the space of your current collar plates so it's one single plate.
Check out these photos for someone who did similar modified plates! https://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=199491.0

[mandogirl23]

ok, I'm going to Boston fan con this summer and don't have time to redo my neck plate so I'm going to go with what I have for now but will make a second plate when I have time (starting a new job). Just cut the neck and chest pieces out of sintra, made the adjustments to the chest pieces. What do you guys recommend for paint and primer? What about a sealant coat? I'm doing mine purple and black as seen below. Starting to heat mold today.

[mandogirl23]

What did you guy do about blasters and holsters. I have a printer file for wester 35s from rebels but am having trouble finding somewhere to print them that is affordable  (less than $500) .

[Tramp Graphics]

What did you guy do about blasters and holsters. I have a printer file for wester 35s from rebels but am having trouble finding somewhere to print them that is affordable  (less than $500) .

I bought a 3D printed Westar 35 from a vendor on these forums.

[Second Son]

There's always scratchbuilding as an option - 3D printing is only one way to do things. Pretty much all my weapon-shaped objects are scratchbuilds, and making holsters is a great project if you haven't done lots of leatherwork before.

[Tramp Graphics]

Here's the vendor I ordered my blaster from: https://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=196855.0 The thread appears to be locked now, though. I bought his Westar-35 Death Watch Live Action version in black.




I chose black because I went with a minimal paint job. Quite literally, the only paint on it is detailing. The Westar is, canonically, made from polycarbonate. It's a plastic pistol, and even a number of modern firearms (including the M-16) include plastic components.

[Chro]

Most of my blasters are modified toys, and as for holsters at lot of us in Wampa either have pleather holsters or use the door-slide method. You take a door slide (like a hotel security chain) and insert a screw into the blaster at a convenient point and it slides into the door slide. Keeps it handy and shows it off while it's 'holstered'.

[mandogirl23]

So here is my updated suit design, please note that I will be making another neck piece that is code compliant and adding the proper groin armor/loin cloth at a later date. My goal for now is to have a basic bare bones kit for fancon later this summer. I recently started a new job with very little time for work, I'll have more time later this year.  I will most likely only have the base layer, helmet, chest, gauntlets and maybe the shin and shoulder bells completed in time. Attempting to have blasters and holsters but its a bit up in the air?



 

[mandogirl23]

Thanks for the advice, I ended up going with a local 3D printing shop and had both blasters done for $40. I am currently sanding and mudding them both, will post pictures soon. I purchased 6mm craft cord and twin buckles from hobby lobby for my girth belt. I want to do a woven design instead of the basic string on fabric I have seen pictures of. Anyone know of some good patterns?