Baxterianism
Registered user
Registered: 03-2009
Location: Norwich - UK
Posts: 252
Karma: 6 (+6/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Baxterianism's Build thread + *Finished pics!*
So, here I am on the long road to becoming a droid.
I thought a few of you might want to see this from start to finish so here goes.
Firstly I bought a secondhand torso from a member on these boards who had started the project and given up after just prepping and sparying the front gold.
A few $$$ via paypal, 3 weeks wait and plenty of customs charges later a box arrived (or rather i picked it up for its last 3 miles home to the UK)
A Box!
Double boxed - Good thinking!
Sadly the rear of the torso had a crack in it. Nothing a bit of bonding putty and eproxy wont sort.
Everything I recieved layed out! Nice! (notice the front half of the torso is gold painted with plasticote)
Firstly I needed to give everything a smooth finish ready for when I finally VM the whole suit.
I started with a 400 sandpaper then moved to a 800 wet and dry then finally a 1000.
Between these I would wash each piece, dry then give a few layers of primer then sand again.
Here is the Front after about a weeks work
And the back...
I used a fair amount of spot putty to take out tiny pits or holes in the finish of the torso.
The shoulder bells curtainly needed tones to get a smooth and perfect finish. (putty is the areas still white)
When looking closely at the detail of the torso you will notice tiny areas where the detail has been lost due to the way the torso came from the mold. This is easily seen on the back of the torso where the teeth detail isnt quite as sharp as I liked.
I used a small file and a very small dremel end to give this detail back.
also the same story with the side screws cross detail, these came out uneven and edge flashing left everywhere.
This was soon taken away, sanded, filled then ta-da!
Again the same with the shoulder rings, plenty of 'groove' detail lost. after a bit of work with the same detail this 3po's shoulders got their groove back ;-).
Same sanding and putty to the shoulder bells gives them a great shine ready for a nice VM.
shoulders all done with sanding/filling
Next was the smaller details. Neck Pistons anyone?
I began by sourcing some more accurate neck pistons as the two with the kit only really give a passable likeness to the movie used items.
The neck pistons. I ordered these from FenixProps on ebay and boy are these accurate. You cant get much closer than these.
I started by drawing two small dots in the raised areas where they are ment to sit. I then judged the angle they needed to sit by eye while looking at movie stills etc. Using a drill bit by hand i made holes though the fibreglass and out the other side.
After this all i needed do was slip them in and screw the rubber washer and bolt the other side.
(This sounds fairly simple but to get the correct angles matching is fairly hard and you want to study lots of pics first. Drill your holes by hand because you have no room for any type of driver being that close to the neck line)
Next I decided to tackle the next detail. If you study the movie used suits then this part will stare you in the face. It is nothing like the original in it's level of detail. Time to start putting that back in.
First I took a dremel and made a center hole
Then took the 'spokes down to the same level as the middle.
After that I cut a circle round the outside to make the part apear to be on a raised platform.
this might look a little 'ruff' at the moment but I have yet to use files and then to primer like the rest of the suit. (Final pics of the mod to follow)
Next the small greebles...
I was sent these by a very kind board member as I had a tricky time finding them in the UK. They are earring backs.
Simply drill a hole the correct size and then slip them through allowing the small 'lip' they have to stop then going any further. after that secure with putty or epoxy.
More to follow...
Last edited by Baxterianism, 7/21/2013, 2:30 pm
--- Usually found as C-3PO for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK
Twitter: @SW3PO
YouTube: SW3PO
Facebook: SW3PO |
|
1/8/2010, 6:11 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Baxterianism
Send PM to Baxterianism
|
Mr Tea
Registered user
Registered: 02-2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 162
Karma: 3 (+3/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Absolutely incredible! I'm blown away by your prep work. When I first opened the thread, I thought I was looking at pictures of an ESB Cast suit. I did similar work with my own suit, and I can tell you, the prep work definitely pays off in the end!!
I love what you have done with the greeblie under the neck.
You are certainly getting the detail out, This will be a spectacular suit when all is said and done. Keep updating us.
Remarkable work, can't wait to see more.
|
|
1/8/2010, 7:30 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Mr Tea
Send PM to Mr Tea
ICQ
AIM
MSN
|
Baxterianism
Registered user
Registered: 03-2009
Location: Norwich - UK
Posts: 252
Karma: 6 (+6/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Thanks for your kind words Mr Tea.
Here is my finished Neck detail. I have further used small files and then some 600 sandpaper to flatten the edges. I then a gave it a final spray with primer before the once over with 1000 wet sand grit paper.
Last edited by Baxterianism, 4/22/2013, 12:51 pm
--- Usually found as C-3PO for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK
Twitter: @SW3PO
YouTube: SW3PO
Facebook: SW3PO |
|
1/12/2010, 6:11 am
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Baxterianism
Send PM to Baxterianism
|
Baxterianism
Registered user
Registered: 03-2009
Location: Norwich - UK
Posts: 252
Karma: 6 (+6/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Next, the shoulders...
After studying the films and pics I have decided to use the ever so easy 'Velcro' method.
Simply use a cutting tool to make slots in your torso and rings plus shoulders. You will need to take great care to make everything line up correctly and the shoulders to sit in line with the height of the rings.
Last edited by Baxterianism, 4/22/2013, 5:19 pm
--- Usually found as C-3PO for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK
Twitter: @SW3PO
YouTube: SW3PO
Facebook: SW3PO |
|
2/1/2010, 4:38 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Baxterianism
Send PM to Baxterianism
|
Trooper TK409
Head Administrator
Registered: 05-2005
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 677
Karma: 10 (+11/-1)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Great job documenting your build progress. This is helpful to a lot of builders. Thanks for such detail!
|
|
2/1/2010, 11:28 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Trooper TK409
|
Baxterianism
Registered user
Registered: 03-2009
Location: Norwich - UK
Posts: 252
Karma: 6 (+6/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
That's exactly what I wanted - to share and help others on the project. I wouldn't have gotten this far on my own so its a pleasure to give something back to the forum.
--- Usually found as C-3PO for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK
Twitter: @SW3PO
YouTube: SW3PO
Facebook: SW3PO |
|
2/2/2010, 5:11 am
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Baxterianism
Send PM to Baxterianism
|
Mr Tea
Registered user
Registered: 02-2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 162
Karma: 3 (+3/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Beautiful progress Bax! Keep up the great work, excited to see more!
|
|
2/4/2010, 6:44 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Mr Tea
Send PM to Mr Tea
ICQ
AIM
MSN
|
Baxterianism
Registered user
Registered: 03-2009
Location: Norwich - UK
Posts: 252
Karma: 6 (+6/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Well..
Firstly a huge sorry my blog wasnt kept upto date. I have been helping many members on here behind the scenes as well and working on my own pieces and waiting for part to be made etc.
After what seems like forever, my suit is currently sitting in the Vac chamber which metalized the original suits.
Prep is everything to a perfect finish.
I went overboard completely but the owner of VMC was blown away at the finish I was able to achieve
I used:
600 Wet and Dry
1000 Wet and Dry
2000 Wet and Dry sandpaper
then used a further super fine silicon free polishing compound.
I could use the pieces as a mirror 
anyhow... Threepio is currently sitting in pieces inside here:
Turn around should be just under a week.
Pictures to follow:
The parts inside the VM chamber
Me suited up before packing the parts for the three hour drive to the other side of London
--- Usually found as C-3PO for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK
Twitter: @SW3PO
YouTube: SW3PO
Facebook: SW3PO |
|
4/20/2013, 9:45 am
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Baxterianism
Send PM to Baxterianism
|
matthew007
Registered user
Registered: 01-2010
Posts: 521
Karma: 5 (+5/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
Hi there I cannot see any pictures,when I click on it says it cannot bring up pictures.
|
|
4/21/2013, 12:58 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to matthew007
Send PM to matthew007
|
Hockeytrooper
Registered user
Registered: 02-2012
Posts: 79
Karma: 1 (+2/-1)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Baxterianism's Build thread
I'm doing a similar sanding pattern on my 3PO (same grits of paper and such). I was wondering a couple of things though. I'm finding that it is really difficult to sand in some of the detail areas (say between 2 ridges that run next to each other and have a groove down the middle). What did you do to sand in those areas?
I was also wondering if you could link the product you used to for the polishing compound, right now I've been sanding and trying to buff the costume after with an eye glasses rag and ionized water (to clean the residue off after wet sanding). Is there a better way to clean the residue after wet sanding? I'm running out of eye-glass cleaner water, lol.
|
|
4/21/2013, 2:18 pm
|
Link to this post
Send Email to Hockeytrooper
Send PM to Hockeytrooper
Blog
|
