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whitmers

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Posts posted by whitmers

  1. That's during stunt scenes. Having that pack on would make stunts so much harder, so best not to have it in those.

     

    So that is a larger conversation. There isn't a CRL of the stunt  version of Darth Vader, this might be the same thing. You create it based on the Hero version of what is seen on screen primarily (as much as I hate jet packs and think having it on the outside of the cape is silly design). That's my opinion, detachment leads might feel differently.

     

    I have to do the pack anyway, so I don't have much skin in this decision.

  2. On 1/7/2025 at 3:20 PM, GrandMoffKK said:

    Is there a back plate that you can embed heavy duty magnets in since it'll be hidden by the cloak? And then embed another set of magnets on the inside of the jet pack? Like the 30 - 50 lbs kind of magnets you can get. 

     

    I'm looking to do something similar to be able to attach GI's lightsaber to his back armor because there is no actual fork or anything to hold it in the show. It just magically sits there until he needs it, so I'm going to try and use hidden magnets to hold it in place to replicate the look as best as possible. 

    Making animated characters like that are literally the worst. My death watch is all magnets and hidden straps. I hate it.

     

    I'm going to have hard attachment points for the pack to armor, so my cape will have holes.

  3. I'm going to make it static and add illumination. There is too much disney magic in that expanding staff and the proportions don't actually make sense.

     

    I've made a ridiculous amount of design changes to the STL files  that people have made to get these to where they are now. Probably 60+ hours in CAD.

     

    If I were in your shoes, I'd wait until the CRL is done so you don't have to figure all the stuff out through trial and error. I literally have seven versions of the hilt for the staff, four of which are from this week alone with minor tweaks here and there. Making the CRL is a lot of work, cost, and failure. Life is always easier if there is a CRL first. That's just my opinion, though.

     

     

    4 hours ago, GrandMoffKK said:

    Are you having a static staff or have you thought about making it expandable with maybe a simple piston or spring mechanism? 

     

    Also, how are you guys feeling about the armor designs you have? I want to start working on this build while I'm waiting for warmer weather to paint my Grand Inquisitor armor, but not sure if I should wait until the CRL is done first. I'm a noob as far as the 501st goes as GI will be my first build (and Beskar Gideon my second), but it seems from the reference photos that you guys have that the designs you made are pretty spot on. Think it's safe to start giving it a go?

     

  4. It's slow during the holidays with family visiting and whatnot and Christmas and Thanksgiving are so close this year.

     

    I'd done a lot of work on refining parts of the staff but hadn't been able to print it yet.

     

    Wl7fOus.jpeg

    I refined the shape and added some details. It's printed in ABS tough acrylic. I'm going to tinker with some ways to make it look silver but shine through.

     

    I'll print the staff rods (at least one set) tomorrow and see if I like them, and then I might translate them to aluminum or steel.

     

    I don't love how thin the handle is based on show design and modeling, but the dimensions are accurate (I just personally think that the hilt should be bigger).

     

    I'm scaling the parts up a little anyway since I am waaaaaay taller than Giancarlo Esposito.

  5. I've been doing lots of work,  then a lot of waiting.

     

    I looked at stills and pictures and all sorts of things and realized that in addition to the thighs are also asymmetrical unlike what the first image files led us to believe.

     

    So I resculpted those in CAD to the best of my abilities and then will finish up the rest in post processing.

     

    The outside of the thigh swoops at a much higher arc. The central trapezoid also bulges out more than any of the files, so I fixed that and hollowed out that section a bit to make it lighter. I had to add some ribbing to the bottom to get the actual shape because none of the files captured that.

     

     

     

    CAD STUFF

    6k2Bxex.jpg

     

    F0m1kjB.jpg

     

    ADzikua.jpg

     

    Printed stuff

    Jhi89pc.jpg

     

     

    TE52tpK.jpg

     

    I also redid the central panel for the jetpack. Reshaped it in CAD made it stand alone, I'll grind or cut out the other section and replace it with to make it easier to hide seam work and I made some design improvements.

     

    r3bd8fu.jpg

     

    I'm waiting for the final right side piece to come out and my printed might be able to rest for a bit

     

  6. I've done all the main printing for the jet pack. I have some finishing dremeling to do for shaping a few sections that only the obsessed/Type A and looking at it from 1 inch away would know about.

     

    I did all CAD mods on the main pack and booster pods separately, lets hope they all go together the way that I like if not, I'll do more work on the pods. They were much faster mods than the main pack, and I'm happy with that.

     

     

    FcVhkZW.jpeg

     

    I'm about to print the back door for the pack I made for when I hollowed it out, and some helmet neck collars which I see are a thing.

     

    While more things are printing, I'll do the dremmel work and make the pouch and look at shins in CAD,

     

     

     
  7. So...

     

    Grabbed some new files. They Needed work

     

    DZWlIPo.jpg

     

    Re-sculpted the tops of the shins. Made it into two pieces, reshaped the front square to a trapezoidal prism. Re-positioned and redid the inner rectangular prism on inside of shin. Filled the space.

     

    During the process got a leak, fixed that. Got back to work.

     

    Started work on jetpack number 3

     

    And I thought I'd hate redoing the shins...

     

    Reshaped  front depressions, added some lines near the rear, added triangle fills to sections, created line that went around the trapezoidal center console, redid the lights, redid the tail section, reshaped it, added vents, added trapezoidal depressions. hollowed out as needed. Added trapezoidal depressions on top of pack, and triangular near the rear.

     

    Created bolt points for joining, created door for easy access in inward side of the pack.

     

    Will add some final shaping in the end.

     

     

    smuWNcR.jpg

     

    POD- not pictured

    Completely reshaped rear end to end in point instead of being flat, changed angle to achieve, re-did exhaust fans, hollowed sections out, added vertical scalloped supports. Will do some post printing processes creating inscribed lip on vent side. Will do that by hand, not quite good enough to do that in CAD, and doing by hand will be faster

     

     

  8. Based on the hot toys release, and some other files, I'm going to scrap my jet pack (it had a crack anyway).

     

    I see that the ridge on the shin is recessed instead of being raised, so I'm going to redo those.

     

    The fore arms, chest, shoulders, biceps, foot  and hand covers, knees, thighs ( for the moment) look OK.

     

    Will have to update the mouth greeblie color, no big deal there.

     

    Will see what else I think needs work.

     

    Looks like I have an appointment with CAD and Chitubox tonight and for the next few days.

  9. On 10/6/2024 at 9:46 AM, meitru said:

    Hasbro has now released the Black Series helmet for USD 99. I'd love to hear what you think of it, @whitmers and @kalani15371. Personally on first glance the plastic and choice of red color give me pause as an option for current and future costumers.

     

    No description available.

     

    The plastic will problematic, and the red I wish was a little darker. The corners should be a bit pointier I think.  I feel like having one in hand would make it easier to discern.

  10. Doing some work on the action staff,

     

    Aluminum tubes, 3d printed ends. I updated the thickness of the tubes, 3d printed the pieces out of clear resin. I'll do some cut outs where the rings are to diffuse the light in purple to make it glow.

     

    I have to do a little bit of clean up, and the decide which electronics I want to put in. I'm hoping I don't have to make my own sound font. I hate making light saber sound fonts.

     

    9s0lpvj.jpeg

     

    kBH3rqW.jpeg

  11. I'm having someone pose that question to him next time they talk, hopefully we'll get some answers. I'll still make them, but it would make having a jetpack on top of a cape potentially a bit less annoying.

     

    Anyway, progress is happening.

     

    I'm on v 4 of the ab plate and I have one I am reading for making a mold.

     

    I also have one I am happy enough to try resin printing in flexi.

     

    q0bIrNz.jpeg

     

    fP7R8KX.jpeg

    3K79Q6o.jpeg

  12. This is the things that probably don't actually exist edition

     

    Back plate- This is the best guess since we won't ever see it. You can see some of the form of it similar to in season one, but I bet thats as far as we'll get.

     

    Now for the things that there isn't a real-life example.

     

    Static staff- This one is ready for final sanding and painting

    Action staff-The extended staff is being redone as I am going to print the ends out of clear resin to let light transfuse through the rings, giving the purplish electro staff glow.

    I'm going to use different metal tubing, as I think my initial selections were two then. I had to redo the hilt a bit as it looks like the hilt and the first stage of the extended staff are actually the same dimensions.

     

     

    Jetpack- had to switch the location of the lights as the most consistent number of references for the pack had them mirrored.

     

    And since it disappears and is sometimes flipped, it's mostly CGI, if not totally CGI. Especially since it's on the outside of a cape!!

     

    Anyway, progress continues.

    C4Xn5zn.jpeg

     

     

     

  13. Jetpack- bolted, glued, and primary sanding done.

    Somehow my file got mirrored, so I had to swap where the lights went. That wasn't an especially fun sanding experience in such a small space. took about an hour, which is still better thandpending days printing again.

     

    I'm a bit annoyed that some space opened up while gluing down the seam away from the clamps, So i had to fill that in (whereas before there was no gap :cry: but again, like 45 minutes.

     

    But light-curing putty is awesome. No more wait time for bonding, and no fumes. That's a win. its $$ though.

     

    4yghEQc.jpg

  14. Static staff collapsed and working on expanded.

     

     

    rDE0nFh.jpg

     

     

     

    left half of jetpack out of the Vat.  Getting those supports of was interesting.

     

    Voklu0m.jpg

     

    The right half is in the soup. I'll know in a few hours if it stuck as it emerges from the vat. If not, reposition, and retry *crosses fingers*

     

    When I was fusrtated with the resin, I asked my 3d printer FDM software how long to do one half in fine detail.

     

    It returned- 238 hours...

     

    Anyway, this will give me parts to play with. I think I might do the rings off the staff in the expanded form clear to illuminate.

     

    I'll have to make the ends thicker, this was a test for size determination since I'll have to scale it to me and not to him .

     

    That would be a tragic thing.

  15. Lots of things coming along in this update-

     

    Picked up an older Prhozen transform to print parts. Some things went really well.

     

    Printed a right outer and some inner parts of the gauntlet. Specifically both inners and the right outer.

     

    Great. Then a string of failures on the left one, for this printer. like 6.

     

     

    Then the screen decided that it was done with life and exited. There are 4 replacement screens in the world. They cost more than I paid for the printer.

     

    Had some friends try and print the left one with 3 additional failures.

     

     

    I used a discount and bought this guy. Phrozen 8k mega with some add-ons.

    1yVnjG3b.jpg

    OK. Fired it up. Optimized it with enclosure, temp controlled, and filters all the things.

     

    Made first print, fail. (#9 *sigh)...  Then dialed it in. And now...

     

    Fronts

    biUmRmS.jpg

     

    Close up

    63M9vSz.jpg

     

    Side

    WXy6gi9.jpg

     

    Backs

    PZipRnP.jpg

     

    Whew.

    Finally I can make progress on those-

     

    The printer hasn't been idle

    So I've designed and printed the static electro staff

    HpzGEVM.jpg

     

    I'm printing the rest of the pieces for the fully extended. Deciding whether to print shaft or use metal. Will see how I feel post print.

     

    Jet Pack has been sliced in half and is ready to go on the bigger printer now.

     

    There are some differences between what the hot toy has and what the show has when it comes to the jetpack.

     

    The toy has some trapezoidal covers over the vents, but the show doesn't. So while I have made versions for both, I'm only going to print the show set.

     

  16. While slicing, I am slowly working on this jetpack. Making progress. All the current models from makers have like 60% good, elements, just not in the same spots :(

     

    The base of this is pew pew- With extensive mods.

    Rescaled to be inline with other examples

    Reshaped the upper top center.

    Added texture to inner sections of booster panels

    Added central vent

    Mirrored so proper number of vents  are on the proper sides

     

    Still to do-

    Shape booster booster sections (L and R) as they should be Trapezoidal. It's a fiddlely shape. It'll take me a minute.

     

     

     

    wx0zatM.png

     

  17. So, here is iteration #11.

     

    I did some more cross referencing and added back the depression, but I had to change the angle of one of the cut outs, since it doesn't just set into the space but also has a side cut out section.

     

    Reworked the slanted ramp area. It was longer than I thought it was and has a little depression that was hard to see until I did some extra work to see the details on a larger higher def screen. Fun times.

     

    DNAoKZb.png

     

    Good enough and will try printing tomorrow.

     

    Newer bigger printer

    Different resin,

    New models?

    What can go wrong? Right?

  18. I'm trying a different approach and since the makers haven't been making files anymore. I used epoxy putty last time didn't work well and would take a lot of finishing work. I've been working to get better at CAD enough to make and mod some models to meet what I want.

     

    Here is the update to one of the vambrace file. Using putty last time didn't work well and it would be too much finishing work.

     

    yrOAWrc.png

     

    Changes based on toy, standee and giancarlo image posts etc-

    I've made the pipe longer on the side.

    Raised the depressed area near the top as I think it's actually flush.

    Added the raised dual depressed dot section, added the ramp section with the depression.

    Added an area for cut out of a lower window below the dual dot to be back-illuminated..

    Added trapezoidal port for flame thrower.

     

    For the inside section, I have to remove the ring sections, I could CAD that, but its also just as easy to remove them in post.

     

    Since I've upgraded my printing from fdm to resin, I can do these more easily as solid pieces which means I won't have to patch Honeycombe since last time I tried.

     

    This'll be the first things on my large format printer, so I hope it works out well enough. I'll be using an abs like resin to give it some additional strength.

     

    There will have to be some fill and finishing work as I'm not a pro but this should get me into striking distance.

  19. So update on this.

     

     

    All the 3d modelers who had In progress works on Moff Gideon have abandoned the projects as not enough people purchased the files for them to want to put in the effort going forward.

     

    It's annoying as I've been waiting for these files to get finished to move forward.

     

    That said, I'll finish my modified versions above and paint them when the weather isn't awful up here in the PNW.

     

    I'll get back on that horse again. Going for fitting of suit battle armor suit this week, so there's that.

     

    That leaves figuring- a back plate/jetpack combo. I have a jet pack, and it can be good with mods and elbow grease (lots of both).

    Leather Suit- pending measures and fitting

    finishing vambraces

    Shock staff

  20. I was waiting for the vambraces to be designed from the cham, but I am impatient so started doing a heavy mod on the do3d vambraces

     

    Here are theirs (I didn't photo them before modding).

     

    oTtlyp7.png

     

    Mods

    9IgfziV.jpg

    There aren't any bands on the inside forearm, so i sanded them down.

    The geometry of the raised sections was off, so I send them down

     I filled in the spaces with epoxy putty and will make them smooth.

     

    5uFEVgX.jpg

     

    Also there were some pieces missing, so I modeled the trapezoidal flame thrower vent, and the side greeblie raised sections, and added those. And the tubing on the sides needs to be extended.

    2u9LcWM.jpg

     

    And now I wait.

     

    I figure that once this is all done cham will have finished the vambraces making all my work moot... but it gives me something to do and nudges the universe to manifest things sometimes. Hah!

     

     

     

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