The Imperial Shipyards
Imperial Creative Engineering => Custom Figures => Topic started by: Echo_Six on May 30, 2017, 09:55:48 PM
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Hi all,
I'm new to the Shipyards, but have been posting on RS for a few years under the same handle. Just wanted to post up a couple of droids by way of introduction.
First up is the bantha droid from Mos Eisley. It has 14 points of articulation (shoulders x6, elbows x6, rotating body and head), and an internal clicker mechanism in the body adapted from the POTJ FX-7. Everything was 3-D printed with the exception of the FX-7 arms and clicker, stainless steel hardware, and the beads/sewing pins used for the chest buttons.
(http://i.imgur.com/AhEWjCG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HDoWdsQ.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5tVarpc.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/qqorfiN.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/O0Hjd0f.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Z4xLKxD.jpg)
For scale and general proportions, I re-sized a bantha droid reference photo until the front of the tread base in the photo was approximately the same width as the Treadwell figure’s base. It’s not perfect, but it was a decent starting point.
The 1 ¼” #6 stainless machine screw runs up from the bottom into a black plastic pedestal that has a recess for a #6 nut, and the lower body sits on the pedestal. The blue lower body, the black pedestal, and the treads were printed separately to make block-sanding the base easier.
(http://i.imgur.com/osjAZ6r.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/3I6CLTP.jpg)
The cylindrical base has a series of bumps around the inner wall, and the small disc has a notch that retains a thin strip of plastic cut from FX-7’s clicker. I used JB Weld plastic bond epoxy to fasten the strip to the disc, and the strip is also cross-pinned with a steel upholstery pin epoxied in place.
(http://i.imgur.com/qLtttM6.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/9fQUl3t.jpg)
Although “strong, flexible plastic” is good stuff, it’s not capable of capturing much detail. I designed a sleeve in “frosted extreme detail” plastic that fits over the base. This plastic is brittle and more expensive, but it’s worked well in a couple of non-structural spots.
(http://i.imgur.com/zIV5S7R.jpg)
Using JB Weld two-part epoxy (the filler/hardener that comes in separate tubes), I bonded the disc to the #6 nut and screwed them into position, so that the strip fits between the bumps along the base’s wall. It took a little test-fitting to trim the strip to the correct length.
(http://i.imgur.com/nRCdtVR.jpg)
The disc/nut assembly has to be locked to the machine screw, or it will spin instead of clicking -- At least until the assembly spins far enough up or down the screw, at which point it hits the “floor” or “roof” of the lower body and binds. I used the JB Weld two-part to secure the disc/nut to the machine screw. Super glue or thread locker would probably have been good enough, but I like overkill. As a precaution, I placed a small “gasket” of wax paper between the assembly and the lower body to prevent the JB Weld from oozing down and locking the body up, too. After the JB Weld cured, I removed the wax paper with tweezers and epoxied the cap in place.
(http://i.imgur.com/9zez8ws.jpg)
Like the base parts, I designed separate “armpit” inserts to make sanding the main body easier. I fastened the body to a machine screw, chucked it into an electric drill, and spun it against sandpaper until smooth. Another use of the “ghetto lathe.” The main body was then sprayed with Tamiya “bare metal” lacquer.
(http://i.imgur.com/kDxyIpD.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Ydx0HYo.jpg)
The bump on the inside of the upper rim (around 10 o’clock in the above photos) is a referencing tab that matches a notch in the top cap to keep everything aligned.
The FX-7 arm mounting pegs were sanded off, along with sculpted pegs on the “wrists” to let the arms fit closer together. It would be possible to make the arms more movie-accurate, but at the cost of greatly reduced articulation.
(http://i.imgur.com/YEHKbsD.jpg)
The droid’s “face” insert was also printed in “frosted extreme detail” plastic.
(http://i.imgur.com/WGgt7a6.jpg)
The “neck’s” cross-section is oval-shaped instead of round. The head is attached to the cap with another stainless #2 screw. If you look closely, you can see the notch in the bottom of the cap at 12 o’clock that corresponds to the locating tab on the upper body.
(http://i.imgur.com/69q9CF3.jpg)
Tamiya "Flat Black," "Sand," and "Rust" washes were used for weathering.
That's it for the first droid. Thanks for looking!
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Next is the giant mouse droid seen during Vader's arrival aboard the DSII in ROTJ. The tracked giant mouse (rat?) droid only has one POA, the ball-jointed head. (My attempt to incorporate concealed wheels similar to the scanning crew bottom box fizzled...For now.) The wheeled version has seven POA, at least by EE exclusive astromech standards – A ball-jointed head and six rolling wheels.
(http://i.imgur.com/WPYMFem.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/dMvCsA5.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/jNlH7MX.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Fyd6NXJ.jpg)
The GMDs are fairly simple, and completely 3-D printed with the exception of the wheel mounting hardware (#2 screws, washers, and bushings) on the wheeled version, and the #2 screws on the tracked version.
All pieces except the heads are printed with “strong, flexible” plastic. The “polished” plastic option rounded off too much detail, so I used unpolished pieces and block-sanded as necessary. I used Legos as sanding blocks, and went through 150/220/320/400/600/800/1000 grits. The body was painted with Krylon “Matte Black,” and the stripe is Tamiya “Dull Red.” I sprayed the “grille” black, then masked the inner section and sprayed the rim with Rustoleum aluminum. Printing the grille separately made block-sanding easier.
(http://i.imgur.com/lNIPWnU.jpg)
I designed a snap-together two-piece body so that I could screw the neck into place from underneath, but ultimately that wasn’t necessary. The neck has a tight press-fit, but it can still be removed. After seeing the two versions side-by-side, I think I’ll revise the wheeled chassis so that the two versions are the same height.
The heads were printed in “frosted extreme detail” plastic, in order to capture the eyes detail. After painting the head, I “painted” the eyes white by letting thinned white Tamiya acrylic ooze into the lens areas. Due to the slick nature of the FED plastic, there’s not much friction between the head and the neck. I tightened up the joint by placing a drop of super glue inside the socket and rotating the head until the glue dried.
(http://i.imgur.com/N8DX4t0.jpg)
On the wheeled version, I used 2mm sections of 1/8” brass tubing as bushings inside the wheels to help them spin smoothly.
(http://i.imgur.com/dMBWBC4.jpg)
Ricky Bobby wants to go fast.
(http://i.imgur.com/YmyEkoZ.jpg)
Again, thanks for looking. Nice place you have here.
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First off welcome!
Second, lovely droids. Absolutely awesome.
Third, thanks for showing us the construction! Off to share these to our front pages.
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Awesome i like the rat droid especially. I thought of kitbashing one. This is really great.
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Now that's the way to introduce yourself Fantastic job, and love the step by steps on the bantha droid ! Welcome to the yards "we will watch your posts with great interest"
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Thanks for the feedback, everyone.
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Time to share that giant mouse droid too.
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Fantastic work here!
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Welcome to the Yards! Amazing droids there! Very impressive!
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Outstanding!
Love the bantha droid
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Thanks again for the compliments, and for the front page. ;D Much appreciated!
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Finished a revised giant mouse droid that should be a bit more accurate. It's got six POAs; four concealed wheels under the base and a telescoping neck with ball-jointed head. I went easy on the greeblies and left off a few doodads -- Actually struggled with adding the back wire, as exposed cables hanging everywhere seems like a shoddy design to me. ;D WIP shots to follow.
(https://i.imgur.com/tzcR4pk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JZ4G1Cq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6If5FSh.jpg)
Curiousity aroused:
(https://i.imgur.com/0HhcByH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RTdwLRm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/v3pVrqx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xZb17s1.jpg)
Snoot boop:
(https://i.imgur.com/vMVV3YW.jpg)
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WIPs
The majority of the pieces were printed in "strong, flexible" plastic (nylon), with some smaller detail pieces printed in "frosted extreme detail" plastic. Tamiya spray lacquers were used for paint, while two-part epoxies and superglue were used for assembly. The telescoping neck uses 3mm and 4mm aluminum tubing, and #2 countersunk machine screws were used on the treads.
Here are the top and bottom shots of the upper body after block sanding and painting. The hole starts at 4mm on the top, then narrows to 3mm about halfway down. The larger aluminum tubing is press-fit into the 4mm hole, while the 3mm hole provides the tension to keep the telescoping segment in position. In the next iteration, I'm planning to sandwich a rubber o-ring or washer between the upper and lower bodies to provide a little more tension on the tubing. If I can't find one small enough, I'll try to use a piece of rubber gasket material with an appropriately sized hole punched.
(https://i.imgur.com/dkCUyo9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fZbbdnu.jpg)
These are the neck components. The white cap on the longer piece of aluminum actually goes halfway through the tube and meets the top stem with the ball joint. They were epoxied into place. The neck base "ziggurat" was printed in "frosted extreme detail" plastic and epoxied onto the upper body.
(https://i.imgur.com/QsLvL6h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xwdcgj7.jpg)
The white cap on the bottom of the tube prevents the 3mm inner tubing from pulling out. When lowered, the cap rests against the "floor" of the recess in the lower body wedge.
(https://i.imgur.com/Nkxcdma.jpg)
This is the assembled neck. The telescoping segment can't be painted as it would be easily scratched. I tried using "Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black" (used to conceal scratches on firearms) to chemically color the tube, but the finish was too splotchy, so I went with bare aluminum instead.
(https://i.imgur.com/NBqHyk6.jpg)
The rolling wheels are held in place with upholstery pin axles. The axles were slid into position from the side, then the access holes were filled with epoxy. The 'droid actually rolls much better than I expected. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/aGUeb9Q.jpg)
I designed conical holes in the treads and epoxied the machine screws into place. The flathead screws look better than the rounded buttonhead screws I used on earlier projects.
(https://i.imgur.com/CO5Hkpu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EIO65b3.jpg)
Some of the detail pieces printed in "frosted extreme detail" plastic. They were epoxied into place.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZQ6NCWm.jpg)
The lower body and the sides were designed as separate pieces to ease block-sanding. The thin rectangular blocks are basically referencing tabs.
(https://i.imgur.com/BQwFONM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BhAvVXI.jpg)
The upper and lower bodies were epoxied into place.
(https://i.imgur.com/DLMmPSQ.jpg)
The final test-fit before painting.
(https://i.imgur.com/rubAAnh.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Now that is awesome. Thanks for showing us how this all went together. It is good to see you back too. Off to share.
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Welcome mate and those droids are excellent.
Ron
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Beautiful!
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Thanks very much for the positive feedback, guys. Much appreciated!
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Marvelous job--revised product came out great!
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A masterpiece!
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Thanks Chris and Stan, much appreciated. ;D
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Those are outstanding droid customs.
Keep up the great work.
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Thanks for the comment!
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Wow Echo-Six, those droids look great! The way you designed these figures was exceptionally clever.
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Finished a few new ones - Some fairly involved, others not so much.
(https://i.imgur.com/nR8wKdn.jpg)
Fozec:
Torso, lower body, "skirt," and shoulder armor - TVC Sandstorm Lando
Arms, hands - LC comic pack Talon Karrde
Bracers - MU Black Widow
Head - Custom cast, paint by Glassman Customs
Shirtless Guy ("SG"):
Torso, "skirt," hands, helmet, shoulder and forearm armor - TVC Sandstorm Lando
Arms - LC Luke from Lumiya comic pack
Legs - TVC Weequay Hunter
Head - SOTDS Hoth Rebel Trooper
Lots of sanding with these two, mainly smoothing the torsos. I sprayed Fozec's torso and arms with Meltonian "Chocolate" vinyl dye, and brush-painted SG's torso to match the arms and head. The waist wraps/"skirts" were sprayed with Hi-Tech "Dark Red," then the chest straps and gunbelts were repainted with Testors "Burnt Umber." Next, I cut the shoulder and forearm armor pieces from the donors, and sanded them until they were thin enough to use on the new arms. Armor pieces were painted with Testors "Aluminum." SG got the forearm pieces, while Fozec has bracers made from sanded-down MU Black Widow stingers. (I'm in the process of fitting forearm pieces from a pair of the older swivel-elbow Landos to replace the bracers.) Before supergluing the armor in place, I glued thin strips of brown Cricut vinyl around the shoulders and forearms to serve as straps. For SG's helmet, I cut the mask off of Lando's helmet and sanded the "teeth" along the bottom edge -- They're not all the same size, but they are symmetrical from side-to-side. The cloth is from a TPM "Naboo Accessory" pack Jedi robe. SG's legs were dyed with Hi-Tech "Tan."
Before gluing the armor pieces on, I marked their locations with masking tape to ensure consistent placement. Still botched one - Had to remove it by "sawing" it loose with dental floss. Got it on the second try. ;D Might re-paint the armor to look like tarnished brass later... Still need to prep and sand Fozec's ankles, too.
(https://i.imgur.com/Y9H27so.jpg)
Shoulder up/down range of motion is limited by the armor plates. I can slightly "tuck" the armor into the shoulder socket like Sandstorm Lando, but it's not worth popping the plates off and/or tearing the straps loose. The only way around this limitation that I can see would be to attach the armor with small elastic straps, but I'll leave that for someone else to tackle.
(https://i.imgur.com/hKNMRL5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/E4B12r8.jpg)
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On to some cantina patrons:
(https://i.imgur.com/S5XNXaD.jpg)
Braconnor Bakiska:
Body - LC concept Ki-Adi-Mundi
Hands - TVC Bom Vimdin
Hood - GI Joe POC Zartan
Head - Custom cast, paint by Glassman Customs
The body was dyed with Hi-Tech "Beige," the hands with Hi-Tech "Brown," and the hood with Hi-Tech "Light Brown." The belt was painted with Tamiya "Brown" and the boots were painted with Testors "Leather," then the hood and boots were given washes with Tamiya "Brown." The neck was painted with Testors "Skin Tone Shadow Tint," then dry-brushed with a mix of Testors "Skin Tone Warm Tint" and "Skin Tone Base Light" to roughly match the head's skin tones.
I've tried a variety of hoods and this is the best version that I've found so far - The headsculpt has a very large dome, so most hoods are too small. I'll be keeping an eye out for alternatives, though.
(https://i.imgur.com/9BYekZe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2eE5APT.jpg)
Reegesk the Ranat:
Body - TVC Luke Skywalker (lightsaber construction)
Hands - TBS Ponda Baba
Robe - TPM "Naboo Disguise" accessory pack Jedi robe
Head - Custom cast
The base body is untouched. I gave the hands a brown dry-brush, then sewed up the front of the robe. The robe was so tight that I had to boil and pop Luke's forearms then replace them after putting on the robe.
Also managed to scrounge another ROTLA Map room Indy figure and make another robe for Debnoli. I used a very fine Sharpie this time and the results were much better.
(https://i.imgur.com/0uFLMo5.jpg)
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Last is a small batch of head swaps:
(https://i.imgur.com/Lia9MmQ.jpg)
Really liking the 5 POA Hoth Leia headsculpt. Required a light Dremeling to fit and a hair touch-up with Testors "Burnt Umber." I got the headless body in a fodder lot intending to make a Bespin Escape Leia but the torso is too awkward without the vest, so...
(https://i.imgur.com/Rl5ksd8.jpg)
Compared to the original. (I always keep an unmodified version of any stock figures that I mod.)
(https://i.imgur.com/FIJYDme.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SsEfDLs.jpg)
An SA Lt. Lepira (TAC head Dremeled to fit a LC Wedge body), Red Eight/Bren Quersey* (5 POA Poe Dameron head on a TBS Dutch Vander with a Dak Ralter helmet), and Red Nine/Nozzo Naytaan (TBS Dutch Vander with a Dak Ralter helmet - Laziest custom EVAR!).
IMO, Dameron's head looks more like this guy than Dameron.
*Screw the "New Canon."
(https://i.imgur.com/12UF9Sq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9lLqfvW.jpg)
Deak and Windy:
Don't know which is which, or if it even matters. I just get a kick out of Antares' expression.
Left is a Resurgence Luke torso with the lower body from a TBS Ceremony Luke dyed Hi-Tech "Brown" with Testors "Leather" boots. Head is from a LC Antares Draco.
Right is a TAC Luke torso and head with the lower body from a TVC Peasant Disguise Anakin.
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Wow, what a great update. I don't even know where to begin.
I will getting some of this on the front page.
Love that Hoth Leia head on the vintage collection body. I thought I might do that one someday myself. It sure looks great. You have perhaps the best Hoth Leia out there now.
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What an excellent update. There is some excellent work here. The skiff guards, in particular, deserve some special kudos - you did a lot of work on these and it shows. Thank you for sharing your recipes also, that is most helpful.
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fantastic work my friend ! especially loving the deak and windy characters ! i heavily tossed around doing these guys but decided not to at the time . but may do it in the future ! great choice using the poe 5 poa head on the pilot , i think when i did mine i used a fixer head . keep them coming
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Thanks for the comments, everyone. :)
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Echo_Six it looks like I've missed your thread on here completely! I'm very late, but welcome aboard!
I was pretty much absent last summer being busy with applications for college.
Did you post Reegesk the Ranat over at Rebelscum before? It looks quite familar to me.
To your droids on page 1: I like them a lot! Thank you for sharing the very detailed pictures on how you put them together! Much work went into all the pics alone for sure! You did a fantastic job on construction and painting the droids! The tracks even look as if they were movable! At first sight the tracks of the bantha droid looked movable to me - same with the giant mouse droid. The picture of the wheeled version on the HotWheels track is my favourite one! Oh, well I love HotWheels, but one cannot collect everything...
The picture of the giant mouse droid next to the probe droid made me smile, too.
I'm sure you will successfully incorporate movable hidden wheels in the second wheeled version, too! What if you worked with polystyrene plates for the droid's chassis?
The paintjob looks amazing on all three droids!
To page 2: Wow! Just wow!! You got some high level insight knowledge on all the background characters of Star Wars. Fozec and the shirtless guy look spot on! I agree with Starchaser on them, too! Braconnor Bakiska and Reegesk the Ranat look premium and as I said at the beginning I think I've seen Reegesk somehwere before...and his headsculpt looks just so realistic! Didn't know there was such a robe in TPM Accessory Sets...cool.
The head-swap on Hoth Leia is also a nice idea! Just saw the ForceLink Leia in my local Comic Store yesterday and thought her face looks a little masculine, but maybe that's just the paintjob. Her headsculpt looks good. Never knew collectors were not satisfied with the original head of TVC Leia (Hoth)...
Rebel pilots. You just cannot have enough of them...good job here, too!
I recognized Antares Draco, immediately! Both, Deak and Windy, look great! But it's not easy to find reference pictures on google, indeed! I laughed when I saw one result for "star wars windy" on there. It involves two LEGO Stormtroopers and one sunshade :D
Thank you for sharing this very impressive artwork of yours including the very detailed recipes on here and please keep them coming!
I'm off to hospital to have my unhinged jaw fixed, again. :o
Best regards from Germany!
- Philipp
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Fantastic updates! I've been wanting to do that mod on Hoth Leia for a while. Everything else is just stellar, too!
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Echo_Six it looks like I've missed your thread on here completely! I'm very late, but welcome aboard!
I was pretty much absent last summer being busy with applications for college.
Did you post Reegesk the Ranat over at Rebelscum before? It looks quite familar to me.
Thanks for the kind words! I haven't posted my Reegesk before, but he's practically identical to several others that have been posted. It's basically a clone of Stan's.
To your droids on page 1: I like them a lot! Thank you for sharing the very detailed pictures on how you put them together! Much work went into all the pics alone for sure! You did a fantastic job on construction and painting the droids! The tracks even look as if they were movable! At first sight the tracks of the bantha droid looked movable to me - same with the giant mouse droid. The picture of the wheeled version on the HotWheels track is my favourite one! Oh, well I love HotWheels, but one cannot collect everything...
The picture of the giant mouse droid next to the probe droid made me smile, too.
I'm sure you will successfully incorporate movable hidden wheels in the second wheeled version, too! What if you worked with polystyrene plates for the droid's chassis?
The paintjob looks amazing on all three droids!
One customizer is in the process of building a bantha droid with working molded silicone treads. Really looking forward to seeing the final product. I got the wheels working on the revised mouse droid, and traded it as part of a deal for some custom head casts, including the ones in this update. Got a few more casts waiting for bodies (currently working on two cantina gals), and am in the process of building another mouse droid for myself - The final 3D printed parts should arrive next week.
To page 2: Wow! Just wow!! You got some high level insight knowledge on all the background characters of Star Wars. Fozec and the shirtless guy look spot on! I agree with Starchaser on them, too! Braconnor Bakiska and Reegesk the Ranat look premium and as I said at the beginning I think I've seen Reegesk somehwere before...and his headsculpt looks just so realistic! Didn't know there was such a robe in TPM Accessory Sets...cool.
Thanks again. I took some liberties with the guards; Fozec should have forearm armor pieces like Shirtless Guy, but I didn't have enough fodder to go around. Fitting new pieces is on my "to-do" list. I think the holster set-ups are also inaccurate, but the way I see it, guards need blasters and blasters need holsters. ;D
The head-swap on Hoth Leia is also a nice idea! Just saw the ForceLink Leia in my local Comic Store yesterday and thought her face looks a little masculine, but maybe that's just the paintjob. Her headsculpt looks good. Never knew collectors were not satisfied with the original head of TVC Leia (Hoth)...
The VC Hoth Leia face sculpt is really good, I just think she could use larger eyes and less lipstick. It's subjective, but to me the 5POA sculpt is great. I've bought a few 5POA figs at the $2 clearance price for parts (actually got six Huxes just for the mouse droids), but Leia is the only one I've bought at regular price.
Rebel pilots. You just cannot have enough of them...good job here, too!
Agreed. Looking for a suitable head base for Red Seven... Actually though of using the Antares head, but didn't want to deal with sculpting a bowl cut. Will probably tackle Red Eleven and Twelve eventually. Two rules for my pilot head swaps: The helmet has to fit, and it has to be removable without pulling the head off. :)
I recognized Antares Draco, immediately! Both, Deak and Windy, look great! But it's not easy to find reference pictures on google, indeed! I laughed when I saw one result for "star wars windy" on there. It involves two LEGO Stormtroopers and one sunshade :D
If there are reference pics of these two guys I couldn't find them... They're barely visible in the deleted scene footage, so I just took some standard Tatooine parts and slapped them together.
Thank you for sharing this very impressive artwork of yours including the very detailed recipes on here and please keep them coming!
I'm off to hospital to have my unhinged jaw fixed, again. :o
Best regards from Germany!
- Philipp
Thanks for commenting, talking about this stuff is almost as much fun as building them! Hope the hospital trip goes well.
- Lee
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Excellent work on your latest customs.
One figure looks better than the other.
I really like the new robe you made for Debnoli.
Excellent work.
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Awesome work! Tell me more about this Hi-Tec spray... I’ve used RIT Dye More for boiling (really helps to get a black base).
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Tell me more about this Hi-Tec spray... I’ve used RIT Dye More for boiling (really helps to get a black base).
*Cracks knuckles over keyboard*
Next to sandpaper, automotive spray vinyl dye is the favorite tool in my customizing toolbox - I use it whenever possible, and it does not disappoint. With good prep, complete color changes are easy. Here's a link to my RS thread showing some of the other figures I've used it on before joining the Shipyards:
https://forum.rebelscum.com/showthread.php?t=1103201 (https://forum.rebelscum.com/showthread.php?t=1103201)
I started using spray dye as a noob after my first abortive attempt at using RIT to make a BoShek custom. I simmered the yellow Bossk pieces in the stuff for many hours over a weekend -- The result was brown pieces with blue joint disks. (I've heard about adding acetone to the RIT to promote bonding, but putting an explosive solvent in a metal pan over a gas oven burner seems like a special kind of reckless.) Having been a gearhead back in my young 'n' single days, I decided to try black VHT. Haven't looked back since. The info below was originally posted in the RS thread, but I've updated it a bit.
Pros:
- Dye is more durable than acrylic with respect to rubs. One of my first custom attempts was removing the casting marks from the forearm and painting the white elbow joint on a TBS Padme. After sanding the disc for clearance and finally getting a good paint match, I applied a couple of very thin coats of acrylic. After giving it a few days to dry, I re-assembled the arm, and on the first move I scraped a chunk of paint off. The dye helps prevent that sort of thing, but it will still scrape with enough friction. I've had to re-do a few dyed joints after finding out that sculpted details were causing scrapes. As an extra step, I smooth out anything in a joint that might rub ("L" and "R" marks, etc.) before spraying.
- VHT is tougher than Hi-Tech, but Hi-Tech has a larger color selection. Denatured alcohol does a very good job of stripping Hi-Tech, but it won't even dent VHT after it cures. I found this out the hard way. My SOP is to stick or tape individual pieces to be sprayed on q-tip sticks, and poke the sticks through holes in the top of a small cardboard box for drying. After spraying a batch of parts with VHT, one of the parts shifted and hit the part next to it. They stuck together, and the wet dye smeared. I immediately dunked them in a container of denatured alcohol but the dye wouldn't come off -- Ended up destroying one of the parts trying to remove the dye with Goof-Off.
- The dye is flexible. Haven't seen any cracking or flaking on soft parts like lower tunics.
- The durability can help during the build process, too. As an example, I first sprayed the torsos of Fozec and the other shirtless guy ("SG") with Hi-Tech "Dark Red," then painted the details with acrylic. It took at least twelve attempts to match the skin tone on SG's torso to his arms and head -- After each failed attempt, I'd drop the torso in a small container of Simple Green. The Green would quickly dissolve the acrylic, but didn't damage the original red dye. Similarly, I've used light swipes from a magic eraser sponge to remove excess acrylic washes without damaging the base dye. Too much magic eraser will remove dye, though.
- I've boiled and popped dyed pieces with no problem, but honestly, I try to avoid it. I use a hair dryer when putting pieces back together.
- No problems with reactions between the dyes and acrylics, various clearcoats, cured green stuff, or decal setting solution (yet). My perception is that a dyed piece takes paint for detail work better than raw plastic does. I've noticed that flat white dye is vulnerable to receiving paint rubs from other dyed pieces, but these rubs can usually be removed with a magic sponge-type eraser. Maybe it's the chalky texture, I don't know. Haven't tried yet, but I'm wondering if a coat of Testors clear might prevent this...
- Excellent coverage. The best example I can give is my Yerka Mig figure. It only took two light coats of VHT to change the TBS Luke's black shirt to yellow. No priming or brush marks. If you prep the joint discs properly (sand them to prevent rubs), you can use the dye on them, too. Although the dye bonds to soft PVC parts, it seems to act like paint on the disks. Here's how I spray a part with a moving joint:
- First, I use a rubber glove to hold the parts while spraying. The actual spraying is done as I hold the part in a large cardboard box (to catch the overspray) in my garage, with the door open and a fan running.
- Place a q-tip stick into the hollow end of the joint. This is the "handle" for the part. It needs to fit tightly for the next step - Sometimes I'll wrap masking tape around the stick if necessary.
- Holding the "handle," use needle nose pliers to move the joint peg to an end of the joint. Gently, so the pliers don't chew marks onto the peg. The mini-pliers I use are toothless.
- Spray a light coat, wait a few minutes (I usually have several parts to dye at once, so I just cycle through them one coat at a time).
- Use the pliers to carefully move the joint peg to the other end and spray another coat. This is usually enough, but I'll use extra coats as necessary.
- I used to mask the pegs, but don't bother anymore. The tape would often slip while I was moving the pegs, and dye on the pegs is easy to flake off with an X-acto knife or a q-tip dipped in denatured alcohol.
- I do mask swivel joint pegs like waists and hips. Trying to push a dyed swivel peg in place can be tough. I'll also use tiny amounts of water-based lube to make re-assembly easier. Nothing petroleum-based that would attack plastic, obviously.
Cons:
- Color selection is limited, and obviously you can't mix shades. VHT and Hi-Tech are intended for auto upholstery and carpet, so there are a lot of earth tones and grays but fewer of the primary colors. I've recently tried another brand called Meltonian that is targeted for the shoes/purses market. The color selection is pretty good, and based on the smell I would guess that it's similar to Hi-Tech. (Not that I huff the stuff, but there is a distinct difference between VHT and the other two.) Meltonian comes in smaller cans, and is easy to find on Amazon or eBay. The only downside to Meltonian is that the spray pattern is harder to work with. I've had to spray heavier coats than I'd like, so that the dye "settles" smooth and doesn't look pock-marked (for lack of a better description). I'm not talking about the "fisheyes" caused by grease on a surface to be painted, it just seems that thin coats of Meltonian leave a rough texture behind. I've only used it twice, so I don't know how common this is.
- Dye is expensive, and can be hard to find. Although Dupli-Color markets something called vinyl paint at most auto parts chains, from what I can tell it's not an actual dye. There is an auto detail supply store nearby that carries the Hi-Tech dye, and it costs about $10/can. I have to buy VHT and Meltonian through eBay or Amazon, and with shipping (it's hazmat) one can of VHT costs around $15. On the other hand, a little goes a long way.
- Prep work is still necessary, basically the same as when painting. Joints have to be prepped to avoid rubs. I also remove factory paint from pieces to be dyed. I don't know for sure, but I assume the dye won't bond through existing paint. In addition, I don't want to clog up small details with extra layers of stuff. Keep in mind that the stuff is designed for vinyl, so while it works great on the soft PVC parts of figures, it probably wouldn't be any better (worse, I'd expect) than regular paint on a hard plastic part.
- Patience is required. Per the VHT can, you can apply coats about every five minutes but if you find out later you missed a spot, or want to add an additional coat, you have to allow a week for the dye to cure first. It can be a drag when you're in a groove and have to hold off on reassembly for another week because you've had to re-do a scraping joint.
- I found that if you reassemble parts before they've had enough time to cure, the dye can cause the parts to stick together. When the color change isn't too drastic, I like to sand the concave joint areas with 2500 grit paper to remove any dye and reduce the chance for rubs. In addition, surfaces that have been dyed have a "tack" to them - If you haven't moved a dyed joint (especially a swivel) for a while you'll experience a little "crack" when the joint moves. Some of my customs are years old, and although they often make the "crack," I haven't seen any damage yet.
- You need a ventilated workspace. The kitchen table won't work. In addition, weather can affect the spray. Excess humidity or cold are bad ju-ju. The cans will break that down for you.
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Wow, that was a great description of the die. I have to go share that and more of your great update.
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No problem, I hope it's helpful to someone. Thanks for the front page again!
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LOL, I guess that answers my question about the dye! Thank you for the tutorial... think I’ll give it a try some day when I have better environment for spraying.
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After writing that novella, I can sympathize with Rodney Dangerfield in "Back To School" -
"I feel like I gave birth... To an accountant!"
;D
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Great tips on the vinyl dye, Echo_Six. Thanks for that!
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Spurred on by constructive criticism, I've decided that a plastic hood won't work for Braconnor Bakiska. This is a prototype that I fiddled around with today, using a piece of a Jedi robe and some floral wire sewn in to shape the hood opening. Still need to find a suitable fabric source. I like the look and texture of the "Disguise" Jedi robe material, but the only way I could cut a scrap large enough was to use the rounded lower edge of the robe, which is why the front flaps are rounded along the outer edges. If I can find a larger piece of fabric, I'll be able to make the front flaps look better.
(https://i.imgur.com/FVZ9W0N.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7nGPtPd.jpg)
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I thought the original hood was just fine, but this soft goods work is really excellent. I agree with your take on the textured material. Great improvement.
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I agree with Starchaser and thought the first version hood was fine too, but I can see why you like the soft goods. Soft goods done right really adds to an action figure.
Off to share the update.
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Thanks. ;D
Got most of the bugs worked out, but I need to tighten up the execution - The hood should be smaller, and I'd like to do a cleaner job on hemming the edges. Just need to find more fabric and maybe a thinner gauge wire.
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I can only join Starchaser and Tamer: The soft goods hood looks excellent as well as the paintjob on this one!
Thanks for sharing & have a nice weekend!
- Philipp
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Finished some "blink-and-you-miss-'em" Jabba's Palace goons.
First is Geezum.
(https://i.imgur.com/qTeCYWt.jpg)
Torso, arms, hands: TVC Endor Rebel commando with neckpost from TVC Kithaba
Head, pelvis, legs: TVC Snaggletooth
Cartridge belt: TLC Jango Fett
Bandoleer: TBS Tusken Raider
Scarf: Misc. Jedi robe
I started by cutting the torso's neck flush with the shirt collar, and transplanting the neckpost from a TVC Kithaba figure using a headless #4 screw. After stripping all the factory paint from the lower body and prepping all the joints, I sprayed the body parts with VHT "satin white" dye. I re-painted the boots with Testors "leather," and gave everything a Testors "sand" wash. After trimming and sanding the holsters from Jango's belt, I sprayed it with VHT "satin black" and gave it a Testor's "burnt umber" drybrush. The scarf is a Jedi robe scrap with a dab of Liquid Stitch keeping it folded over around the neck. The bandoleer was more complex. The first attempt used five pouches cut from another Jango belt. I sanded a groove into the back of the piece, and superglued it to a leather strip from Michael's. (Only needed about three inches of leather, ended up with eight yards. But I digress. :D ) It looked okay, but the pouches were too small. I eventually carved/sanded the pouches from the lower torso of a TBS Tusken Raider and repeated the process before painting the pouches with Testors "leather."
A cool feature of the leather strap is that after wetting it and letting it dry, it molds to contours very well.
(https://i.imgur.com/pBLesdV.jpg)
This is the original bandoleer showing the sanded groove and the strap's joining point.
(https://i.imgur.com/cyHW3D5.jpg)
Next is the H'nemthe from Jabba's palace.
(https://i.imgur.com/vE59mDh.jpg)
Body, head, hands: TAC M'iiyoom Onith
Arms: TVC Han Solo (Target three-pack)
Belt: TLC Jango Fett
Vest: TBS Jyn Erso
As you might expect, the robe was the hardest part of making this custom. Thanks to Stan for telling me about this fabric source:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SHEER-COTTON-SHIRTS-BLOUSE-DRESS-DOLL-CLOTHES-FABRIC-THIN-1MM-MICRO-STRIPE-58-W/370405605060?hash=item563de4fec4:m:mQVG70uvZRXhw1ng5J7vp6A:rk:1:pf:0&var=640004912039
(Hope it's okay to link an eBay store - If not, Mods please delete.) The body is stock, with the exception of swapping in the Han arms to replace the swivel elbows. The original hand pegs were a little too small and received some passes with teflon tape.
Obviously, I took some liberties with this figure. I left one of Jango's holsters attached for a bit of play value. In addition, I left off the vest's shoulder flaps and didn't cut the ends of the sleeves. It would have been easy to glue on some flaps using flexible vinyl as a "hinge" but since the robe and vest are already a tight fit, there might be durability issues caused by moving the arms. Like always, it's a trade-off between accuracy and playability. Lastly, the sleeve ends should be contoured and not straight. This was an OCD-type thing with me. I like my sleeves the way I like my psyche - Neat and orderly, not frayed and unraveling. ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/ZmUMT2u.jpg)
Last is Leslomy Tacema, aka Jabba's Duro.
(https://i.imgur.com/9X1vH6a.jpg)
Head, hands: POTJ Ellors Madak
Torso: TBS Ceremony Luke
Pelvis, upper legs: TBS General Lando
Lower legs: TVC Bespin Luke
Upper arms: comic pack Prince Xizor
Lower arms: TVC Weequay Hunter
Vest: TAC Tosche Station Biggs
Belt: TBS lightsaber construction Luke
This is the most discombobulated figure I've ever assembled. It started as a simple concept: (1) Put a dress on a Daultay Dofine figure, (2) Swap head and hands, (3) Profit! Unfortunately, the torso details didn't work very well with the robe and belt. Hmmm... General Lando might work, his waist has a sculpted recess that fits the robe and belt perfectly! However, the sculpting of the torso prevented the arms from even approaching a normal position with the robe and vest in place. So I used a torso already designed for an overlay. The Luke torso mated to the Lando pelvis perfectly, but still needed to be sanded a bit for robe clearance. The thin Xizor shoulders give a little more clearance, and the Weequay wrists are large enough to match the hands. The original vest was cut and sanded from a POTJ Ponda Baba. It was nice and bulky, and resembled the flak jacket from the reference material below. Unfortunately, since it was sculpted for a swivel-shouldered barrel chest, it didn't work out here. Instead, I trimmed Bigg's vest and enlarged the arm holes, then dyed it with VHT black and painted the exterior with Testors "olive drab." The robe was sewn from a lycra nightshirt ($4 at Wal-Mart). The head was Dremeled to fit. To increase the range of motion, I also removed most of Luke's Adam's apple. The hands were fitted with superglued pegs cut from a KOTCS Russian soldier.
This was the reference material I used. Everyone's seen this guy who was originally thought to be an Endor rebel, but was actually one of Jabba's crew. Instead of the source of confusion camoflaged coat, I went with this instead.
(https://i.imgur.com/EYYhDiu.jpg)
If you squint and turn your head just right, it looks like he's wearing a vest over something light-colored.
(https://i.imgur.com/v6MBQSg.jpg)
Patiently waiting for February 2019:
(https://i.imgur.com/SILQWGo.jpg)
At the risk of sounding like a shill, I also wanted to pass along info about Winsor-Newton brush cleaner. If you need to remove paint from a figure, try this stuff. A four-ounce bottle is about $8 at Michael's or Joanne's, or $10 at Hobby Lobby. I'm awaiting a 16-ouncer from Amazon for $15.
(https://i.imgur.com/DtzYAN6.jpg)
For years, I've used denatured alcohol and Goof-Off to remove paint from figures. However, alcohol doesn't do much against factory paint, and Goof-Off attacks plastic very quickly. I've read about this brush cleaner and finally decided to try it. I really, really wish I hadn't waited so long. Here are my experiences with it in the last month or so:
- Removed factory paint about as well as Goof-Off, and has been much safer on plastic. I pour it into a small glass bowl and use a plastic AP brush to remove the paint. Much easier than the old "three swipes with a Goof-Off q-tip/Simple Green/rinse/repeat" method. I still try to work quickly, and wash parts thoroughly after stripping.
- Removed 90% of Sharpie marker stripes from a fabric robe. Hoping to remove more with more applications.
- Removed dried-but-still-tacky Rustoleum plastic-bonding spray paint from a rubbery Ponda Baba vest.
- Removed VHT vinyl dye. I can tell you from previous experience that VHT is no joke when it comes to removal. I've dissolved pieces with Goof-Off trying to strip VHT, but this stuff took it off with no problem.
It cleans brushes pretty well, too. :)
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Wow, what an update. This is just a ton of great resources in this one. Off to share.
And it is definitely ok to share eBay Resources and links.
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Really nice work on these. The soft goods look great! Excellent parts combinations on these, especially the Duros. Thanks for sharing your find with the paint removal product too.
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Thanks, guys. Using the brush cleaner to strip paint wasn't my idea, but I hope that posting my results might help someone else. :)
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Your latest figures are amazing.
The soft goods parts look very realistic.
Excellent work.
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Jabba's "blink and miss goons" are so, SO good!
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No updates at the moment, but I've got a question: Anyone out there that does or can recommend custom 3.75" face painting? I'm not looking for exquisite multi-layer washes and dry-brushes, just solid Legacy Collection or TVC-level quality. Glassman has done great work in the past but the guy is working through some stuff right now.
Any input appreciated!
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I was waiting to post these until I had more stuff finished, but what the heck.
First is Thul Fain. He's an old fat guy with a dishrag on his head, allegedly seen in Jabba's Palace. Thrilling concept for an action figure, I know.
(http://i.imgur.com/ESjax4g.jpg) (https://imgur.com/ESjax4g)
Body - LC Willrow Hood
Head - TVC Colonel Cracken
Robe - Map room Indiana Jones
Hands and feet - Darned if I can remember...
I wanted to dye the Willrow base brown, but didn't read the can and accidentally sprayed it with Hi-Tech "Burgundy" instead. ::) What can I say, the cap colors looked about the same. The neck is sculpted at a strange angle, so I sanded most of the Adam's apple away for Cracken's head to sit level. Cracken's hair got a Testors "Light Ghost Gray" drybrushing, followed by a Testors "Flat White" drybrushing and a blast with Dullcote. Willrow's neck received some blended Testors flesh tones.
The inner hooded "robe" is actually a sleeveless smock sewn from a white handkerchief. I drew the stripes with a brown extra-fine Sharpie, then dyed it with coffee. Here are the stripes being laid out:
(https://i.imgur.com/Ozt4ebF.jpg)
I stitched the back of the inner robe and hood by hand, then hemmed it and formed the hood with strategically placed dollops of Liquid Stitch. The initial plan was to feed 26-gauge florists' wire into the handkerchief's hemmed edge and use that to form the hood. It looked good, but there was a Catch-22 -- If I ran the wire along the entire length of the inner robe, it would hinder movement. If I trimmed the wire, it would have quickly worn holes in the fabric.
I salvaged the outer robe from my first Debnoli custom by using Winsor-Newton brush cleaner and Rit color remover to take out all of the Sharpie ink stripes and splotches. Then the robe got a quick soak in Rit's Dye-More "Peacock Green" (the Dye-More is touted as specifically for synthetic material, for what that's worth). Because the robe is so big, I folded a couple of pleats in the back and tacked them in place with a few hand-stitches. Invisible from the outside, and easily removable if desired.
The belt is a thin strip cut from a Jedi robe.
The inner robe is slit down the middle in the back, just in case Jabba declares a Dance-off to the Death:
(https://i.imgur.com/5LMNpBW.jpg)
Reference:
(https://i.imgur.com/EX7a5Eu.jpg)
Next is the third Dressellian commando, as seen in the Home One Death Star II attack briefing:
(https://i.imgur.com/pmSQGd9.jpg)
A simple formula, aided by serendipity.
Base figure - LC Major Panno
Cloak - TVC Orrimaarko
As a test, I sprayed Orrimaarko's cloak with VHT "Light Blue" dye. It came out stiff as cardboard, with dried dye crumbling to the touch. Since I'd had luck using the W-N brush cleaner to remove all kinds of stuff, I gave the cloak a brief soak. After about a minute, I removed it and washed/rinsed it thoroughly. This is the end result. Still a nice shade of blue, and the original airbrushed brown splotches are visible as darker patches. The texture is now more supple than the other two cloaks below.
Swift, silent, deadly.
(https://i.imgur.com/saykGRs.jpg)
Last and least is Merc Sunlet.
(https://i.imgur.com/UYjqMAN.jpg)
Body - LC Agen Kolar
Lower tunic - Comic pack Owen Lars
Head - Saga General Rieekan
Hands - TAC Obi-Wan
Merc is a WIP until I can generate the enthusiasm to swap in some arms with flared openings. The basic styling cues I picked out from the reference photos were (1) Older dude with a pot belly, and (2) Beige-ish outfit with darker brown inner tunic and dark belt. I stripped the original brown tunic, painted the new brown stripes, and painted the neck. Rieekan's head was Dremeled to fit, and his hair received a Testors "Light Ghost Gray" drybrushing (although it doesn't show very well in the photo). Agen's neck is a really long separate piece that extends deeply into Rieekan's head. The upshot is that the head is limited to swivel-only articulation.
Reference:
(https://i.imgur.com/SILiLvw.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Great job on these. Really nice soft goods work. I particularly like the Dressellian.
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I agree, just awesome soft goods work. Off to share on the main pages.
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Wow! These look great! Jabba's goons are really coming along.
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Thanks, everyone. ;D
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Stunning work there Echo_Six! Your ideas and work with softgoods are most imoressive. The drawn stripes on the robe dyed with coffee are one of my favourite detail of this update!
Thanks for sahring all the recipes, references and precious advice! That brush cleaner liquid looks promising, too!
- Philipp
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Freaking fantastic on all of these , love them all with all of your work , most impressive.
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Thanks, guys. Not going to lie, drawing those stripes got old... Took me seven tries to get the robe right, which meant a LOT of stripes. Not to mention that just one of the wider stripes required 10-12 passes to form. ;D
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Fooling around with more of Jabba's goons and some cantina patrons.
First up is Gauron Nas Tal.
(https://i.imgur.com/yo5BV8Q.jpg)
Head, feet, forearms (modified): Saga Legends Bossk
Torso, upper arms: TVC Bom Vimdin
Lower arms (modified): TBS Vizam
Pelvis, legs: TVC Endor Rebel Commando
Cape: ROTLA Monkey Man
Lower tunic: KOTCS Russian soldier
I decided to make this guy because of all the extra Bossk bits and Bom torsos I've accumulated. The Bossk head fits the neck post without modification, so that was one less thing. :) I sanded off the torso details and re-skinned it with Green Stuff, leaving a few "wrinkles" that I mashed in with rubber gloves. To make the turtleneck, I formed a cylinder of Green Stuff around Bom's raised collar, and pushed the cape into position to make a recess under the collar. Then I popped the head on and rolled it around, which pressed the Green Stuff down to kinda/sorta simulate the look I was going for. (Remember to keep the parts wet when dealing with Green Stuff so that they don't stick together.)
I wanted Gauron to look like he's wearing gloves, so I chose Vizam forearms because they matched the Bom shoulders fairly well, but narrowed down enough to "tuck" into the Bossk hands. After trimming the forearms, I superglued pegs carved/sanded from a KOTCS Russian solder, then drilled/Dremeled matching holes into the hands. I sanded most of the scaly texture off of the hands and added a Nintendo Gameboy to his left forearm. The gizmo was cut from the chest of a TAC concept Luke figure, contoured via sanding, and superglued into place.
Other than having prepped joints, the lower body is stock. I reversed the lower tunic from a KOTCS Russian soldier to better align with the torso peg. From the reference pic below Gauron's pants should have stripes too, but the Commando's leg sculpts are next-to-impossible to mask.
I sprayed the torso, tunic, and arms with Hi-Tech "Beige" dye. After masking the arm stripes, I sprayed them (many, many light "mist" coats to prevent bleeding) and the lower body with Meltonian "Green" dye and re-painted the lower legs with Tamiya "Flat Brown" acrylic. The hands were sprayed with Hi-Tech "Light Brown" and given a Testors "Leather" wash. I should've used a darker color because the hands are still too close of a color match to the head and feet. Will fix that at a later date. The Meltonian Green is very glossy so I gave everything a blast of Dullcote to tone it down a bit.
As a side note, I tried Testors, Tamiya, and Vallejo masking tape on the figures from this update. Testors is locally available, but has almost no tack. I only use it now to mark spacing. Tamiya is great for building dams when using Apoxie, but (in my experience) it didn't do much to prevent bleeding. Vallejo tape is the only thing I'll use for masking from here on.
The Jethro belt is a piece of 1/8" elastic dyed brown. After trimming, the tips were touched up with a Sharpie marker. The necklace chain is from Hobby Lobby, and the medallion is a 3D print from Shapeways. The medallion has a small indentation in the back, which I filled with JB Weld epoxy. I placed the ends of the chain in the epoxy and let it dry, then sanded the back flush, sprayed it with Tamiya gold lacquer, and painted the center with Testors "Insignia Red." I tried Tamiya "Clear Red" first, but didn't care for the results. The last step was to hit the medallion with Testors Gloss Clear.
I had planned to leave one end of the chain dangling below the medallion and attaching a smaller ornament to the end, but ultimately went with the simple look.
I stripped the factory paint from the cape using (what else) Winsor-Newton brush cleaner, then sprayed it with Hi-Tech "Burgundy" dye. I masked a 2mm strip around the robe's inner edge and sprayed it with VHT "Black" dye. After masking the diagonal lines on the black strip with 2mm masking tape, I dry-brushed the stripes with Folk Art "Copper" acrylic.
Finally, the eyes were repainted with Testors "Gloss Black."
(https://i.imgur.com/TtCco4S.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/69TNTin.jpg)
"Swiggity swooty, I'm comin' for that booty!"
(https://i.imgur.com/J4wSrMQ.jpg)
References:
(https://i.imgur.com/7BK0K1h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Rteg7UM.jpg)
Next is Arleil Schous.
(https://i.imgur.com/WTOqjLk.jpg)
Torso: TBS Ceremony Luke
Lower body/holster: TVC Bom Vimdin
Hands: TVC Ponda Baba
Head: Custom cast, thanks to your friend and mine!
Arleil should have a zipped-up jacket, but I couldn't figure out a better torso that wouldn't require sculpting. The body pieces are all stock with the exception of joint prep. The torso was sprayed with Hi-Tech "Flagstone," the jacket and sleeves with VHT "White," and the lower body with VHT "Dark Blue Satin." The boots were painted with Testors "Gloss Black." After some careful masking, the arm stripes were sprayed with VHT "Black." The head was sprayed with Tamiya "Black" lacquer, and the hands with VHT "Black" before getting dry-brushed with Testors "Ghost Gray." I dry-brushed the exposed flesh areas on the face and in the ears with Testors "Skin Tone Tint Base - Dark," then dry-brushed the teeth with Vallejo "Bone White." After investing in an illuminated stand-alone magnifying glass, I managed to dab on two red eyes with Testors "Insignia Red."
The belt is stock, and the blaster is from one of the old Saga Legends pack-in weapon crate assortments.
(https://i.imgur.com/I9pkioN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SNt7T1Y.jpg)
The last two are much, much simpler. Here's Beedo:
(https://i.imgur.com/BkKLLzf.jpg)
He's a Saga Legends Greedo with blue eyes and a TBS Toryn Farr vest. I did have... issues... with the vest.
As a surprise to no one, I prefer dyeing stuff versus painting. So, I bought Meltonian "Orange" dye and thought that would do it. Unfortunately, after letting the dye cure for a few days, I found that it had turned tacky. Never had this problem before - Don't know if I got a bad can, or if Meltonian doesn't work with the soft vest vinyl (although it is vinyl dye, so ??? ) I stripped the vest and gave it a shot with Testors "International Orange" acrylic. Wasn't working too well, and I suspect it would've rubbed off like crazy. Stripped it again, and tried Rit Dye-More "Apricot." This stuff soaked in very quickly and looked really good. However, after putting on the vest, the dye began leaching out into the figure at an incredible rate. If the dye only soaked into the parts under the vest it wouldn't have mattered, but I don't think it would have stopped there. Stripped it again, scrounged another torso, and took one more shot. I couldn't find any other orange dyes, so I bought a can of SEM '69 Z-28 "Hugger Orange" interior paint. Quite satisfied with the results.
(https://i.imgur.com/DTrBEKU.jpg)
Last and most basic is moisture farmer Ariq Joanson from the cantina.
(https://i.imgur.com/nf6v8N8.jpg)
Torso - Saga carbonite Han
Head, lower tunic, legs: Comic pack Fixer
The default recipe. The torso and lower tunic were sprayed with VHT "White" for a color match, then the belt was repainted with Testors "Leather" and "Aluminum," then given a Tamiya "Flat Brown" wash. Hoping to obtain a better head down the line...
Thanks for looking!
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Wow, now thats an update! I really like that Trandoshan Custom. Never sure if I spell that right. Anyhow, awesome update. Love the clarity of your images too. Top notch photography.
Off to share this first One.
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Excellent customs
Actually, I think Gauron and Arliel Schous are the most impressive figures.
I started Gauron a while back, but the soft goods are daunting. You did an excellent job. Thank you for that reference image, BTW.
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I now come to a point where I'm missing words, but let me put it like this: You posted 33 posts on here so far and every single one is worth pure Kolto! These four customs are examples of 1/18 scale customizing at its best. All of them look most brilliant, Echo_Six! One update more impressive than another.
Gauron Nas Tal is very remarkable and I agree with Sjefke here. Your research and background information are always excellent! Thank you a flagship for the detailed description and footage. I'm speechless...
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Thanks for the feedback guys, it's much appreciated. And thanks for the front page, Tamer. ;D
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Beautiful execution on these figures. Masterful attention to detail. I really appreciate how much thought you put into the design of the figures and how much you share about your process.
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Amazing work! Very inspiring to see so many cool ideas!
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Execution , always great to see one of your posts, it gets the juices flowing here. Plugging away we are. Great job on assemble the parts on the beautiful figures ... looking forward to many more
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;D
Thanks again, everyone. Like always, critiques and suggestions are always welcome. Sometimes I get so set on an approach that I miss better alternatives.
Stan - Thanks in particular. Sending a PM.
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:o
So many wonderful figures. Looking at your latest post left me speechless.
Your eye for details is amazing.
Excellent work.
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You're hammering out an amazing array of background characters! Very inspired work!!
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Much appreciated! ;D
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It barely counts as a custom, but here's a TVC Stormtrooper Han head swapped onto a VOTC Han body.
(https://i.imgur.com/r7sfoY5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vVWxx9s.jpg)
The VOTC Han has a big neckpost, and the Stormy head needed a lot of Dremeling to fit. There's also a big skin tone mismatch, so I painted the VOTC neck with Vallejo "Basic Skin Tone" for a smoother transition.
This headscupt is awesome, and I'm planning to repeat this with my LC Death Star escape Han and TVC Bespin Han.
Thanks for looking!
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Great heads up on this, thanks! In my book a head swap is still a custom :)
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I agree with Starchaser! I also got some head-swaps to share on here, soon! They're quite simple, but are still customs ;) It's impressive how good Han looks, now - especially next to his best friend...
Awesome footage here! Thanks for sharing the good news!
- Philipp
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Oh yeah, looks much better. I like it. Off to share.
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Thanks for the comments everyone, and thanks for the front page, Tamer. As a minor update, I noticed Han had a noticeable right lean... The right leg was either warped or too short, so I swapped in a lower body from another VOTC I had laying around. Now he stands more or less upright. ;D
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Swapped a few more Stormtrooper Han heads and updated some older customs.
(https://i.imgur.com/GmrmWfr.jpg)
The Death Star escape Han is a mild custom from years ago, using a VOTC Han with the belt & comm-link from the TVC DSE Luke.
Fitting the TVC Bespin Han neckpost was easy. Drilled out the head with an 11/64" drill bit to deepen the hole, then lightly Dremeled it for a secure "snap" fit.
The Echo Base Han is another older custom, using a TVC Bespin Han with the arms and coat from the TVC Echo Base Han. The EB Han uses a hard plastic torso, and the shoulders had large round discs instead of pegs. After cracking the EB Han torso, I tapered the discs via sanding so they could be inserted in the Bespin Han shoulder holes.
(https://i.imgur.com/dDFoHeb.jpg)
A couple of notes:
Heads fitted to the VOTC body also fit the TVC carbonite Han. Since Glassman Customs already did a spiffy repaint of the stock head a while ago, I'll skip this swap.
The stock Stormie head is a slightly loose fit on the newer AT-ST pilot body, if someone wanted to make a AT-ST disguise Han. For me, there's so little of the face showing under the helmet that the TVC Bespin Han head (with a dab of greenstuff) works fine.
Thanks for looking!
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Nice job. You've really invested in this new Han Stormtrooper:)
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Emotionally and financially. ;D Used the extra Stormie bodies for a couple of Luke variants (Resurgence head for unhelmeted, 5 POA Jedi Knight head for helmeted), and will probably try to eBay a couple of the other bodies with some extra Luke heads to recoup some $.
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They sure do look great. Off to share your update.
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It's great to see that the TARGET stores got sufficient stock of their latest exclusives in your area! I think you're the first one to customize all versions of Han with the new head! They all look stunning and I expect Hasbro to update all of them with the photo real technology.
I'm glad you could make the Stormtrooper bodies to some excellent army-building!
Thanks for sharing this beatiful sight with us!
- Philipp
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The new Han head sculpt is excellent.
Ron
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Thanks for the feedback, everyone. :)
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I just love coming and looking g at all the beautiful customs. Your are one my inspiration in figure making.
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First is Spacer #4 from the cantina:
(https://i.imgur.com/ssU4LSf.jpg)
Mainly chosen as a way to use an extra Bane Malar head.
Torso, pelvis, legs, belt, blaster: LC/TVC Imperial scanning technicican
Shoulders: LC Willrow Hood
Forearms/hands: TVC Oddball
Head: LC Bane Malar
Alternate head: TVC Cloud Car pilot
Body parts were stripped of any factory paint, then dyed with Hi-Tech "Gray Metallic" vinyl dye. The neck was painted with Testors "Light ghost gray" to match the CC pilot's skullcap. To fit Malar's helmet, I found a donor head that fit the neckpost (an unknown Luke head) and sanded it into a ball that fits snugly inside the helmet.
A note about the scanning tech's torso: The shoulder holes are so deep that it's usually necessary to trim pegs of arms you're trying to use; otherwise, the pegs will hit and you won't be able to seat both arms.
I considered trying to hollow out the helmet, but I think I'd have to trim the back of the helmet below the silver tubing to get it to work. That'd leave his neck and part of his head exposed.
(https://i.imgur.com/8IqcrRQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/wQfD9Um.jpg)
Group shot of the boys:
(https://i.imgur.com/74jZrUX.jpg)
Cantina dude (yellow spacer) is too self-conscious about the paint rub on his nose to remove his helmet. Someday I'll hook him up with a head cast in flesh color.
(https://i.imgur.com/QQFyBOy.jpg)
The last two are fairly standardized recipes by now. Thanks to the originators!
Bodhi Rook:
(https://i.imgur.com/iYaA9Ij.jpg)
Torso, arms, pelvis, thighs, boots: LC/TVC Imperial scanning technician
Shins: KOTCS Mutt Williams
Head, vest, blaster, spool backpack (not shown): 5POA Bodhi
Hands: TBS General Lando
Body parts were stripped, then the shoulder emblems were masked with patties of blue-tac and the forearm device was taped off. Pieces were then dyed with Hi-Tech "Dark Gray." I used a mix of Testors "skin tone warm tint," "skin tone tint base," "leather," and "olive drab" to approximate the head's skin tone on the hands and neck.
The legs from the LC Rebel flight crewman might work better, but I only have one spare of that guy and I keep thinking I'll eventually use him to make a Tzizvvt.
I dislike painting hands, because they're vulnerable to damage from handling weapons, etc. Ideally, I would've used hands from a LC Talon Karrde, which matched the head fairly well. Unfortunately, Karrde's wrist pegs were too small. I might've been able to fit them with teflon tape, but it would've taken a lot of passes. (***While typing this I realized I could've superglued pegs into Karrde's hands... Wish the thought had occurred earlier!***) Couldn't find anything suitable in my ROTLA donor pile, either. Even thought about cutting the hands from a LC Jango Fett (rolled-up sleeves civvies version) and supergluing pegs, but his thick wrists would've required sanding to match the tech's sleeve cuffs. As a last resort I went with painting. Matching skin tones always gives me fits, and this time was typically horrible. My first handful of tries dried too light, with a pallid gray result. Eventually, I went heavy on "leather" and got a tone I could live with. I've read that "acrylics dry darker" but that has not been my experience, especially with skin tones. Should have sanded the casting flash from the hands, too... Another item added to my "eventually get around to" list. ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/0nITphK.jpg)
Last is the Emperor:
(https://i.imgur.com/VbFmEDJ.jpg)
Body: multipack LC Emperor
Head, hands, hood: 5POA Emperor from Emperor/Jedi Luke/ERG three-pack
Robe: TVC Darth Sidious
Fairly basic -- Trimmed the hood from the 5POA robe with an X-acto and cleaned up the edges with sandpaper. Cut a slit up the front of the robe, stopping near the top so the robe appears fastened by the hood's "clasp." Trimmed the hands' wrist pegs. That's it!
Although I can swap out the hands for the "lightning" versions, I'll build another version with the lightning and snarling face. Just need to track down another Darth Sidious robe.
Thanks for looking!
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These look great! I like how the silver turned out on the spacer and Bodhi turned out really well. Your dyeing technique is really pretty amazing.
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Your spacers are fantastic! Talk about a must have group for any Cantina Dio. Great work. Off to share.
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Excellent Cantina Spacer collection.
Nice updates onRook and Palps too
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Your spacers are terrific but I particularly love Bodhi!
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Thanks for the comments guys, and thanks for the front page Tamer. ;D
If anyone's curious about the other spacers (assuming it's okay to link to another forum? - If not, please delete), here's the write-up on the white and silver spacers. Boshek and cantina dude can be found earlier in the thread.
https://forum.rebelscum.com/showthread.php?t=1103201&page=5 (https://forum.rebelscum.com/showthread.php?t=1103201&page=5)
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Great work on the spacers mate.
Ron
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Fantastic job
On the spacer , love your customs.
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Thanks, guys. ;D
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Excellent work on the spacers.
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Thanks!
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Just finished an easy and long overdue Spacetroopers upgrade. After my recent Han headswap festival, I had a handful of now-headless Han Stormtrooper bodies, and another handful of terribly yellowed LC Spacetroopers - Seemed a logical idea to combine them. The only real obstacle was mounting the jetpacks. After bouncing through a few overly complex ideas involving magnets and double-sided automotive emblem tape, I decided the cleanest method would be to transfer the Spacetrooper back plates to the new bodies. For anyone not familiar with the LC Spacetrooper, the back has a separate plate with slots on the sides for the jetpack clips.
Pessimistically expecting the plate to be glued in and hard to remove, I hacked the first donor torso apart with plastic cutters. My plan was to cut as close as possible, then sand the plate down as necessary. I didn't want to damage the edges by prying anything. While trimming, though, I could feel and hear the plate shifting around in what was left of the torso. As an experiment, I loosely pried it with a razor knife and it popped right out! The next four plates took about a minute to remove. ;D
Caution: I bought these five Spacetroopers in a lot from one of the Chinese sellers years ago. Probably Tunghori or the late, great Viperskingdom. The point being, it's possible the plates may be glued in better on other Spacetroopers. I've received figures in the past from these guys that had completely skipped the sonic welding and gluing phases - Great if you're disassembling for customs, but probably an issue for most buyers.
You can also see some of the torso yellowing below - It might not look too bad here, but this pic was taken a couple of weeks after a two-day soak in 12% hydrogen peroxide. The torsos were sparkling white when they came out, but were turning back already. Not to mention this was the second soaking in the last couple of years.
(https://i.imgur.com/lFw6vNn.jpg)
After popping the plates, I removed the plugs by sanding them on a sheet of 220 grit wet-or-dry paper lying on a flat surface (bathroom countertop). I intentionally left the sanded surfaces roughed up to help the epoxy adhere.
(https://i.imgur.com/iUYwZJD.jpg)
I then sanded the raised details from the backs of the Han Stormies in the same manner. As a precaution, I bent the arms forward and twisted the torsos 180 degrees so that the arms and detonator cannisters wouldn't get accidentally sanded. I used Loctite two-part epoxy to glue the plates to the bodies.
(https://i.imgur.com/LDyNVK8.jpg)
Here's a comparison between the Han Stormie on the right and my only non-yellowed LC Spacetrooper on the left. Re-using the Joe Johnson heads would have been more trouble than it was worth - Would have needed to drill the sockets deeper, then fill them with greenstuff for a tight fit. *Bleah* I used some Dutch Vander heads instead.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZDiEErK.jpg)
The final step was to drill small holes in the helmets for the air hoses. Unless there's something I'm overlooking, it seems impossible to fit the new blasters in the holsters. I'll probably try some of the earlier E-11 molds.
(https://i.imgur.com/pC6Gbht.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Fantastic job on this creative solution! The space troopers look great. How long does it take for troopers to yellow like that?
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Thanks! I doubt there's a consistent answer to yellowing. I've had my Spacetroopers for around ten years, but I'm not sure exactly when they started turning. Seems that once they turn, though, there's no stopping it. They've always been stored in the dark so sunlight wasn't a factor. I think it was just a bad batch of plastic. Got another Spacetrooper and plenty of Saga Legends Stormtroopers almost as old, and they're still pearly white.
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Wow, these look great. Thanks for sharing your process. Off to the front pages.
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Thanks for the share, Tamer.
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Very cool I wish an official version came out like these. Those old stormtroopers I feel while nice are too thin with ugly heads.
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Excellent work mate.
Ron
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Thanks for the comments, everyone. ;D
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Excellent work these figures, they look great. Thanks for sharing your "work-around" with us as well.
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Sorry for the late reply! I agree, this is a brilliant idea! Thank you for the detailed description & for sharing! Yeah, that yellowing is a true pain in the neck - especially for (rare) troopers you only have once in your collection...I already wrote my deep concerns to Hasbro Germany. They told me I should write Hasbro USA on Rhode Island because they are not in charge for design & development. So I did. But Hasbro's system recognizes that I write from Germany and automatically re-directs my messages to Hasbro Germany...very funny Hasbro. Anyhew, I'll figure something out and share my thoughts on this in another thread, soon.
Your squad of Spacetroopers looks fantastic! You've done an excellent job on all the modifications. I think we all knew you would easily find a good use for those TVC Stormtrooper bodies...
- Philipp
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I was able to get a Jabba's Skiff Guards three-pack for $21 at a local shop's Christmas party. This let me finally hack up a Sgt. Doallyn figure without stressing about the cost. ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/wDlYEry.jpg)
I sanded the neck post and Dremeled the head. Here's a comparison of the modified post and an original. It took a lot of sanding and a lot of MST3K episodes, but I ended up with a nice fit and good range of motion.
(https://i.imgur.com/l3j23z2.jpg)
The recurring nightmare:
(https://i.imgur.com/LUML7pD.jpg)
On the subject of nightmares, I tried to piece together an upgraded torture rack Han. It's a TVC carbonite Han with the jacket, arms, and head from the TAC torture Han. The TAC Han has a hard plastic torso and the arms are held in by large flat discs instead of pegs, so I cracked the torso and sanded the discs into pegs so they'd fit in the new torso. The inner jacket has sculpted grooves/channels that fit over the original torso, so I sanded down the new torso to fit in the recesses and let the arms assume a near-normal relaxed position. Other than the weirdly angled scurvy-leg sculpt, the new figure's main shortcoming is a neck that's too short, but I'll take it over the original. A better pair of hands is in the works.
(https://i.imgur.com/h7rVylO.jpg)
I also Dremeled a stormtrooper Han alternate head for the "My friend" and subsequent Wing Guard hickory shampoo scene.
(https://i.imgur.com/zmA6JCP.jpg)
Speaking of stormtrooper Han heads, I threw one on a TBS Dutch Vander. I've got to believe that Han was able to con stick time in a T-65 at some point.
(https://i.imgur.com/KbYhIuv.jpg)
Thanks for looking - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Great Doallyn. I like him a lot. Those Hans are nice too. I think I like the pilot one the best. Off to the front pages.
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So good to see new work by you , Exho six! Hope had a good Christmas and a great new year my
Bro !
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Tamer - Thanks for the share. :)
Stan - Keep up the awesome work! You and Chris are taking customs to a level that puts the big H to shame. When I check out the customs here, I always save the updates from you guys for last - Always awesome stuff!
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I'm planning on the same thing when I get some time off after the holiday! Great minds think alike. I love the "nightmare" pics :) Solo looks good too.
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Creativity: 0/10
Mindless tedium: 12/10
I've been on a troop-building kick lately and decided to go from five to ten black jumpsuit techs. Same recipe, disassembly/joint prep/Hi-Tech spray dye/repaint details. Head swapping is limited by the scarcity of Imperial Navy caps. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/KhnUaKO.jpg)
"They're very pretty, but can they fight?"
Thanks for looking!
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Very nice. They sure do look good even if a tedious build.
Off to the front pages.
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Love these guys! That's a lot of work too; doing it right!
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I can totally see tedious, but the outcome is great - so good work sticking with it!
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Thanks for the comments and the share, Tamer. ;D
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Men in black look excellent ! Now that some imperials , pm sent bro
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Mindless tedium only 12/10? That's a lot of joint prep. They look so clean though- well done! ;)
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Thanks, guys. Got a boss callus on my thumb from working joint pegs back and forth. :)
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Nothing particularly complicated this time. :)
First up is Endor Han. My biggest complaint with the factory version isn't actually the torso, which is largely concealed by the vest and coat. It's the legs. Something's got to be done about the legs! Since the upcoming Endor Han will apparently be a re-release of ol' Barrel Chest, I decided to work something out. As a side note, if Hasbro ever decided to issue a headsculpt with the "Oh I'm sorry three squads sent to help, the rebels aren't REALLY fleeing into the woods" smirk I'd giggle like a little schoolgirl.
(https://i.imgur.com/N6gLzxd.jpg)
Upper half: LC Shield Generator Assault Han
Lower half: TVC Bespin Han
The torsos and pelvises of the planned donor figures are hard plastic, which always complicates things. I used a razor saw to cut the torsos at the belt line, and to remove the pegs from the pelvises. After cleaning up the cuts with sandpaper, I epoxied the halves together, being careful to (a) Not use so much epoxy that it squirted out, and (b) Not gum up the swiveling peg in the lower torso. The dimensions where the parts meet are nearly perfect and the gunbelt takes care of the rest. The only tricky part (which I almost overlooked) is the swiveling peg. Cutting the torso at the beltline exposes the bottom of the peg, so I had to sand the lower edge of the peg throughout the entire arc of motion. If not, it would've extended past the cut line and levered the halves apart when moved. Probably didn't explain that very well... Should've taken WIP pics.
I pressed the soft goods coat to the best of my ability, but obviously the collar is still too puffy. Not sure if there's much I can do about that.
I considered using a Yavin Luke torso and simply plugging in the Bespin Han legs, but there was too much of a difference in the collars and how the vest fit for that to work for me. Another idea involved replacing the swiveling peg in the torso with a sheet metal screw going into the pelvis' peg for increased strength, but even if I could get the measurements right (twice), it would have eliminated the waist's back-and-forth movement. Not to mention that I'd have to crack the torso to get the screw head in place. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed an epoxy joint made the most sense.
Next, the ISB needed reinforcements.
(https://i.imgur.com/bF8An6t.jpg)
For some reason many of my Imperials look similar. Can't figure it out. ;D I used Vallejo ochre brown to make one of the scanning techs a blond, but still... For the badges, I stripped the factory paint with Winsor-Newton brush cleaner, then masked the areas and painted the entire badges with Testors aluminum. The colored squares were gradually dry-brushed with the aid of a magnifier. The lower bodies and Ozzel's carefully masked cap were disassembled and sprayed with VHT black vinyl dye.
Pilot Leia is a LC Dorovio Bold with a Dremeled head from a Force Link Hoth Leia and the (smaller) helmet from a LC Luke pilot. The helmet's a bit loose; thinking about gluing a small piece of foam/felt/similar for a better fit. But probably won't. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/EvdcGze.jpg)
Un-skullcapped snowspeeder Luke is a SL Snowspeeder upper, a TVC Dagobah Landing Luke lower, and a TVC Yavin Luke head. The helmet is from a TVC x-wing pilot Luke and fits the head well.
(https://i.imgur.com/AM9qX56.jpg)
The head fits the neck post perfectly, but I did have to Dremel clearance for the back of the hair. Here's a comparison between the modified neck on the left and a stock pilot on the right.
(https://i.imgur.com/zSbbZLf.jpg)
Used another Yavin Luke head and a TVC Bespin Luke for this one. I originally used a little teflon tape to tighten up the head but broke down and added a bit of Green Stuff.
(https://i.imgur.com/LQ9nzxn.jpg)
The last entry is just a touch-up of the FACE! Bespin Han's hairline. I swapped in the left hand of a TVC Rebel Fleet Trooper, so now he's capable of the "Ford Finger" instead of lobster shadow puppets like the factory version.
(https://i.imgur.com/9G5Xws5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PwH3dBX.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Wow, this is a nice update all the way around.
Off to share it on the front pages.
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Thanks, Tamer. :)
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Precise alterations all around
I really like that first Han
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Really nice updates. The Luke and Leia pilots are excellent!
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Loving your recent updates!
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What a great update.
It is nice to see Leia in a pilot outfit.
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Just a quick thanks for the comments. Always appreciated!
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I got around to upgrading my Y-wing fleet's droopy rear landing gear. I first did this years ago, using aluminum rods and brass pieces to build replacement rods for my TVC Y-wing. I repeated this for a couple of my ships, but also found a much simpler, cheaper, and (so far) equally effective alternative.
Under the watchful eye of General Dodonna, rebel ground crewmen begin the tedious work of repairing the sagging rear struts on three ships. Ordnance techs with armed security transfer munitions to weapon magazines during the process.
(https://i.imgur.com/Njk4SwW.jpg)
On the first two bombers, the techies installed replacement drive rods constructed of 3/16" aluminum tubing (.035 wall thickness), brass strips, 6-32 stainless hardware, and cogs cut from original rods. A razor saw and precision miter box gave the best results when cutting the tubing and brass. A pair of vise-grip pliers was used to hold the tubing and brass when tapping threads, and a piece of leather from an el cheapo Wal-Mart belt prevented the jaws from shredding the metals.
(https://i.imgur.com/gU1NDWe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0TTEstq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/e2ksv4q.jpg)
The first two bombers have been upgraded, but before work can begin on the third, Senior Master Mechanic Pello steps in to deliver a quick lesson on a field-expedient system better suited for people that don't want to spend a lot of time tapping threads in slippery aluminum tubes, and/or have actual social lives with better things to do.
"Alright boys, sit-kneel-stand, get where you can see," says Pello, as he draws his laser pointer. "I know y'all love making new rods for these things - I like the smell of thread cutting oil as much as anybody. But - This bird's been flying for a long time, and Koensayr knew what they were doing when they designed her. There's no need to go crazy with fancy landing gear fixes. Y'all just need to see the real problem."
"This little end here where the rod slides into the strut? Simple, nothing to go wrong here. Same with the long rod connecting both ends."
(https://i.imgur.com/ZkWzI5p.jpg)
"Here's where your droopiness starts. The cog twists and doesn't like to stay on the track. All we need to do is make sure the cogs and the tracks stay engaged. We don't even need WD-40 or duct tape - Just some elastic cord."
(https://i.imgur.com/kshoI3L.jpg)
"Cut about seven or eight inches of cord and tie a loop around the rod near the cog. The knot should be on the bottom."
(https://i.imgur.com/J45YNus.jpg)
"Run the cord under the rail going to the front gear and under the center piece with the deployment button."
(https://i.imgur.com/u2J6mbK.jpg)
"Tie the ends with a square knot and slide the knot forward."
(https://i.imgur.com/lLDazyn.jpg)
"Repeat on the other side. When you tie the rods down, the elastic tension might pull the center piece and the rods up a bit, but the top hull section will squeeze everything back into place."
(https://i.imgur.com/gWpfjFp.jpg)
All three y-wings have been updated and are able to support quite a bit of weight without collapsing.
(https://i.imgur.com/ceWmbRv.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Now, this is the most creative way to show how to fix a Star Wars vehicle *that I've ever seen - even 3 of them at once! As if that wasn't impressive enough, I can't stop looking at all the Rebel Technician figures and Transport vehicles. When I saw your pictures last night I couldn't comment anymore because I had to be quiet. But coming back this morning reminds me of the time years ago when I played such repair sequences with my playmobil toys 17 years ago. I think I cannot put in words how awesome I think this is.
It's impressive how much weight the landing gear holds after your modification! The weak rear landing skid always bugged me on the Y-Wing. The POTF A-Wing is also one to break easily.
That's why I keep my fingers crossed for an all new A-Wing for The Vintage Collection.
I also wonder where I've been the last couple years. Really like the crew of men in space suits you put together. Also the updated Han, Luke and Leia figures look amazing! I really love all the mods you share with us! And your Imperial collection looks very noble with all these excellent head sculpts, ironed suits and polished boots! Love your thread!
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This is fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
I am definitely gonna try this. Off to share on the front pages.
Love how you used your figures to create this tutorial too. Great work all around.
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Thanks Darth More and Tamer. ;D I'd definitely try the elastic cord first - So far it works as well as the replacement rods, and it's obviously much easier. Like Pello says, "If it's a dumb idea but it works, is it really a dumb idea?"
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This whole last page is like a study guide. I want to do all of these things to all of my toys too!
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Thanks. :) Glad to see you're back.
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Super helpful fixes on the Y-Wings, the "photo-novel" instructional was absolutely brilliant.
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A quick headswap using Bespin Escape Leia.
(https://i.imgur.com/uWfSlBI.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Looks good to me.
Off to share.
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A quick headswap using Bespin Escape Leia.
(https://i.imgur.com/uWfSlBI.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
That is on my to do list. Nice!
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That's a great head swap! She looks really good.
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Thanks, guys. I noticed while fitting the head that Leia's bun was actually glued on slightly out-of-place - A little too high and rotated a bit. Found another with good apps and swapped it out. Not much difference, but it looks better to me.
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A few quick and easy Jedi customs:
First is a slightly upgraded TLC/Saga Legends Saesee Tiin. I replaced the original swivel elbows with the arms from a TAC comic pack Obi-Wan. The arms are a perfect color match, and have the same sculpted fabric texture and flared sleeve design. I sanded the large shoulder discs into smaller pegs to fit them into Tiin's shoulder sockets. Granted, the elbows are... large... but still an improvement in my eyes, especially with the robe on.
(https://i.imgur.com/8p63mZB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tveB33h.jpg)
Next is an Aqualish, using a TVC Kit Fisto body and the head/hands from a BS Ponda Baba. Threw in a TVC Qui-Gon robe and sabers from the fodder bin.
(https://i.imgur.com/surjet3.jpg)
Last is an Imzig, using a TAC Secret Apprentice Jedi Galen Marek base. I replaced the swivel elbows with the arms from a TLC padawan Obi-Wan, after prepping the arm joints and spraying them with Hi-Tech "off white" vinyl dye for a better match to the torso. The head's from a TLC Utris M'Toc wing guard, hands are from a TVC Quinlan Vos, and the saber is from the bin.
(https://i.imgur.com/pagiY8w.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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These are great. I really like that Aqualish.
Off to share on the front pages. I am happy to report I got FB working for me again.
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Thanks Tamer. I acquired the (headless) Fisto and Marek (no soft goods) bodies in a fodder lot a while ago and figured I should actually do something with them. I'm in the drawn-out process of piecing together a few skiff guards/goons, and wanted to actually finish a few figures to remember what it's like. ;D
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These are nice. I like the Imzig - you did a good job matching the arms to the robes (I always liked those robes). The Aqualish looks good too.
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I agree, these are great recipes! I'm impressed by your mod of Saesee Tiin. That must be quite a bit of careful sanding. Never understood why Hasbro didn't decide to give him ball-joints, but swivel elbows were fine for me covered by a robe and the addition of a crate with 7 extra weapons.
All 3 look really nice and I like that the Aqualish Jedi fights with two single blades!
Thanks for sharing these.
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Thanks, guys.
I stuck the Aqualish with an extra Yoda saber, but might give him a second full-size blade. Have to check the fodder box.
I'd really like to give Saesee articulated ankles, but the boots/spats sculpt is very intricate - It'd be tough. Another option is to simply swap out the legs or lower body. I'm keeping my eyes open for a donor that'd be at least similar in design to Saesee's.
Sanding the discs into pegs is actually pretty easy with hobby sanding sticks. These aren't the exact style I use but you get the idea. 150-180 grit makes short work of the plastic. It took less than one MST3K episode (my unit of time when customizing) to do both of Saesee's new arms, including removal from the donor Obi-Wan.
(https://i.imgur.com/jRm5aS9.jpg)
Just to explain the process a bit better, I found a pic from an earlier custom showing the disc sanding in progress. Sand until the new "pegs" are about the same as the originals, and then clean up with fine grit paper. A prudent customizer could mask the shoulders with tape to prevent scratches but I haven't had an issue yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/6Ta6kJD.jpg)
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So interesting seeing your process. I have got to go get that on the front pages.
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Finished a couple of Jabba's goons.
First up is the human barge gunner.
Torso/legs/hands - LC Imperial Scanning Crew
Arms - TVC Bespin Luke
Head - TVC AT-AT Commander
Belt - TBS Brock Starsher
Bandoleer - VC161 Big Daddy Jawa
Hat - Marauder Gun Runners
All the body parts are stock other than joint prep. The base color is Hi-Tech "Greige" vinyl dye, with an olive drab/brown acrylic wash. After cutting the bandoleer and supergluing the ends in back, I painted the strap with Testors "OD," the pouches with Tamiya "NATO green," and then gave it a brown wash. The pouches on the left of the belt were cut/sanded away so the bandoleer could lie flat against his waist. In addition, I sanded the backsides of the remaining pouches slightly for a better fit with the torso. I sprayed the belt with Hi-Tech "light brown," then used Testors "OD" and "brass" for the details. It also got a brown wash, with a Testors "leather" dry-brushing on the pouches. The hat is a heavily sanded Russian hat from Marauder Gun Runners. A coat of Hi-Tech "tan" was followed by Testors "burnt sienna" and a Tamiya "buff"/Testors "ghost grey" dry-brush mix on the details. The chinstrap is the holster strap from a Bom Vimdin gunbelt. It's a separate piece, and is actually stretched over the top of the gunner's head. ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/SjOJe4k.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rD7FiD9.jpg)
I haven't unpacked my sail barge yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/5b6PxLG.jpg)
Here's a comparison between the stock hat and the finished version. Tedious but not complicated.
(https://i.imgur.com/kCsd0yu.jpg)
"Refresher's full!"
(https://i.imgur.com/aPAOdyd.jpg)
Next is Yotts Orren.
Disclaimer - Rest easy. I didn't hack pristine figures to assemble this schlock. All the fodder was either incomplete or had already been cannibalized for other customs.
Torso - TVC Nikto with transplanted neck post (can't remember the source, might've been a Tusken Raider)
Head - TLC Giran
Arms, hands, codpiece - TLC Wooof
Pelvis, legs, feet - TVC sandstorm Lando
Bandoleer - Spliced from TVC Endor commando x2 & Movie Heroes Tusken Raider
Cap, belly pack, spats (?) - Leather (bag of scraps found at Joann's craft store)
Knee armor (?) - Loop from TAC Biggs x-wing flight harness & plate from TLC scout trooper shoulder
Calf pouch - TVC Bom Vimdin gunbelt
The base color is Hi-Tech "dark gray," with a Testors "OD"/"ghost grey" mix as a wash. The shoulder armor and codpiece/holster were painted with Testors "OD" and "leather." The bandoleer was sprayed with Hi-Tech "light brown," then Testors "aluminum" details were added, followed by a brown wash. I painted the hands to match the head.
I know I should bedazzle the cap and belly pouch, but I'm hesitant to screw around with silver paint and toothpicks. Maybe someday...
(https://i.imgur.com/V8dMQGk.jpg)
I cut the armor plate from a scout trooper that already had a damaged shoulder, then sanded it down and superglued it to the harness loop. I sprayed the entire piece with Hi-Tech "brown," then dry-brushed the strap with Testors "aluminum" and painted the plate with Testors "leather" and "aluminum." Last was a brown wash. By pure chance, the strap fits perfectly within sculpted folds on Lando's thigh.
(https://i.imgur.com/cHwIsrw.jpg)
I spent a lot of time trying to come up with a solution to the spats (or whatever they're called) problem. I knew it would have to be some type of soft goods, because my sculpting sucks. Eventually I got fed up and superglued pieces of thin leather to his legs. The calf pouch was cut from a Bom Vimdin gunbelt strap. The ends meet behind the pouch and were superglued together. It's a slip fit over the spat.
The front pouch was cut from the same leather. I superglued it into place as I rolled it, then glued it directly to the abdomen. I added two small straps connecting the back of the pouch to the bandoleer so that it doesn't look suspended in space. It was painted with Testors "field drab."
(https://i.imgur.com/34tG4Up.jpg)
The cap is also leather. I worked through several trials in different materials, ranging from Jedi robe scraps to vinyl, until I had the general size/shape figured out, then repeated the process in leather. The disadvantage is that I had to pre-poke all the thread holes with a pin, because there's no way I could've pushed a needle through. The tremendous advantage is that the leather will form to shape when wet with hot water and left to dry. I pinched the cap at the sides and back, and by the end of an MST3K episode it had formed nicely. To be on the safe side, I used a dab of Shoe Goo on the back of the head to hold the cap in place. I considered a strap so that it would be removable but figured it would probably deform the shape. It was painted with Testors "OD" and received a very light Testors "burnt sienna" drybrush.
(https://i.imgur.com/ADe5r6w.jpg)
Here are a few WIP shots. This is the last vinyl cap template, to give an idea of the pre-forming shape.
(https://i.imgur.com/ak2UTCP.jpg)
Here are the pieces stripped of factory paint. I stripped everything with Winsor-Newton brush cleaner to make sure the dyes can adhere and to avoid clogging up small details. I sanded off the shoulder armor details.
(https://i.imgur.com/Pjm6F4W.jpg)
This is a detailed shot of the bandoleer. I had no idea the Tusken's bandoleer was a separately sculpted piece, until I trimmed some pouches from his torso for a previous Geezum custom. Basically, I cut the fronts from two Rebels, cut two overlapping grooves in the front, and then spliced them to the back half of the Tusken straps. I made the joins behind Rebel pouches to increase surface area for the glue and to conceal the seams. I prefer to use sandpaper for this kind of thing, but the Rebel straps were too rubbery. Had to use a new X-acto blade and go slowly.
(https://i.imgur.com/wvPPGx1.jpg)
Lastly, I re-visited some Han customs based on the carbonite torso. I wanted to use the FACE! Bespin Han head, but the stock neckpost was too short. I spliced in posts from a pair of BS Ponda Babas (loaded up on them when they were clogging the Burlington Coat Factories around here). I know the Bespin Han legs aren't that good, but they're better (IMO) than the strangely angled carbonite Han legs.
(https://i.imgur.com/lSm7K2K.jpg)
I sanded the neck posts into cylinders, trimmed them, and then grafted on the Ponda posts with screws. I haven't sanded or painted anything here to give an idea of measurements.
(https://i.imgur.com/BDnvGuo.jpg)
Even unpainted, the modified post isn't visible.
(https://i.imgur.com/Dq3ugc3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kXLSOwf.jpg)
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They're all great, but I LOVE that cousin Eddie guard!
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This is a nice set of updates! I love the Bespin Wing Guards. Yotts turned out really cool! I love that recipe. Really good job all the way around.
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Wow, this is a big one! Thank you for also sharing the sanding sticks in your previous update!
The human barge gunner looks so cool! This one has a brilliant use of parts and I never thought of how the Imperial Scanning Dude would look in beige. Also likes George's idea of these winter hats in the hot desert. To me the texture on the helmet looks like real fur, so cudos for that!
Schlock is an interesting word, which I didn't know before this post. Yotts Orren looks amazing! Always love the use of Giran's head because its details make it look so stunning.
Love the use of leather on his cape, pouch and shins! Love the general look of him with all the details on his costume. What a masterpiece! The picture of unpainted parts makes me think of the prototype figures sold on ebay. gorkoracing told me these were real ones on Instagram. If you can you should check him out, he only collects prototypes and was the one who got the unreleased Probe Droid for TVC from his sources.
Anyway I'm off back to your pictures admiring Yotts Orren a little longer...
Glad you could find so many Ponda the Babas! If I remember correctly they were $3.99 each on clearance back then? Your tooling skills impress me every time again and I'm glad you could make Han's head fit perfectly on that socket - he looks great!
Also like that you gave one of the Bespin Guards a whip. Well, it's technically Han's whip...poor Han.
These are all pristine customs mate, talk about nailing a project with that whipping sound in my head now.
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Wow, what an awesome update. I love your new goons! They look great.
Off to share all of this on the front pages. Thanks for sharing how you did all this and the recipes.
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Thanks for the comments guys, and thanks for the front page Tamer. :)
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Awesome customs! They're simple but not really. I used to follow a car customizer named Chip Foose. He said the best compliment from anyone is, it looks great, but what did you do? The fact that you stripped the factory paint is mind boggling to me. Personally I'd never do that, cuz im lazy. But you did it because it makes your custom that much better and i respect that.
Also the Christmas Vacation reference is hilarious.
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Great work on these new figures. Especially inspired by the use of paint brush cleaner to strip the paint off the figures... Then how you dye them. That's something I've 100% tried to go for the last number of years... since painting (no matter application) only goes so far.
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Thanks for the kind words, guys. I'm not sure if the factory paint would interfere with the chemical bond between the automotive dye and the plastic, but I remove it anyway to be on the safe side. I used to do the same with Goof-Off, but accidentally destroyed a few pieces along the way. The Winsor-Newton is much safer for the plastic in my experience. On a related note, the paint on the VC161 jawa's bandoleer was far and away the toughest factory paint I've ever stripped. I was certain that I'd melt the piece before the paint came off, but it worked out.
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Smuggler Lando got a mild update.
(https://i.imgur.com/qSFUBVA.jpg)
Base - TAC Smuggler Lando
Head, hands - TVC Bespin Lando
Upper arms - TVC Bom Vimdin
Lower arms - TBS Brock Starsher
I started by boiling the base Lando for disassembly. After simmering Lando for a couple of minutes, I immediately ripped a shoulder loose from the shoulder disc. At that point I realized the torso was hard plastic, and would need to be cracked. ::) You'd think I'd have checked first, but nooooo. The shoulder sockets are enormous, which limited the arm possibilities. I've got a few Boms lying around, so that's what I used. Another possibility would be Dr. Evazan, but I only have one set of those and plan to use them for a Gela Yeens someday. IMO, the Bom forearms are way too long for this fig, so I settled on Starsher's instead. They have the same cuff style and the TVC Lando hands fit perfectly; however, Brock's forearms are way more wrinkled than Bom's shoulders. I'll keep an eye out for forearms that are a better sculpted match. TVC Lando's head needed some Dremeling, but nothing major.
(https://i.imgur.com/LsCBZao.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/u4VEgbs.jpg)
Fitting the shoulders was the biggest hurdle. I trimmed Bom's shoulder pegs until both would fit in the torso, then ran into the next problem - They were too loose. It's hard to see in the photo, but the thinner sections of the shoulder pegs have rounded and flat surfaces, so wrapping them with teflon tape wouldn't really work; in addition, the hard plastic sockets would have probably shredded the tape anyway. Eventually, I used a small piece of plastic cut from a POTJ Rebel Fleet Trooper's vest (already partially mangled from a previous project) as a wedge between the pegs. I gradually trimmed and test-fitted the piece until the torso halves finally fit back together. There's also a peg in the other torso half that prevents the wedge from shifting down. In other words, the wedge is held in place pretty well. Crude, but it works.
Cracking the torso created a few stress marks. No actual cracks, but I had to re-paint the torso. I stripped the pieces with Winsor & Newton, sprayed them with Tamiya flat black, then painted the shirt with Testors flat white acrylic, and painted the neck. The neck took a few tries, but eventually I settled on a roughly 2:1 mix of "Americana" (Michael's cheapo acrylic) cocoa and milk chocolate (sounds delicious!) with a single drop of Testors insignia red added to warm it up a bit. After prepping the joints, I sprayed the arm pieces with VHT white vinyl dye. When everything dried, I assembled the parts and hit the upper half with a few coats of Testors Dullcote.
I won't lie - Supergluing the torso back together while the arms were wedged in place and the lower torso dangled was a little intimidating. I hate to think about how badly it could have gone, but luckily I got it on the first try. :)
(https://i.imgur.com/5i1dK4T.jpg)
I did some work on the shoulders to ease the transition to the forearms. I sanded the sculpted ridges along the tops of Bom's sleeves, smoothed down some large wrinkles at the elbows, and sanded down wrinkles on the backs of the shoulders so the arms could rest closer to the torso.
(https://i.imgur.com/Mfj8Fms.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Nice Lando! Man you solved some problems on this one.
Off to share this to the front pages.
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Lando looks really good. I hear you regarding the challenges of peicing back togther a hard plastic body - I really wish they'd stop using them. Thanks for sharing your process too.
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Thanks for the front page, Tamer. :)
The hard torsos really can be a pain. It doesn't matter how careful you are, cracking one without ruining it comes down to luck. 95% of the time when I'm dealing with a hard torso, it's just to steal the arms so I was really happy this one came apart cleanly.
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It amazes me how great some of these kitbashes are.
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A skiff guard and a couple of throwaways this time.
First is Barada. Dithered with this one for a long time trying to find a collar solution. Needs more disco, but this is the best I can do without sculpting.
(https://i.imgur.com/gXyA7gq.jpg)
Head, bandoleer, boots: TVC Kithaba
Torso, arms, hands: TVC Endor Rebel
Pelvis, thighs, upper shins: TVC Bom Vimdin
Lower tunic: TVC Quinlan Vos (with medic pouch from MarauderGunRunners and holster cut from TVC Lando disguise)
Backpack: Saga Barada, added 1/8" elastic straps
Blaster and vibro axe (because why not?) from the fodder bin
(http://i.imgur.com/qH6W200.jpg) (https://imgur.com/qH6W200)
I prepped all the joints, then sprayed the shirt and lower tunic with Hi-Tech "Off White" vinyl dye, the pants with VHT "Dark Blue Satin", and the boots with Hi-Tech "Black." Bom's pants have a sculpted seam that provides an easy-to-follow bloodstripe pattern. I used Testors "Insignia Red" acrylic. After trimming the tabbards from Quinlan's tunic piece, I painted the belt with Testors "Burnt Umber," the pouches with "Olive Drab," then added a pouch and holster. The gloves got some Testors "Leather" detail work.
The backpack's removable. After cutting it from a Saga Barada, I sanded a channel for bandoleer clearance and rounded the edges to fit the Rebel's back before super gluing the elastic straps. It took a few tries to get the straps the correct lengths, so that the pack wasn't pulled too far to either side. I originally planned to use Cricut vinyl for the straps, but it creases easily. A few pinches in the armpits and they'd look terrible in no time. The pack should also be lower, more like a buttpack. I cut the canteen from a KOTCS Russian soldier's belt and toyed with the idea of adding it to the top of the pack but in the pack's current location it looked weird. If I can find another loose Barada or two I might revisit the idea of lowering the pack.
Although you can't see it here, I sanded a notch under the left armpit for the bandoleer. Together with the collar tip, it holds the bandoleer in place and provides a bit of arm clearance.
(http://i.imgur.com/6yhT9ib.jpg) (https://imgur.com/6yhT9ib)
A few WIPs:
I sanded the original collar off, then cut the neck down a bit before re-attaching the post with a #2 screw. The collar was cut and sanded from an Indiana Jones figure.
(http://i.imgur.com/UNVmvva.jpg) (https://imgur.com/UNVmvva)
Before gluing, I built a "wall" at the three collar tips from six or seven layers of masking tape so that once I applied the super glue I could position the collar accurately. The right collar flap was left unglued so the bandoleer could be tucked underneath it.
(https://i.imgur.com/wVVWtU7.jpg)
IMO Kithaba's legs are too skinny and awkward for a Barada base (Don't get any bright ideas, Hasbro!), but the boots are perfect. I cut the boots, drilled and sanded holes into them, then gradually sanded Bom's shins into round pegs that fit very tightly. The slight taper at the tops of the pegs (caused by the flexibly sanding sticks I use) match the taper I sanded into the top of the boot's opening. Note the shin is hollow for most of its length.
(https://i.imgur.com/5i2meJ0.jpg)
For a bit more strength, I filled the hollow with a section of an older Darth Maul double saber blade super glued in place and sanded flush. I used super glue to attach the boots to the shins. Screwed up attaching one of the boots - After gluing the saber bits in place, one of the ankle pegs didn't have enough clearance. Left about a 1/16" gap between the boot and shin. Had to cut the shin away, re-drill and sand the boot, and make another shin. I could've saved myself a lot of trouble by test-fitting.
(https://i.imgur.com/AkQmJcl.jpg)
Also had to shorten the waist peg and reattach it with a screw.
(https://i.imgur.com/eKEdZh8.jpg)
Next up, I replaced some horrible joints on a Saga Legends Plo Koon.
(Fun fact: This was the very last SW figure sold at the old Clairemont K-Mart before it went under. :) Felt sorry for it just sitting there for so long.)
(https://i.imgur.com/ETPMVW8.jpg)
Torso, head, hands, lower tunic: Saga Legends Plo Koon
Arms: TAC Master Sev
Legs: TVC Fi-Ek Sirch
Just for fun I added ball jointed arms from a TAC Master Sev. Had to remove the hands from an earlier Jabba's Palace Aqualish custom and strip the paint with denatured alcohol. After prep work I sprayed the torso and arms with Hi-Tech "Dark Red," then added inner tunic details with a mix of Testors "International Orange" toned down with "Leather" and Vallejo "Bone White" for the innermost layer. A bunch of random colors were blended for the neck paint. The upper parts then got a blast of Testors Dull-Cote. I also added a more modern pair of legs to replace the original hinged monstrosities. I thought about prepping and dyeing the legs brown to more closely match the orginals, but this color combo grew on me immediately. The downside is that I seem to have lost his lightsaber. :( I'll keep looking, but worst case scenario I'll equip him with a spare blue blade from the fodder bin.
(https://i.imgur.com/kZL9qvW.jpg)
Lastly, I slapped together a Snivvian pathfinder just to use up a few Endor Rebel parts and keep Orrimarko and his crew company.
(https://i.imgur.com/Qc5tedr.jpg)
Base: TVC Endor Rebel Trooper with shortened neck post
Head: TVC Snaggletooth
Cloak & com link: TLC Major Panno
Soaked the cloak in boiling water to remove the packaging dimples.
(https://i.imgur.com/fZPTxCt.jpg)
The torso was actually my first attempt at Barada, but I drilled the screw hole off-center and threw it in the bin. Eventually I dug it out and salvaged it by drilling the hole larger, filling it with a super glued peg sanded from a POTJ Ponda Baba arm, and re-drilling the screw hole in the correct location.
(https://i.imgur.com/5Uv8NqX.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Wow, all three are extremely impressive. Thanks for sharing how you did all of this. Just great stuff.
Off to share on the front pages.
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Love that Barada! He looks great! And I really appreciate your detailed write-ups.
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Nice job with these. I like the Snivvian pathfinder. Barada turned out really well, nice job on all the details.
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Thanks for the comments gentlemen, and thanks for the front page Tamer. :)
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Wow! Your work is amazing! Love how clean and precise everything you do is! Impressive. Most impressive! vadsab
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Finished my take on Vul Tazaene. Thanks to 'Scummer DarkKnight07, whose recent version gave me a kick in the pants to get mine done. Also heavily influenced by (i.e., blatantly stolen from) Jabbapalacespy, whose work is largely responsible for setting me down the dark and twisted customs road.
(https://i.imgur.com/POr3jmB.jpg)
Base: TVC Weequay Skiff Master
Arms, hands: TLC comic pack Luke
Head: TLC comic pack Sharad Hett - The finest sculpt of Michael Ironside I've seen.
Neck post: TAC Tosche Station Biggs
Feet: Indiana Jones, I think... Seems I already used Weequay's feet on something else.
After prepping the shoulder joints, I stripped all the paint and washes from the upper torso parts, then sprayed them with VHT "Satin Black." The belt and holster were re-painted with Testors "Burnt Umber" and "Leather" dry-brushing. The "satin" VHT was tremendously shiny, so I gave it a blast with Tamiya "semi-gloss" clear to get it under control a bit - A little bit of shine works here.
Utinniii's awesome pics in DarkKnight07's Rebelscum thread show that Vul should have leather bracers, but I went with metal versions. Largely because I can't sculpt worth a hoot. The bases were 14-16 gauge (blue) butt connector sleeves. After I cut and sanded them to the same lengths, I slipped them over a bolt shimmed with masking tape and turned them in a drill against sandpaper to thin their walls a bit. Last step was to blast them with Tamiya "Gold" lacquer.
Utinniii's pics also show that Vul's sleeves have some sort of fur or feathers at the ends. I skipped that completely, but find myself wondering how 12" G.I. Joe flocking would look.
Comic Luke is my go-to for bare arms but he has one brown gloved hand. The original TVC sandstorm Lando is my preferred hand source because the skin tones are a perfect match, but I went a different route this time. I never realized it before, but the gloved hand is cast in flesh color then painted. I stripped the hand with Winsor-Newton, then cut/sanded away the cuff and seams, ending up with a perfectly serviceable matching right hand.
(https://i.imgur.com/0g6jxj6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uI6i7pE.jpg)
I knew the neck would be the hard part. Long-neck Weequay was my base - As the name suggests, the neck is ridiculously long, thin, and projects forward an excessive amount. I sliced the post off at the shoulders, and carefully sanded a flat area to receive the new post. The photos below show the first attempt using the post from a swivel-shoulder Imperial officer, but I ultimately used one cut from TAC Biggs. Biggs' neck covered more of the torso's flat spot and had a more accurate-looking collar.
Should note that I drilled/Dremeled Hett's head before cutting Bigg's post... Didn't want to stress the neck after gluin' and screwin'. The neck color is a mix of Testors "Skin Tone Tint Base," "Skin Tone Warm Tint," and "Leather" for a bit of ruddiness.
(https://i.imgur.com/74M4Uw9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iLgX12E.jpg)
After the torso and neck post were sanded, I drilled a small pilot hole all the way through the post, then superglued it into position. Next I drilled through the pilot hole into the torso, and used a 3/4" #2 stainless screw (counter-sunk at the top of the post) to attach them. I usually drill holes into both parts and screw them together with a headless screw, but I needed a bit more precision for this job. The last step was using small strips of sandpaper to round off the edges of the torso's flat spot. I lost a tiny bit of sculpted seam detail, but you'd have to look very closely to notice.
Here's a couple of comparisons between a short-neck Weequay and the new neck post. Big differences are the height, thickness, and the actual collar.
(https://i.imgur.com/ynfQNT5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VFgVYUT.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Nice job building this. He looks great. I can appreciate the modifications for the neck peg, I've had to do things like that myself. And who say Vul doesn't have second set of bracers he wears on opposite days? ;D
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Man, just an awesome job on that neck post. Thanks for sharing that story.
Off to share on the front pages.
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Your Vul Tazaene looks great.
That is a very clever and stable way to adapt the neck peg.
Very well done.
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Thanks guys, much appreciated. As far as I'm concerned, these are Vul's "goin' to town" bracers.
Thanks again for the front page, Tamer. ;D
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Another mild upgrade using the amazing new Bespin Lando sculpt.
(https://i.imgur.com/JRJO2aY.jpg)
The head and hands are a perfect fit and required no modifications. The neck was repainted with the same paint mix used for Smuggler Lando earlier. I thought the photoreal General Lando re-release was pretty good, but this new head blows it away. The Stormtrooper Han is still my favorite head sculpt, but this is a close second.
(https://i.imgur.com/9qmnkFr.jpg)
I trimmed the cape's bottom edge, carefully removed the stitching holding the elastic strap on, and rinsed the cape under hot water to remove the thread holes. Then I then made a replacement strap using the thread and crimp beads shown below that I got from a Jo-Ann fabric store. I don't remember the name of the thread's color, but the number was 414. Some shade of gray.
(https://i.imgur.com/duPQ9bi.jpg)
I used a piece of florist wire to make a threader. I've included a few shots of how to use it below. My strap is a little over a cm long, not including the crimped beads. YMMV. I crimped the beads hard, in order to mash the thread flat so that it would fill the bead and look centered. Small dabs of E6000 adhesive hold the beads to the cape. The last step was to very carefully melt a few threads near the strap to neaten it a bit.
(https://i.imgur.com/59jMjyF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/13Vq8al.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yDGYpq8.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Brilliant job! Super helpful tutorial and boy does that new cape look great.
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Awesome tutorial. Thanks for sharing that. Great custom.
Back to the front pages!
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Thanks guys, comments are appreciated. And thanks again for the front page, Tamer. :)
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Thank you for the tutorial. The new cape looks phenomenal.
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One new goon and a very mild revision. First is Gela Yeens:
(https://i.imgur.com/pMN51Wa.jpg)
Head - Black Series Biggs Darklighter
Torso, pelvis - Black Series Emperor's Royal Guard
Arms - TVC Dr. Evazan
Hands - TVC Luke lightsaber construction
Legs - TLC Bespin Wing Guard
Vest - Saga Han
Lower tunic - Trimmed from TLC Padawan Obi-Wan
Goggles - Cut and sanded from unknown Naboo pilot's helmet
Belt and harness - TAC Tosche Station Biggs, holster from TVC Endor Rebel, pouches from Marauder Gun Runners
Cap - Marauder Gun Runners
Blaster - Saga Legends crate pack-in
(https://i.imgur.com/uFOGyCM.jpg)
After prepping all the joints and stripping the factory paint, I sprayed the torso and arms with Hi-Tech "Brown" so there wouldn't be a color difference between the base red and beige parts later. Then I sprayed the torso, arms, and lower tunic with Hi-Tech "Off-White," the legs with HT "Brown," the vest with HT "Cappuccino," and the belt/bandoleer with HT "Tan." I dry-brushed the boots with Testors "Leather," and gave the vest a wash with a mix of Vallejo "Iraqui Sand" and "Flat Earth." The neck got a mix of Testors "Skin Tone Tint Base - Light" and "Skin Tone Warm Tint."
I used an ERG pelvis instead of the Bespin Guard's because it interfaced better with a belt and the upper ERG torso. The hinged Luke hands let Gela achieve his trademarked thumb-hooked-on-holster stance. I'll also note the lower tunic's fabric texture isn't as noticeable in person.
The vest's arm holes needed a lot of enlarging to let the arms hang [almost] naturally. An X-Acto would've probably been quicker, but I used sandpaper wrapped around a paintbrush handle. Slower, but harder to screw up. I also sanded the inner vest surfaces to let it fit closer to the torso.
(https://i.imgur.com/Y9TQTTU.jpg)
A few WIPs. Here are the main pieces after stripping all the factory paint with Winsor-Newton brush cleaner. Dr. E's shoulder pegs are big and took a bit of effort to seat.
(https://i.imgur.com/Tctl9Gj.jpg)
I cut the factory holster off the Biggs belt, then added the elastic strap, the holster, and the MGR pouches. Had to cut/sand the mounting pegs from the pouches and add notches for elastic clearance. Used the standard Loctite Ultragel super glue for the belt pouches and holster, and E6000 glue for the bandoleer pouches. E6000 doesn't set up immediately, so I had a little wiggle room to center the pouches on the elastic strap. I painted the pouches with a mix of Testors "Leather" and "Gloss Black." I was going for a darker shade of leather - What I should've done was just dye them brown, because that's basically what I ended up with. The pouch snaps got toothpick dabs of Testors "Gloss Black." A bit of super glue anchors the bandoleer under the vest, so that it doesn't slide next to the collar. I considered sanding a notch on the left shoulder for bandoleer clearance but held off.
(https://i.imgur.com/w3BitJg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4iIbhQn.jpg)
Below was plan "A" for the goggles. I cut them from the helmet, sanded them as thin as reasonably possible, sprayed them with VHT "White," and glued a 1/8" elastic strap. I then painted them with Testors "Gloss Black," allowing a thinned mix to seep up next to the white lens frames. When I put them on, they were entirely too bulky so I went with plan "B." Tore the elastic off, re-sanded, then glued the goggles directly to the MGR watch cap after I sanded the cap's rolled lower edge so that it would resemble the goggles strap. It's hard to see in the photos but I painted the sanded watch cap edge with Testors "Burnt Umber" to differentiate it a bit from the cap. Once everything was assembled I gave it a blast of Testors Dull-Cote. I'm planning to give the lenses a drop of gloss clear when I get around to it.
(https://i.imgur.com/lp1qRLk.jpg)
Also made a minor change to Vul Tazaene, replacing his brass bracelets with leather bracers. They were cut, drilled, and sanded from a KOTCS Russian soldier's boots. Stripped the paint, sprayed them with HT "Brown," then dry-brushed them with Testors "Leather" and added "Brass" details.
(https://i.imgur.com/44eqams.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HJgxqtJ.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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Well...I was fine was Vul's dress bracers, but the new leather bracers looks really good! Gela us a fantastic build. Thanks for the detailed description and W I.P. pics. He turned out really amazing.
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I agree with Starchaser. That's one splendid recipe for Gela Yeens! I mean using a Royal Guard's torso is just brilliant! I'm amazed how well it looks repainted in beige.
My favorite detail is the elastic strap that you used for his bandolier. Thanks for the detailed description!
Vul Tazaene (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=10286.msg228980#msg228980) received a nice update. I think the leather looks better on his forearms.
Once I build my own diorama of Jabba's Palace, I'll look more into all his different goons.
There are so many! Great update on your custom collection! I'm glad these two joined in. Thanks for sharing!
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Gela is great.
Off to share your update on the front pages.
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Thanks for the comments guys, and thanks for the front page Tamer. :)
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These updates use Evergrey headsculpts obtained from the late, great, Stan the Man and painted by the Shipyard's own Charles of Darth Sinister Creations.
Stan - It was a privilege to play a small part in a few of your outstanding customs. Thanks again for your generosity in sharing these sculpts. See you around.
Charles - Thanks for the beautiful casting and paintwork. Two things I couldn't handle if my life depended on it. Highest recommendations for your work.
First is Swilla Corey.
(https://i.imgur.com/e6GfQTI.jpg)
She's a comic pack Camie with soft goods from a TLC Padawan Obi Wan for sitting ability.
Next is Yerka Mig.
(https://i.imgur.com/uBiEqDh.jpg)
In addition to the new headsculpt, I added a better pair of hands. It was easier said than done, though... The base arms are from the TAC Yavin Luke and I couldn't find a good pair of hands that fit the sockets. TBS and TVC Yavin Luke pegs were too small. Ended up cutting and sanding the pegs from a KOTCS Russian soldier and supergluing them into a set of hands from a TVC Yavin Luke.
Surprisingly, the electrical tape sleeve stripes are still holding out fine. Here's the original:
(https://i.imgur.com/IrhXGMX.jpg)
Rycar Ryjerd also got a new head.
(https://i.imgur.com/HdODHj4.jpg)
I'd like to find aged hands that are a better match for his headsculpt... Maybe Palpatine could donate if they're not ridiculously large. Always on the lookout for a better vest, too.
Those ears, tho...
(https://i.imgur.com/gM2OfdH.jpg)
The original:
(https://i.imgur.com/9238tKp.jpg)
Gailid's cranial upgrade:
(https://i.imgur.com/RE7M0mh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gLf52cz.jpg)
The original:
(https://i.imgur.com/82R2Gto.jpg)
I went back to formula for Jabba's Mercenary Pilot. The original version was a dyed AT-ST pilot with accessories from a G.I. Joe Cobra paratrooper. It was a decent placeholder, but I really don't care for the AT-ST base figure because of the weirdly angled lower legs.
(https://i.imgur.com/sYUkr5B.jpg)
This version is based on an Imperial Scanning Technician, with upper arms from TBS Vizam and lower arms from a TVC Bespin Han. I don't remember the source for the hands - I planned to use the hands from TBS Brock Starsher but he doesn't have an independent trigger finger. The hands I used were cast in gray and painted gloss black. Could probably figure it out, but ain't nobody got time for dat.
Once again, I used Hi-Tech "Cappuccino" vinyl dye for the base color, with a Vallejo "Flat Earth" wash. I cut and sanded the holster from the Tech's belt, then superglued two pouches from Marauder Gun Runners on the sides. He should have more pouches on the back, but the ones I have are too wide. Would've filled the entire belt.
The bandoleer was made from two overlapping pieces of leather lace, with a couple of trimmed ammo clips and a small pouch from Marauder Gun Runners, and a large pouch cut from a KOTCS Russian soldier's belt.
I sprayed the assembled belt and the bandoleer with Hi-Tech "Brown" vinyl dye. Touched up the ammo with Testors "Steel," then gave the pouches a Testors "Leather" drybrushing. Also painted the buckle with Testor's "Flat Black." Once the bandoleer was assembled and in place, I soaked it in hot water to form to the torso's contours. A palace blaster and a vibro axe from the fodder bin complete the ensemble.
(https://i.imgur.com/dFRB2cP.jpg)
Here's the first version:
(https://i.imgur.com/206ALVk.jpg)
I still have to post a couple of cantina ladies that Charles painted for me, but I'm still dialing them in. Also have another handful of headsculpts to be painted. I'll wait until after the holidays for those.
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Wow, just a ton of great work. I post these with a sigh knowing folks like you are keeping Stan alive. Of course we know how good DS is too. Thanks for the images. Just all are great work.
Off to the front pages.
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Thanks for the front page, Tamer. Stan was a great guy - The stuff he put out in collaboration with Chris and Evergrey was amazing. Absolute top-tier customs.
I did most of the figures in this update long before I started posting on the Shipyards. Here's the link to my RS customs thread if anyone wants to find details about the parts/colors/materials used.
https://forum.rebelscum.com/threads/a-few-simple-customs.1103201/ (https://forum.rebelscum.com/threads/a-few-simple-customs.1103201/)
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Really great update. Nice shout out to D.S. and what a great way to honor Stan's memory. I particularly like how the pilot turned out.
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Very cool! I think my favorite of the lot is the female head sculpt. These are really well done. 🔥🔥🔥
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Quick and easy - Lightly Dremeled a Bespin Lando head to fit an X-wing Luke's neck barbell. I painted the neck with the same mix as the previous Lando customs. Kept Lando's DH17 and Luke's helmet. The helmet fits, but it's not easy to remove.
(https://i.imgur.com/v9CsIZG.jpg)
It would've been cool to put the head on an A- or B-wing pilot, but I don't have any of those in the bin. Bought the Luke for headswapping purposes, so that worked out well.
Thanks for looking!
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Man, I would buy that on a vintage cardback. Nice!
Off to share on the front pages.
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Thanks, Tamer. After this mod I'm almost out of ideas for Bespin Lando headswaps. ;D
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That's actually a great concept. I really like how that turned out.
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In the last few weeks I bought an extra Klatooinian raider for parts. Then Hasbro announced Velken and Taym were on the way. Since I didn't have to continue hoarding parts to try and make customs of them, I got motivated to boil-and-pop some piratey-types. I tried to avoid permanently altering much stuff, in case I figure out a way to re-purpose them for actual OT customs down the road... Still got some deep-background cantina and palace types to do.
The first batch contains the Klatooinian parts. I was on the verge of slicing his helmet for a Velken custom, but haven't found another use for it yet. Everything was strictly boil-and-pop for this batch, with a few bits from Marauder Gun Runners added, mainly because I didn't feel like painting necks. I think I added a spacer under the Devaronian's lower tunic piece to tighten the waist joint but don't remember for certain. I had toyed with the idea of making the Devaronian an Aqualish, and overlooked Ponda's furred hands. They've been fixed.
(https://i.imgur.com/LcqW4pj.jpg)
Next is a batch of Niktos.
(https://i.imgur.com/ieFLPwq.jpg)
Ex-Giran uses a trimmed lower tunic (not visible) from a LC Emperor figure on top of his sheepskin soft goods. Finding a piece that fit well between the upper and lower halves was the hardest part. I initially re-painted his Vizam hands to match the head, but the paint scratched off too easily - Decided to give him "gloves" by spray-dying his hands brown. Middle guy is a TVC Fi-Ek Sirch gone bad. His gunbelt is a trimmed Vizam lower tunic. The heavy gunner is a civilian clothes Jango Fett torso with TAC torture rack Han lower arms (chosen because they were the only forearms I found that would work with Jango's upper arms - Requires a really short, rather fat peg), another Vizam lower tunic, and Jabba's palace Lando lower body. He was the most extensive re-work in this batch, with a complete joint prep and vinyl dye treatment. Also dirtied up the blaster from a five-POA Baze. Wrapped his wrist pegs with teflon tape for a tighter fit.
More miscellaneous cretins.
(https://i.imgur.com/qC2ZsKB.jpg)
Got lots of mileage out of clearance Vizams. They'd been my planned base for Velken and Taym, and I'd also used a few of them for other stuff. The lower tunics are especially useful. The first Aqualish uses the head from a Gentle Giant bust. Had originally used it years ago on a Ponda Baba upgrade until I went with the POTJ head. Naboobaba has a spacer under his tunic. The trandoshan needed more detailed work than most. I shortened his neckpost by drilling a hole through the post into the body, cut the head, trimmed the neck, then re-attached the head using a screw and the pre-drilled hole. His arms are from a hard-torso Jedi (think it was a ROTS-era Obi Wan), so I sanded the flat shoulder disks into tapered pegs so they could be inserted. Sometime in the past I'd already shortened the forearms and superglued wrist pegs - No idea why, but must've been related to the early states of my Gauron Nas Tal custom.
Group shot:
(https://i.imgur.com/gJI2QVX.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
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That is a pile o' pirates! Great bunch for a crew, now they just need Hondo :) I really like how the heavy gunner turned out, that's a greeat use of the Baze gun. Where'd you get clearance Vizams? Never saw those in my neck of the woods.
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The Black Series Vizam peg warmed hard around here back in the day. Scooped up a handful for around $5 each.
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The Black Series Vizam peg warmed hard around here back in the day. Scooped up a handful for around $5 each.
Lucky you!
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Looks awesome. So many cool thugs. Off to share on the front pages.
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Thanks for the comments guys, and the front page Tamer. :)
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I've worked on these two ladies on and off for years. Brea and Senni, the Tonnika Twins.
(http://i.imgur.com/vO8KZFi.jpg) (https://imgur.com/vO8KZFi)
Once again, the heads were supplied via trade from the late, great Stan the Man. They were painted by Charles of Darth Sinister Creations. Thanks again for the invaluable help with these two.
The base bodies were TVC and/or Movie Heroes Aurra Sings. First, I carefully sanded the shoulder and wrist wrappings away. Next, the neckline high spots were sanded smooth, then low spots were filled with Aves Apoxie. I cut off the unarticulated feet, and fitted feet from a LC comic pack Ysanne Isard (Brea) and a TVC Aayla Secura (Senni). Aayla's heels gave Senni a little extra height - I originally tried using Aayla's shins so that I could keep the feet identical, but they were too long. Hands are from TBS Roses.
I used two layers of thick Tamiya masking tape to outline the collars, then filled the areas with Aves. When the Apoxie cured, I used a rolled-up piece of sandpaper to gently sand the Aves flush to the tape. The roll allowed the paper to follow the contours around the neck.
The sleeve cuffs are pieces of electric cord insulation. Might've been a mouse cable, but I can't remember that far back. :) Brea's belt was sanded from a TVC Jyn Erso belt, while Senni's was sanded from one of the Aurras' belts. The belt buckles were hole-punched from a pair of Yavin celebration medals. The garters were cut from a couple of Yavin Luke gunbelts - They're the center rings that fit around the figures' waist pegs.
(https://i.imgur.com/1wDPrdX.jpg)
Senni's base color is Meltonian "Avocado" spray vinyl dye. Her bright green highlights are Vallejo Game Color "Escorpena Green."
Brea's coloration was much more difficult, and one of the big reasons why these two took so long. I originally dyed her with VHT "Satin Blue," which is a nice shade of navy. For whatever reason, the feathered edges of the Aves on the neckline remained visible through the dye. I didn't have any problems with the Meltonian; maybe VHT uses stronger solvents. IDK. I tried building up heavy layers and sanding with grits as fine as 2500 and even a magic eraser, but the line was still clear. I even had to rebuild the collar due to all the sanding. Eventually I realized I'd have to use acrylic. The top coat is Vallejo Model Color "Dark Blue," with "Deep Sky Blue" details. I don't like brush-painting figures, but in this case it was necessary. Each Twin got several coats of Testors Dull-cote.
I sprayed the garters with VHT "Red," then wet-sanded the top and bottom edges for a crisp break from red to black. I strongly considered using small zip-ties because of their ribbed texture - I bet they'd look great painted black with a red dry-brushing. Ultimately, I figured their harder, less flexible type of plastic would be more trouble than they'd be worth.
(https://i.imgur.com/2rBy9tW.jpg)
In addition to the dye/Aves issue, I had some other big problems to work through:
1) My first attempt at sanding a neckline went haywire, and I ended up creating a flat-chested uniboob. Looked like a DCUC Starfire.
2) The shoulder joints are very delicate. I ripped two arms apart trying to boil-and-pop them out. Ultimately, I decided to play it safe (but expensive) and cut the arms from the torsos with an X-Acto. All told, it took five Aurras to make these two gals.
3) I was working on a Laudica parallel to the Twins, using the same basic recipe. I finished her first, and was trying to insert her shoulders when the pressure caused the Aves around the neckline to crack away from the body. I wasn't too heartbroken, but if the same thing happened to one of the Twins after all that Apoxie and dye work, I'd have flipped my wig. As a precaution, I sanded the shoulder pegs considerably to help them go in easier. Thank the maker it seemed to work.
4) I originally planned to use vinyl strips from the cover of a three-ring binder to make the belts. Scrounged a binder, bought a circle cutter from Hobby Lobby (the belts would need to be cut in curved strips to sit on the gals' hips properly), and cut out a variety of pieces. I picked the best one and started supergluing it on. Imagine my surprise when the glue wouldn't bond to the "vinyl." Apparently the binder cover was made of HDPE or similar plastic. *Sigh*
Thanks for looking!
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Wow, couldn't you just see these on a vintage cardback. So awesome. Great work.
Off to the front pages.
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Late to the party as usual. Lee these look great! I just happened to be looking at FaceBook this morning (which I don't do much) and saw the Tonnika sisters and came back here and saw you had posted the rest. They all look fantastic! We've come out of our busy season at work and I'm just getting over a few health issues, so when your're ready send the rest. I'll also work on the Tonnika heads for you too.
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Wow, do these look spectacular! Outstanding work. Thanks also for the detailed account of how you accomplished this feat. I hope you are really proud of these creations.
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They are great looking. Your patience and networking payed off. They're the best looking Tonikka sister I've seen. Awesome pirates too! I like the one with the baze machine gun.
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Thanks very much guys. Greatly appreciated! Charles, thanks again for making these two pop. Sent a PM.
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Such clean and precise work on these! Very nicely done.
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The sisters look really good!
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Thanks again for the feedback!