I've concluded my research into the proper shape of the knee armor. From the stills here, to watching the movie again, and examining other armorers have interpreted the piece... it's been dizzying, and has become a slight obsession. I've transfered my outline to the top of the MDF slab.
I will start cutting out the general outline (leaving a little fat behind in case of an accident). I am hoping to get the bottom front section cut in, and start shaping. I've purposely downsized my measurements to account for the thickness of the plastic. I am planning to use 1/8th thick styrene or ABS. Really doesn't matter, I'll be painting these anyway.
After I cut off the excess, I will transfer the side portions of my drawing. (Right now, it's a bit uneven.)
As Da Vinci said... just removing the unnecessary bits.
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
Nah... just a standard table saw. Make one pass at the highest cutting level. Flip the part, and make another pass to get the rest. Any left over material, I use a band saw to lop off.
Just like destroying X-Wings!
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
I'm still recovering from a sever cold, but I wanted to share with you my progress I've made so far.
Did massive trimming to the block to get it into the proper shape of the knee armor. I'm also having to watch how to align the surface details, and to make sure I do not create any areas that will lock the plastic on to the buck. I had that problem with thigh boxes, and I don't want to repeat that.
I really wanted to sculpt the block as one piece, but with the strange angles I need to cut and shape, it would be too difficult. I cut off the top portion for ease.
The bottom of the block was easy. I made my cuts, and then smoothed them out with a disc sander. So far it looks fairly symmetrical. I added the front elevation from some scrap pieces of MDF. I drew the outline for the bottom sides, and will be adding material for the raised sections. Probably a combination of scrap MDF and Bondo.
For the top part, I need to make a slight curve up around the depression, more MDF and Bondo.
Then it'll be time to turn my attention to the troughs that outline the intersecting plates. Getting there. Slow, and steady.
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
I went back to work today, and in between coughs, a running nose, and my co-workers stopping me from drilling out my sinuses with a Forsner bit, I put a little effort into the buck.
I started building up the raised panels on the lower portion of the armor. Some MDF strips, and then started putting the body filler to fix some sanding boo-boos, while building up the wall thickness. I'm following the MoM exhibit photographs and trying to mimic them. I'm also trying to visualize how the plastic is going to react and try to see where it may "lock" onto the buck.
The top portion I am satisfied with for now.
The indentation was created with a slight outward angle. The plastic shouldn't lock on to it. I hope.
I'm saving the angled troughs after the whole thing is glued back together. Maybe before the end of this week if everything goes well.
And just a taste of what it may look like when re-assembled. I know... she's still pretty ugly.
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
More bondo work to smooth out the bottom. I'll need to make a template so I know where I have to cut. The lower "shelf" is one complete surface now. It should make the plastic easier to remove. I hope....
I have to put round over some edges and add some flaring angles. Then I will glue the top with the bottom, and the carve in the troughs.
getting there... getting there!!!!
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
Time for an armor progress update to celebrate my advancing to the rank of Imperial Soldier (Yeah... i'm freakin' sad). Since I'm logging overtime through this past weekend, I've been hacking away at the knee armor buck. I wish I was home working on this among other things... but a I trooper's got to eat, and fund the project.
So what's new? Just a few things. I glued the top and bottom halves together! And I started putting in the "grooves." I have to start laying out the boundary lines between the part areas and putting in some "slopes" so that I can get the plastic off the buck after casting. I've got a lot of scrap MDF that I had trimmed from the part and some bondo that I'll use for that. It's looking very good.
I keep coming back to the MOM pictures, and movie captures. They give me more hints to what needs to be done next. I keep coming back to this picture... it's says a lot. I think it's the perspective.
I am seeing a bit of shadow from the lower side panel into the trough between it and the lower center panel.
As the lower panel recedes back, it somewhat blends into the trough.
I made the ares straight flat, so I will have to make a bit of an angled ridge to get that effect.
The blending the lower sides and the upper sides should be no problem. I think it will very easy to create the smooth transition. I still need to round some of the corners over a little more. The top part I feel is complete, except for adding the slopes. Now it's time to flesh out the details.
More to come!
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
Got the plastic. I had some heavy problems trying to cast a part. I think part of the heating coils might not be heating up properly, and I could not get a good seal for a vacuum. I have to double check everything tomorrow. This could take an extra day, or two.
Most of the details I am looking for did show up in the casting. If I could have a gotten a good seal for a vacuum, they might be crisper. I think a temperature may offer more stretch from the plastic.
None the less, it's a good part to try for fitting. I gotta practice my trimming skills, too! Lookie, my cardboard mock up from a few months back! Hello, old friend! Once again, you help me in my hour of need.
Judging from some of the stills, the knee armor is sitting accurately on my leg. I think the boot-to-knee armor distance is also close. Then again, I could still trim at least another quarter of an inch from the bottom. If I load an elastic strap, it will sit right smack in the middle of the back of the knee joint. The fit is great!
We'll try tomorrow. If not, there still next week. Very good day, even though the pull was so-so.
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
It was hell getting them off the frakin' buck, even with a ton of talc!! I had to make some score lines and to help flex the parts off the pattern! I am a little surprised that you can see some of the layers from the MDF! Pretty funny! A think a quick sanding with 320 to 600 should do the trick. Then some nice paint on top!
You can tell the difference between the two casts.... check it out.
Notice how crisp the lines are! There was a somewhat loose connection in the coils, but a quick tighten fixed that. I let the plastic cook a little longer, too.
I need to trim and cut out the holes for the elastic.
More to come! It has been a awesome today!!!
Retired from Star Wars Costuming - then again retirement is overrated
