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 TonyRB |
Stormtrooper |
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Posts: 2544 03/23/05 20:31:38 Administrator
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Place to post your Stormtrooper questions, hints, work and Knowledge.
Lets keep this purely Stormtrooper stuff only, No Pm sent stuff etc.. RPB Administrator
 In Memory of Graham Campbell  |
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TonyRB |
Re: > correct colours on Stormtrooper | #1 | ||
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Posts: 2544 03/23/05 20:40:08 Administrator
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Some of you may know I have been researching what colours were used on the ANH Stormtrooper helmets. I had a theory, which I shared with Jez (BingoBongo)many moons ago, whilst having a pint in a pub in Nottingham. Seeing that the only enamel paints available in the UK in the 70s were Humbrol, it must of been one of these.
Humbrol only make 2 gloss greys, one which was too pale and the other looked spot on dark AD Grey(5). To backup this up Jez asked Andrew Ainsworth what paints were used on the helmets, "The little small tins of paint." was the reply, these were Humbrol. Searching for more information, I telephoned Humbrol and spoke to the head of their marketing department, asking him about the history of the paints. All numbers above 50 were not around in the 70s, so any blues or greys above that number hadn't be produced yet, this was great in narrowing down what colors were used. A recent conversation with Humbrol this afternoon was very interesting, they did supply the Large film Studios like Elstree with Enamel paint. Now just to confirm what I thought all along. TE's decals scanned from his original ST helmet  Frown of my TE ANH helmet painted with Humbrol No.5 AD Grey  In person it's amazing how the decals match the AD grey from Humbrol. As for the blue colour used on the Tube stripes, we know that not all the helmets had the same blue colour. Both helmets that TE had, has have different types of blue on them. I'm confident that one of blues used on the tube stripes was Humbrol's Midnight blue, the other lighter blue, I think used was Mediterranean blue. I'm still not 100% about these colours but they were avaiable in the 70s. Also colours for the AB plate buttons  RPB Administrator
In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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TonyRB |
Re: > Gloves | #2 | ||
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Posts: 2544 03/23/05 20:41:52 Administrator
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What gloves does everyone use? We know black chemical rubber gloves were used in the films but what do you use?
RPB Administrator
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scottyis |
Re: > Gloves | #3 | ||
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Posts: 42 03/23/05 22:14:20 TK 699 |
I use black leather driving gloves there ok but they do have holes on the knuckles but this is coverd by the hand plate.
scott
tk 699 |
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trooper1307 |
Re: > Gloves | #4 | ||
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Posts: 456 03/24/05 03:04:34 Moderator |
I've got a few different kinds to choose from. I have some issued NI black leather gloves, lined chemical rubber ones, nomex gloves and a set of lycra/suede driving gloves which I got from WalMart for $10.
Out of the four, the driving gloves are the best in my opinion. They are made by "Isotoner" and do the job very well. The black lycra matches the body suit perfectly, they don't make your hands sweat or uncomfortable and the black suede on the palm side of your hand/fingers is great for grip. Cheers, Gord I carry a badge...
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sixx101 |
Re: > Stormtrooper | #5 | ||
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Posts: 297 04/07/05 11:52:14 RPB Contributor |
Hi all fellow troopers,
I have recently purchased a set of blue stripe decals for my helmet & have a couple of questions. Do i just pick the old black ones off or do they need to be wet? And what is the best way of putting the stripes on, do they just stick or do i have to soak them first? Any other tips would help, as my helmet came assembled when i bought it so haven't yet had the opportunity to mess it up. Thankyou in advance sixx |
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trooper1307 |
Re: > Stormtrooper | #6 | ||
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Posts: 456 04/07/05 22:54:18 Moderator |
Hi Sixx,
Well mate, I would have to say that it would depend on how the black stripes have been applied originally. If they are like most F/X lids, (vinyl stickers) then yeah, they will just peel off with little hassle. If they don't want to come off easily, I would suggest heating them lightly with a hairdryer...then they will peel off. (Old trick I have used many times to remove stickers from the fuel tanks of motorcycles) Just be careful not to heat the surface of the plastic too much or you may warp it. Same goes for applying them. Are they vinyl sticker type stripes? If so, then they are no problem to apply. (You won't need to immerse them in water at all, unless of course you have the transfer type....like you get in aircraft model kits) If they come in a straight strip all together, I would recommend cutting in between each strip, getting close to the top but don't cut all the way, so that the strip is "flexible" and will bend to fit the curve of the tube...if you get my meaning! (The whole strip should look like a hair comb)  Place one strip at a time, slowly, and then when you are happy with their positioning, give them all a good rub over with some grease-proof paper or a lint free cloth...to make sure they are on nice and tight. Sounds a bit long winded....but it's a really easy job to do mate. If you need any more help or tips, just drop a line here...lots of people here can help ya...they've learned from their mistakes already....myself included (cough-cough!) Cheers, Gord. aka TK8410
I carry a badge... RPB Moderator In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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Bassmanbish |
Re: Applying Blue Tube Stripe Decals | #7 | ||
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Posts: 62 04/08/05 10:40:42 |
Howdy y'all
It's silly question time  I've got some blue tube stripe decals to put on my FX lid. The thing is each row is slightly curved and I'm not sure which way the curve should go - looking at the helmet, should they go on this way: ( ) or this way: ) ( Hope that makes sense. Cheers guys! Matt |
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markg73 |
Re: Applying Blue Tube Stripe Decals | #8 | ||
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Posts: 73 04/08/05 12:06:49 |
Matt,
The decals should be )))))))) with the curve facing towards the ears.. HTH. Mark
TK 6540 |
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Bassmanbish |
Re: Applying Blue Tube Stripe Decals | #9 | ||
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Posts: 62 04/08/05 12:27:19 |
Hi Mark
Thanks for answering my post, although I don't think I made myself very clear. I know which way the curve of each individual blue 'crescent' goes (curve towards the ears, points towards the mic tips), but the row of crescents itself has a slight curve. So, what I need to know is should the row curve in or out if looking down on the face of the helmet (the brackets below represent rows of blue crescents on each side of the helmet): IN = )  (OUT = ( )Does this make any more sense? |
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trooper1307 |
Re: Applying Blue Tube Stripe Decals | #10 | ||
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Posts: 456 04/08/05 14:41:41 Moderator |
Hi Matt (Bassmanbish this time!)
Hmmm....I'm a bit confused by your post, but I *think* you're saying that the blue decal strips you have are already pre-curved, to make it easier to apply them. If this is the case, I would suggest that if you're looking at the right hand side of the helmet for example, the decals should curve downwards from back (at the 'ears') to front (at the mic tips)....following the natural swoop/curve of the tube. Make sense? Or am I totally off the mark with what you're asking...lol! Just my 2p/cents/euros worth... Cheers, Gord. aka TK8410
I carry a badge... RPB Moderator In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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Bassmanbish |
Re: Applying Blue Tube Stripe Decals | #11 | ||
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Posts: 62 04/08/05 15:02:22 |
Hi Gord
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying - the rows of blue 'crescents' are pre-curved. I kinda guessed that I would apply them how you described, but I just wanted to check and be totally 100% certain (have I mentioned that I'm fairly new to this LOL). Many thanks! Cheers Matt |
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saintadjg |
Re: > Stormtrooper Lenses | #12 | ||
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Posts: 119 04/09/05 21:54:25 RPB Contributor |
Having looked at a couple of sites ,thinking of glueing some of the pieces rather than velcro.These parts being,front seam of shins,front & rear seams of thigh-forearm & bicep.Is this advisable,i can slide the parts on with relative ease(being slim could work out well for me).
May seperate the cod piece,but that can wait for now. Gonna start on it tomorrow. The more i look at the pieces the more confident i'm getting,it's seeming a lot less daunting than when i first opened the box.Plus there seems to be plenty of help around here.  Thanks Andy |
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trooper1307 |
Re: > Stormtrooper Lenses | #13 | ||
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Posts: 456 04/09/05 23:20:13 Moderator |
Hi Andy,
Good question mate. With that it really depends on personal preference, or the size of your arms/legs. Personally, I glued the forearms together and also the biceps. It is a bit of a tight squeeze for me to get them on, but once on the fit is perfect, and the armour doesn't slide around. If you do glue them together and you find they slip around alot, just add some foam strips (the insulating type that is sticky on one side works well) or some rubber type sheet material. I also glued the front only on my lower leg/shins, using the industrial velcro on the back...same with my thigh pieces. I used the velcro on the backs of my thighs for two reasons. When I glued the fronts together using the provided ABS glue, I went back to check on them 2 days later and the plastic had warped slightly on a couple of places!  (This happened, as I later found out, because the supplied glue actually heats up and melts the two pieces of plastic together, unfortunately for me, the plastic on my front thigh seams was not particularly thick, causing the warping in places!) I ended up cutting some long thin strips of ABS from the spare sheets supplied, (matching it perfectly to the seams on the thighs) and then glued them onto the seams. This covered the damage perfectly and you would never know it had been done, thank god! I had originally tried to sand/rub down the damage and then polish it back up, but this didn't work at all.So, as I had messed up a bit on the front seams and didn't want to do the same on the backs, I decided to use velcro to close the backs of the thighs...it also comes in handy for putting them on, as you can open/close them very easily. Better to do it that way, then decide you want to use glue...than to use glue and wish you hadn't I seperated my cod-piece and have found it to be a really good modification. I simply scored a separation line a few times with a stanley knife, then bent the cod-piece gently till it snapped off...in a perfect straight edge. I re-applied it to the abdomen using two strips of industrial strength velcro. This makes it both flexible and practical. I can bend more easily, or remove it totally to answer the call of nature. I didn't separate the lower back/butt piece as I didn't find it necessary for me...others have. Again, it's all a case of what works best for you mate. Experiment a bit, without cutting and trimming of course, see what you think will suit you best, then go for it. Enjoy!  Cheers, Gord. aka TK8410
I carry a badge... RPB Moderator In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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trooper1307 |
Re: > Stormtrooper Lenses | #14 | ||
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Posts: 456 04/10/05 02:33:56 Moderator |
Andy,
That belt mod is on Tony's site, www.tonybarnett.plus.com/ It's a mod quite alot of people have done, especially on the UK Garrison. I'm looking to do it myself soon, just waiting to hear back from the guy who supplies the belt part. Shopping lists...hmmm...if you dont have it already, get some industrial strength velcro, industrial strength/camping snaps (if you're gonna use a snap system that is) and you'll need to get some black webbing material to use along with the snaps...or black elastic, again that's up to you mate. I prefer the webbing myself, as the elastic seems to wear out too quickly and has too much give, especially on the thigh pieces. You'll need a good cutting blade/stanley knife kinda thing, just make sure the blade you use is good n sharp. If you don't want to use the supplied ABS glue, try a two part epoxy. You will have to mix it yourself and it sets quickly, but works very well. You'll also need things like sandpaper, for smoothing down any cut edges etc, and also to sand any areas lightly that you are gonna apply the velcro or hot glue to. Oh yeah, a hot glue gun and glue sticks! If you don't have one already, a dremel tool (or other brand name rotary tool) is a must! Great piece of kit that comes in handy for loads of jobs on the armour...saves alot of time as well. Just remember to get one that plugs into the mains and not battery powered. Can't think of anything else right now, off the top of my head, but there is sure to many other things I have forgotten to add. I would just pop out to the garage and check my kit, but i'm back in the UK at the mo visiting family. Cheers, Gord. aka TK8410
I carry a badge... RPB Moderator In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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saintadjg |
Re: > Shoulder bells | #15 | ||
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Posts: 119 04/20/05 04:06:02 RPB Contributor |
Hi
My shoulder bells seem huge,to the extent that they totally cover the bicep armour . Do you guys trim them ,or leave as they are? Getting there slowly but surely. Ordered a pair of CABOOTS(wil i get hammered by customs?i have allowed for vat + charges) ,does the shin armour sit over them ok?I tried an old pair of chelsea boots i have but the tops are too wide resulting in the armour riding up and sitting ontop of the boot as soon as you take a step.gonna start the helmet once everything else is done(not looking forward to this part). Thanks Andy |
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TonyRB |
Re: > Shoulder bells | #16 | ||
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Posts: 2544 04/20/05 07:32:59 Administrator
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Can you post photos of the shoulder bell problem, what sort of suit do you have? Is it a FX? Your CA boots will be fine with the bottom part of your shins.
Tony RPB Administrator
In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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Bassmanbish |
Re: Shoulder Bells | #17 | ||
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Posts: 62 04/20/05 11:53:32 |
Hi Andy
I have FX armour and I trimmed my shoulder bells, not really to reduce the size but because they were so asymmetrical. I trimmed the bottoms of both bells to be symmetrical and I also trimmed one of the sides on each one a little as the centre ridge is pretty off-centre if you look down on the bell. I realise that Stormtrooper armour is supposed to be fairly asymmetrical, but FX armour isnt exactly accurate in the first place. Both my bells appear to have been both pulled from the same mold as they are exactly the same, warts and all. With this in mind, I would point out that the plastic on mine is thinner on the outer left side (ie front of left shoulder bell OR back of right shoulder bell). If yours are the same youll need to take extra care if glueing snaps on the inside. Ive got a very slight circular bump on the outside of mine where I glued my snaps to the inside of the thinner part of the bells. Guess I should have put a cold, damp cloth on the outside like everyone recommends LOL! Obviously, how the bells look will depend on your build. Look at some pics of real stormtrooper armour and compare - if they look too big on you, I would say trim them so they look right FOR YOU. Just don't trim too much off cos once it's gone you can't get it back (sorry if I'm stating the obvious here LOL). Cheers Matt |
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saintadjg |
Re: Shoulder Bells | #18 | ||
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Posts: 119 04/20/05 15:46:02 RPB Contributor |
Yeah it's FX armour,but i think my small build,exagerates it (sp?),guess i'll just have to trim them a bit.
.I noticed when i was watching ANH last night how much shorter the shoulder bells looked compared to mine. Whats the difference between stunt and hero? Tony great site by the way ,constantly using it for reference,it's been incredibly helpfull. Thanks Andy |
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TonyRB |
Re: Shoulder Bells | #19 | ||
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Posts: 2544 04/20/05 16:21:58 Administrator
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Andy glad the site is of help, the FX suit is around 10% bigger than the suits used in the movies, hence the reason yours looks bigger, it is.
Suit wise there is no real difference between the stunt and hero, not unless you count the Sandtrooper, which has many differences. The biggest difference is the Helmets. Hero - bubbled lense, 3 teeth on frown, only one screw on ear visible etc. Stunt -Flat green lense, 4-5 teeth cut out on frown, 2 screws on ears visible. Tony RPB Administrator
In Memory of Graham Campbell |
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Shadow Jedi 3 |
Re: Shoulder Bells | #20 | ||
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Posts: 37 04/24/05 14:09:58 |
Can anyone help me out with a set of accurate hollow mic tips?
I need a set so i can do the helmet speaker mod with my Rom FX. if any one can point me in the right direction i'd be grateful cheers! |
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