1:6 Darth Vader 3D Laser Scan & Print Project

[Chakaman]

Amazing stuff. I'm down as well.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Truly exceptional work. It feels like this is pretty much ready to go now. Can't see how you could improve these beautiful pieces much more. I cannot wait to finally own a 1/6 Vader with correctly proportioned and accurately detailed parts.

I have to admit... I was kinda okay with the chest and belt boxes as they previously looked - clean and nice and idealized, but then I was shown some great reference and the accuracy bug hit me hard. But I'm soon ready, I hope, to send things off to the printers.

Been hard at work perfecting the models. I finally got the wonky box and transferred all the greeblies over to it, moved things around and matching it to reference like I did with the belt boxes, so the ANH is done.
, on Flickr

Then I started working on the ESB box. It is still in WIP mode in the picture, where basically only the coin slots and two lights and rocker switches are positioned correctly - the switches needs to be connected for the ESB look and I already started with the two center switches. Everything else needs to be moved and tweaked, but it's a good start.
, on Flickr

I also fixed the mic tips, as the grill model on the earlier model was too small, so I enlarged it to the correct amount. Previous small grill version to the left, new to the right
, on Flickr

But as you can see in the above picture, enlarging the grill also made it look really thick, so I narrowed the width down and ended up with this. These are the ANH/ESB (to the left) and RotJ (to the right) mic tips.
, on Flickr

Finally, I was struggling with how to attach the belt boxes to the belt and just doing a simple hole wouldn't be possible as you can't mold and cast that. So I made the bottom of the box a separate piece that is just going to be glued in place.
, on Flickr

 

[TaliBane]

Seeing this stuff makes you not care at all if HT or SSC is doing another Vader in the future. They get the finer details wrong, over and over and you have mod the **** out of them to try to fix it. This is the Vader and stormie gear we've wanted since day one. I never thought I'd see this project come to fruition - but here it is so close.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

If I could get accurate patterns I would love to try and make the soft parts as well. Have patterns for the cape and tunic, but not the leathers, but have had a hard time finding a fabric that simulated heavy cotton weave in sixth scale equivalent. But... I would have to learn how to sew first. But I could probably take a quick course at evening school. LOL.

 

[generalgrevious]

let`s get all the molding done first. then if you want to sew have at it

 

[Adam1138]

If I could get accurate patterns I would love to try and make the soft parts as well. Have patterns for the cape and tunic, but not the leathers, but have had a hard time finding a fabric that simulated heavy cotton weave in sixth scale equivalent. But... I would have to learn how to sew first. But I could probably take a quick course at evening school. LOL.

Have you ever thought about doing the full stormtrooper armour with all its assemetrical eccentricities? Is that even romotely possible??

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I have and indeed it is. I have been in talks with a maker of RotJ stormtrooper armor and it seems possible to get done eventually - just need to buy a new HD scanner and fully work out the deal. Hope to secure a deal on ANH Stormtrooper armor as well, but if that falls through, there are ways to reverse engineer the RotJ armor to ANH look - not perfect but passable.

 

[D.R.37]

This is awesome
Very much looking forward to all of this goodness TMG.

 

[Adam1138]

I have and indeed it is. I have been in talks with a maker of RotJ stormtrooper armor and it seems possible to get done eventually - just need to buy a new HD scanner and fully work out the deal. Hope to secure a deal on ANH Stormtrooper armor as well, but if that falls through, there are ways to reverse engineer the RotJ armor to ANH look - not perfect but passable.

This is unbelievable news! Having a perfect 1/6 replica of a stormtrooper has always been my ultimate “Grail” figure that I’ve wanted for ever since I can remember. We’ve got close with Solo Bones helmets, but to have the armour as well would certainly be a dream come true for me

 

[namebrand]

This is brilliant and I too would love to see an accurate trooper!

 

[zeiss]

If I could get accurate patterns I would love to try and make the soft parts as well. Have patterns for the cape and tunic, but not the leathers, but have had a hard time finding a fabric that simulated heavy cotton weave in sixth scale equivalent. But... I would have to learn how to sew first. But I could probably take a quick course at evening school. LOL.

The best fabric I have seen is the one that Strutup's mother-in-law used to create capes for his custom Vaders. From the pictures he posted, that fabric hung amazingly well.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Yeah, his custom looks really awesome.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

It was a lot of work, but the new ESB dome scan is done. I really need a break from all this 3D modeling soon, but thankfully, there are only a few parts left now.

, on Flickr

 

[Dr. Odd]

I’d really like to get in on this once it’s ready, but my budget is super tight, so I’d like to try and set some money aside for it. Do you have a rough idea of how much a full armor with anh and esb masks and helms would cost?

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Sorry, I won't know that until my mold maker gets the parts molded. This has been a really quite expensive project, but I will try to keep the prices down. It may still not be as cheap as some would like, but it will be as low as I can do it and be able to pay back all those who've helped me over the years.

 

[Dr. Odd]

Thanks for the reply

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Just finished work on the last belt box, so now there's only some geometry gaps in the ANH dome that needs closing as well as making holes in the sabers where the D-rings are connected. Once that's done it's off to the printers.

 

[cking]

"This will be a day long remembered"...
Great news. Can't wait to upgrade my Vader with these awesome parts!

Just finished work on the last belt box, so now there's only some geometry gaps in the ANH dome that needs closing as well as making holes in the sabers where the D-rings are connected. Once that's done it's off to the printers.

 

[TaliBane]

"This will be a day long remembered"...
Great news. Can't wait to upgrade my Vader with these awesome parts!

Yeah this really is the most important 1/6 custom project in years. Yet at the same time you really wonder why no major company ever did the same thing.

 

[agonistes86]

And perfectly in time for when I'm just about to finish my ANH Vader custom.
But in all seriousness, I can't wait to see this in hand and compare it to HT and kaiyodo parts. Accurately scaled 1:6 Vader parts...