Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Thanks for the offer, but there's just too much red tape surrounding this project that I can't bring in outsiders. But I appreciate the thought.
1:6 Darth Vader 3D Laser Scan & Print Project
- Thread starter Too Much Garlic
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eczamurai
Super Freak
After so much time and effort you can't risk someone running away with all that work. I understand how you must not want to take anyone you don't know personally involved in this!
Glad you're still working on this.
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Yep. Ditto!
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Oh, it wasn't just that. I'm just tied down regarding who I can work with on this.
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
I've just gotten everything back and am currently working out how to best mold the pieces that hasn't been molded yet. I'm not good enough to do one-piece molds yet, so I'm looking over the pieces to find the best way to do two-piece molds and not have the seamlines cut across stuff. For instance, for the stormtrooper helmets, I'm considering following basically the face, cutting off in front of the ear and following the bottom of the brow trim and then have the other mold section be everything else. That should limit the visibility of the seamline to already existing edges. The Vader dome is much simpler, but the face mask will be a problem I'll have to work out. I'm working really slow, to do this right and not mess up... so I sadly can't give an estimate on how long it's going to take. Sorry.
In the meantime I thought I'd show a comparison between the Gentle Giant (supposedly 1:6 scale) helmet from their bust versus my true 1:6 scale printed helmet.
In the meantime I thought I'd show a comparison between the Gentle Giant (supposedly 1:6 scale) helmet from their bust versus my true 1:6 scale printed helmet.
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ebor
Super Freak
TMG that ST looks great. I can't wait to see your final Vader. I think you will have MANY people interested in these. 
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Did a little paint test with the Rolls Royce Mason's Black equivalent that's available where I live yesterday and today. Two layers is needed to get it looking nice. First layer should be thin and fairly well covering - I have found I don't need a heavy layer for that - and then the second layer is what brings the shine. I need to be more careful with the first layer, but I really like the look I achieved, even though I somewhat screwed up. It's not perfect, but I really like this color. It's deep black in just that right way. I'll try and snap some pictures tomorrow but that may show that the result wasn't as good as it appears now and I may be a long ways off getting the hang of painting this without just shooting it with a coat of gloss clear coat - though that would look right for the ESB version and not the ANH... and it's ANH I'm trying to achieve as that's the hardest paint job.
I was lucky only really needing one layer for the face mask - applied too heavy a coat, so it may look too soft if I spray it again. Unlike the dome which didn't turn out as shiny on the first spraying session.
I'll try and apply the gunmetal color tomorrow on the face mask, or wait until I've sprayed the second layer on the chest armor, so I can paint both face mask and armor to test things out. Though... what I have learned is that I will not be able to paint these when I start selling them... it's just not worth getting sick from it, so I'll have to sell them raw and unpainted, but it will be statues or busts only. I simply can't deal with armor kits. Sorry about that.
I was lucky only really needing one layer for the face mask - applied too heavy a coat, so it may look too soft if I spray it again. Unlike the dome which didn't turn out as shiny on the first spraying session.
I'll try and apply the gunmetal color tomorrow on the face mask, or wait until I've sprayed the second layer on the chest armor, so I can paint both face mask and armor to test things out. Though... what I have learned is that I will not be able to paint these when I start selling them... it's just not worth getting sick from it, so I'll have to sell them raw and unpainted, but it will be statues or busts only. I simply can't deal with armor kits. Sorry about that.
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Okay, I'm going to embarrass myself. My painting and picture taking skills severely lack to show what I'm seeing when holding these pieces. What the pictures show though, are all my mistakes. However, these were the best I could produce. Sorry that they are a little dark, but I couldn't use flash.
On another note... I have learned that the pictures I've hosted on imageshack and my account there are all gone. I've written them asking what is going on. But it seems now that pretty much 95% of the images I've uploaded to this site are gone... and I'm at the limit at imgur and I've been told not all can see pictures from them anyway... so I'm in need of a new picture hosting service. This is further complicated by the fact that imageshack didn't post the title of the picture in the link URL, so it will be near impossible to replace the broken links.
On another note... I have learned that the pictures I've hosted on imageshack and my account there are all gone. I've written them asking what is going on. But it seems now that pretty much 95% of the images I've uploaded to this site are gone... and I'm at the limit at imgur and I've been told not all can see pictures from them anyway... so I'm in need of a new picture hosting service. This is further complicated by the fact that imageshack didn't post the title of the picture in the link URL, so it will be near impossible to replace the broken links.
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Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
I need to stop embarrassing myself. This was a quick paint test. The result is fair... but it's so hard to photograph.
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Not too shabby for a test. Looking good! 
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Having looked at the reference after the fact I can see I made a major screw-up by painting downwards down towards the neck line, whereas I should have kept it going straight back. That would have increased the accuracy on the application.
Also, now I know where to start painting next time, and work my way from there. Though... I don't really have anymore casts to work on and have been trying to find a place in the UK or inside EU that sells silicone that mixes at a 50/50 ratio as I've tried the other stuff and never being able to figure out or calculate the mix ratio for what I need. Tried contacting these guys - Bentley Advanced Materials - but they haven't replied to any of my mails.
I've been working on cleaning up the print masters as I noticed the casts I was previously working on were softer and a tiny fraction smaller - we are talking really small degrees of differences here, but enough for me to notice it and the softer look simply won't do when the masters, though not über sharp, were more defined. So basically... the work I did on the work masters were a bit of a waste of time and I'll have to redo it all on the print masters now too.
Since the gunmetal paint I have is a mixed paint, I need to take a sample of it to my local auto paint store to have them mix some more for me. The grey color has always alluded the hobby, but the black has been confirmed as Rolls Royce paint, so at least that's something. Actually, when applying the paint I was afraid it was too dark, but when photographing it and seeing it in daylight it's clear it has some of the same characteristics that are seen in pictures and in the movies of the real helmets.
Also, now I know where to start painting next time, and work my way from there. Though... I don't really have anymore casts to work on and have been trying to find a place in the UK or inside EU that sells silicone that mixes at a 50/50 ratio as I've tried the other stuff and never being able to figure out or calculate the mix ratio for what I need. Tried contacting these guys - Bentley Advanced Materials - but they haven't replied to any of my mails.
I've been working on cleaning up the print masters as I noticed the casts I was previously working on were softer and a tiny fraction smaller - we are talking really small degrees of differences here, but enough for me to notice it and the softer look simply won't do when the masters, though not über sharp, were more defined. So basically... the work I did on the work masters were a bit of a waste of time and I'll have to redo it all on the print masters now too.
Since the gunmetal paint I have is a mixed paint, I need to take a sample of it to my local auto paint store to have them mix some more for me. The grey color has always alluded the hobby, but the black has been confirmed as Rolls Royce paint, so at least that's something. Actually, when applying the paint I was afraid it was too dark, but when photographing it and seeing it in daylight it's clear it has some of the same characteristics that are seen in pictures and in the movies of the real helmets.
Try Breddermann Kunstharze - Onlineshop
They have great knowledge. If they dont have what you are looking for, they will most likely be able to tell you where to get.
They have great knowledge. If they dont have what you are looking for, they will most likely be able to tell you where to get.
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Thanks man. I'll send them a mail. 
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Having looked at the site I'm having trouble navigating the German and there are no English language options. I'm going to have to sit down with my translator and see if they offer something I can use.
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Found another site that I could navigate and ordered some stuff.
Well, having had to go back to basics I have been working a little on the prints. I did a little filing of the excess on the shins a while back, but didn't do anything on the surface of those, and took a long break due to not feeling well at all. It's a little better now, but still a long road ahead. However, yesterday I decided to start working on the chest armor - this time on the surface - and started sharpening the edges. Basically the exact same thing I previously did on the work masters, but since this is a much harder material the work progresses much better and I don't have to worry about holding the pieces and getting the surface gonked up with resin dust and pressing it into the surface with my clumsy hands - the material just do not allow it, which is perfect. I wasn't entirely happy last night when I stopped, so today I worked some more on it with a different file and the finishing sharpness is so much better. I'm pretty pleased. There's just one tiny place where I need to go over with a file again tomorrow and then the surface is done. Then I'm going to file the edges, so everything gets nice and clean for molding, eradicating all those scanning and assembly flaws of the digital model.
The reason I had to go back to the prints, even though it's setting me back to about three years ago, is because the work masters turned out to be slightly smaller than the prints and not as sharp, and my work on them had warped them, so I had to start over anyway and might as well do the work on the prints instead. I had previously been hesitant to work on the prints, but having worked on the master casts I know what I'm doing and what works best to achieve what I want to do, experience I wouldn't have had if I hadn't worked on those. Once all the filing is done, the parts will get a layer of putty primer to smooth out the surface and get rid of the ridges and scan errors.
I've been really stressed over this project lately, but it's actually nice being back to work on them. Silicone and resin is insane expensive and being a noob with molding and casting doesn't make it easier. Painting is out and I have sorta come to terms with that, even though I really wanted to do it and present a fully finished piece... though, seeing as my painting skills aren't good enough and the fact I get sick from painting... well... there's no real reason to get obsessed about it.
I'm actually really pleased by how the sharpening turned out on the chest armor.
Well, having had to go back to basics I have been working a little on the prints. I did a little filing of the excess on the shins a while back, but didn't do anything on the surface of those, and took a long break due to not feeling well at all. It's a little better now, but still a long road ahead. However, yesterday I decided to start working on the chest armor - this time on the surface - and started sharpening the edges. Basically the exact same thing I previously did on the work masters, but since this is a much harder material the work progresses much better and I don't have to worry about holding the pieces and getting the surface gonked up with resin dust and pressing it into the surface with my clumsy hands - the material just do not allow it, which is perfect. I wasn't entirely happy last night when I stopped, so today I worked some more on it with a different file and the finishing sharpness is so much better. I'm pretty pleased. There's just one tiny place where I need to go over with a file again tomorrow and then the surface is done. Then I'm going to file the edges, so everything gets nice and clean for molding, eradicating all those scanning and assembly flaws of the digital model.
The reason I had to go back to the prints, even though it's setting me back to about three years ago, is because the work masters turned out to be slightly smaller than the prints and not as sharp, and my work on them had warped them, so I had to start over anyway and might as well do the work on the prints instead. I had previously been hesitant to work on the prints, but having worked on the master casts I know what I'm doing and what works best to achieve what I want to do, experience I wouldn't have had if I hadn't worked on those. Once all the filing is done, the parts will get a layer of putty primer to smooth out the surface and get rid of the ridges and scan errors.
I've been really stressed over this project lately, but it's actually nice being back to work on them. Silicone and resin is insane expensive and being a noob with molding and casting doesn't make it easier. Painting is out and I have sorta come to terms with that, even though I really wanted to do it and present a fully finished piece... though, seeing as my painting skills aren't good enough and the fact I get sick from painting... well... there's no real reason to get obsessed about it.
I'm actually really pleased by how the sharpening turned out on the chest armor.
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That's a bunch hard work that (in think you know) will pay off in the end. Looking forward to seeing the results!!!!
Too Much Garlic
Super Freak
Eventually. Once I've figured out this molding and casting thing.
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