1/6 SSC ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader Modification Thread

[TheFiend]

Yeah. I wonder where that Marmit is today. So what happened with it, why wasn't it released?

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[Darthrazz]

Yeah. I wonder where that Marmit is today. So what happened with it, why wasn't it released?

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It did look good, especially the dome.
https://thepropden.aokforums.com/the-marmit-that-never-was-vader-vt89.html

 

[stevenmh]

Got a couple KP02's to shorten my ANH and ROTJ Vaders, but ended up getting cold feet and didn't make the swap. What's making me hesitate, besides the additional cost of the bodies, and the cost of replacing my lforigno cape on ANH and the perfectly good stock cape on ROTJ, is how much sleeve material is left hanging off the ends of the KP02 arms which are much shorter than SS. It seems like the only way to avoid extreme bunching would be to trim the ends of the sleeves off, making the mod irreversible. Unless the excess can be bunched inside the glove, but to test that out I'd have to dremel out the KP02 arm holes, which means I can't sell it off if I don't follow through with the mod. For those of you that have done the KP02 swap, how have you handled this?

So, in the meantime, I did some work on the SS body. I like that he can kneel, but it's more of a straight upright kneel, not getting that prostrate-before-his-master vibe. So I took the body apart, and dremeled out the lower torso slot so he can bend forward at the waist much more. And then trimmed out some of the rubber surround at both ends of the neck piece. We'll see how much difference it makes when I have time to get the suit back on, but here's before and after of the body:

 

[TheFiend]

Nice mod. Curious to see what it looks like when all suited up. Anyway, about the KP body, that was one thing I couldn't get used to either, the stubby arms.

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[Matt S]

I just wish that Marmit made theirs.. it was phenomenal.

same here; I was heartbroken when I found out about the proto, and then it not happening

 

[stevenmh]

Nice mod. Curious to see what it looks like when all suited up. Anyway, about the KP body, that was one thing I couldn't get used to either, the stubby arms.

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It wasn't the arm length in and of itself that bothered me. I assumed they needed to be shorter to be in proportion with the shorter torso. I just don't want to cut the arms on the suits to take up the excess material, since I obviously can't go back from that. I'm just wondering if that's what other people are actually doing with the body swaps, or if they're able to cram the excess into the gloves.

I'm hoping to get the suit back on Friday or Saturday and will post pics.

 

[weaponslayer]

Got a couple KP02's to shorten my ANH and ROTJ Vaders, but ended up getting cold feet and didn't make the swap. What's making me hesitate, besides the additional cost of the bodies, and the cost of replacing my lforigno cape on ANH and the perfectly good stock cape on ROTJ, is how much sleeve material is left hanging off the ends of the KP02 arms which are much shorter than SS. It seems like the only way to avoid extreme bunching would be to trim the ends of the sleeves off, making the mod irreversible. Unless the excess can be bunched inside the glove, but to test that out I'd have to dremel out the KP02 arm holes, which means I can't sell it off if I don't follow through with the mod. For those of you that have done the KP02 swap, how have you handled this?

So, in the meantime, I did some work on the SS body. I like that he can kneel, but it's more of a straight upright kneel, not getting that prostrate-before-his-master vibe. So I took the body apart, and dremeled out the lower torso slot so he can bend forward at the waist much more. And then trimmed out some of the rubber surround at both ends of the neck piece. We'll see how much difference it makes when I have time to get the suit back on, but here's before and after of the body:

View attachment 97986

View attachment 97987

Stevenmh I did the body swap to the Hot Toys TTM-20 that chilipep instructed at page 8 of this thread. To recap, he grabbed the TTM-20 Body and added extra adaptors at the ankels to give the height boost that Vader needs, and on the other hand he shortened the neck to almost half its length or less (around the half point of the adams apple).

When I did this Mod I noticed your same issue that the arms looked stubby, due to the gloves and hands being huge therefore they cover up too much of the forearm (I noticed Sideshow tends to make hands too big). To address this problem I made custom wrist pegs to lengthen the forearm by doing the following:

1. Grab 2 sideshow wrist pegs.
2. Cut off the thick stub end that doesn't fit into a Hot Toys body.
3. Cut off the ball joint of the 2nd peg.
4. Drill a fine hole into both wrist peg stubs (preferably with a model hand drill, a dremmel is too aggressive for this kind of tiny work).
5. Cut a needle or pin to the length of both stubs placed together.
6. Fill the needle, the stub surface, and the drilled hole with superglue.
7. Place the 2 stubs together with the needle inserted in the drilled hole so it holds the 2 parts together.
8. Hold together until it dries. Then simply grab a blow dryer and heat up the wrist holes on the body and insert the new long pegs into the forearms until the desired length.

NOTE: To be able to use this you'll have to remove the wrist pegs from all the other gloves so you can swap hands easier.

I'll post some pics of this technique once I have some time, but trust me it works and it looks awesome. If you do all this you'll hit the Vader height sweet spot so he's screen accurate with your other figures (I have him next to Boba Fett and the top of Fett's Helmet is in line with the bottom of Vader's eye pieces, just like the pics of ESB) AND he looks proportionate and strong, not flimsy and weird like the stock body. The only thing is that you will have to trim the stock cape and tunic (I don't recommend investing in a custom cape because the stock is already perfect) by approximately 2 to 2.5cm. Its very easy just mark the entire bottom edge with chalk, grab some sewing scissors (not normal scissors) and trim the excess, voila!

As I said before once I have some time I'll post some pics to help anyone that wants to try this mod.

 

[stevenmh]

Pics when you have a chance would be great. But I guess one thing that's confusing me is this: the amount by which the KP02 arms are shorter than the SS arms is evenly and proportionally divided between the biceps and the forearms. So, if I make up the length difference entirely in the forearms, isn't that going to look off? Stubby biceps and extra long forearms?

 

[McHaleyArt]

Pics when you have a chance would be great. But I guess one thing that's confusing me is this: the amount by which the KP02 arms are shorter than the SS arms is evenly and proportionally divided between the biceps and the forearms. So, if I make up the length difference entirely in the forearms, isn't that going to look off? Stubby biceps and extra long forearms?

I wouldn't use the KP if you plan on showing the arms off, etc. I know a lot of people use those bodies. Personally I think the over proportions look off, unless it's all covered up in robes. Just my opinion.

 

[stevenmh]

Are you recommending a different body, or saying body swaps in general lose the proportions?

 

[McHaleyArt]

Are you recommending a different body, or saying body swaps in general lose the proportions?

Not a general statement. Body Swaps can add to or take away from the correct looking proportions...depends on what body you use or modify.
I'm saying that (I personally) think that the KP (for Vader) looks off.

 

[Rorywan]

Not a general statement. Body Swaps can add to or take away from the correct looking proportions...depends on what body you use or modify.
I'm saying that (I personally) think that the KP (for Vader) looks off.

I (personally) agree.
too chunky, arms too short. Ok if hidden by cape.

 

[weaponslayer]

Pics when you have a chance would be great. But I guess one thing that's confusing me is this: the amount by which the KP02 arms are shorter than the SS arms is evenly and proportionally divided between the biceps and the forearms. So, if I make up the length difference entirely in the forearms, isn't that going to look off? Stubby biceps and extra long forearms?

I'll post the pics on the weekend, and the extension is just a bit, enough for the glove to not cover the entire slim region of the forearm (thats what makes it look stubby not the length per se). If you decide to extend it a lot it will start looking weird, but its just a matter of how deep you push the extended wrist peg into the arm so you choose the desired sweet spot.

 

[TheFiend]

Not a general statement. Body Swaps can add to or take away from the correct looking proportions...depends on what body you use or modify.
I'm saying that (I personally) think that the KP (for Vader) looks off.

I (personally) agree.
too chunky, arms too short. Ok if hidden by cape.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's not horny over the KP body for Vader.



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[mrshurricane]

We've just finished an ANH on some sort of kp body ,not the one some of you prefer , I think it's the same but shorter , body was reworked , made taller etc, bare in mind we make our own custom body suits ,

 

[Rorywan]

God I love that helmet.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I love Glenn and Steph's workshop photos. Look at Vader in the back. Sometimes you can find all sorts of things hidden in the background.

 

[JCFETT]

Looking for some parts, decided to post here since I didn't see a wants/haves parts thread :O

I need a sandtrooper backpack and orange pauldron (any brand really)... if anyone would like to trade for some parts or interested in selling to me please PM me


thanks

 

[Chakaman]

That Vader looks great, wow.

 

[McHaleyArt]

God I love that helmet.

Ditto!!!