Darth Vader Supreme Costume

I pulled the pins out of the Rubies armor and just looped them through the links I cut the connector tab off of the end of the one that had it and looped the pin through both halves of the link...looks ok but could be better i guess...when I get home I'll post some pics. I copy them to the other board since this one seems dead...

BTW Huzz what do you think about the idea for the extra chain?

-Ashgad

 

thats pretty much the way i attached the plastic chain on my rubies armor.

but my porty armors a different story, the loops are glassed in place.

so i think the similar cuttin off of the lil connector loop on the one end, then i have to make a couple cuts, one on each half the link halves, in different spots so theyre not next to or on top each other.

then slip it on, which thats the only part i see havin any trouble with, is just gettin it on the loops.

 

Hello, just bringing life back to an old thread for the Hell of it. What's goin' on people? Remember me? LOL!

 

hey, ive been out of the loop a bit too. just got me a new house moved in where the old one was. and still dont have all the stuff moved over yet. still got to get phone and satellite rehooked up yet, and my computer moved over. got a 32 X 76 DBL wide with 4 bedrooms and extra entertainment room and hobby room in it as well. its huge guys. like a mansion compared to the old 14 X 70 i was in before

 

Congrats on the new digs Lan!

BDV - this thread has been slow!

Huzz

 

Yeah, I see it's been slow that's why I'm on the Detachment all the time.

Take pics of the new house LAN.

 

yeah, work computers wont let me access the SLD so ive been outa luck gettin on there.

got my computer hooked back up for the most part, just need my phone line back in and i will be online again at home.

i will get shots when i can guys, no worries.

 

Been quite slow here aswell. I moved flats not that long ago, boxes everywhere.. remember it well : ) Look forward to seeing your place LAN.

Still waiting for my helmet and armour, its been shipped... hopefully only a few weeks to get over the pond. My capes on order aswell, should have been posted today. Wonder which will turn up first, will be like christmas when they do : )

 

oh i remember that feelin well, all those boxes shpw up, you rippem open and drool. yup, been there done that, lol

 

Hi,

Long time since I posted as Vader costuming isn't such a big part of my social activity now, but after a two year gap without wearing the costume I finally got kitted up last Saturday. It was the Norwich City (UK) Lord Mayors procession and the local Star Wars club that I attend, (yes, even if I don't suit up Star Wars is not totally out of my life) were short of a Vader as the regular new guy couldn't make it due to family issues, so I couldn't really let them down and stepped in.

But me being me, I couldn't just get the costume out, I had to do some modifications. Firstly I added a stitched ribbon down the middle, inside of the inner cloak to hold the wire in place from my amplifier box, it's such a pain once you get it on to find the wire, this way it's always there, also a jack socket was added at the base near the belt so it's easier to connect later.

The belt was the second item. I had purchased a new leather belt ages ago, but never got around to using it, so I made it all up this week, also I used one of the clips that you get on a ruck sack, I got a nice big 40mm one and now the belt is made to my waist size and just clips up, it's so much easier than the Rubies version and looks so much better being the same width all the way round.

This outing was also the first time my shoulder armour had been worn since I had it painted two years ago, it looked fantastic. I still use the Rubies gloves, but I'm now going to modify them by quilting the gauntlet part and lining it to make it stiffer, the gloves I think are fine to wear and I wear gardening gloves inside them to baulk my hands up and absorb the sweat.

I think the last item then will be to have a new lined cape made and to modify or get rid of the Rubies jump suit. Here are some pictures from the day.

Hummerth

[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_09.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_08.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_07.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_06.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_05.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_04.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_03.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_02.jpg]
[image=http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x168/Hummerth2/Lord%20Mayors%2008/NSWC_01.jpg]

 

nice pics my friend. Wolverine, a fellow vader friend of mine created me a new sig, i will post it here if it shows up a bit later when i have time.

 

Looking good as usual Hummerth! Nice to see you here again. Hope all is well - including that fancy car you bought a while back!

Huzz

 

[image=http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c291/LAN-ED-TUL/lansigbar.gif]

here it is.

 

Seduced by the Light Side Hummerth was ... welcome back to the Dark Side! I thought you sold your costume.

 

well guys, i was told its a go for the plant wide fun day this sunday for me to wear the vader costume. should be cool, and then next weekend is the DEFCON im goin to as well.

put my metal chain on the armor last weekend FINALLY. lol got my new lift inserts all fixed up too. 1 inch ones but i built up the front under it by adding some regualr foot insole pads to bring the front up so its not such a drastic angle on my ankles. feels pretty good from the test walkin i did with them.

also LA is makin me a new cape and robe set, so im stoked on that, but they wont be done in time for anything this year, but i will have it next time tho!!

 

Hello Gang ? I bought the Rubies XL and received it the other day. It fits incredibly well considering I?m 6? 7? and weigh 235, I?m very happy with it.

Thanks Lan & Huzz for the feedback you gave me earlier this year it was dead on. A lot of the stuff being brought up was totally Greek to me but, after receiving the costume everything is quite clear now.

There are a couple things I was hoping you guys could help out with now that I?m in knee deep.

First, how can I get the helmet to fit better? The fit isn?t terrible it just seems a little too loose. I could also use some more space around the eyes to see better. And last, the points on the neck are digging into my shoulders ? not a pleasant feeling.

Next, what can be done to modify the suit? I nearly burst into flame when I put it on ? Lan you weren?t kidding when you said it was hot as Hades. I?m going to be wearing it to parties and I don?t think it suited for any indoor use whatsoever.

I?ve been pondering the idea of getting a Master Replicas helmet, but the $700 price tag has me thinking otherwise. I don?t want to face the wrath of my wife either. Anyway, any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Harry

 

helmet: use foam to pad it where needed, and the points, round them down with a dremel, then fine sandpaper to smooth it up.

suit: well 2 options, 1, ditch the suit and get a LA leather one with the mesh panels in back like i got, and 2 would be to cut out the backside and sew in mesh on the rubies sauna suit.

 

Hey silversun913!

Lan has you covered on the suit. I live in Canada and last Halloween it was like only 35 degrees F. The Rubies suit was perfectly comfortable. It was warmer than the parka I wore when i took my kid trick or treating!!

On the eye sockets of the Rubies helmet, you can do what I dud. Carefully pop out the lenses; they are held in place by three tabs. You will see that there is a plastic ridge behind the lenses which the lens rests on; there are three slots for the lens tabs. With an X-Acto knife, you can carefully trim away a whole lot of that plastic to expand your field of visdion. Just keep the slots for the lens tabs; and enough of the plastic ridge to hold the lenses in place. You can also cut away a lot of foam around the eye opening to improve your vision too.

Lastly, you can go to Triktoys.com and order replacement lenses. You'll get a couple of sheets of tinted plastic to cut new lenses from, and a template. Once you are done, those will be a lot better than the stock lenses.

Huzz

 

Hey Guys good to hear from you. I'm just outside Philadelphia and unfortunately the temp doesn't dip that low until later in the year. I'll probably take it to tailor and see what can be done with some mesh backing.

I still can't get over how hot that suit is - I had it on all of 5 minutes in an air conditioned house (68 degrees)and was sweating bullets after removing it.

Any advice on where to get the padding and good way to secure it to the helmet? I'm thinking some heavy duty velcro so it can be adjusted if necessary. Using the dremmel and x-acto shouldn't be a problem to square things away.

Just out of curiosity can one of you send me info on the LA suit? I'd like to see which will be the better way to go - the tailor or new LA suit.

Thanks again for the assistance!

 

dang, i forgot to say bout the eye sockets part.

well, for mine, i managed to get ahold of a set of lensman lenses before he dropped off the face of the earth. so i popped out the old lenses, used my dremel and carefully trimmed away the shelf that cuts off your vision, you know what i mean if your lookin through it,

by cutting away that shelf around the eye sockets, you open up the view a heck of a lot.

then install the lens from the inside. now i seem to recall, there was someone on the RPF, making bubble lenses and flatt lenses somewhere on there. made from optical grade acrylic.

if you can find that person, contact them for a set.

just get regular ole foam, i like to use the 1 inch sheets you can get from wally wolrd back in crafts section. to adhere, you can use a velcro type system, that way you can fine adjust, or use contact cement for a more permanent set. theres a 3m spray on glue that works pretty well too.


have to get ya the contact info on monday, unless someone else can get it to you sooner. workin tonight, got to suit up in vader costume tommorrow for fun day, then turn round and go to work that night at midnight. so im bust till monday.

 

Hey Silver,

I sent you a PM on the LA suit. You're probably better off in the long run with an LA suit than just having the Rubies tailored. The LA is just so much more comfortable and cooler.

You're just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to modding your Rubies. A lot of us here started off with the Rubies and after a lot of time and money spent in modifications and upgrades, there really isn't much left of the original stock costume.

If you're leary about purchasing a MR lid, you can still mod the Rubies to an acceptable level. Below is a pic of my modded Rubies (left) next to one of my MR helmets.

But if you keep getting bit by that darn accuracy bug, you'll eventually end up with an MR. There just isn't a more perfect ROTS helmet out there.

We're all here to help. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Bill

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y286/wjlane/100_0570.jpg]

 

Well, I went at the eye sockets with the x-acto knife tonight and didn't get very far. Huzz you must be one patient man to be able to sit there and widdle away at those. Also, thanks for link to the replacement lenses that will definitely come in handy.

I put in roughly a half hour before realizing that I wasn't even putting a dent into the project - on top of that one of the folowing was bound to happen a. scratch the mask b. trim too far down or c. spending the night in the ER due to gashing myself by accident

I'm going to go the dremmel route and attempt to take most of the edge off while keeping the tabs for the lenses. Lan thanks for the info on mounting the lenses from the inside - if I go too far with the dremmel its good to know there is a back up plan.

I wasn't sold on the foam from Home Depot, so I'm going to try a bike shop tomorrow. I'm pretty sure they carry replacement padding for biking helmets and I'm thinking that will work really nice. I'll keep you posted on how I make out.

 

Definately go with the dremel, it will save you a lot of time and the results will be much cleaner. I initially tried to keep the lenses mounted from the front by just trimming the sockets a little, but I wasn't happy with the results. As you can see in the pic, I ended up opening the sockets completely. I cut and shaped two pieces of clear acrylic, applied some dark window tint, and hot glued them in place. Once you get those eye sockets opened up, you can see so much better!

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y286/wjlane/100_0566.jpg]

 

just go slow, and a lil at a time on the eye sockets. it took me half a day to get it right the first time thru.

so yep, ya gotta be patient with it.

on the other statement made, you betcha, soon as my LA cape and robe arrive, there will be absolutely no rubies parts left on my costume.

that is until i finish the rubies chestbox revamp, then i will use it, mostly cuz the size and shape of the box are almost deadon. for now the porty box i built will suffice.

soon as i can, i will suit up with new cape and robe after it arrives and i test fit the cape connections, or work them out in other words.

hopefully i will get some pics of me tommorrow at the fun day for work, and you guys can see how that new metal chain looks on it.

 

And one more thing! Well, two actually!

If you are doing a ROTS Vader, go to eBay and find seller Offworldimports. This chap in Australia has found the very same armor chain that was used for the Episode III Vader costume. He has two types - an older chain and a new one - I personally think the newer chain is the best one.

And then find Sitharmor. He is retiring very soon. So hurry! Snap up his Deluxe ROTS Vader gloves and his aluminum ROTS buckle. You should get all three for about $100 - a wife friendly price!

Huzz