Jedi Food/Energy Pellets

Who says vegetables are green in the star wars galaxy?

 

I used superglue to put the buttons on, and it worked ok. I couldn't find the right size button, either, so I had to dremel mine down and use some bondo to smooth it over. It still turned out looking the same way. Also, I found my Staedtler pens at Staples, but didn't have much luck at other places. I haven't seen them there in a long time now, either.

Side note: I'm pretty sure AHA glue isn't the same as that clear "UHU" brand glue stuff.

You can also order the pens online here: http://www.duall.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=duall&Category_Code=AC

Or here:

http://www.reuels.com/reuels/product242.html

They are both a bit pricey.

 

Well if the milk is blue, anything is possible!

 

Not all milk, just a certain animal's milk. Personally, seeing blue milk or purple vedgies(Some are here too) didn't phase me at all. As long at it smells and looks good.<VBG>
I made several pellets today. I didn't have the krylon metalic silver paint but used a silver chrome nail polish. WHat bites is it's HUMID down here. It makes painting difficult. I wonder if the matte finish paint(Krylon) will look the same on top of the chrome silver polish? Hey i'm experimenting w/ one pellet to see out it'd look.



Mynn

 

Hey i'm experimenting w/ one pellet to see out it'd look.

Experimenting with one Pellet first is what you should do. I had done little prop painting before so I need to learn what techniques I should use to paint them. My first Pellet got screwed up anyway cause I sprayed the color layers too early (just a few hours in between compared to currently one early in the morning and one just before Dusk) and too near.

Hmm, so far the UHU Glue seems very strong to hold my pellets together so I'll stick to it. But, if anyone ask me to do some for them for a price, then I'll use epoxy. I'm also only using the gold buttons instead of the pearl-like ones cause it seems to take the primer & paint better and the back is flat. Now I got 4 weeks to wait to get the Krylon Acrylic Glossy Finisher (I want the I'm-Made-Of-Metal Look for the pellets).

I beginning to see a Metallic Blue Pellet on the way too! *roll eyes* Aiyah! Next time, lah!

 

Another stupid question from me :

Anyone tried using Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze for the Finisher? The &^%%&*%#$ person at the local Spotlight ordered this one for me instead of the Krylon Acrylic Glossy Finisher I asked her to.

 

Erggg! I'm having problems w/ painting my pellets. it's too stinkin' humid to paint them. AUGHH. I had one painted gold,waited a day before painting the clear coat. When I did, it took the gold off. Ok it IS a bit funny. A definate patience builder.
OK Any tips for painting in a tropical area? Note: I definatly can't paint 'em inside.
Thanks

Jauhzmynn

 

I don't know what prep work you did. When painting plastics it is important to first rough up the surfaces with sand paper. It helps things to stick better. Then you must prime, prime, prime, and prime. Then paint on your color. Then clear coat. It should last a while if you do that.

In humid conditions, I would do one medium per day. Prime one day, paint the next day, and clear coat on the third day.

 

Thanks.
That's what I've been doing, but one day between paintings wasn't enough, more like 2.
The Blue oellet idea sounds nice.

Mynn

 

Jauhzmynn, where do you live?

For me, I sand the whole "pellet", cap, button and clip with No. 220 (Grain Size 150?) before giving it a quick wipe with wet tissue, let dry for about 5 minutes then giving it at least 2 layers of Krylon's Sandable Primer. When I sand it, I make sure none of the plastic surface remain smooth anymore and this rough texture kinda stay till the first-second color layer (depending on type of paint I used). I also gave a quick sanding with the 220 sandpaper in between the first 3 layers.

For the metal clip, as long as it's slightly rough, I'll continue with the priming and painting.

For the priming, I do 2 layers of primer within the day (early morning & late evening) so that means the pellets had been glued and sanded the night before. For painting, I gave about 1/2-1 day intervals for Krylon's 18K Gold or Copper Brilliant, 1-2 days for Nippon's Paint Pylox Metallic Silver and now 1-3 days for the Metallic Blue (didn't get the Metallic Mulberry/Green that day ). And for the coat before the Finisher, give the pellets at least 2 days- 48+ hours to dry completely and maybe 2 days in between finisher layers and as long as you can after the final layer.

Well, this method kinda works for an Equatorial (Tropical-Hot, Wet, Monsoon, Hazy, Windy) Country and it's gonna start raining again this evening.

Maybe the Finisher you used has some kind of reaction to the paint? Is it of the same brand?

 

Hi Darth Eagle,
I use Krylon everything. Clear Matte finish and krlyon paints. I'll take it all off and do it over again. Maybe I didn't sand enough.

How's the force pike coming along?

Jauhzmynn

 

Hi Darth Eagle,
I use Krylon everything. Clear Matte finish and krlyon paints. I'll take it all off and do it over again. Maybe I didn't sand enough.

How's the force pike coming along?

Jauhzmynn

 

Well, I'm doing a test pellet in copper right now. It should be together here in a about a day or two at most, and so far so good. I'm using Rust-o-leum mettalic products and trying a highly recommended acrylic super glossy finisher.

I'll let you guys know how it turns out by Saturday or Sunday.

 

Hmm, for my first failed pellet, I discovered that I can peel the spoiled painted surface off but not sure if it's due to the Primer or the Nippon paint (my friend who used Krylon paints all the way for his Boba told me Krylon is a bit rubbery and flexible).

Jauhzmynn, my Forcepike is still there at the corner of my room waiting to get an upgrade. Am looking for that "Grooming" Brush or Rubber Spiky Dog toy to make the pikes near the top. Gotten a hose head that can passed off for the AS Taphead/Handwheel the other day but I must think of what glue to use to glue it to the 3/4" pipe. And I will need the space to paint the whole thing again, this time with all 6 layers of primer, paint and finisher. Anyway, this forcepike gonna last me till I can afford a more accurate one (aka get a ski pole or deep sea fishing pole etc) in a few years time (next year if I can polish up my prop making skill quickly!).

 

So far, none of my paint has come off and I have done everything 2 coats each. This was an experiment and as I figured, not letting the primer harden for 24 hours (more like 3) made it bleed into the copper layer a bit when I put it on. It was nothing major at all, but I learned my lesson and the finish still looks great after I re-touched it and let it sit overnight.

I put two coats of finisher on this morning and it looks good so far. It takes 24 hours to harden, but once that is done I will be done. Too bad I don't have digital camera or I'd show it to you guys, but maybe I can do that by Wednesday.

I have lerned a lot from this test pellet, the next batch will benefit from this and look even better I hope.

 

Darth Eagle,
Have you tried PetSmart for the spiky chew toy? I know just about any kind of items can be found there.

Thanks everyone for the tips. Maybe I just need another coat of primer. I sparyed my matte finish on my golden pellet and did NOT like how it looked. It looked better w/o the matte finish. It looked like the Padawan site's pellet. Does anyone have pics of their pellets so I can comapre mine w/ those?

Padawan Mynn

 

GET THIS STUFF!!!

It came highly recommended at my local crafts store:

folkArt Clearcote HI-SHINE glaze by Plaid
Style #785

Retails for about $4.00 a can.

This finisher is freaking awesome! Two light coats 10 minutes apart and then let it dry for 24 hours. Make double sure to not to sparay it too close. It will immediately gray if you spray it too thick and you'll have to strip it off if this happens. Fortunatley, I got lucky and it only grayed in spot on the back so no harm done, but just fair warning!

At first it will look dull and admittedly, I was very disappointed with this recommendation. Just be paitient though because as it dries it gets really shiny, actually making the color you originally painted on shinier! This stuff is used to seal pottery and stoneware that has been glazed and fired in a kiln, but the 785 formulation is supposed to be clothing and color safe and doesn't require any firing just a lot of time to seal. I will find out about this "clothing safe" part for myself tommorrow.

I'm going to test this stuff by wearing the test cap on my old belt at work. If it does discolor that or the pants I won't care. I'll let you guys know how it turns out either Saturday or Sunday sometime, and wish me luck!

 

Sound like the Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze I accidentally gotten recently. Now I'm very undecideful wherther to exchange it for the Krylon Satin Matte Finisher instead as I had found that a Bookshop does carries the Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Finisher everyone recommanded.

Unfortunately, Jauhzmynn, no such shop as PetSmart exist down here. But I know the thing must be out there somewhere cause I did find the pocupine-like toy someone at the IRG Board mentioned here (but can't use it as the spikes are not arranged in a straight line for at least 4 of them).

 

I have good news for everyone.

No need to spend days searching and pay $3 for a pen when you only need the cap!

I have gotten word that Ill be recieving my box of (Staedler 415) caps soon. If anyone wishes to reserve some, please PM me with an offer and how many you want.

And no, I cant let you know where I got them, it was a specialty store and they would prefer to remain anonomous so that they arent overwhelmed with orders for these caps, it was a special favor and they probably wont do it again.

- Ven

 

I had just notice that STAEDTLER Liquid Star (a highlighter) cap can also be used for the Food/Energy Pellets.


And Venardhi, I wish I can place an order with you since my table getting loaded with a bit too many uncapped pens lately but I live in a country far, far away!

 

Well I tried the experiment. I wore the finished cap for about 4-6 hours and there was no damage or bleed over stains on my pants or the belt. Everything turned out great, so once again, I highly recommend the finisher in my last post if you can get it. Good stuff!

 

I had one painted gold,waited a day before painting the clear coat. When I did, it took the gold off.

Jauhzmynn, I think I know what you meant. Today I finally opened that Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze (too late now to change it for the Matte one) and gave 4 of my pellets their first finisher layer. It seems okay on the 2 Metallic Blue which were paint with Nippon Pylox, but it kinda smugged/dissolved slightly the Copper & Gold ones which were painted using Krylon's Copper Brilliant & 18K Gold respectively.

The reasoning? I suspect that for the Krylon's Paints, you should only gave it 1 thin layer of the Finisher. What I mean that as you rotate slowly the Pellet (I poke a Satay/Bamboo Skewers to the top of the pellet), you spray it with the Finisher and stop when it had went 1 round. Come back to it after about an hour to cover any parts that is not fully covered with another thin layer. Repeat with the 2nd layer about the next day.

What I did today was spray the finisher onto the pellets as I rotate it 2 times.

And a very important thing is to make sure the distance from the spray "mouth" to the pellets is about an arm's lenght (10-12" as the instructions said?). And do it under bright light or in the day!

Will see how the whole thing will turned out tomorrow morning (it's almost midnight now) and if the same thing happened with Krylon's Crystal Clear Acrylic Finisher.

 

That's too cool. I'm glad your blue pellet turned out. Can you post a pic when it's fully dry?

My pellets turned out good. FOr my silver ones I used my chrome nail polish, they looked better then the Krylon gold then painted them w/a light coat of clear matte finish. They looked better than the gold ones.

Mynn

 

Some of the Jedi Food/Energy Pellets I had "completed" (Pardon for the darkness and blurness I will scan them instead one of these days):

DELETED

The 2 at the bottom without the clips hasn't been given the finisher layers.

I'm not that happy with the finisher as it kinda dissolved the color when sprayed too much or too near. And I realized after I had put the clips on, it kinda "poke" through the paint job to the original plastic layer.

Will get the Acrylic Crystal Clear to see if the same thing happen.

I had discovered a way to insert in the clip without scratching the surface too much though.

EDIT: Opps sorry! Apparently WebPhotos also don't allow remote linking. (I need another Photo Server that allow remote linking to TFN JC!). Check out this album for the photos.

 

I have my pellets done, but they can't beseen too well in the pictures of my costume.

Darth-Eagle,
Your pics didn't show up. :-(

You said you took the clips off, how'd you do that?

I didn't take the metel clips of at all. I didn't know they could come off.

I had looped a thread through the clip. Held the string in one hand and sprayed the pen. That my hands don't end up painted Gold. I used the thread to hang the pens from my towel rack.

Took a day or two for them to dry completely before appling the next coat.

I hope your Blue pellet comes out well.

Jauhzmyhnn