Slade Kel.

[Slade Kel (Marrok)]

It occurred to me as I come close to finishing my V3 upgrades that I've never actually posted pictures here, so I figured, why not?

Here's my V1, the which was, to say the least, sub-par. Granted, it was a first go around, but I look at it now and cringe .




V2 was quite a bit better, even with the fact that a good handful of the parts were thrown together in the hours (literally) leading up to my leaving for DCon '09. Note: the last pic, with Kal Falco (the Flaming Mando ) shows the cape that used to be the kama in the first two pics:





Which leads us up to V3. My psychotic brother took these pictures, and for half of them he decided he was going to pull an Austin Powers and take them from absurd positions, such as laying flat on his back. Still, some of them came out fairly well.

Standard side shots:


Back shot. I threw my intermediate back plate on. It started life as a simple three part overlapping plate, then I segmented it further, cutting the diamonds out of the center. I realized that due to the odd shape of my spine caused by mild scoliosis and equally mild chubbiness, the top segments sat odd, so I cut them in half horizontally, then decided to do them vertically, and then figured I'd do the same to the other segments to keep it even. (Oh, and my shab'ikla vod'ika decided to pull off the top right couple segments, then stuck them back on crooked :


Frontal shot, Rock mando:


Action shots:





With the Strill:


It's okay strill, I wasn't really gonna shoot you  :


And the only clear bucket-off shot was snapped as I was trying to grab the camera from him:


I still need a neck seal (I shopped my neck out of a couple shots ) as well as to thong down the cod-piece. I'm also planning to do knees. I was going to use the IOA GM knees that came with my Alpha kit, but there wasn't enough space with the thighs and shins. I'll either have to trim down the thigh plates, or make smaller knee plates. Haven't decided yet. Questions, comments, concerns, all welcome and encouraged .

[Dar'manda]

Looks good to me... A trick I just found for my cod.. Find a fabric shop that sells magnetic clasps... Cut a hole through the fabric and use liquid hem/stitch to seal the slits for the prongs, and epoxy (JB weld, liquid steel) the other onto the bottom 'tip; of the cod... No annoying thong, keeps it in place better, and is onyl $2.15 (for me anyway) for TWO of the clasps.

[Hondo Karr]

your skills have developed well. the kit looks great... specially the greaves and the bracers  lol.

the backplate is a cool concept. not gonna lie, i'm not real keen on it but, it works and shows inginuity.

[Slade Kel (Marrok)]

Thanks Ijaat , I may just have to try that. I also realize looking at it now that I need to secure the top part of the cod better. It slipped down at some point, and you can see some of the velcro >_<.

And thanks to you as well A'den; I'm not hugely fond of the back plate either, but for now it's better than nothing. I do have a plate coming from Will (Redkraytdragon) when he gets the bugs worked out of his IOA Fett-style back plate. I figure it should make a big difference in the overall appearance, though I may have to add a little extra curve to it to make up for my odd back shape.

Those are rather nice bracers and greaves . I still have to work on fasteners for the bracers, they're not even fully secured in these pics. I'm probably going to go with a pair of Fett-style weapons-platform gaunts for this kit, but those bracers will make another appearance when I get my late Crusader kit put together, the which should happen any time now .

[Dar'manda]

You could add the second clasp of the kind I mentioned to the under or middle of the velcro to re-inforce it.. I just discovered these things, but I really am becoming a huge fan. Grabbing more to help nail down a last few pieces!

[lightning667]

cant wait for the V4 build maybe a jet pack or a osik ton of missles? XP

[Slade Kel (Marrok)]

I've already fixed the issue of the cod-plate slipping down, now is just a matter of securing the bottom. Busy today, of course, with it being Mother's Day, but I'll probably end up getting down to Joanne Fabrics tomorrow.

cant wait for the V4 build maybe a jet pack or a osik ton of missles? XP

V3.5 will have a Fett-style back plate and gauntlets, and a customized jetpack, the which I'm working on nowish. It was a matter of procuring more sintra to finish it, and I just got hold of a 2'x4' sheet yesterday. Should be pics of it up soonish, but knowing me, probably not until it's actually finished .

[lightning667]

cant wait to see it either way and id like too see ur jet pack and how did u fix da cod

[Slade Kel (Marrok)]

I'll try to get pics up soonish, probably in my other armor thread.

All I really did was build belt loops into the back of the cod by attaching straps. My gun belt goes right around my waist, looped through a couple of the belt loops on my pants. Raising the cod plate like that puts it in perfect position for me. I just need to either build in a mando thong, or go with Ijaat's suggestion of a fastener on the pants. If I go with the former, I'll be using velcro to attach the strap to the cod, that way if I have to hit a latrine, I can just unstrap the cod and lift it up.

I plan to get some work on the jetpack done this week, and I'll start a thread in the jetpack/backpack board when I do.

[lightning667]

ill be waiting to hear abt that jetpack an personally elastic around waist attatched to the cod may wrk better since u can bend down , move and all that good stuff

[Slade Kel (Marrok)]

Meh, the way the cod is now, attached to a belt, I have full mobility. In full kit, I can bend, twist, sit, kneel, even low-crawl if I have to. My views in armor are much the same as in clothing: functionality > appearance. Granted, if I can make it functional, and make it look good, I will and do .

[Lucas McCoy]

SLADE! I LOVE THIS!

[Sarsk]

I'm gonna agreen with McCoy. New kit = pretty bad shebs. Love the paint job.

[Lucas McCoy]

Zabrak?

[kalika]

I agree... looks much better! Pretty kandosii.