Fivezero

Well I did some messing around while at work last night. I have decided to just make a brand new helmet rather than mod this one. So I set about to make my first 3D model ever! Here's a pic of it in progress: So I'll get this thing pepped in the next couple days then start adding the details to it.

Fivezero = bored. I'm in a kind of waiting phase with my other projects (spending too much on MG-34 parts...), so I'll build a cheap Storm Commando Helmet while I wait. Perhaps I'll make the rest of the armor later, but now I'm just doing the helmet real quick. So I'm starting off with a Pepakura model of the Scout Trooper bucket (it's the SWG model, so it's a little bit off...). And with the cardstock I should be able to easily cut away and add material to help get the shape of the helmet. So here's a pic. Pretty much, I'm going to square everything (visor, dome, face, etc.) and add the necessary details for the Storm Commando bucket. I'll keep you guys updated. Fivezero

Well I received another fantastic box filled with goodies today! And inside we have a charging handle and a greasy trigger housing So I cleaned the parts up a little bit and put them onto the receiver chunks to see how they fit, not too bad. Still have a little bit more slag to clean out of channel where the charging handle goes. Also here's a pic of the inside of the receiver. I'm going to get some strips to go along those channels on the side. These channels go through most of the receiver so it'll hold everything together. I'm also going to run a small rod down that little hole in the bottom of the receiver (it's where the "recuperator" goes for an actual MG-34, but since this is a dummy gun I won't be needing it). This is another thing to hold the receiver together. So yeah, I'm hoping to get the receiver back together next week so I can start attaching the parts (as opposed to my temporary rigging).

Alright the parts have started to come in! I got the top cover the other day and just received this small brown box minutes ago. And once I opened it, I smelled the familiar smell of cosmoline (the grease they keep this stuff in) and pulled out a nice heavy duty bag. And I have torched up receiver chunks! A LOT of clean up is needed before I even think of putting it somewhat back together. There is quite a bunch of slag... But the top cover fits nice and snug on it (but didn't quite stay together for the pic)! To assist in getting the receiver back together I went ahead and ordered the trigger housing and the charging handle. They both run a good length of the receiver so they'll help keep it straight when I go to assemble it. Fivezero

There's going to be no way to match the parts without either a parts kit (which supplies have seemed to dried up ) or an already assembled gun (which I can't buy, too much money at once). So unfortunately it will be made of mismatched parts, but will still look awesome in the end!

Well I found a place online that sells the receiver pieces, but for about half what I've found at others! So I went ahead and bought a set, some assembly will be required...

So after much internal deliberation in my mind, I have decided on another project to keep me busy.... I was tied between getting an MG-42 parts kit, MG-34 parts or a set of SW:TOR Jedi armor for another armor build. After building that E-11 this summer, I just needed to build another demilled replica of a blaster so I chose to go after the MG-34/DLT-19. I've been searching for an MG-34 parts kit for some time now, but haven't had much luck with kits that I can buy (I'm not spending $1,000 at one time...). Now I've decided to make a "frankengun" with a bunch of parts that I'll purchase over time (I'll still end up paying close to $1000 but not all at once). I will purchase each part individually and slowly put it together over time. I'm hoping to get a part with each paycheck I get, so about every two weeks depending on how it goes. Also I'm not going to be putting the internal parts in. This is going to be a bare bones gun with only the essential external parts to look like a complete gun. But here's my first part to start the build off! The top cover for the MG-34! Next I'm looking at getting the cut up receiver pieces to put back together as a demilled receiver. Then I'll probably progress with either the trigger frame or the buttstock. But that will be later in time. FIvezero

Alright new parts are all made and just need some paint to finish them off. So hopefully I'll get new pics taken in the next couple days and I'll have it resubmitted soon!

Oh shoot I forgot I was going to put a For Sale thread up about the tubing. Give me a couple days and something will go up for you guys! Oh and I have plenty tubing to go around so no fighting...

Together we have achieved a great many things. We have created fantastic sets of armor, we've maintained them, we've improved them. We have rid them of their imperfection. Not to mention rid it of the false diety who sought to be more popular than us, White armor! Where are you now? My fellow Spec Ops let there be no doubt, that our hobby is a cage no more. For at this moment the key to the next frontier is finally in our possession! And unlike the white armor who sought to out number us greatly, I will make new types of troopers open and available to all of us, yes, to all of us! And whatever we find and get approved, then our detachment will grow, then our detachment will blossom. To do this, prove yourselves, prove yourselves to me, belong to me and I will never betray you. We will maximize efficiency, rid the new armor sets of their imperfection. My vision is clear fellow troopers. Out there is a new world, out there is our victory. Out there is our destiny! So yes I've gone crazy... and yes that's from Tron: Legacy. This scene specifically. I've always loved CLU from the first time I saw Tron: Legacy. So I set out a few months ago to recreate his helmet, first by sculpting it out. However, I got into the EVO Trooper and my sculpture faded in to my list of projects. But recently a guy on the RPF released showed off his helmet and stated that he was going to sell them soon. So I quickly inquired about purchasing one and here is what I received in the mail today! Yay!!! So I'll be finishing this up with a nice gloss black finish and some lights and some more movie accurate details. I might even go as far as to stick a small camera in the thing just like the movie (so I can move around and see ). FIvezero

Alright so here's the beginning of one of the boots, I'm kind of in the middle as to if I like or not. What do you guys think? I'm mostly concerned with the hard armor toe part. I still need to make a little shin guard looking thing and run some strapping over the hard armor part. Very difficult this build is...

I have found a solution to my energy woes... In this battery is all I need... Anyway I was looking through the batteries at my local hardware and stumbled upon this little 12v marvel while I looked for a watch battery, weird how things work out. I also had a very nice, little package waiting for me when I got home from a troop today. The LED strips inside allowed me to do this! I'm going to obviously diffuse the light before it's finished and wrap the strips a little better on the finished product. Oh and Darth, I'll send you a PM later about the tube. This is going to be awesome when I'm done!

Did some messing around last night. Made a little cowl (?). Anyway just a test of the template I made, now I just need some white vinyl. Right now the whole head/shoulder is going to be two separate pieces, but I may do some more experimenting later to make it one (but it'll be two if I can't figure something out).

New AM shoulder bells... Hated my old ones, but since I didn't need the shoulders for the EVO Trooper, I painted the white ones. The paint came out very shiny, I must have done something right. Now it gets stripes (but I should let the paint cure a little more). Ah upgrades.

Well my secret is out...

You mean the Star Destroyer?? I didn't make that I will admit, I used a model on Google Sketchup's 3D warehouse they have where you can go and look at and download models others have created.

Single armor pieces render a couple seconds at most. If you did a whole set of armor, it make take a bit more time to render it and unfold it (but I suggest doing it one piece at a time). Of course the more complex the piece (like a 500,000 face model) means longer rendering time.

Stupid 6 foot minimum order... Anyway TD is almost done (though I will likely use the white parts from my EVO build leftovers), needs some paint and lights (which are on the way)! Oh and acrylic pipe smells like garlic bread when you cut it...

I may not be able to fit through doors with the Thermal Detonator...

Well I have a small update on this. Thermal Detonator Tubing... Unfortunately I had to order 6 feet of it, and I need 7 inches... If anyone wants some feel free

Well I've been thinking about this for the last few days and regrettably I'm going to drop this project from my list. I've lost interest in it and really have no desire now for the Darktrooper. Maybe I'll restart it someday, but right now I'm just falling more and more in love with my other projects. I just don't feel like putting in time and effort into something I don't love. However, I've learned some great things working on this that I'm using and will continue to use for future projects. Fivezero

New knees and shoulders will need to be built. I've already started on the knees. I probably won't get to the shoulders until late next week. I've also started on reducing the weathering. Some finishing touches need to be applied to the helmet. The camera flash revealed some parts I forgot to finish completely. So I'll try to get everything worked out as soon as possible.

Hey this looks great! I've thought about doing a Wookiee before (based on my SWG character), but need to finish my current builds. So I may ask you some questions if I ever decide to make one. Great job!!

I was bored the other day, during my little armor break so I figured I would go ahead and get started on this. There is, but it is a weird system like ID 2-3 would be the first part. I don't understand it personally. In part 2, I'll show a way to track parts and select individualized pieces to help with assembly. I do keep the file open while I assemble to make things a bit easier.

Thanks! I just looked and it costs $38 for the full version (the version that allows you to save your work).