dday
Sr Member
I have noticed a major hole in our ability to display costumes in Europe.
I have been in contact and finalized the details for importing black cloth covered flexible mannequins that are 180cm tall. If you want the female version, she is about 170cm tall.
These mannequins are fully flexible in the arms, fingers, legs and so on. Internally it is made up of PU foam and covered in a black cloth.
Male:
Female:
(Mannequins shown are white, but ours will be black)
They are supported on a base plate with a metal pole that attaches in the lower back. The bar will fit in between the butt and kidney parts of your TK armor.
With these you can easily dress the mannequin due to the movable arms and legs and then pose it exactly as you like once dressed. In order for the internal wiring to hold an object without moving over time you will want to externally reinforce the arm with a bent coat hanger and tape it into place under the costume parts.
Some questions and answers:
Q: Is this stable enough to carry full TK armor and resin blaster WITHOUT the base plate and metal pole?
A: I'm not 100% sure, but as long as the legs are straight and you have something securing it to the wall, I was say yes. A TK is light weight. Holding the blaster can vary. When holding a blaster you may need to reinforce the arm with a bent coat hanger and use clear/black tape to attach it to the mannequin to ensure it stays in place over time. The hanger is easily hidden from view and the tape will not be seen under the armor.
Q: Is a metal skeleton integrated (picture?) or what exactly provides the stability inside the body parts?
A: Correct, the flexibility comes from the flexible foam body and the wire skeleton underneath it.
Q: What is the height of the pure mannequin WITHOUT the base plate?
A: Pure mannequin, no base is 181cm. Generally speaking 177-178 is the agreed upon sizing for a naked TK, 183cm in costume.
Q: Is an additional undersuit recommended for a TK, or can the armor be added straight onto the black cloth?
A: The black cloth covering is as such that you do not need a undersuit, simple place the armor on top and you're done.
Q: How are the 5 body parts connected to each other? Pictures?
A: There is the head, torso/legs and 2 arms. The legs are permanently affixed to the torso and the arms separate at the shoulder from the torso.
Q: Any options for adding spacers at belly and shoulders to build a mannequin for a Vader display from this?
A: Not by default. It would require cutting and custom mods. I have plans to offer a custom Vader sized mannequin as well though.
Q: Any close ups from the hands? These look a bit strange, but it might just be the photos…
A:
Q: Do the fingers contain wires to the tips, so that a blaster can be held realistically?
A: Wires through the entire finger all the way to the tip. I would suggest like supporting the arm, you use external wiring under the gloves to ensure a fixed position. The wire holds its position well but if you want to hold a blaster, I would use the external wiring to ensure it holds tight.
Q: If body parts (like legs or arms) are often moved (for example for adding and removing the armor or changing the appearance of the display), can the internal wires break after a while/a few years?
A: I can not speak to the longevity of these since this will be the first time I am using them. This exact mannequin is used in the USA quite extensively and sold by Jim Sauter (www.voicebooster.com) who sells the Aker/IComm and I have heard no bad things about them. I would imagine as long as you did not change the position dramatically every few hours you would never have a problem with the wire. If you bend it 120deg, then back 120deg the other way a lot... who's to say. But I would consider this use outside of the norm.
Jim of www.tkproductsllc.net has graciously allowed me to use some of his photographs of the mannequins as well as the videos he made assembling the mannequin and dressing in a TK suit. If you are in the USA/Canada and interested in one of these mannequins, please get in touch with Jim via his website. He is very responsive and has a great set of products. I'm really happy to be able to work with him to bring his products to our European Troopers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0jR7cj7CE0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ7gj-muyq4
Availability: Available now for the next round.
http://goo.gl/forms/OAPc2E022E
When stock gets low I will order more, so it should be a pretty continuous availability.
Pricing: 170EUR, plus shipping (Europe only! Package is too large to send anywhere else. For USA orders please head to www.voicebooster.com)
Shipping: 20 Euro in Germany, 30 Euro outside of Germany
I have been in contact and finalized the details for importing black cloth covered flexible mannequins that are 180cm tall. If you want the female version, she is about 170cm tall.
These mannequins are fully flexible in the arms, fingers, legs and so on. Internally it is made up of PU foam and covered in a black cloth.
Male:
Female:
(Mannequins shown are white, but ours will be black)
They are supported on a base plate with a metal pole that attaches in the lower back. The bar will fit in between the butt and kidney parts of your TK armor.
With these you can easily dress the mannequin due to the movable arms and legs and then pose it exactly as you like once dressed. In order for the internal wiring to hold an object without moving over time you will want to externally reinforce the arm with a bent coat hanger and tape it into place under the costume parts.
Some questions and answers:
Q: Is this stable enough to carry full TK armor and resin blaster WITHOUT the base plate and metal pole?
A: I'm not 100% sure, but as long as the legs are straight and you have something securing it to the wall, I was say yes. A TK is light weight. Holding the blaster can vary. When holding a blaster you may need to reinforce the arm with a bent coat hanger and use clear/black tape to attach it to the mannequin to ensure it stays in place over time. The hanger is easily hidden from view and the tape will not be seen under the armor.
Q: Is a metal skeleton integrated (picture?) or what exactly provides the stability inside the body parts?
A: Correct, the flexibility comes from the flexible foam body and the wire skeleton underneath it.
Q: What is the height of the pure mannequin WITHOUT the base plate?
A: Pure mannequin, no base is 181cm. Generally speaking 177-178 is the agreed upon sizing for a naked TK, 183cm in costume.
Q: Is an additional undersuit recommended for a TK, or can the armor be added straight onto the black cloth?
A: The black cloth covering is as such that you do not need a undersuit, simple place the armor on top and you're done.
Q: How are the 5 body parts connected to each other? Pictures?
A: There is the head, torso/legs and 2 arms. The legs are permanently affixed to the torso and the arms separate at the shoulder from the torso.
Q: Any options for adding spacers at belly and shoulders to build a mannequin for a Vader display from this?
A: Not by default. It would require cutting and custom mods. I have plans to offer a custom Vader sized mannequin as well though.
Q: Any close ups from the hands? These look a bit strange, but it might just be the photos…
A:
Q: Do the fingers contain wires to the tips, so that a blaster can be held realistically?
A: Wires through the entire finger all the way to the tip. I would suggest like supporting the arm, you use external wiring under the gloves to ensure a fixed position. The wire holds its position well but if you want to hold a blaster, I would use the external wiring to ensure it holds tight.
Q: If body parts (like legs or arms) are often moved (for example for adding and removing the armor or changing the appearance of the display), can the internal wires break after a while/a few years?
A: I can not speak to the longevity of these since this will be the first time I am using them. This exact mannequin is used in the USA quite extensively and sold by Jim Sauter (www.voicebooster.com) who sells the Aker/IComm and I have heard no bad things about them. I would imagine as long as you did not change the position dramatically every few hours you would never have a problem with the wire. If you bend it 120deg, then back 120deg the other way a lot... who's to say. But I would consider this use outside of the norm.
Jim of www.tkproductsllc.net has graciously allowed me to use some of his photographs of the mannequins as well as the videos he made assembling the mannequin and dressing in a TK suit. If you are in the USA/Canada and interested in one of these mannequins, please get in touch with Jim via his website. He is very responsive and has a great set of products. I'm really happy to be able to work with him to bring his products to our European Troopers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0jR7cj7CE0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ7gj-muyq4
Availability: Available now for the next round.
http://goo.gl/forms/OAPc2E022E
When stock gets low I will order more, so it should be a pretty continuous availability.
Pricing: 170EUR, plus shipping (Europe only! Package is too large to send anywhere else. For USA orders please head to www.voicebooster.com)
Shipping: 20 Euro in Germany, 30 Euro outside of Germany
Last edited:
