TE Armor assembly

[KevVader]

Originally posted by oldken+Jan 24 2006, 06:19 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oldken @ Jan 24 2006, 06:19 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-ANH trooper

@Jan 24 2006, 06:46 PM
Hiya John,

I've asked Joe to see if he knows what the material was on his suit,and if it was painted or not.I was under the assumption that TE's ROTJ suits were all ABS due to the lack of detail on them?I believe TE had problems pulling the ABS or something.

Paul.

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supposedly TE let someone else "try" to make ABS with his moulds way back, cause they were certain they could do it with the same ammount of detail... from what ive heard he was displeased and very few actually got out there.

correct me if im wrong.

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....apparently 10 or so of the TE ABS suits got out there...according to Jumpin' Jax....

Although from what AP has told me, ABS can be pulled with just as much detail as styrene...as long as you know what you're doing....quote from AP below....

"...From experience I can assure that styrene is the easiest plastic to form, a
JOKE compared to forming ABS and the main reason TE used styrene and not
because of sharper details. Whoever TE hired to form ABS didn't know how to
form ABS or didn't have the proper machine with a strong enough vaccupump.
Proof? You can form styrene with a homemade vaccuforming machine and home
oven, will not happen with ABS I guarantee.

I guaranteed that I can use same thickness ABS and Styrene and get exact
same sharpness results with both plastics in same thickness. With styrene I
can start forming within 2 test pulls max, with ABS it might take up to 8-10
test pulls before getting the machine settings just perfect and start
producing. Basically theres alot more waist using ABS because the slightest
offset the part is ruined, with styrene you don't have to worry, we make
test pulls all the time using styrene we adjust settings at a approx. temp
and the peices come out almost perfect. with ABS there's almost no room for
mistakes it has to be spot on, It's all about knowledge and using the
proper settings for each type of plastic and thickness, people saying you
get sharper pulls with styrene is BS.

Authenticprops"

 

[Clutch]

Interesting.

And I can kind of see that. I have a TE and a GF helmet side by side and the details look to be almost the same.

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Originally posted by clutch@Jan 24 2006, 05:20 PM
Interesting.

And I can kind of see that.  I have a TE and a GF helmet side by side and the details look to be almost the same.

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Of course they are the same. The GF/AP helmet are the same as the TE.

Sad that AP thinks they can get the same details. Just wont happen. Sad to say. That is someone saying they want your business to detract from the truth. TE used .093, SP uses .080. Same detail same thickness? impossible. If TE used .080, it would be BETTER than the AP, as it already is.

So, do the math folks. Same BS GT tried to pull over with saying styerene is an inferior plastic. the "S" in ABS is styrene.

Nice try, keep going.

JJ

 

[Clutch]

I meant the sharpness of the pull was almost the same. The cuts in the GF are just a tad softer.

 

[CWR]

Jumpin Jax is right. I have had both suits and the TE is sharper. I do Like the AP armor but that is also because it stems from TE's original moulds. The new faceplate looks very familiar too. It looks very similar to my TE helmets (not sure where they got it but it definately helps). Now that TE is not making suits I suppose they are planning on carrying the torch. They have definately made improvements but it is still not as good as a TE suit.

-CWR

 

[AnsonJames]

Originally posted by CWR@Jan 25 2006, 09:39 AM
Jumpin Jax is right.  I have had both suits and the TE is sharper.  I do Like the AP armor but that is also because it stems from TE's original moulds.  The new faceplate looks very familiar too.  It looks very similar to my TE helmets (not sure where they got it but it definately helps).  Now that TE is not making suits I suppose they are planning on carrying the torch.  They have definately made improvements but it is still not as good as a TE suit.

-CWR

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I have an AP helmet also and I can testify although it's pretty darn sharp it's definately not as sharp as my TE
I don't seem to remember this thread being called ABS vs Styrene...

Back to TE Armor assembly now?

 

[AnsonJames]

And incidently...
ABS is harder to form than Styrene because of it's rubber content. It's also Hygroscopic which means it attracts atmospheric moisture.
This means it has to be lightly heated to remove any moisture in it before it's formed.
Depending on the thickness of the ABS and the type of machine used, it should be possible in theory to vacform something with as much detail as Sytrene, although due to the nature of ABS and things like air humidity it's a lot harder to do properly.
I also remember reading that the Troopers in ROTJ were made using ABS called UVEX which is more resistant to yellowing which would explain the original ROTJ not being completely yellow yet.
All ABS and Styrene goes yellow over time.
A painted set of Armor shouldn't go yellow (unless it's in a room with a person that smokes like a trooper - no pun intended) and the process of yellowing on the under surface shouldn't effect the paint on it.
Now back to TE Armor assembly...

 

[HDPE]

I think know the TE ROTJ suit you're referring to, Paul... it was owned by Joe (The Dark Side) and I believe only the helmet had been repainted... the armour was still bare styrene and had yellowed significantly.

Hi John.

I think I know the new owner of the yellowed TE ROTJ suit

 

[Stormtrooper]

Originally posted by HDPE STORMY@Jan 25 2006, 05:57 PM

I think know the TE ROTJ suit you're referring to, Paul... it was owned by Joe (The Dark Side) and I believe only the helmet had been repainted... the armour was still bare styrene and had yellowed significantly.

Hi John.

I think I know the new owner of the yellowed TE ROTJ suit

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Cool... well without taking the thread off-topic completely, can you verify if the armour is unpainted and if it is made from styrene or ABS?

Cheers,
John

 

[HDPE]

Sure.... the armor is unpainted and made from ABS.

The right calve is made from styrene for some reason and hasn't yellowed.

(BTW the shoulder bells will be for sale soon, anyone interested in parts coming from a $5 k suit? :lol )

 

[troopermaster]

Hmmm...Joe says it was painted styrene?

 

[HDPE]

It's not painted.

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Originally posted by HDPE STORMY@Jan 25 2006, 03:27 PM
It's not painted.

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I showed the pic to TE and he verified what has happened to that suit.

The first ROTJ suits he and his buddy Mike made were done with styrene as is that one. But, not painted. It had a spray gloss put on top, as the screen used originals had. The bad thing is that they found out years later that they got a formula that was not, non-yellowing. Hence, what you see now today.

Just FYI for you all.

JJ

 

[HDPE]

Well like you said the S in ABS is for styrene.


But I'm not a plastic expert.

Later.

 

[troopermaster]

Ahh,I see why Joe thought it was painted now.

Thanks JJ :thumbsup

 

[troopermaster]

You can flex my HIPS suits like that too