Anovos Stormtrooper.... thoughts?

I have a friend who owns a hobby shop, who just got his Anovos ST. I looked it over, and I thought it looked good. Nice compromise between weight and structural integrity. All parts were well cast with nice detail. I'm no Stormie expert, but the armor looked good to me. I didn't see the Helmet, as he had it at home. He is not interested in trooping his, so I guess he will go the Phoenix ComicCon route with it.
 
I never said the sculpting with asymmetrical design was intentional. But there's definitely a beauty to the organic hand sculpted nature of the ST.

Rather than saying it was "fast and cheap", how about noting it was a "product of it's time" stemming from the mid 70's, with no computer aided design in the process. That's something I entirely appreciate.
It was fast and cheap for the film. Sculptors have been able to do symmetry for thousands of years.
 
I'm running out of reasons not to jump in and pick up one of these remaining kits. Any chance anyone has an unused coupon code they would be willing to PM me?
 
Some of you need to realize it's not that the asymmetry came from the sculpture per say but the culmination of the whole process. A slightly wonky sculpture with a quick mould can really increase the warp. Then the vac pulls can warp if not cooled enough before removing off the buck... you get the idea. Hell Vader is warpped because the mould was warpped .

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Don't worry too much about trimming as it's actually more screen accurate. I have some pictures I will post but if you look at a lot of the TKs there were pretty large areas removed from both the tops of the calves and thighs at the rear around the knee area. The suits were chopped to fit the guy so you shouldn't have any problems getting it to fit.
I read in some behind-the-scenes account ages ago about the extras using scissors on their armor between takes to increase mobility/comfort.
 
Awesome info, thanks for clarifying! Two last questions about the ABS paste, I promise. First, this may sound stupidly obvious, but before dumping the scraps into acetone (or MEK I understand is ideal), do I need to remove the protective coating? Second, my limited understanding of the paste was that it is more like a glue, used to weld existing pieces back together, but it sounds like you're saying it can be used to actually rebuild small sections itself - do I have that right?
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New questions (there really should be a build thread for this kit) - I'm noticing that a LOT of the halves of pieces don't line up very well when just placed together (nothing glued or even taped yet as I'm still finishing rough cutting) - calves, forearms, biceps....is this normal? Lastly, I keep checking the pieces against myself, and it seems as if, how to put this delicately, the suit is deisgned for a more...hefty trooper. I'm over six feet and not a beanpole, but I feel like I'm swimming in the kidney plate for example - again, is this normal? Will stapping pull it all together?

www.whitearmor.net is full of build threads. I have posted a link to mine earlier in this thread and others have posted a links as well. That is really where you need to go for any and all answers to questions on not only this kit, but all Stormtrooper armor. You do not have to be a 501st member to join.
 
Go find me perfectly symmetrical figural sculpture from Ancient Greece to 1976.
Just do a search for Greek helmets. A large proportion of which are more symmetrical than the storm trooper helmets despite being hammered out of metal and spending a fair few years buried underground.

Fun fact: the word symmetry is Greek in origin.
 
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I went back through the kit to make sure there were no cracks or spiderwebs and noticed the shoulder bells looked rather narrow; almost ROTJ style. Any one else notice this?

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This post computer era notion that something can't be "perfect" or symmetrical unless a computer is involved is a load of "Prime", "Grade A" Bull S.....
Symmetry or accuracy is a learned skill just like anything else.
We made a full scale interior mock up of Spaceship 2 for Virgin Galactic about 12 years ago and they supplied 3d CAD file of the interior elements (seat and surrounding base element) We were quoted $16,000 to mill them out of foam. The VG people were alarmed when I told them we were going to hand sculpt them. Upon delivery, on executive commented, "Oh, they (seats) look fantastic, I see you computer milled them after all" to which I replied, "No, they are hand sculpted."
Here are 2 examples of items made with No computer derived parts.
Helios-Press (8).jpeg
This is a suit we made for Solar City and it is all hand sculpted and finished. It was made for live appearances, so it had to be completely mobile. (Materials: Fiberglass, Urethane-V-form)

Second:
52592.jpg
This is a copy of a mid 15th century armour, is is also completely mobile, in fact running in it at full speed is not problem at all. It was all hand made with no computer aid (If you don't count emails....) (Materials...Hardened spring steel, just like the originals. Weight 45 lbs.) A film producer once asked me if this suit was in any way CG!

So the fact that the original Trooper armours were wonky, is totally a result of not caring (or paying attention) that they were not symmetrical or even.
 
May I ask how long did you take to sculpt the above suits? What was the moulding process and what is the material the final suits are made from?

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I have to say I never understood trooping. I wore my Darth Vader Costume for about 5 minutes one time and that was enough for me.

After trying to build this F^%^$*#(@**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stormtrooper costume today I understand it even less.

I never really studied the Stormtrooper enough I guess. There is a certain level of understanding of a costume you can't have until you actually handle and build one to some extent or try to put a fully built one on yourself or a mannequin.

No wonder they got their butts kicked by Ewoks.

Ewoks rule BTW.

I have dreamed of having a 1/1 Stormtrooper in my collection for decades. Well it's here and it sucks.

As I am trying to build this dream/nightmare I think, "That can't go that way?" Yep, that's how it goes.

I thought this was a sweet deal when they came out with this price and I am sure it is but after getting, not even 1/8 of the work needed done, I am wishing I just bought the finished one or better yet just find a new hobby.

OMG this thing sucks!!!!!!!!!!

Again, nothing against Anovos, troopers, etc. Just my own personal hell.

Seriously, what is up with this armor. Why does anyone stay in one of these things for more than a few minutes?????????????????????

I think this hobby is just not for me anymore no matter how hard I try to make it fun again.

I was just about to list everything left for sale when this Stormy showed up and I thought it would make me love this hobby again.

Guess not.

Well I guess I better go cut a bunch of plastic some more.

Sorry for the rant.

Word.


Tom
 
It sounds like Tom went off his meds 

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If only I was on meds.

I don't know. I really don't.

This should be fun.

It's not.

My mannequin bites. I got the buffest one I could find which is not much. They make these things real skinny. He looks like a puny Stormtrooper who would get picked on a lot by other Stormtroopers. They probably would call him Beanpole Stormy.

I should be enjoying this but I really just want to toss the entire thing in a dumpster.

I am also continually frustrated by stupid and incompetent people continuing to succeed in life. That has nothing to do with this,..it just bugs me.

Sorry, I will complain elsewhere. I don't want to bring everyone down.

Peace.

T
 
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