T7-01 Astromech Droid Build, Custom Saber Build, and Jedi Cosplay Costume

TR1GG3RSW1TCH

New Member
Original Introduction as posted on the R2 Builders Club website astromech.net

My name is Joshua Aites. I live in Panama City, Florida.

I am a 28 year old SolidWorks Drafter intern and college student whom will graduate with two associates degrees later this year. One in Drafting and Design; the other in Digital Manufacturing Processes.

As a warm up to this project I am currently working on a custom saber build and cosplay outfit to attend conventions in, while doing research into commonalities between T7 units and R-series Units. I have found they use common leg parts which I can use as a base with a 3D model from the Star Wars: The Old Republic game to get correct dimensions and proportions.

I plan to make a life-size scale Pepakura version of the droid unit first to pull dimensions from and use as reference, while doing more research on here concerning parts and runs I might need, but a lot of work will need to be original as the main body chassis is different from the R-series and the head unit is different as well, although share similar aspects such as the projector eye and data bank led displays.

I imagine I will be posting questions and build progress in a different thread. I plan to put files and other materials for this build up as soon as I get them, so that others might use them for similar builds. Link to the Build Thread is here: http://astromech.net/forums/showthr...er-Build-and-Cosplay-Costume-by-TR1GG3RSW1TCH
 
This is the build log for not only the T7-01 Astromech droid I plan to build, but also for the custom saber and cosplay costume that will go with it as well. In this thread I'll be posting links, pictures, and other reference materials plus parts lists for all parts of my builds/project overall.

As a start I first found an image in a YouTube video of a temple guard that I plan to replicate the jacket of in order to create my Jedi costume:
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In addition a forest green t shirt under would seem fine and comfortable for walking around a convention in. The only other things needed are boots like this:
http://www.brandonbloodworth.com/jedi/QenVarith_Jedi_boots_cu.jpg
and belt like:
http://www.solesthrutime.com/Images/SFAccessories/Jedibelt.jpg

The saber to go with this Jedi outfit can be seen here: http://www.saberparts.com/#/configu...5.1.0-1.15.1.0-7.152.17.0-5.143.0.0-8.154.0.0
The area of couplers will be replaced with the a rotating crystal chamber unit to go with this saber as seen in this video:

The droid I want to build is the T7-01 Astromech unit from the game Star Wars: The Old Republic. The 3D model can be seen here: https://p3d.in/SERep
T7-01 comes in multiple skins as seen below:
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If anyone else is doing a complete build that includes matching cosplay costume and saber to the droid, please post a reply with your build details.
 
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As the T7-01 is from a video game and not film, certain game assets exist of the droid unit that would prove useful in the design and build of the Astromech.
Attached below is a copy of my initial request to Bioware: EA (Electronic Arts) for use of those game assets.
Note: Certain parts have been edited for privacy and safety reasons.

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After sending this, EA replied with the following:

Hello Joshua,
Thank you for your email and for your interest in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Please note that the EA is not the relevant rights holder for the 3D models and textures at issue.
We suggest you reach out to Lucasfilm regarding your request.
Regards, EA Permission Requests Team

So after that I found this information: http://www.disneystudiolicensing.com/who-do-i-contact-to-license-content-from-lucasfilm-ltd/
Since LucasArts no longer exists as of 2013, Chris Holm from Lucasfilm is whom I contacted with the following message:

Hello, My name is Joshua Aites.
I am a member of the R2 Builders Club and am seeking permission to use game assets of Star Wars: The Old Republic to help construct a T7-01 Astromech droid unit.
I have originally reached out to Bioware EA and was told that they do not hold the relevant rights for this type of request and that I should contact lucasfilm to obtain the correct permissions to gain access to the game model and sounds.
Attached is a copy of my initial request form sent to EA to better explain what I am hoping to obtain.
Thank you for your time, regarding this matter.

I am still awaiting a reply from Lucasfilm at this time, however, I do have access to some game assets without them being provided to me from Lucasfilm and believe as long as I do not use them for profit and only for personal use of creating the T7-01 droid, I should be ok as far as legality is concerned.

Until I gain permission from Lucasfilm to utilize the game assets I will not post 3D meshes, textures, or sound files that come from the game.

UPDATE:
I received a reply from Lucasfilm and this is what they said.
Dear Joshua, Thank you for your email dated April 24, 2017 requesting authorization to use STAR WARS™ THE OLD REPUBLIC™ 3D models, T7-01 sound effects and any other proprietary elements from the Star Wars motion pictures in connection with your replica. Although we appreciate your interest, we cannot grant you the permission you seek. We receive many requests seeking permission to use material from the Star Wars motion pictures, and we are unfortunately unable to grant permission for uses that are not associated more closely with our films.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is the sole and exclusive owner of the Star Wars motion pictures and any other Star Wars properties. These properties and unique elements that appear therein are protected by the copyright and trademark laws of the United States and other nations. Please note that any unauthorized use of these names, characters, music and images would, at a minimum, be inappropriate.
Sincerely,
Christopher Holm
Business Affairs
Lucasfilm Ltd.

Now, since I was not granted permission to assets I requested, I will have to pull together my own reference materials to build the droid. A request of this nature was more meant for those doing documentaries of Star Wars or starting a business that generates an income from the Star Wars name. Since George Lucas has an open relationship with the fans of Star Wars as far as costumes and props are concerned, I can still proceed with building a droid unit of my own, but without the blessing and usage of assets that belong to Lucasfilm.

Even though the request was refused, I still feel I went about things the correct way by first contacting Lucasfilm with my request, alerting them to my intentions and avoiding negative interactions in the future as I proceed with the build overall.
 
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The majority of my saber parts have come in and I will update this post at a later date with a full parts list with pictures.

UPDATE: After test fitting the parts I received, I've discovered that Adaptive Saber Parts (ASP) are not Modular Hilt System (MHS) compliant... close, but no cigar. This means the Rotating crystal chamber I'm building will not fit my saber. and the overall length if the unit fit would be a bit much as the ASP parts are larger that they seem on the website.

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This is fine for things like the pommel and body of saber which fit nicely in my hand. The manufacturer placed the covertech knob at the top of the body, to help secure the leather wrap, which when faced away acts as a slide guard resting against the top of the index finder. This places the thumb right at the top of the leather wrap, but not beyond it.

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As a solution to my dilemma, I plant to drill and place a 16mm Antivandal RGB momentary switch at that location and eliminate my need for the switch body. After looking at the switch body I've selected, I'm not entirely happy with it. It has a smaller diameter than the rest of the housing, making it seem out of place. My plan is to buy either the 1.75in Staff Coupler as seen here: https://saberforge.com/collections/accessories/products/staff-coupler-short?variant=28545512327
or the Dissident Switch Body as seen here: https://saberforge.com/collections/switch-sections/products/dissident-switch?variant=37367170634 and modifiy them to act as the crystal chamber unit.

Since I have all the parts to make the MHS compliant Rotating Crystal Chamber Unit (RCCU), I will still do that, but I will also be taking time to measure and redesign the unit to fit the previously mentioned Staff Coupler so that those people with ASP builds will be able to produce such a unit in the future. I will most likely be selling the Sorcerer Switch Body I have as well as the constructed MHS RCCU once I have it build and the new one for ASP designed.

It's a bit of a bummer as this redesign is a setback from having a working saber, but I'd rather put in the extra work the first time to have a saber that fits my personality and design criteria the first time around. I'll write more as I make more progress and update this post with pictures when I return home from traveling in a couple days.

Once I have redone the rotating crystal chamber unit, I will post the SolidWorks renders here: TBD
 
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Pepakura Progress: 50%

So I was able to scale a model of T7-01 to 150% inside Pepakura Designer 4. This scale causes the texture and model geometry for the Horseshoe to match with the CSR drawing dimensions as shown below. This is how I will be able to build a full size model that I can use to pull dimensions from for the metal build.

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I still have a bit of a ways to go on the unfold and need to optimize a few things with that as well, but I'm optimistic that I will have the unfold complete by the end of next week.
I will post the pepakura file once I have completed this unfold here: TBD
 
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So, as an added part of this project, I would like to start a Maker Space for the Panama City, FL area. Currently there isn't much in my area that I am aware of, of similar nature. Now I have the luxury of being a college student and have access to certain opportunities for promoting this idea and raising money for it. My only concern is finding a secure location to host the Maker Space. Has anyone started a Maker Space for their area and have any tips one where to start and how to manage it?

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Other than a M3D printer, the above soldering station is the only other tool I currently own. I'm trying to put together a list of tools I should buy for making the droid unit as well as for a makerspace as a whole. I'd like to invest in a better 3D printer with a larger print area and better quality prints as well as a vacuum forming machine.
 
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3d printing a T7-01 is one of the main reasons I bought my own printer. Would you be willing to share the STL file? I am super excited to see this getting built.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk
 
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