intwenothor's accurate ESB interior thread.

[intwenothor]

You're incorrect about that. I dig the extra info you present. It adds a lot of context and knowledge. I appreciate it.

Andy, thanks, I really appreciate the appreciation but in this case I think the salient points that led me to Nylon being the correct material were enough (the float test being one of the important ones). Otherwise it becomes a tedious exercise in different Polymers and their various properties. I found the desired type of look in several materials and they all come pretty close in overall appearance. I researched the various plastics because I don't know that much about these materials and so didn't know off hand it one or several could be discounted as not having been available at time of filming but the truth is that all of the synthetic materials were widely available in the 1970s/80s and had been for a long time. I kept reading beyond that because I'm a bit dull. There was no way to effectively present the information in an inviting way and would only have been a regurgitation of facts.

BTW to reach the 19mm measurement I removed the small amounts of sewn white vinyle from these tabs and fed the old and new 19mm tape samples through (as well as a new 20mm sample). The slight pinch visible on the existing ESB cradle (as in the earlier picture) is the same with the 19mm. The 20mm I tested was just a bit tight. It wasn't a figure that I reached arbitrarily.

I'm going to try to have the strapping re created in the next month or so. I will present the article for appraisal when complete.

Live the dream.

Andy

 

[RafalFett]

Thank you for the tremendous and invaluable research regarding this, but other parts too. Keep the hunt on!

 

[intwenothor]

Thank you for the tremendous and invaluable research regarding this, but other parts too. Keep the hunt on!

I'm a novice compared to you!

 

[RafalFett]

I'm a novice compared to you!

That's not true! I really like your informative and well documented threads regarding the investigations of found part.

 

[intwenothor]

Work has begun on mapping out the cradle and seeing how it will all work. Cotton tape is being used first as it's easier to work with than the Nylon tape itself. On the finshed version the Herringbone should all point the same (relative) direction as the herringbone on the pic of the existing ESB. The faux leather strip will be swapped out for as close a colour match as I can find. This is just a phone pciture but you get the idea. I'm thinking each strip may need to be a few mm longer. Two to four (so I'll probably go for three).

 

[The5thHorseman]

I'm watching with interest. I think you could get the herrinbone stripes to be longer by tightening the center white ring. I am also curious about what you will come up to reproduce the two stripes crossing over the head. I pretty much have my theory and already did a paper test, but it's always nice to have the possibility to compare with others.

 

[intwenothor]

Nearly there.

 

[intwenothor]

So then, after a lot of work the strapping for the cradle is complete. Here are a few pictures. If you compare the closeups with that one pivotal picture of the ESB interior you should find that the herringbone all flows the correct way for each limb. In these photo's it's simply dropped into a helmet and not secured or attached but you get the idea. I deliberated over the sponge colour for a long time and was going to replace it but have now decided to keep it as I think it is the correct colour. I base this decision on the way it changes depending on the light source and because other SW helmets featuring this cradle, such as the updated ROTJ Boba helmet and some ROTJ stormtrooper helmets, definitely display the greener side of things (can post pics if needed but it's the same). The faux leather front strip is another consideration. I was going to rip it out but I am now considering glueing it back down and painting it to the correct colour. Undecided on that at the moment. Have bought some samples but unsure. At the moment the white cord is just a piece of string but I've ordered some 2, 3, and 4mm plaited para cord to try out for that. I won't bore you with how I got there. I suspect it'll be 2 or 3mm. I've used the correct reef knot for those that care.

Live the dream

Andy

kurtyboy

 

[intwenothor]

I've put a hell of a lot of work into this in the last year. Amazing really considering that it won't actually be seen. I was having the devil of a time finding a colour of faux leather I liked for the band. Despite having bought plenty of samples I simply couldn't find a match I liked. I'd all but given up on fiding what I wanted but in the end a stroke of luck got me there. I bought a lady's handbag and carved it up for the strip! Anyone out there needs several yards of slightly different but unsatisfactory hues of flesh, tan, and cream coloured fake leather let me know.

Done!

kurtyboy

 

[kurtyboy]

I know what you mean. I must've spent months tracking down all the parts and you can't even see them!

Good work on the cradle and if you have any better leather for mine that would be great!

 

[intwenothor]

I can supply a piece of what I have used here. I still have some left from the bag. I harvested every inch. I'll even stick it down for you; an eight hour marathon of epoxy, clamps, clips, and pegs.

Ooh, 1000 posts!

 

[FettFanatic]

Looking great. Really nice work putting this together.

 

[Major]

Beautiful work Andy....

 

[syllander]

Don't think I could go thru the effort getting that accurate with the interior (as I'm just too damn lazy), but that is really cool seeing it come together. Nice looking job there Andy!

 

[2legit2fett]

Great intel! I'm off to find me a rig!

 

[intwenothor]

It's pretty dry stuff I admit. Currently working on some other stuff to make a more accurate interior. I'll post it up when I get get there

 

[intwenothor]

More work on a more accurate representation of the ESB interior. Still a work in progress.

 

[intwenothor]

More work has been ongoing with the helmet interior and I'm pretty much done with the colour for now.

Need to go back in time a bit here actually as I missed a stage.
The ESB helmet appears to be unique (so far as I know) in that it is made using fibreglass cloth. To the best of my knowledge all of the other helmets were made using chopped strand matt. The ROTJ, PP3, and PP2 certainly appear to be. That points to the ESB helmet probably being made first. My reasoning for that would be that if you worked in a car body shop you would probably be most used to working with FG cloth and therefore would turn to that first when starting a project but would probably then find it not suitable for this kind of thing and turn to chopped strand matt. I accept this could be a complete fallacy and reasoning to suggest the opposite and the ESB being made last could also be suggested (or middle). The fact that the ESB is FG cloth probably accounts for its apparent unique thinness and why it's been so badly damaged over the years.

Anyway, most helmet made today are made using chopped strand matt and this one is no exception. In order to mimic the interior texture of the ESB I need a FG cloth layer. The first layer I tried was too fine so several more samples were bought and experimented with:

The sample to the left was the first layer and too thin. It didn't work, I bought lots of other samples and did some test runs and in the end I used the sample on the bottom right which was 81GSM. A two pence piece is one inch across.

The panels were laid in broadly this pattern:

(The visor used in this shot was first attempt and later replaced)


In order to create this texture:

A visor was hand cut using a piece from a piece of dark grey A4 3mm perpex sheet based on a template I made of card using measurements I took from the helmet (I can post it up if anyone wants).
It was then heated and bent to a curve using the outside of the helmet first and then laid inside and heated some more to fit into place. I'm working with another member to see if we can come up with some accurate visor clips. We're nearly there. Colouring was done with five or six layers of paint and dry brushing. I ended up trying to mimic the look of a pair of old faded jeans as the best approach.

Currently I'm working on the keyslot area for the MQ1, which can just be seen in the top left corner of the picture. It's already been snapped in half and I'll shape the perspex for the bottom section in the next week or so.

Also been working on sifting through vintage electronics parts for the circuit boards. Here's where I am with that. I'll post the complete list of what I use when I get there. A lot of this stuff is hard to come by so exact matches may not be possible and I'm just going to have to settle for the closest I can get.

Live the dream

Andy

 

[xanthis02]

It's amazing what some of you folks go through to be uber accurate

 

[Keegan]

Look good! Love the color.
I believe the ESB helmet might have been made last. This is not fact but by studying the supertrooper invoices and one other source I believe it to be so.

Also the visor needs some curve at the bottom.
Keep it up.