Prop Building

So You Want To Join The Empire: The Final Lessons

Over the past year, I’ve been documenting how to build a suit of Stormtrooper armor, and a little on how to go about wearing it once you’ve completed it. This week, I’d like to close out the column by taking a look at the bigger picture: what have we learned from this little journey? In…

io9 Andrew Liptak Jun 19

So You Want To Join The Empire: Beating the Summer Heat

One of the most common questions that I get when I’m trooping in Stormtrooper armor (after “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”) is “Are you hot under there?” Usually, the answer is yes. With the coming summer, trooping is no joke. Wrapping yourself in a black undersuit, plastic armor, and an enclosed helmet…

io9 Andrew Liptak May 29

So You Want To Join The Empire: The Public and Safety

Over the course of this series, we’ve talked a lot about how to construct Stormtrooper Armor, but we haven’t talked a whole lot about what to do with it once you’re done. You might be itching to throw the costume on and share your love of Star Wars with the world, but there’s some things…

io9 Andrew Liptak May 22

The Team Behind Roxy the Rancor Reveals Their Latest Amazing Star Wars Creation

If you’ve been to a major convention around the United States, there’s a good chance that you’ve bumped into Roxy the Rancor, a 1:1 scale prop replica of Jabba’s pet beast from Return of the Jedi. Now, its creators have built a new major prop that you’ll see on the convention floor soon! Roxy is…

io9 Andrew Liptak May 22

So You Want To Join The Empire: What We Learned About Those Rogue One Troopers in 13 Pictures

So, the Rogue One trailer hit the web earlier this week, and it looks awesome. There’s all the hallmarks of the original trilogy, on a war footing, and that means plenty of Original trilogy stormtroopers. We’ve already spent some time poring over it frame by frame, but I want to look closely at one thing:…

io9 Andrew Liptak Apr 10

Building the Sword of Artorias Is No Small Task For Man At Arms

We’ve really appreciated the level of detail that the guys behind Man at Arms: Reforged puts into their creations. The blacksmiths have gone and done some really impressive work with their latest creation, the Great Sword of Artorias from Dark Souls III. To put the work here in perspective, go back three years to when…

io9 Andrew Liptak Apr 10

So You Want to Join The Empire: Storage And Care of Stormtrooper Armor

It’s been a couple of weeks since our last look at armor building: after The Force Awakens, I needed to take a bit of a break from armor construction, but there is something that we can chat about in the meantime: storage. The new TK still needs some work after I trooped in it, something…

io9 Andrew Liptak Jan 17

Man At Arms Constructs Thorin’s Sword Orcrist From The Hobbit

We’ve really liked watching Man At Arms construct some epic replica weapons in the past, and now they’ve gone and created Orcrist, from Peter Jackson’s Hobbit Trilogy. What’s pretty amazing about this is how they take it from a slug of metal to a really elegant weapon by the end. The process here is incredible,…

io9 Andrew Liptak Dec 19

So You Want To Join The Empire: Test Fit

Finally, after a couple of months worth of work, it’s time to finally try all of this armor on to see how it all works together. First, I’ve made some minor fixes since last week: I’ve repainted the helmet: the matte black paint I used wasn’t correct, so I’ve used some glossy black that I…

io9 Andrew Liptak Dec 13

So You Want To Join The Empire: Buckets On!

So, I have a confession to make: this project isn’t done yet, and I don’t have final, full kit pictures yet. I’ll explain in a bit, but I do have pictures of something else: the helmet. I’ve held off on doing the helmet because it’s probably the most important part of the suit, but also…

io9 Andrew Liptak Dec 6

Here’s How To Make A Vaccuforming Machine

Over on io9, I’ve been charting my progress on how to make a set of Stormtrooper armor, working off of a kit. But, how do you make the kit in the first place? You need a vaccuforming machine. This video goes over all the details of how one of these machines works. [Punished Props]

Tech News Andrew Liptak Nov 29

So You Want To Join The Empire: Finishing Touches

We’ve just about reached the end of this build: the end is in sight! This week, we’re finishing up the body work, and will finally get it all ready for a proper test fit. It’s almost done! There’s just a bunch of random things that need to be finished up. Thigh Armor One of the…

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 29

So You Want To Join The Empire: Accessories & A Side Project

So, the Stormtrooper is almost done. The armor is trimmed, assembled, and wearable. Now, there’s a couple of final things that need to be picked up. Additionally, I’ve embarked on another project: refitting my original Stormtrooper. Let’s get started for what you’ll need besides the armor: Undersuit Under their armor, Stormtroopers wear form fitting clothes,…

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 22

So You Want To Be A Stormtrooper: It’s The Little Things In Armor

This week, we’re rocketing to the end of our build for this Stormtrooper. With all the major assembly completed, it’s now time to get the little details and fittings finished up. While we’ve been working on all the major parts independently, it’s now time to make sure that everything fits together so that as a…

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 15

This Cosplay Music Video Highlights BlizzCon’s Extraordinary Cosplayers

If you missed BlizzCon last weekend, Sneaky Zebra has put together one of their fantastic cosplay music videos, highlighting some of the really awesome costumes that they spotted throughout the weekend.

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 14

So You Want To Join The Empire: Abs Made Of ABS

I’ve been a little behind in actually doing anything in the last week, but this weekend we’ve got some progress! The suit is almost done: there’s a little more to do, then adjustments. I’ve been working on finishing up the webbing (for which I need more supplies), and I need to do a proper test…

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 8

The Construction Of This Halo Gravity Hammer Knocks Our Socks Off

Man at Arms is a reality-style web series where the folks at Baltimore Knife and Sword build some of the weapons you see in games and movies. This week, they’ve constructed one of the massive Gravity Hammers from Halo. As a somewhat competent amateur when it comes to prop building, the work these guys put…

io9 Andrew Liptak Nov 7

So You Want To Join The Empire: Connecting All The Dots

We’ve talked a lot about gluing and piecing together armor throughout the course of this thread. Now, it’s time to start getting it assembled to wear. Some parts of the armor are just worn because they’re closed together: forearms, legs, and so forth. Other parts require some slightly different connective tissue: strapping. In my older…

io9 Andrew Liptak Oct 25

Here’s How To Build Your Child The Best Stormtrooper Costume Ever

Store-bought costumes are always a bit … lacking. When TJ Maggio came across Jakk Pacific’s 48 inch First Order Stormtrooper, he saw the potential for a really spectacular halloween costume for his son. The $99 toy is enormous, and with a little work, it can be made into a fully functional Stormtrooper costume for a…

io9 Andrew Liptak Oct 24

So You Want To Join The Empire: Belt It To Me

This last week, I’ve been working on one of the under-appreciated and more annoying components of Stormtrooper armor: the belt. This component is responsible for some of the headaches associated with Trooping, so we’re going to do it right. The belt does a couple of things: it’s functional component of the armor, because it holds…

io9 Andrew Liptak Oct 18

Prop Building

So You Want To Join The Empire: The Final Lessons

So You Want To Join The Empire: Beating the Summer Heat

So You Want To Join The Empire: The Public and Safety

The Team Behind Roxy the Rancor Reveals Their Latest Amazing Star Wars Creation

So You Want To Join The Empire: What We Learned About Those Rogue One Troopers in 13 Pictures

Building the Sword of Artorias Is No Small Task For Man At Arms

So You Want to Join The Empire: Storage And Care of Stormtrooper Armor

Man At Arms Constructs Thorin’s Sword Orcrist From The Hobbit

So You Want To Join The Empire: Test Fit

So You Want To Join The Empire: Buckets On!

Here’s How To Make A Vaccuforming Machine

So You Want To Join The Empire: Finishing Touches

So You Want To Join The Empire: Accessories & A Side Project

So You Want To Be A Stormtrooper: It’s The Little Things In Armor

This Cosplay Music Video Highlights BlizzCon’s Extraordinary Cosplayers

So You Want To Join The Empire: Abs Made Of ABS

The Construction Of This Halo Gravity Hammer Knocks Our Socks Off

So You Want To Join The Empire: Connecting All The Dots

Here’s How To Build Your Child The Best Stormtrooper Costume Ever

So You Want To Join The Empire: Belt It To Me

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