Kitbashing Development of the Crate / Trunk

To make the transport crate more Star Wars like the research photos without damaging its structural integrity, kit bashing components were to be stuck on and this took a fair bit of ideation trials.

Firstly, to increase the range and number of components I could add, I built some new moulds, especially as I only had 1 item of several parts I wanted to use for resin casting.

A mix of gold, chrome, back Dirty Down dust and khaki colours were sprayed on.

Some existing parts like air grates needed stuffing with foam to increase the surface area for gluing and screwing to Plastazote panels.

The flexible intermediate foam plates, which being stretchy created a more flexible bond with contact glue either side of the foam. This was less brittle than superglue thus makes the bond more flexible so better able to handle impacts.

The foam panels also made the box look more tech, stronger and more military.

Ideation of the Crate / Trunk Side Ends

Here different patterns of potential kit bashing to provide a technological feel, were tried, starting with the ends of the crate to work out the best feel.

The advantage here was that there was a pre-built alcove. This made the kit bashing much more realistic as well as protected it from impacts.

More parts needed to be moulded and cast as well as using readymade parts.

The ready-made parts often needed stuffing with foam as lacking surface area for gluing.

The rough scaly hardening of the excess glue when reacting with activator catalyst spray looked like it would give a more realistic destressed, rusty and worn look.

I wanted to include light up buttons and possibly other lighting. Consistent failures with LED strips having:

• Auto power shut offs after a few minutes.
• Ceasing to function due to bending damage
• Problems sticking the LED Strips into place and the problems of all the excess LEDD strip and where to place it.
• Unreliable control systems.
• Thus, this the use of LED strips was abandoned.
• Thus, this the use of LED strips was abandoned.
  
• Components where superglued onto a 5mm Plastazote foam plate so resistant to kocks and to aid gluing.
  

Ideation of the Crate / Trunk Sides

The sides were next being a wider area.