About to begin a Babylon 5 uniform build open to tips/advice/photo reference

[CapKirk34]

Hi.

I'm going to attempt to make an EA uniform (Sheridan style) by modifying an Eisenhower jacket pattern, and I'm curious if anyone here has ever made one.

I'm open to seeing photos of your uniform build and any tips you may have; especially as it comes to the collar, waistband, and hiding the jacket zipper. I've done a lot of Googling, and best I can find are some photos of Ivanova's interior/zipper. The female jacket is reversed from the male, so I can extrapolate, but would prefer to see what the men's jacket looks like inside.

I've made a bunch of Trek stuff, but this jacket poses a real challenge.

Thanks!

 

[19narvik40]

Hello,

I have a Series 1 Garabaldi uniform myself and know of five others with the EA uniform. A member here, starbuc has an actual uniform from the show and was kind enough to send me photos of the jacket which I want to share them here. Have you decided on which rank you want? You can find the EA chest symbol, rank bar and cloth patches fairly easily online but you will need to scratchbuild the rank pips, collar pip and the jacket
buckle. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a shout.

 

[CapKirk34]

These photos are fantastic, exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for sharing them.

I've done a but of research on how the ranks are supposed to look, and will probably buy a thin brass sheet from which to cut the epaulette rank and collar overlay.

The jacket I'm looking to build is the style worn by Sheridan from season 2-4 (pre-Army of Light), so while there are cosmetic differences, I think this will go a long way toward helping me modify my pattern and building the muslin test.

I'll post progress here.

Thanks, again.

 

[Frenzy1971]

Babylon 5 needs a reboot. It's one of the BEST written space operas ever on tv, but it gets overlooked because the effects are waay outdated and nigh unwatchable. RIP jerry Doyle.

 

[19narvik40]

Sheet brass was what I had used for mine and I made some for a few friends as well. Polishing them was all kinds of fun, LOL.
I scratchbuilt all of my insignia including the jacket buckle out of styrene and them made molds to pour resin for them. Sadly, the molds have degraded past the point of use. My buckle is slightly oversized.

 

[CapKirk34]

Those look fantastic. The only piece I haven't sourced, yet, is the waistband insignia.

 

[19narvik40]

Those look fantastic. The only piece I haven't sourced, yet, is the waistband insignia.

There was a woman in the UK who had done them as well as a now defunct costume site. I couldn't find anyone doing the waistband/jacket buckle so I made my own. I did get a metal artist to cast my design in brass but he made it too thick. How are you are scratchbuilding?

 

[CapKirk34]

The stat bar, chest insignia, command patch, and flight wings are on Ebay. I'm working with a 3D fabricator to see if he can produce the waistband insignia.

I've purchased, and am waiting on all the fabrics I need.

 

[19narvik40]

The stat bar, chest insignia, command patch, and flight wings are on Ebay. I'm working with a 3D fabricator to see if he can produce the waistband insignia.

I've purchased, and am waiting on all the fabrics I need.

I had looked at going the 3D route but the facing of the buckle would have had too many striation lines and need a lot of clean up and filling. Not sure what the new generation of resin printers would turn out but they seem far superior to the filament machines. Another consideration is to go non-officer, you won't need the large leather patch on the front.

Initially I had wanted the plain grey Security uniform Zack starte out with but the lady making my costume made a mistake on the colour so it would up as Garabaldi's instead.

 

[CapKirk34]

The waistband doesn't appear, on Zack anyway, too be leather out utilize the waist insignia.

I still think I'm going to go with the officer jacket.

 

[CapKirk34]

There was a woman in the UK who had done them as well as a now defunct costume site. I couldn't find anyone doing the waistband/jacket buckle so I made my own. I did get a metal artist to cast my design in brass but he made it too thick. How are you are scratchbuilding?

View attachment 1292341

What are the dimensions on your waistband insignia, by the way?

 

[19narvik40]

I can't find my notes right now but my buckle measures out to 6 inches wide. The actual prop measures around 5 1/2 inches and has a slight curve to it so it will sit better against the body. This image is of show worn props in my friends collection, you can just make out the slight curve to the buckle. I have asked him if he could measure his buckle and let me know its dimensions.

 

[CapKirk34]

I can't find my notes right now but my buckle measures out to 6 inches wide. The actual prop measures around 5 1/2 inches and has a slight curve to it so it will sit better against the body. This image is of show worn props in my friends collection, you can just make out the slight curve to the buckle. I have asked him if he could measure his buckle and let me know its dimensions.

View attachment 1292790

These are very helpful, thank you. And, please, any more dimensional information will be quite useful, too.

 

[19narvik40]

Oncw my bursitis is under control I will make my way down into the Catacombs and find all my notes and drawings.

 

[CapKirk34]

Oncw my bursitis is under control I will make my way down into the Catacombs and find all my notes and drawings.

Thank you!

 

[CapKirk34]

Got my muslin test jacket cut today. Thank you to 19narvik40 for providing photos that helped me get measurements correct.

I've got a lot of piping scraps that I'll use on the test fit, but I think- generally speaking - I'm on the correct path.

 

[CapKirk34]

Not a super exciting update, but my gabardine came in today. I'm pretty pleased with this color scheme.

 

[19narvik40]

Not a super exciting update, but my gabardine came in today. I'm pretty pleased with this color scheme.

Looks like you have a good match there. Any images from the show make things difficult due to the lighting so that leaves it up to the individual costumer to decide what they want. I've seen darker and I've seen lighter but as long as you are happy with it, go for it !! As soon as my cortisone shot kicks in, I'll venture into the Catacombs for the jacket buckle to get the measurement for you.

 

[CapKirk34]

Most of the muslin test is sewn together - parts just pinned for now - and I'm really glad I did this because I can tell parts will need to be made a bit larger than the pattern called for to accommodate my shoulder width; shouldn't be too hard. I didn't put trim around the epaulets, either, because it'll be a three-piece application, and I wasn't interested in doing that for the test.

Haven't done anything with the collar yet because that's been giving me fits as it pertains to planning. I think I may have to leave the bottom edge open and do some hand sewing or top stitching to finish it. I guess that's what the test is for.

 

[19narvik40]

Most of the muslin test is sewn together - parts just pinned for now - and I'm really glad I did this because I can tell parts will need to be made a bit larger than the pattern called for to accommodate my shoulder width; shouldn't be too hard. I didn't put trim around the epaulets, either, because it'll be a three-piece application, and I wasn't interested in doing that for the test.

Haven't done anything with the collar yet because that's been giving me fits as it pertains to planning. I think I may have to leave the bottom edge open and do some hand sewing or top stitching to finish it. I guess that's what the test is for.

One thing I can see that may be an issue is the 'tab' on the waist that crosses over the center of the jacket. You need to extend it so it ends just below the right hand edge of where the leather chest patch will be. Another is the width of the wrist/arm cuff, you need to make it narrower. I hope these images are of some help.