justjoseph63

You can definitely remove some of the return edge around the sides (yellow line) for comfort, but If possible I would keep what you have in the rear of the kidney. The more you have on the outside of the bracket bolts the less chance there is that the return edge will crack

Hi, Dan, and thank you for your application for ANH Stunt EI! CRL and EIB Application Requirements: All required photos have been submitted, and on behalf of the entire D.O. staff we are pleased to welcome you to the rank of Expert Infantry. Congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly; In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armour. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. Super nice job on this WTF armor, brother! Just a few items to go over in this area to give you a better overall look. Your bucket is riding pretty high, and I suspect it's a padding issue. You may have more than you need in the top and it's not allowing it to sit lower. Reference images In the first pic below I noticed that you seem to be looking down. When the helmet is sitting too high it forces you to tilt it forward just to be able to see in front of you clearly. I had the same exact issue, and after I removed the padding in the top I had MUCH better vision. Reference images The ear angle on your left is almost perfect, but the one on the right is at a skewed angle. Ideally, the screws should line up with the angle at the rear of the trap above them. We know there were wonky aspects to many of the original buckets, but to make them more symmetrical/screen accurate we are suggesting that you shift the bottom of the right ear back at least a bit. Reference images 2 quick items on your tube stripes.. The first being is that you have accidentally put them on backward. Not the biggest deal in the world, and we see this often, but as per the CRL and seen in the reference images the tops in the front section should lean forward. Also, the last stripe nearest the vocoder on each side (red arrow) overlap the crease in front of them and should be removed. Reference images (Note the gaps) We always want you to look your best, so when suiting up just ask the person who puts your TD on to make sure the clips are securely all the way down on the belt. Reference images Centurion Requirements; In this section we prepare you for Centurion. Because Centurion photos show more detail than EIB, items pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here and additional photos may be required. We try to point out all that we can from what we see, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper As it says in the CRL for Level 2 "Ideally the tube stripes are positioned a pencil width from the side of the cheek" so no problem for EI. But, for Level 3 we have to ask you to move the ones on the right closer to match the left side. Due to the fact that you have the issues from the first section, we are suggesting that you replace them. Being decals, they are easy to remove, and I'm sure Walt can supply you with a new set. Once you get them, the whole process should take less than 5 minutes! Reference images Awesome paint job on that vocoder, brother.. nice crisp lines, but we need you to grab your brush and extend the paint on the two ribs (shown below) just a bit. Another quick and easy fix! As stated in the CRL, ear screws need to be countersunk/flush. The left one is textbook, but the right one needs to come in a bit. This should be a fairly easy and fast fix! Reference images As you are aware, the large ab-button panel must have at least a small flat edge around it. We see this a lot, and it's honestly not to difficult to remedy in your case. Walt is a great guy, and I'm sure he would be happy to hook you up with a new plate. As Glen mentioned, you can also add an ABS plate behind it, touch up the edges with some ABS paste and sand/polish it. If you want to go that route I will send you a flat ABS plate for free, just PM me. Reference images The 45° angle on the ends of the ABS belt must meet up with the outside edges of the cloth belt. You have a big advantage over some with this issue, as you just need to take a little off the ends. Should take you less than 5 minutes! Reference images And that's it! You have a few items to deal with to get that Centurion badge under your name, but we honestly hope you give it a go. In looking at the suggestions/requirements above, once you have the large button plate and tube stripes in hand taking care of all of those issues should take you less than an hour in total. We are here to help in any way we can, so always feel free to hit us up if you need assistance. After seeing what an fantastic job you did on your build I have every confidence that you can do this, sir, and I look forward to seeing that L3 submission soon!

Anything by George Formby would be nice.

Looks like our designs are definitely different, Rich. I used the 12 mm on mine because that was the maximum size I could fit, but yours looks to have a larger opening in the button area so you may be able to use larger (15 mm) sizes! COOL!

Welcome, Gerald! If it were me, I would go with AP. They make a great kit, and since the abdomen and kidney plates have built in extensions you shouldn't need to worry about adding shims to the sides of those pieces. Once you order your kit, I would suggest getting all your build supplies ready for Big Brown Box day. Having everything you will need on-hand will save you lots of time.. trust me. I have some tutorial links under my avatar below that will help. When you are ready to start, I highly suggest starting your own build thread here. That way, you can ask all the questions you want as well as post up lots of photos. Posting photos is especially important when/if you have an issue. Know that we are here to help every step of the way, and never be shy about hitting us up if you need assistance. It's what we do best!

Hi again, Dan! Can you do us a favor and post up a clear, close up pic of your large ab-button panel? The sun is shining directly on it and the details on the sides can't be clearly seen THANKS!!

SUPER nice job on this WTF armor, Dan! One of us will be with ya' shortly, so hang in there!

Looking good, sir! One small thing to think about is the height of the tab ends. In an ideal world they should be the same level to make sure that the shoulder bridges conform to the arches. If the back tabs sit higher you may have issues getting the bridges to lie flat against them. The back plate looks to be positioned well, but if you do end up needing to raise the chest plate you can trim off some of the opening so that it doesn't cut into your neck. Do this in small increments until you get a comfortable fit.

That may be a tall order, Richard. What you will be looking for is a latching (not momentary) push button switch, square, with a total width of 12 cm (each) and a height of 6 mm. You will need 2 gray and one red.

Those look like they are made from silicone to me, Alikh... but I may be mistaken. If they are, no type of normal adhesive will stick to them. You may want to contact AP to be sure, and hopefully they have a suggestion. Regular clear silicone sealant (like you would use for a tub or shower) will adhere to the guards, but not to the rubber gloves. The ones that I sell have heavy duty "duck cloth" attached to the backs to give E-6000 something to firmly adhere to. BUT, the product I use to attach the cloth backing isn't cheap. I pay about $36.00 for a 3 oz. tube, which does about 4 pairs of guards. If you try to use clear silicone to attach a cloth backing, it will soak through the cloth and the E-6000 will not bond. Trust me, I've tried. They offer a .05 oz. tube for around $12.50, but that's not really enough to work for 2 guards. Here is a link for some more info. Your armor is looking great so far... and AWESOME to see that you removed so many of the return edges on the arm pieces! As Glen said, it's always best to be wearing your boots before trimming/fitting the calves, even if you have to wait until you get them this will ensure a correct fit. I know you haven't got to that point yet, but when attaching the shoulder bells try to make sure that the tops/bottoms sit evenly (and a bit lower). This will also allow the black elastic 1" strap to have a better position to hold the bells tighter to the bicep. Keep up the fantastic work, and keep those questions and photos coming!

Thanks! I wish I had known about Bondo paste, XTC epoxy and PETG printing before I did my DLT-19 a few years ago. It would have taken 5-6 hours instead of 40!

A hint when doing a hot water bath is to have some damp dish towels handy. When you pull the piece(s) out of the water they are going to be HOT, so having a few towels to handle them with will protect your hands while shaping them.

THIS IS NOT A BUILD THREAD... per se. Now that resin E-11 kits have all but disappeared, many are going to the 3D printed version. 3D printing has some advantages over resin builds, especially the fact that you can have MUCH more accurate finished product. This tutorial will show you how to get all those print lines out for a smooth-as-glass finish before assembly without as much work as you would think, especially if you are aiming for Centurion level approval as there can be no print lines on your blaster. I spent a total of 3-4 hours (not including drying time) on this project, so it's a lot faster that you may expect! This tutorial is for a classic E-11, but the process will work for any 3D printed weapon. For this purpose, I am using a kit made with Bryan's (trooper96) awesome files (link). Know in advance that it contains basically every single part of a real Sterling, down to the nuts and bolts... literally, and is in my opinion the most accurate ANH blaster kit out there. The fully functioning folding stock is a nice touch! When it comes time to put it together all those little parts can get confusing, so I suggest checking out Glen's @gmrhodes13 thread here. I couldn't have done this build without it! IMPORTANT! Printing the kit (or having it printed) in PETG will decrease the time you spend sanding dramatically compared to PLA. Trust me. You can also have it printed in resin, but that can be a costlier option. Another advantage to PETG is that it contains minimal "threads" as opposed to some PLA prints. NOTE: I did not include the power cylinders or Hengstler counter. I am using a real counter and making my own cylinders/assembly, but the same process would apply to the printed ones. More on that at a later date. LET'S GET STARTED! To begin, you will need the following supplies: 1. Filler Primer- This is a great option for filling super fine lines but requires a lot more fine sanding prior to use. I didn't use it on this build, but I have in the past. 2. Bondo Glazing & Spot putty- This is miracle stuff. Unlike regular Bondo which requires mixing, it is a paste that you can simply apply with your fingers or a craft stick. It fills fine to medium lines like magic, dries hard in less than 20-30 minutes or less and is SUPER easy to sand! 3. XTC 3D epoxy coating- Since this was the first time I had used this, it took some experimenting but the final results speak for themselves. It also provides some additional strength to the pieces. IMPORTANT: Mix this in very small batches. I can not stress this enough, as it sets up fast. Be SURE to read all instructions before using. 4 1" (2-3cm) Foam brushes- These are used with the XTC coating. You will need at least 5 or 6, as the epoxy only lasts a few minutes after mixing so you cannot re-use them. Link here. 5. Sandpaper- 80, 150 and 220 grit. 320 grit optional. (No photo... we all know what sandpaper looks like). 6. Spray paint- I suggest Krylon Fusion. You will need flat black, gloss black (for the grip). Silver is not needed if you plan on painting all areas black. 7. Super glue gel- Get the gel type. It doesn't run. 8. Super glue accelerator- Optional. 9. Mask (PPE)- I strongly suggest wearing a mask. Dust from sanding and the fumes from the XTC can be harmful. 10. Small plastic medicine cups- The ones that show the exact measurements work best. These are only good for ONE use for each batch of XTC epoxy and are good if you don't have a precise scale. Link here. 11. Wood craft sticks- For mixing the epoxy. Can be found at your local hobby store 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 I am not including photos of me sanding down the parts. That would be pointless, and I did NOT sand down the interior parts as they will not be seen. I started with 80 grit to get the larger print lines down. After that, 150 and then 220. There is no need to go crazy with the sanding, as it does NOT have to be perfectly smooth. For the T-tracks I used a foam sanding block wrapped in the various grits to get into the crevices. Like I mentioned PETG sands down FAST and EASY. Hints: Do NOT use any filler on the bottoms of the T-tracks, just sand them down fairly smooth. Sand the interiors of the holes using sandpaper wrapped around a pencil to remove burrs. Do this BEFORE gluing the 2 parts of the barrel together. The more you sand down the parts with the 220 the less filling you will have do. After wiping down ALL surfaces with a damp paper towel to remove residual dust and letting them dry, I applied the Bondo paste pretty liberally. Like I said, this stuff sands VERY easily so you can go fairly heavy when applying it Dry time is less than 30 minutes or so, but make SURE it's completely dry. It already looks/feels a lot smoother, but after that I went back to the 220 grit sandpaper. After final sanding: (Only some parts shown) Note original print lines Special notes- 1. In order to keep the details in the interior part of the grip, after the Bondo I used a dental pick to clean them out. When using the XTC later I went VERY lightly as not to fill them in. 2. The textured part of the grip was actually perfect and required no sanding. filler or epoxy coating so I left it as is. 1. 2. Due to the fact that most 3D printers cannot print long objects some parts will need to be glued prior to applying the paste/filler. The folding stock comes with 2 tabs which I glued to the U shaped stock part and then filled. NOTE: The arms have distinct curves- there is a left and right so make sure you have them on the correct side before gluing. Finished look Real Sterling The barrel jacket/exterior also comes in two parts. The print came with tabs to help line them up, but before making them one piece I added/glued in extra plastic tabs for increased strength. I suggest that you do this as well, but be SURE the added tabs are flexible and conform to the interior as seen in the last image below. Sanding the added tabs down before gluing will help with adhesion. The main body has not been epoxy coated or primed, just some Bondo paste where needed. Being a PETG print it came out ultra smooth with just sandpaper, and I didn't want the epoxy dripping through the holes and puddling. Be VERY careful when handling the assembled barrel. Until you get the T-tracks glued on it can be somewhat fragile at the joined seam, so use minimal pressure when sanding after you apply the Bondo. NOTE: Because of the added tabs and because it fits flush you will need to sand down the rear end of the interior barrel insert in order to get it to slide all the way in. DO NOT FORCE IT, or you can knock off the tabs. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture beforehand). For even MORE added stability, the T-tracks should have a bit more glue on those seams when doing your final assembly. OK, time for the messy part, lol. HINT: Don't try to coat too many pieces at one time! After your first batch you will be able to tell how long you have before it starts to set up. As mentioned, the XTC epoxy filler dries fast. Really fast. You should figure on about 5 minutes (or less) of working time per batch, so plan accordingly. You can mix this by volume or weight. If you have a scale that measures grams that is what I would highly suggest using. The mixture needs to be precise. IMPORTANT: The fumes are harmful. Use a mask and apply/let dry outdoors. I suggest doing this in an area where there will be no dust/insects/debris that can stick to it while curing. After wiping all parts down with damp paper towels and letting them dry, I added the first coat of the XTC. Since I hadn't used this product before I went light, applying a very thin coat. You can see a big difference immediately! HINT: Always go in one direction when applying. If you apply it too fast you may get bubbles. If you go too heavy, you can end up with "puddling" of the epoxy as it not viscous and will settle quickly while drying in the flat areas/crevices. I wiped out as much as I could with the sponge brush immediately, and in the end they came out pretty nice. Again, GO LIGHT! After 4 hours I hit some of them again a bit heavier as needed. No need to sand between coats. Cure time depends on heat and humidity. Read the instructions for details. After drying... smooth as glass. Yes, there are a few miniscule bubbles, but they won't be noticeable and can be lightly sanded out. To ensure paint adhesion, you will need to sand everything down. I used the 220 grit. You can go with a finer grit but in looking at the finished product below I don't think you need to. When applying the XTC to the breach block I did not coat the numbers to keep them from being filled in. These pieces have been painted. A few notes on painting- To make sure you have proper adhesion for the glue, before painting apply blue tape over the areas where you will be attaching the various components. An easy way to do this is to put the piece where it goes on the body and draw a line around it with a thin Sharpie marker. When applying the tape, keep it about 1/8 inch INSIDE the lines. Although the paint may SEEM dry after a few hours, be aware that it takes a lot longer for it to completely CURE. I know it's tempting, but after final assemble try to let it sit in a dry place for 5-7 days for a much more durable finish before you run around the house with it yelling PEW PEW at your pets. Assembled product I am adding the scope rail, Hengstler counter and power cylinders later, but I wanted to show how smooth the parts came out. I forgot to cover this area before painting, so it will be sanded down prior to gluing on the power cylinder assembly. Finished! Final notes Yes, you will notice that some areas I have left silver/metallic. I may paint these black at a later date, but as seen below on these screen used blasters some were left "au naturale" (or the paint rubbed off during filming). It's a matter of choice. I will add some light weathering as soon as I attach all the various components. If you have any questions about anything included here (including assembly) always feel free to ask.

That's the first time I have heard about E-6000 not adhering to rubber hand guards. If you could post up a photo of the backs that may help solve the mystery or give us an idea of what you could use. I really don't recommend CA (super) glue or epoxy, as the adhesive can (and will) get brittle over time causing the bond to fail, especially on the edges. As James mentioned, I do sell flexible hand guards, but let's see if we can get the AP ones to work first. I sell the rubber gloves as well, and normally I only offer them with the guards but if you can't find any I can send you some at my cost (plus postage) for $8.00. Just PM me if needed. Flock-lined latex-free neoprene I have a tutorial here that may help.

You didn't mention what kind of rivet it was, but I have a thread here that will help:

Nice job so far, gentlemen! One thing that jumped out at me was the sides of the butt plate(s). As seen in the second image, they need to be angled. BUT, when doing this I wouldn't suggest making the corners sharp, but rather rounded out a tiny bit to keep them from snagging on your under suit. Without seeing a close up, it looks like you did a nice job on the curve where the plate meets the tab (first pic). When trimming that area, it's important not to leave a sharp angle as seen in the second image. This can (and usually does) lead to stress cracks, so again, round it out just a bit if it's not already. Also, you definitely want to leave the return edges at the bottom of the back and the top of the butt plate which keeps them from over-riding each other. What you have now looks perfect!

Hi Jeremy, and welcome to the FISD and happy to hear that we have a new Heavy Weapons Trooper in the making! Answering questions is what we do best, so always feel free to ask any you may have no matter how small. There is a ton of information here to sift through, but we are here to help every step of the way!

Excellent job on this, Luca! This will certainly come in handy for those aiming for Centurion, where those gaps need to be filled.

Once you get the hang of using imgur, adding photos will actually be pretty easy. We suggest posting as many as possible, especially when you have an issue or question as it will make it much easier for us to offer advice. I have a few tutorials under my avatar below that may help with your build, but always feel free to ask if you have a problem or query before cutting or gluing. As Glen says: "There are no silly questions. just silly mistakes". We are here for ya' every step of the way!

Hi Glen, and thank you for your 10th Centurion application! CRL and CENTURION Application Requirements: All required photos have been submitted, and on behalf of the entire D.O. staff we are pleased to welcome you to the rank of Centurion. Congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly; In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armour. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. Number 10.. WOW! Congrats on that momentous number, brother. One more and you'll have enough for a football team!

Hi Glen, and thank you for your 10th EIB application! CRL and EIB Application Requirements: All required photos have been submitted, and on behalf of the entire D.O. staff we are pleased to welcome you to the rank of Expert Infantry. Congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly; In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armour. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. First, sorry about that Blackwing virus. Some Neosporin, a band-aid or two and a few days' rest and you should be right as rain! Shuffle along... nothing to see here. Centurion Requirements; In this section we prepare you for Centurion. Because Centurion photos show more detail than EIB, items pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here and additional photos may be required. We try to point out all that we can from what we see, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper, be they living, dead, or somewhere in between. Maybe a manicure, but that's about it. Next up, Centurion # 10!

Excellent work on this, Glen! I'm definitely going to bookmark this one.

Awesome to hear, Eric! ATA makes a great kit and starting a build thread like this is always a fantastic idea. We welcome all questions (no matter how small) and look forward to seeing a ton of photos! If I could make a few suggestions: 1. Get all your build supplies in order. This will save you lots of time. 2. Take... your... time. I know you want to get it done and approved, but rushing leads to mistakes. Trust me on that one. 3. When in doubt, always ask before cutting/gluing. 4. Posting photos- I can't stress how important this is, especially if you have an issue. We are here for ya' every step of the way and we've all been-there-done-that, so never be shy about hitting us up for assistance... it's what we do best! There are a ton of references to use, and I have a list of tutorials under my avatar below that will help as well. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

The best one I've seen in a LONG time!

E-6000 should be fine, Tim. Just use it sparingly, and it may be a good idea to put a piece of tape over the other side to keep it from seeping out of the hole when you clamp it.