My AM build progress[*AM]

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

This is one of the new AM suits that I got, just about 3 weeks ago. Its been a real dream come true watching the suit come together over the last few weeks. Major Props to Pandatrooper and Tkrestonva for your build threads! Man, ive spent many hours pouring over both to get things to the point where I can say Im done with that piece *for now*. And many thanks to TKittell for one of his awesome belts! There are a few more that I haven't mentioned, but who have been great in helping me with advice in the background.

 

So here some pictures of what I got so far.

 

 

 

 

You can see the rest of the Picture here

 

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff391/Defiance7x13/

Edited August 28, 2010 by Defiance7x13

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Hard to tell whether or not you've trimmed the corners of the utility belt - the photos are pretty fuzzy. If not, definitely do so.

 

Other than that, so far - so good.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Lookin' GOOD

 

And like Brian said above "trim the corners of the utility belt" and finish trimming some of the edges/contour on the tops of the thighs and the forearms of your armor...

 

other than that, top job

 

A pic from your photobucket gallery:

 

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Hard to tell whether or not you've trimmed the corners of the utility belt - the photos are pretty fuzzy. If not, definitely do so.

 

Other than that, so far - so good.

 

 

Using a camera phone with bad lighting in the garage doesn't make for the best pictures, I know. When I have all everything gathered and complete I will have my roommate use his digital to take the required submission photos.

 

And correct, I still need to cut the 45 degree angles on the corners on the belt. Good eye.

 

I was showing some of the pictures too a few of my buddies at the bar last night. They haven't had a chance to see it in person, but they are already scheming on how to get suits of their own.

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Lookin' GOOD

 

And like Brian said above "trim the corners of the utility belt" and finish trimming some of the edges/contour on the tops of the thighs and the forearms of your armor...

 

other than that, top job

 

 

 

 

If I understand correctly, the tops of the the thighs and forearms should be as flush smooth as possible? If that is the case I can sand down the tops of the thighs and remove the small piece I glued down to hide the seem line at the top where the two half's joined together. ( I couldn't stand looking at it)

 

But with the forearms, I didn't take length off either piece as they fit me great out of the box. But in seeing I didn't have Popeye forearms, I did take down the sides of inner plate to make them fit better around my arm. So what do I do to correct to "over hang"? Should I try to shape it at an angle to match the curve? If I shave down the top ridge of the outer plate to meet the inner, I will be cutting into the first Molded channel on the outside. What do you guys do?

 

I threw up some close ups of the thighs and forearms on photo bucket to help.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Good progress so far!

 

For the forearms, my "top half" and "bottom half" line up at the wrist, but not at the elbow as you can see here.

 

I simply used the cover strip to hid the unevenness / transition between the 2 parts

 

If you look at some of the film images, the tops didn't always line up depending on who assembled them / how careful they were. They simply extended the cover strip beyond the upper edges a bit to hide the transitions.

 

Also, please make sure that your thighs aren't fitting too big. I found a lot of troopers had made their older FX style kits with oversized thighs. Here's a tutorial I wrote a while back for thigh assembly.

 

http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=11563

 

Also, I know the AM kit is designed the way it is, but I never liked the way the ribbed shoulder straps sit. They always look a bit too high / far back for me. I cut off most of the shoulder on the chest plate and mounted the ribbed straps much lower to make it look at least a little closer to the film images.

 

Just some feedback on the cover strips you're using. They look a little jagged. Are they just placeholder? You should use a metal ruler and an exacto blade to "score and snap" to make the cover strips have straight lines. Just looks a lot cleaner that way. It also helps if you round the corners of the cover strips slightly.

 

If you can, make the cover strips 15mm for the arms and 20 for the legs, and 25 for the shin backs.

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

 

Also, I know the AM kit is designed the way it is, but I never liked the way the ribbed shoulder straps sit. They always look a bit too high / far back for me. I cut off most of the shoulder on the chest plate and mounted the ribbed straps much lower to make it look at least a little closer to the film images.

 

Just some feedback on the cover strips you're using. They look a little jagged. Are they just placeholder? You should use a metal ruler and an exacto blade to "score and snap" to make the cover strips have straight lines. Just looks a lot cleaner that way. It also helps if you round the corners of the cover strips slightly.

 

If you can, make the cover strips 15mm for the arms and 20 for the legs, and 25 for the shin backs.

 

In my first hours of building I mutilated and destroyed one of the belt pieces not having any clue as to what I was doing. Later on down the road I did the same thing, with another belt piece. I just was plain not thinking at the time. So after that I was kinda worried about running short on the rest on the belt material and started to recycle where ever I could. Hence the jagged cover strips. I do have some some untouched belt material left since I opted for a canvas one. I should have enough to redo most if not all the strips.

 

I did take off some of the "shoulders" on the chest and back piece, but because im so barreled chested I couldn't take off too much. The reality of it is, Im so much broader and taller than what the original screen actors would of been I would make a better "Zero-G assault" stormtrooper than a normal TK in film proportions. This is also why my thigh armor looks so big. I left a little growing room in there (at my biggest i weighted 235, but now im down to around 200) but by no means am I swimming in any of the pieces. Just enough room in most places to flex and move without anything breaking or me feel like Im being crushed. When I get suited up, I feel like a giant. I love it! I cant wait to see what its like with a completed lid on my head.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Unless you plan on going screen-accurate with the internal strapping (i.e. all the straps are glued in place or affixed with fasteners with no snap plates at all) you'll need to ensure you have enough plastic belt strips left over for the snap plates. Personally, I'd prioritize that ahead of redoing the joining strips.

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Unless you plan on going screen-accurate with the internal strapping (i.e. all the straps are glued in place or affixed with fasteners with no snap plates at all) you'll need to ensure you have enough plastic belt strips left over for the snap plates. Personally, I'd prioritize that ahead of redoing the joining strips.

 

My strapping system is in place already. I took an old back support belt (the kind you would find at a hardware store) and deconstructed it. I used some of the elastic, glued some Velcro to it and used it to hold the ab piece and kidney piece together. It holds quiet nicely and all you can see from the outside is a very small seam line between the two. I also used the adjustable elastic suspenders from the back support added some snaps and then attached the receivers to the inside of the armor. The rest of the system is made up of re-using the elastic straps that came with the kit, but will snaps added. I found out very quickly I hated the sound of Velcro tearing as I moved, bent or turned.

 

Aside from some minor cosmetic work, the armor is finished. Im still lacking some soft components and a helmet. But I have learned that I can actually somewhat sit as long as the seat is not too low. And after a certain point you really cant reach for anything on the ground or below your knees... So plan head while suiting up. But the real test will be when I try to shoot a game of pool while suited up!

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Update: Have all my soft parts. Awaiting a holster and even better a RT-mod lid.

 

Finished building my Thermal detonator. I made it possible to remove the end-cap so that I can store keys or other needed items.

 

 

I ended up making my clips out of some hangers I found at the local craft store.

 

 

This was how much material I had left over. But for 2 bucks it was a nice piece of metal to work with and was a great means to the ends. The clips have a great, strong snap to them. Now lets see if it can survive a troop.

 

 

I added some soft velco to the back to the clips to keep the metal (even though I did file it) from scratching up my armor.

 

Also finished belt, fixed corners, added drop boxes with closed backs and made them able to open and close for more storage.

 

 

As soon as I get my helmet and holster attached. I will get some "clear" picture (stupid phone camera) And minus some adjustments, all I have left to do is get a blaster. And I will be ready for the 501st! Then if things jive right, I should also be able to submit for EIB status right around the same time!

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Latest photos look good.

 

If anything, I'd shorten the drop box straps a bit and move them out so that the outer edges line up with the outer edges of the belt.

 

Are those Kevin's (kwdesigns) inner drop boxes? I have a set and they're great, but the fit was so tight that I couldn't really make them removable for extra storage so I ended up permanently gluing them in.

[Guest Reaps]

Looks awesome.

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Did a full test fit this morning will all soft parts and helmet. The reactions I got from one room-mate (who knows nothing about the original trilogy and only very little of the clone wars because of her kids) was "That Looks awesome!" shes been watching me hide out in the garage and build over the last few months. I don't think she really had any idea of what I was doing in the beginning. Of my 2 god-kids, The 3 year old boy was speechless when I walked in, and didnt say anything until I took off my helmet. And only after I kept it off, would he walk up he even walk up to me. After a slew of questions and getting to try the helmet on himself everything was cool. As for the 4 year old girl... Well lets put it this way, she only would look at me wide eyed when as long as I had my helmet off. Anytime it was on, she was hiding her face in the couch. These lucky kids on the other hand (thanks to their dad) have been exposed to all 6 movies in both Blue ray and DvD quality respectively with surround sound and wall mounted flat screen display. I'm going to date myself here, but I remember if you were lucky it was "copied VHS quality" "Original Trilogy" (even though I will troop for them, I don't fully "support" episodes 1-3 or "special edition" 3-4. Im just old school like that) on a TV with a tube smaller than most of the screens you are reading this on .

 

All in all I will say impressing a star wars newb (she offered to grab the camara and start snapping pictures ) and scarring two kids with the sight of a storm-trooper walking into the house, were great first time reactions to get for a "finished" test fit for the an unknowing audience. I did had a glue blow out on shoulder strap (curse you E-6000!!!) And I think I will be applying Pandas "thigh trim" to the bottom of my upper thigh plates for more mobility. My goal is to ride my bike fully suited up. If a dude from San diego can Sail a boat in full TK

 

I can ride my bike and survive. (mine is on the right)

 

Completed pics will soon follow. Got to make my adjustments first. But the photo bucket has been updated along the way. Please excuse the blurry camera shots.

 

A big Thank You to everyone one both big and small on these boards who have made getting to this point possible. Without you all, I would of either ended up with some recast POS that wouldn't of fit without some major shimming on my part if at all. Of spending twice the amount I am currently in for some recast POS that wouldnt of fit without Major shimming on my part! Let alone throwing my armor in the trash or on e-bay thinking I passed "The point of no return" after making a mistake (and lord knows Ive made some major ones, at one point in the beginning I was thinking of ways to save for a rubies suit) I cant wait to get out there in a few weeks blaster-less or not and make my real troop. And maybe with a little luck I will be 501st applicable and FISD passable

[Femtrooper Julie[501st]]

Great Job! Love it when all the hard work pays off! I have modeled for one of the motorized bike out fits, yours would look great with an engine

 

(that is me!)

Edited October 2, 2010 by Femtrooper Julie

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

It was a nice day out, And I was able to get some nice quality shots of my suit. Please excuse the turned out biceps and pushed back bells and the sagging thigh. I will make some adjustments to those. But here goes nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then for the test run

 

 

 

Had a blow out...

 

 

Then for the real test....

 

 

 

 

Who says you need to be Biker Scout to ride a bike huh? :bikerscout:

 

 

 

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Did a little more work to make things fit and sit better on me. Found out my room mate keeps a heat gun for tuning his snow boards. I rounded the bicep pieces and opened the shoulders a little more so they aren't so tight on me. Finally I rounded the just the bottom of my shin pieces in order to make them fit around my boots better. I also added some extra foam inside the shins to keep them from rotating. So far it seems to have fixed the problem. It happened to be cooler this night, so I stayed suited up and walking/flexing and generally moving around for a good 45 mins to put stress on the suit. The Thighs look funny in this picture, but are being pushed out due to the banana seat. Other than that, once I have my blaster that I have on order. I will be ready to troop I believe.

 

Edited October 11, 2010 by Defiance7x13

[Rob .T .[TK]]

Excelent .. Great feeling eh ? So amny troopers moan about lack of flexibility or lack of movability ...

Maybe we should start a new biker club ??

 

 

[Femtrooper Julie[501st]]

Looks amazing my friend! And you are obviously a fun guy!

[ObiHahn[TK]]

Maybe we should start a new biker club ??

 

Let's leave that to our scout brothers.

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

So I went to my first party last night with suit in tow. Man! What a blast! I had my first experience suiting up while outside in the cold standing in the street. People who had no idea who I was, were completely blown away.... I even saw a car drive past me twice just to get a better look at me, with giant smiles on their faces... And all the kids thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread bread and followed me around for quiet some time. And of course everyone wanted to check out the helmet. However there was one little girl who looked at me, and said: "what are you?" to which I replied, you know like star wars.... to which I got a blank stare I posted for many a picture that night, some much more tame than others

 

(crappy quality I know, waiting to get the high res shots)

 

Turns out I can shoot pool "kinda" (helmet off of course) but still got my butt kicked by Cobra Commander (he had the unfair advantage of being able to bend at the waist) And Ive decided to replace the remaining velcro with snaps (my shoulder bells kept coming lose from about my arm)

 

All in all this was a great test, I was suited up for about 4-5 hours without any major mishaps or blow outs. And that includes the armor being pulled, touched, poked, and hit throughout the night. With less than a week to go before my first Con, I am very happy with how it preformed. And think I should be able to blend in with some of the "real" 501st guys on the floor. And I'm confident it will hold up through the con after party and concert

Edited October 24, 2010 by Defiance7x13

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

I was told to be 501st acceptable I had to trim down the arms and legs. But thanks from a little help from Brian, I got the extra ABS that I needed and I got the job done.

 

Before

 

 

 

The Armor bit me

 

After

 

Lets see how its goes this time. Of course, if things go according to schedule, I should have my TX submitted before Friday.... Wish me guys!

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

So after not being able to see out of my lid during my first troop due to the fog and heat I decided something had to be done! Luckily there is a electronic store near by that isn't Fry's. Behold....

 

 

I have hosted these pictures, and made this post all while wearing my helmet and I can still see out!

Edited December 23, 2010 by Defiance7x13