My First Big Brown Box

[SapaWanmdi]

Thanks! I love how exact you have everything, its absolutely incredible. What should the dimension be for the other direction, you drew a line on one size, 10mm from the edge of the ribbed strip, how far from the circle should I cut the other side?

[SapaWanmdi]

Had my first troop today, I wasn't wearing my armor, because it's still not finished. Rather, I was wearing a friend's FX kit. It was tons of fun, and hopefully will keep me from getting as distracted from armor. I didn't expect it to be has hard as it was though, this stuff gets heavy after a few hours! So from that, and not sleeping out of excitement - this is all I got done today. Its coming slowly but I love it!

 

With Anakin's Podracer at the museum, and Jen's droid.

 

Most of the group. I'm the short one on the far left, next to Sev.

 

I can't wait to troop for the first time in my own armor, but it was great to be able to join the guys in armor for once!

Edited December 5, 2010 by SapaWanmdi

[stukatrooper]

trooping is fun!

 

There is one thing i have noticed in all your pictures,You have the kidney plate upside down!The cut outs go at the bottom next to your butt plate.I know these are only show off pictures of the trimming and test fits but if you keep putting it the wrong way up ,when it comes to the final fit you might just get it wrong and we don't want that do we.

[SapaWanmdi]

Today's progress, we're having another armor party on Thursday, so I'm waiting till then - for an extra pair of hands to start the gluing. Getting everything else done before then. I'm going out of town for 3 weeks soon, so I'll miss working on this a ton! Gotta get my fix before then

 

 

I originally thought I might need to trim the inner drop boxes more, to make them fit more flush with the backs of the outer ones, but I think it looks fine now.

 

 

The button plate on the left looks so wonky, isn't it wonderful!

 

 

It fits on perfectly too, the smaller set of buttons are taped on in the picture, because they kept falling off. Looks like they're ready for paint!

 

I've also been working on painting the latex hand plates, and trimming the shoulder strap pieces, but neither is finished yet.

Edited December 6, 2010 by SapaWanmdi

[SapaWanmdi]

This is my first time trying to paint latex, is this how these hand plates should look?

 

Shoulder straps are looking good.

 

There is so little left to trim! On the ammo plate (thingy) for the belt - TM drew a line 38mm from the edge of the boxes, on his TM build Stukatrooper said to trim at 45mm. My armor will already be too perfect to be screen-accurate, but which is it supposed to be

 

I'm still having issues trying to get the lines straight on the thermal detonator's control panel - any suggestions for that?

Edited December 7, 2010 by SapaWanmdi

[troopermaster]

I'm still having issues trying to get the lines straight on the thermal detonator's control panel - any suggestions for that?

 

Errr....a ruler?

 

Seriously, use a ruler for the straight edges and for the curved ends, offer it to the tube and put it just over the edge, then use a pencil against the end of the tube to mark the inside the det plate. This will give you a nice straight edge and just trim from the inside rather than the outside.

[SapaWanmdi]

The only thing I have left to trim is the helmet! (and the thermal detonator plate - which I'll get help with tomorrow - the lines still don't seem straight) Gluing will happen tomorrow, when I have another set of hands to help - and clamps.

 

So, I'm looking at how all the pieces work together. I've been planning on using a strapping system like Stukatrooper does. I just have a few questions. How do the shoulders connect in this style of strapping?

 

Another question can anyone tell me about the rivets that are under the belt, or post where I can find more about them. Do these serve a functional purpose? Like on this image.

http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy171/ste1972/DSCF3019.jpg

 

I plan on having the single male snap on the right side, and the six rivets on the left, and making them function like the snaps like Stukatrooper.

 

All the armor I've encountered in my local garrison uses extensive Velcro to hold everything together. I think this method looks like more work to start, but at least I'll be able to dress myself, and I won't encounter loose Velcro pieces, or have the Velcro stick to my UnderArmor. One troop in a friend's armor helped me decide I definitely dont't want to do it that way.

[SapaWanmdi]

Still have the same questions as in the post above - how the shoulders work in Stukatrooper's method, and any function on the rivets under the belt. For the strapping it looks like they're connect together - and the strap somehow rests on the back of your neck without falling - no idea on the rivets under the belt.

 

But I also have some progress to post. Armor party was moved to next week - my friend's dog got lost

 

I'm fairly happy with how these have turned out. I know the brush strokes were evident on the originals in the movie, but these seem quite evident.

 

And I finally got some straight lines on the thermal detonator! Trimming from the inside was exactly what I needed to do.

 

 

Its hard to see where to trim the top/bottom, but from what I've gathered I should trim about here on the top side.

 

Can anyone please post a picture of where you trimmed the bottom side - it's hidden much more in photos.

[john danter]

I cut mine so the plate edges are at 12 and 6 o'clock

 

The line of detail is at 9 oclock

[stukatrooper]

 

Another question can anyone tell me about the rivets that are under the belt, or post where I can find more about them. Do these serve a functional purpose?

 

All the armor I've encountered in my local garrison uses extensive Velcro to hold everything together. I think this method looks like more work to start, but at least I'll be able to dress myself, and I won't encounter loose Velcro pieces, or have the Velcro stick to my UnderArmor. One troop in a friend's armor helped me decide I definitely dont't want to do it that way.

 

To your first question they are snaps not rivets,what they are for is to hold the belt up with.Male on the suit,female on the belt.

 

To your second ponit ,good on you mate,velcro hate the stuff.

 

Scrap the one piece shoulder strap idea ,to be honest i forgot i still had that picture up.Just go for this set up.the white holds the shoulder chest and back plate,the black goes to the shoulder bell.

 

 

 

your belly snap for the belt.

 

 

[SapaWanmdi]

Thanks guys

[SapaWanmdi]

Today's progress:

Crude trimming for holes in the faceplate done, I think the back piece is finished, except for around the neck - haven't trimmed there at all. I think it's lining up right, but I haven't started the ears yet. The back piece is a lot larger near the tubes than the faceplate, but when I rivet it together, it should work perfectly. This is my first helmet - none of the guys in the local area have assembled a 2 piece helmet before

[SapaWanmdi]

Until just now, helmet progress has been great. This is what it currently looks like.

 

The first three rivets went just fine, but I had my dad's help holding everything where I wanted it. Tired from the first three rivets, being a skinny little 120lb 19 year old guy with little to no upper-body strength, I let him help with the rivet gun part of the last rivet. He twisted it, and ripped the rivet right out of the hole - leaving the inside piece cracked from the hole to the edge of the piece.

 

 

I'm really not sure how to repair this - please help!

[troopermaster]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

Drill out the rivet and insert a new one, making sure you are using the washers inside the helmet to make the joint secure. A bit of superglue will sort out the crack, but it really won't affect anything as the crack won't go past the rivet hole.

[SapaWanmdi]

Thanks! That worked perfectly! The hole got a little big, so I put a washer on the outside as well. Will still be under the ear though.

 

[SapaWanmdi]

Sorry I haven't been posting any pictures - I'll try to do that today when I get home. I've gotten lots of work done, slowly of course. I started glueing in snap plates and getting everything to fit - and have one question. Because I'm smaller than a lot of troopers the back piece on my armor will overlap the kidney by about an inch and a half unless I trim it or something. What should I do? I'd like to keep it as screen accurate as possible, when I finish I do want to get EIB.

[troopermaster]

What you need to do is reduce the gap between the chest and back plate over your shoulder. You might need to trim some ABS away from the tabs where your ribbed shoulder straps are or the ones on top of the back plate if there is no gap and you are still having this problem.

[SapaWanmdi]

I have to be one of the worst people ever at posting pictures here. I'm sorry

More images can be found at http://s323.photobucket.com/albums/nn476/sapawanmdi/armor/

 

TM 2010 Helmet finished

 

I couldn't get the lighting to work at all for the next pictures, tried many times, these are the best I could get.

 

Is it ok to have the sides overlap like they do, or do I need to trim it down?

It looks like I have the elastic on the buttplate too short, so I'll fix that.

As you can tell from the shadows of the above pic of my thighs, I need to put some meat on these bones! But aside from that, does everything look like it's in the right place

Edited March 4, 2011 by SapaWanmdi

[Rich330[TK]]

I trimmed a bit off the sides on both my TM suits. If you're reluctant to trim off the sides of your armour, I don't see any real problem with an overlap, or maybe even padding out your armour with foam, but I prferred losing a bit of armour detail and having a nice close-fitting suit.

[SapaWanmdi]

I ordered my custom belt from TKittel on Saturday - it arrived in the mail today! (2 days later) I'm amazed at the speed, and spent the day working on strapping stuff together instead of writing papers for college

 

Any tips for how to get the buttplate to work better? I had the elastic a tad shorter and it seemed too tight, just a smidge longer, and it's doing this now. Sorry about the flash.

 

[Rich330[TK]]

The elastic straps connecting the kidney and the butt are probably too long. Shorten them so the butt sits snug and flush below the kidney.

[troopermaster]

And your cod strap is probably too tight as well. The armour should be loose fitting, so don't try to tighten your belt too much either.

[SapaWanmdi]

Armor is getting really close to finished. I still need to work on the belt, and putting the ammo plate on the right thigh, and attaching handplates. How do you attach ABS handplates to gloves, just elastic?

 

This is how it looks currently.

[SapaWanmdi]

After several months, I can finally say "I'm done!" but not really. What do I need to fix for EIB There are a few things I notice, but I'll have to get one of the guys in the garrison to help me take photos and let me know things like my shin isn't closed.

 

Turned in my 501st application today!

 

 

Other photos posted at http://s323.photobucket.com/albums/nn476/sapawanmdi/armor/

[SW1]

Jim comming along nicely sir , you are one skinney dude it make me sick evrytime i see a slim trooper ,i must lay of the beer , theres a couple of things i would imho , cut the return edge out at the bottom of the forearms trust me mate it will really make yor wrists and hands more movable , and also i would put 3 pices of white elastic with little hooks sown on to the elastic in each calfs at the back and drill holes for the hooks to go in to , so this would close your calfs , its all screen accurate you know i think Firebladejedi has a turtoiral on here some where on the calf closer , i did both these mods and i luv it plus done quite a bit of trooping and holding out well .

 

Looking good trooper