AP ARMOR DOESN'T FIT

[Jamtrooper]

Okay. I'm about to cut out the shins of my AP armor but holding them together (pre-trimmed) I can already see that they don't line up. The inner shin literally could fit INSIDE the outer shin!! By almost an INCH!!!! Did I just receive a horrible mold or is this just the way AP armor is? Good golly!! If this is just the way it is, I guess once I cut it I'll force it to fit together. If I got a bad mold, then I guess I'm screwed. I'm following Stukatroopers build a lot and I can completed empathize with his frustrations!

[SW1]

Okay. I'm about to cut out the shins of my AP armor but holding them together (pre-trimmed) I can already see that they don't line up. The inner shin literally could fit INSIDE the outer shin!! By almost an INCH!!!! Did I just receive a horrible mold or is this just the way AP armor is? Good golly!! If this is just the way it is, I guess once I cut it I'll force it to fit together. If I got a bad mold, then I guess I'm screwed. I'm following Stukatroopers build a lot and I can completed empathize with his frustrations!

 

 

Hi Jeff ,

Iam sure Vern will chime in he is the AP king;)

[Rich330[TK]]

Some parts of the AP seem to need a bit of help going together. I had to use a lot of clamps, a bit of brute force and some creative trimming here and there when I built my wife's AP. Looks fine when it's all together though.

Also, if you haven't yet done so (I'm sure you will have but ... just in case), take a look at Pete's diagram of the shins to make sure you have matched them correctly ...

 

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Edited January 26, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021

[SW1]

On 10/26/2010 at 6:41 PM, Rick330 said:

Some parts of the AP seem to need a bit of help going together. I had to use a lot of clamps, a bit of brute force and some creative trimming here and there when I built my wife's AP. Looks fine when it's all together though.

Also, if you haven't yet done so (I'm sure you will have but ... just in case), take a look at Pete's diagram of the shins to make sure you have matched them correctly ...

Nice diagrame well done Rich now i will call you the AP king

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Edited January 26, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021

[Rich330[TK]]

now i will call you the AP king

 

 

Behave!

[SW1]

 

Behave!

 

 

You know the score

[Jamtrooper]

Thanks everyone. I just got the first inner/outer shin pieces cut out and once released from the mold, they seem to fit together. They aren't aligned right as seen in Stukatroopers tutorial, but I'll deal with that later. Nice to know I'm not the only one struggling with this build.

[firebladejedi[TK]]

On 10/26/2010 at 6:08 PM, Jamtrooper said:

Okay. I'm about to cut out the shins of my AP armor but holding them together (pre-trimmed) I can already see that they don't line up. The inner shin literally could fit INSIDE the outer shin!! By almost an INCH!!!! Did I just receive a horrible mold or is this just the way AP armor is? Good golly!! If this is just the way it is, I guess once I cut it I'll force it to fit together. If I got a bad mold, then I guess I'm screwed. I'm following Stukatroopers build a lot and I can completed empathize with his frustrations!

 

 

On 10/26/2010 at 6:23 PM, SW1 said:

Hi Jeff ,

Iam sure Vern will chime in he is the AP king;)

 

 

On 10/26/2010 at 6:41 PM, Rick330 said:

Some parts of the AP seem to need a bit of help going together. I had to use a lot of clamps, a bit of brute force and some creative trimming here and there when I built my wife's AP. Looks fine when it's all together though.

Also, if you haven't yet done so (I'm sure you will have but ... just in case), take a look at Pete's diagram of the shins to make sure you have matched them correctly ...

 

 

Most AP parts need some persuasion on one form or another, but in the end will result in a nice suit. Good luck.

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On 10/26/2010 at 6:56 PM, Rick330 said:

 

Behave!

 

 

On 10/26/2010 at 7:02 PM, SW1 said:

You know the score

Edited January 26, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021

[TK_LEPER]

Thanks everyone. I just got the first inner/outer shin pieces cut out and once released from the mold, they seem to fit together. They aren't aligned right as seen in Stukatroopers tutorial, but I'll deal with that later. Nice to know I'm not the only one struggling with this build.

 

No you are not!

[Shooter]

I must be the rare one, because I had no issue with this, just glue the fronts together and the backs will line up when you attach them with velcro. Remember, this kit is cast from an ROTJ suit and is designed to overlap, so make sure your cuts are accurate

[pandatrooper[TK]]

As described in the diagrams, the inner left shin is actually just a duplicate from the outer right shin. So there will be some alignment issues. Some people leave them, some people re-shape them using a heat gun / heat sealing iron.

 

I would just follow the build threads and assemble yours the same way. You can always change the overall shape of the shins later with a heat gun (I usually do this to make them line up better so that the back closure butts together).

[Jamtrooper]

Thanks for all the feedback. The shins fit together pretty well once I cut them out. They need a little reshaping but I don't think it will be bad.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

photos of the situation always helps... and rick is also an acomplished AP builder.

 

the shins can be a little tricky.

 

on the original suits the shins also line up a little offset.

 

if you use velcro to assemble the backs, then the pressure from that should align the parts just fine.

Edited October 26, 2010 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[TK-8224[501st]]

Glue the front with strips and everything. Then line up the back and use dusktape to get it straigt. Then pour boiling water on it. The water will make the plastic melt just enough to make it line up. If you are careful and do not pour everything on the same spot, this will not warp yoor armour.

 

PS. Don't use magnets for this, they will be extremely warm and warp the plastic.