AM Build help PLZ...

[Striker]

Hello,

I am new to armor building and want to be guided in the correct direction. I had my Garrison Armor help me with the normal gluing and strap systems. Once we were all done with that I am still obviously needing to trim to my size. We had placed some snaps on that did not quite work so I had to redo some but wanted to post some pictures to see what you guys thought. Any help would definitely be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

First thing I did when I was on my own was the bicep replacement. This is how it sat with the snap placement.

 

This is how I replaced it and below is a shot with my undersuit.

Does it look ok now or did I move it to high? I think I would need to run a elastric strap from the bicep to the forearm to keep it in place. Am I totally wrong?

 

 

Now as for the upper torso I doesn't sit right lol. See the picture above and the ones below. I am sure I need to cut the lower part of the back plate and possibly the butt plate? And where or how much? Also if i dont pull the back down a little I get a big gap between my chest and the chest plate in the neck area. I was told there is not much I can do about that.

 

 

Now to move on to the legs man.... I know I need to move the snap placement because they sit to low but for now I am holding them up for the pictures. First question is do they seem to be placed about the correct height where I hold them up? If not please let me know lol. MI also think I will need to trim a little behind the thigh in the knee area for better mobility I cant bend them much. Also if the Ab/Cod is to high.

 

As for the shins that a story of its own. As you probably saw form a previous post they were ABS welded incorrectly and I dont know if I can fix. They were not matched up correctly and I lost the back strip detail in the back left shin. I might run an ABS strip down the back left one for now.

 

As you see the knee plate sits inside of my thigh kind of unless I make sure its correct. Do i trim the bottom of the shins to size?

 

Like I said, any help at all will be helpful. I am just feeling that I messed it all up . So please let me know where to trim and if I need to add anymore straps/Velcro? Possibly Velcro strip from the kidney to the ab? Thanks in advance

 

Pete

Edited February 23, 2011 by Striker

[Quebectrooper]

Pete first of all you need to smile on your pics (all troopers are happy)and put them straight and to search for Pandatrooper's AM build in the armor builds. It will answer all your questions. I like the flowers in the pics.

Edited February 23, 2011 by Quebectrooper

[Striker]

Pete first of all you need to smile on your pics (all troopers are happy)and put them straight and to search for Pandatrooper's AM build in the armor builds. It will answer all your questions. I like the flowers in the pics.

Yeah I just realized all of them were sideways lol. I was in a deep thought process and forgot to smile . Also I knew you would like the flowers I added that touch for you.

[NoVATie[Admin]]

I think the thigh pieces should be as high up as is comfortable, that way less undersuit shows. I have a garter belt system to hang my thigh straps from and I have a strap in front almost lined up with the seam and one also on the sides. This keeps the thighs up and also prevents them from twisting. There are threads on here for the garter belt.

 

I'd move the bicep down closer to the crook of your elbow, but you will have to play with it so it doesn't pinch. You might need straps from the bicep to the forearm pieces, I use velcro inside each and a strip of black elastic with mating velcro on the ends to keep my forearm pieces in place.

 

Ab and cod looks fine where it is. As for mobility by trimming the back of the thighs, well, TK's aren't known for their mobility. I'd get everything else adjusted and squared away and then spend some time in the armor to decide if you want to trim anything.

[Striker]

I think the thigh pieces should be as high up as is comfortable, that way less undersuit shows. I have a garter belt system to hang my thigh straps from and I have a strap in front almost lined up with the seam and one also on the sides. This keeps the thighs up and also prevents them from twisting. There are threads on here for the garter belt.

 

I'd move the bicep down closer to the crook of your elbow, but you will have to play with it so it doesn't pinch. You might need straps from the bicep to the forearm pieces, I use velcro inside each and a strip of black elastic with mating velcro on the ends to keep my forearm pieces in place.

 

Ab and cod looks fine where it is. As for mobility by trimming the back of the thighs, well, TK's aren't known for their mobility. I'd get everything else adjusted and squared away and then spend some time in the armor to decide if you want to trim anything.

 

Great thanks, Any more info guys?

 

 

Pete first of all you need to smile on your pics (all troopers are happy)and put them straight and to search for Pandatrooper's AM build in the armor builds. It will answer all your questions. I like the flowers in the pics.

 

There Pat,

I added some smiles in there for you

[TrooperTim]

My biceps are almost up that high but it's due to my body size. You could drop them an inch or so. I use snaps to attach the bicep to the shoulder bell for extra security but you can use industrial velcro if you like. Looks like you'll need to add plastic (shim) to connect the ab and kidney. I don't think the back plate needs to be cut unless you want to shorten it so it sits right above the kidney and create a more screen-accurate look.

 

I'm not sure how to undo an ABS weld aside from using a dremel or box cutter and cut into the welded seam. The left shin does look larger toward the bottom and would need to be tapered a little. You can put a piece of foam in the shin to push it forward so it doesn't stick in the thigh.

[Quebectrooper]

Pete i was kidding about the smile but that's funny!

 

don't cut the shins until the end completely. try to adjust the thighs first ,the belt then if you can walk and you'll then see if you need to trim the bottom of the thighs it they hurt. I'd raise the thighs higher, and with your boots on you'll see for the shins.

 

Pete the top looks good. Attach with black elastics the forearms to the biceps to the shoulders.

 

Once your belt canvas belt is on you'll see how much you need to shim the sides .

Yes you need to cut a bit the sides of the back and chest plate.

 

Best thing is to follow Pandatrooper's AM build.

 

Take your time.

[Striker]

Lol don't want to sound like a whiner but I still am at the same point not really knowing what to do. I look at the side between the AB and Kidney and think should I just have elastic for not and try to shim later? I have some plastic from the kit since they want you to make a ABS belt and I want to get a canvas one. I really am at a stand still. If I go and shim now are the AB and Kidnet supposed to be contoured to my body? Since I am not the fittest as you can see in my picture there is an angle gap not a straight one. So do I countor my body and have a shim with an angle or make a straight one from using the measurements at the tightest(lower part) and have it a little loose at the top? Also trying to get away with using my FX/AM helmet for now but during test fits the chest keeps bumping it and pushes it up. I have a gap between me and my chest. I really don't think I can move on to working on my thighs or anything else until I get this torso done but looking at it in the mirror sometimes for a very long time it just frustrates myself so I cant really wont on it. I figured all of the initial gluing and fitting done is correct since I did it step by step with my Garrison's armorer so must be something im not looking at right lol. Once we got done with the basic build i was just told I need to do the trim fitting and should be done in no time. All I have been able to do is notice that my Snaps/ bicep straps made my biceps way to low. I fixed that. My Snap/strap for thigh hung them to low to about my knee bend which could be a easy fix and that we glued the shins wrong. Someone please help.

Edited February 26, 2011 by Striker

[Darth Voorhees[501st]]

Hey bro...check out how i did the ab/kidney shims here:

http://forum.whitear...showtopic=10307

 

Its a TE2 kit, but the jist is the same for the ab/kidney shims. I, like you, am not exactly "fit" either. In my pics the ab is a bit angled but if i suck in a bit, i can get it straight...and its adjustable if you lose a few pounds

 

I just basically added the shim to the kidney plate with enough plastic to add velcro to the end to attach to the ab. Once you get that going, its really just a trial and error. with positioning everything. remember the chest and back will have a strap under the arm to hold them to each other and your body. If they are sliding up and bumping the helmet up, you may need to losen those straps so its not squeezing you and making it slide up. Also you can add straps from the ab to the chest to keep everything in place. I had to do that as well cuz my gut would sometimes push the ab over the chest. Ive lost weight since then, but i eep those straps there anyway as i feel it hold it all together better. Also that helmet is known to do that due to its size, so its not necessarily you doing anything wrong.

 

If the chest/back plates are too long under the arm, just look at the angle most armors are when worn..mark it with a china marker/grease pencil and put it on again. Adjust the line if nessisary once you feel the angle is right, then you can trim those pieces. The grease pencil will come off super easy with some goo gone.

 

For keeping the forearm in place, i just added foam inside them. I slide em on and they stay put. Some people do add a bicep/forearm strap added to the inner side of the elbow , but i feel the foam works great. Been doing it that way for 3yrs, never an issue!

 

Hope that helps bro

Edited February 27, 2011 by Darth Voorhees

[NoVATie[Admin]]

If you're getting frustrated then take a step back and take a break. This is supposed to be fun. In the pictures above everything looks fine in terms of placement. I see what you are saying about the way the kidney piece is angled and keeps you from placing a straight shim between it and the ab plate. I would get some of the scrap ABS you have and make shim, and tape it to the ab and the kidney so that both pieces sit straight up. If that means that there is a tiny space between your lower back and the kidney plate then so bet it. I think that is better than having an angled or triangular shim showing on the side of the suit. How are you hanging the thighs? Are you using a garter belt system? This is something easy to make if you need a break, but I think you need to have the main body assembly done first so you know where (height-wise) to hang the thighs. Get out the tape and put some shims in place and see how it looks. Keep asking questions and we will get you there

[TKittell[501st]]

My Tupperware AM Build Thread

 

Here's my tutorial. Should help out with the strapping system I used.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

This is what I would suggest for your torso. Glue your plastic shim on the sides to the AB plate, and fasten the other end of the shims to the back with velcro. This way, it will fit and sit straight for now. If you get slimmer, you can adjust it as you go.

 

This diagram should help you. What I have described above is a combination of the techniques shown here

[Striker]

Great thanks guys, this is good info. I like the adjustable idea lol. I went from 330lbs to 260lbs already in the past 2 years. Mainly did in 4 months but I have maintained 260lbs lol.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Striker