Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 11, 2011 Report Posted October 11, 2011 And so it begins. I got my "Big Brown Box" today! Of course I played the obligatory Imperial March while opening. I have been getting so much good information from these forums, I can't wait to get started! Quote
Dirt McGirt Posted October 11, 2011 Report Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) I will be watching closely as it's either RT-Mod or AM for me. Good luck and take copious amounts of pics. Edited October 11, 2011 by Dirt McGirt Quote
SolderMaster Posted October 11, 2011 Report Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) Might I suggest, being an RT MOD suit owner myself, to use the butt joints with finishing strips for the shins, thighs, bicepts, and forearms. Trust me, it will look so much better. When I built mine, I used the over-lapping joints and put a finishing strip over the over-lapped joint. I would have been much happier with the butt joints. Just my two HUGE cents. Congrats on your new armor!!! Have a blast with your build. I know I did! Here's the link for my RT-MOD build thread. It might help ya. http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=10006&hl=soldermaster%26%2339%3Bs&fromsearch=1 Edited October 11, 2011 by SolderMaster Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Posted October 11, 2011 Might I suggest, being an RT MOD suit owner myself, to use the butt joints with finishing strips for the shins, thighs, bicepts, and forearms. Trust me, it will look so much better. When I built mine, I used the over-lapping joints and put a finishing strip over the over-lapped joint. I would have been much happier with the butt joints. Just my two HUGE cents. Congrats on your new armor!!! Have a blast with your build. I know I did! Here's the link for my RT-MOD build thread. It might help ya. http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=10006&hl=soldermaster%26%2339%3Bs&fromsearch=1 Thanks! Yeah I definitely plan on doing the butt joins with finishing strips. I think it looks better, and it actually seems like it will hold together better. I will be starting on this in the next few days, just need to get a few more things for the build, and there will definitely be lots of pictures posted. Stay tuned! Quote
Darth Aloha[Admin] Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 Yes! More RT-MOD troopers Good luck.... we'll be following along. Aloha, -Eric Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 12, 2011 Author Report Posted October 12, 2011 Yes! More RT-MOD troopers Good luck.... we'll be following along. Aloha, -Eric Thanks brah! Yeah, I've been followong your thread too. I really like some of the things you've done with your kit. Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 12, 2011 Author Report Posted October 12, 2011 Ok, so I figured I would start with the easiest things. Gluing on my latex handguards from Karin, and installing a fan and upgrading the lenses in my helmet to the screen accurate acetate green lenses. For the handguards I used superglue to attach them to the rubber gloves. (With some assistance from Lord Vader to help them set.) As for the fan and lenses, the fan was super easy. I just used the supplied velcro and installed it in a place with good airflow. For the lenses, i just used the supplied grey lenses as a template, and cut the acetate along the same shape and drillied screw holes in the same place. More to come soon! Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 13, 2011 Author Report Posted October 13, 2011 I got over my anxiety and made the first cut today! I decided to start on the biceps, because after reading countless threads, most people recommend it. I used a guide as suggested in Panda's build, and it helped a lot. After marking and taping off, I used an Xacto knife to score the plastic. I then made a 15mm inner shim and used E6000 to glue it to the inside of the bicep. (I had to dremel out the return edge where the shim was going to go.) This is pretty fun so far! 1 Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 14, 2011 Author Report Posted October 14, 2011 Used the inside shim to connect the pieces, let it set and added the finishing strip. Quote
DudeSidious Posted October 15, 2011 Report Posted October 15, 2011 off to a good start but whats happend to your hand? can you wiggle your fingers? Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 16, 2011 Author Report Posted October 16, 2011 off to a good start but whats happend to your hand? can you wiggle your fingers? My hand is doing good. Still have all my fingers even after using the xacto knife. Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 19, 2011 Author Report Posted October 19, 2011 Quick update. Went out of town for a few days and got this done, so I had to take a break from building. Got back on track today and finished the biceps. Hooray! First pieces fitted, measured and assembled. Next up... Forearms. Stay tuned! 1 Quote
Dirt McGirt Posted October 19, 2011 Report Posted October 19, 2011 Comb the desert! Took the words right out of my mouth. Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 19, 2011 Author Report Posted October 19, 2011 Started on the forearms today. First thing I did was dremel out the return edge on the front of the forearms to make them more screen accurate, as well as comfortable. Next I used my 8mm guide again to measure for the butt joints. I then used lexan scissors to trim the excess. I found the lexan scissors to be much easier for cutting non-flat plastic. After that, I glued and clamped a 15mm inside shim to the joint and now it's drying. I also need to mention that I trimmed away some of the curve on the inside of the forearms to make them fit better. And all surfaces that were getting glued were prepared by sanding them first, to make a better surface for the E6000 to bond. I'm off to Wally World for some more clamps. *Tip-always get more clamps or magnets than you think you'll need. They run out quick! Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 21, 2011 Author Report Posted October 21, 2011 So I'm trying to decide whether I am going to use velcro or glue to close the inside of the forearm. I am afraid that the velcro won't be enough to keep it secure. Can someone who has trooped with velcro give me advice? I'm still probably going to do the finishing strips just with velcro instead of glue. Quote
tkrestonva[TK] Posted October 21, 2011 Report Posted October 21, 2011 Way back in the day when I trooped with an out-of-the-box FX, my forearms were velcro'd. Makes size adjustments easier and if you use the industrial strength velcro it should hold fine. Problem is (from my perspective) that velcro adds bulk to the seams, and just doesn't have that clean look like fully-glued forearms do. Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 21, 2011 Author Report Posted October 21, 2011 Way back in the day when I trooped with an out-of-the-box FX, my forearms were velcro'd. Makes size adjustments easier and if you use the industrial strength velcro it should hold fine. Problem is (from my perspective) that velcro adds bulk to the seams, and just doesn't have that clean look like fully-glued forearms do. Good point, thanks! E6000 it is. Quote
Darth Aloha[Admin] Posted October 21, 2011 Report Posted October 21, 2011 Rock'n good progress my RT brother! Good point, thanks! E6000 it is. I've got my forearms velcro-ed on the inside but glued on the outside seam... I wouldn't get my forearms through them if it were glued on both sides. It does add a little bulk tho. Aloha, -Eric Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 21, 2011 Author Report Posted October 21, 2011 Rock'n good progress my RT brother Thanks, just trying to catch up to you man! I decided to go for the glued closed forearms. The sizing bonus would be great, but I don't want the extra bulk with the velcro. The inside shims are clamped and drying now. Time for some beer and red meat! Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 24, 2011 Author Report Posted October 24, 2011 Forearms are done, I'm going to do the shins next and save the thighs for last before attaching the strapping system. I'm trying to decide whether I want to do snaps to connect, or the screen accurate wire. The wire doesn't look like it would be too hard to do, but it doesn't look that sturdy to me. Just having the screws in the return edge seems like it would crack the plastic pretty easily. On a happy note, I got this in the mail today from Slavefive and it is awesome! I'm probably going to do some slight modifications for accuracy, but it turned out great! Quote
Johnny Cab[TK] Posted October 27, 2011 Author Report Posted October 27, 2011 I'm trying to decide whether I want to do snaps to connect, or the screen accurate wire. The wire doesn't look like it would be too hard to do, but it doesn't look that sturdy to me. Just having the screws in the return edge seems like it would crack the plastic pretty easily. Anyone have any advice about that? Quote
ZacMuleer[TK] Posted October 27, 2011 Report Posted October 27, 2011 I think it depends on if you'd prefer "screen accurate" vs "Imperial issue". I'm a fan of the hidden snap system, but if you want the super-accurate wire system, it's certainly been done before. You raise a good point, though - I'm not sure how much trooping it would withstand. Quote
tkrestonva[TK] Posted October 29, 2011 Report Posted October 29, 2011 It seems that if you go with the screen-accurate wire method, you almost have to use the super-flexible 1mm TM armor. I would think that anything thicker & more rigid that doesn't flex with movement is too brittle to use that method. Also, you need viable return edges. My RT Mod back plate came with no return edge, and only a small return on the chest plate. Quote
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