PHOTO REQUEST thread

[JTKenobi[TK]]

I thought it would be helpful to have a place to ask for photos as they relate to building our armor. It was either this or make a new thread just to request what I am hoping someone can provide me photos of.

 

Anyway, I'd like to see if any one has an AP kit with arm and leg seams done with the separate strips of ABS for the more accurate ANH look. In particular I'd like to see close-up photos of the forearms' seams (both top and bottom) including the ends. If you could mention the width of the strips used, that would be helpful. I cut 15mm strips for my forearms but they look so thin when compared to the molded seam.

[Bigturc]

I have the AP, but I didn't do the added strips method.

Did you install them over the molded seam? Molded seams should be reduced in about half on each side, then, the strip should be glued over the seam.

Is that what you did?

[JTKenobi[TK]]

Bigturc said:

I have the AP, but I didn't do the added strips method.

Did you install them over the molded seam? Molded seams should be reduced in about half on each side, then, the strip should be glued over the seam.

Is that what you did?

 

I have not yet installed/glued them. Still preparing. My pictures are poor but I think it shows what I am talking about. The extra strip is 15 mm but the 'molded seam' on the armor is about 23 mm. I understand that I will have to cut down the original seams on each side, but if I cut them down by half (12.5 mm) on each side, I still have a 23 mm molded 'bump' over which I will glue the 15 extra strip. Won't the 15 mm strip look too small? I am hoping I can see some other AP armor with this style of seam.

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Edited February 25, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[Bigturc]

I just checked the stuff that came with my suit, and AP had given me his original template to do these strips.

The width is exactly 20mm, so you'd need to strip both side to around 9mm.

 

What does the instruction says? I don't have them anymore.

[TK8280]

Yes, i need to see this done and interpreted because I'd like to know...the directions aren't extreemly clear to me either

[troopermaster]

20mm is way too wide for the arms if you are going for an accurate ANH look. See Hans forearms below...very thin strips..and it's the same on all the troopers arms.

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Edited February 25, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[JTKenobi[TK]]

20mm is way too wide for the arms if you are going for an accurate ANH look. See Hans forearms below...very thin strips..and it's the same on all the troopers arms.

 

Well that picture is interesting. Towards the top of the forearm you see the strip and then the 'molded bump' outside of that. This is another main reason I want to see another AP kit done this way. How far should the molded bumps be outside of the glued on strip? This will determine how much I need to cut away (scary stuff). If done incorrectly, I could see this not looking very good. Someone here with an AP must have done their seams like this. Pics please

[Bigturc]

20mm is way too wide for the arms if you are going for an accurate ANH look. See Hans forearms below...very thin strips..and it's the same on all the troopers arms.

 

You're right TM, I think the strip was for the legs only. I don't have the measurements for the arm .. but I guess TM's guess would probably be right

[kiyotei[TK]]

I'm a bit confused. Are you overlapping the two haves of plastic, glueing them together and then add the plastic seam strip to just give it better definition? Or are you creating a butt joint (no overlap of the two haves) and using the strip to actually hold the two halves together? I know with FX you actually overlap the two halves and glue them. But I think I've read where with AP you actually create the butt joint and use a thin strip which overlaps both pieces and holds them together??? I get my AP armor this week and will be starting to assemble it soon. Perhaps its clearer when you actually have the armor.

[kiyotei[TK]]

here are drawings of what I mean:

 

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Edited February 25, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[troopermaster]

You want the 'butt seam' on all parts....no overlapping in ANH or ESB. You should remember that the AP is an ROTJ so it is designed to be overlapped, that's why it has the joining strips at the back of the parts and the ANH/ESB don't have this feature.

 

When I use the 15mm strips, I cut the moulded front parts (you'll need to do the same on the backs for AP and TE) at 8-9mm so that when I glue the strip on, you can see a bit of the edge underneath and the strip is not hanging over, just like it looks on Hans in the picture above.

 

If you want to use wider strips, that's fine. There is no law that says you must use what anyone else is using. It's your suit at the end of the day and you can do whatever you like.

 

Cheers,

 

-Paul.

[JTKenobi[TK]]

You should remember that the AP is an ROTJ so it is designed to be overlapped, that's why it has the joining strips at the back of the parts and the ANH/ESB don't have this feature.

Not 100% sure what this means. The AP has 'joining strips' to be overlapped on both the front AND the back, right? Can you clarify? Do you mean that the original ANH armor had overlapping joining strips on the front (same as AP) and only the back had no 'moulded seam'? The photo above seems to show the front of Han's forearms having a moulded joining strip for overlapping, but is new to me.

 

Paul, I was thinking of going seamless only on the front initially and leaving the back as is (overlapping with velcro). In your estimation, if I do this and I don't like it later on, would it be relatively easy to do the back seamless with the extra strip or would it be too difficult with the front parts already glued?

 

Thanks..you truly are the 'Master' of helping newbies!

[troopermaster]

OK, the ANH suit's only had the joining strip on the front of the shins, thighs and forearms presumably to help with assembly. The backs didn't have anything and could be glued shut with a strip of ABS, thus allowing some variation of diameter of the parts. Biceps didn't have any strips moulded so they were just butted up and closed with strips.

 

ROTJ armour on the other hand, had the strips front and back, and were designed to be overlapped unlike the ANH suits which were designed to be butted up. The AP armour is cast from an ROTJ so it is designed to be overlapped. You can still assemble the AP like ANH, but the joining strips moulded into each part determine where you have the joining strip and no adjustment cna be made without adding wider strips or trimming the strips right down.

 

I hope that makes a bit more sense

 

If you glue the front and velcro the backs f your forearms, I don't see any problems if you wish to glue the backs in the future.

 

-Paul.

[JTKenobi[TK]]

That is very interesting. So the front of the AP kit's calves, thighs and forearms are essentially the same as ANH armor. At least I can look perfectly accurate from the front. So your recommendation is 15 mm strips for both front and back of forearms & biceps and 20 mm for calves and thighs, but 25 mm for the back of calves, right?

 

An off-topic question: anyone know how do you make the AP shoulder straps curve? Put in boiling water?

[Bigturc]

Curving the shoulder straps:

 

I had them around a cylinder of about 5" of diameter. I put an elastic around them, to make sure they don't move, and then, I hair dried them at super hot for 5 minutes.

 

When I removed the elastic, they straighten back half way between the cylinder and a straight line. Perfect fit for the shoulders. Cold water to keep the shape.

 

I've heard horror stories about boiling ABS .. I wouldn't go this route anyway. But that's just me!

[troopermaster]

So your recommendation is 15 mm strips for both front and back of forearms & biceps and 20 mm for calves and thighs, but 25 mm for the back of calves, right?

 

Spot on my friend

 

If you check out any suits that I have assembled I think you will agree that the seams look as wide as the originals. I will throw together a couple of pics later tonight to compare them.

 

-Paul

[Volund Starfire]

...I hair dried them at super hot for 5 minutes.

Hair drier or hobby heat gun? The gun gets much hotter, but I do not think hot enough to melt plastic.

[Bigturc]

Yep, Hair dryer since I don't have a heat gun.

But I think you can definitely melt the ABS with the gun if you're not careful...

[JTKenobi[TK]]

Yep, Hair dryer since I don't have a heat gun.

But I think you can definitely melt the ABS with the gun if you're not careful...

 

Still waiting for AP 'seamless' pics?? Anyone?

[JTKenobi[TK]]

Another question while I wait for someone to (hopefully) to post pics of their seamless/butted arms and legs

 

When trimming the outer right and inner left calve (which are identical) did you guys trim down to the trim line at the top near the knee? It looks like you are supposed to cut to there, but if you do it looks like you will inevitably have to then cut away the molded edge which I don't want to do. Here are some photos of what I am talking about. Can you guys give me some advice please? Perhaps photos of your guys' armor would help.

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Edited February 25, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[kiyotei[TK]]

I trimmed it off. On the one shin it will be covered by the knee cap so you can't see it anyhow.

[Bigturc]

Here's a couple things that looks weird...

 

1. As you'll see on the attached pictures, I don't remember having those trim lines. But I could be wrong, the first picture, top right corner shows me having trimmed one side's upper lip and not the other, that was an error I made while building the armor. Mm .. mabe it was because of some trim lines (that I don't see anymore since I removed the upper lips.

2. There seems to be some weird angled in your leg's junction .. what is that? I wonder if your part is warped or you're not holding it tight closed?

 

Now, here's 2 pix of my calves, one is while I was building it, the other one is the final product. As you can see, while building the thing, I had opted to keep the upper lip on both pieces, but I have pretty big legs and knees and that lip was eating through my skin when I was trying to wear the calves so I completely removed it (see finished picture). It really helped make that piece more comfortable.

 

Also, in the last picture (and the first), your right calf is not properly closed together. Make sure to align FIRST the front of the 2 pieces and trim the back. Not the inverse. you want to trim the back of the calves, never the front.

 

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Edited February 25, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[Bigturc]

Ok, I was asked to post more pictures of my suit .. here's the thighs ...

 

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Edited February 25, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[kiyotei[TK]]

did you find that your right thigh was much wider than the left thigh at least at the bottom? Mine was significantly wider and so I had to overlap the seam in the back a lot more on the right thigh than the left thigh. I also see that you did not trim the corners on the ammo pack. I was looking at Curtis's ammo pack and he trimmed the bottom two corners. I will have to trim mine as well for fit purposes, they catch on my leg pieces. I guess it has to do with how tall you are and how much spacing is between the top of the shin and bottom of the thigh pieces.

[Bigturc]

Nope, both pieces have pretty much the same opening size I think.

And for me, the less I trim, the better it looks, less black showing .. I suppose that's why I never needed the trimming.

Unless it was screen accurate, I wouldn't do it!