Noah's RT-Mod ESB build

[NastyNoah[TK]]

After months of research and waiting, my brown box from Rob has finally arrived. I am very impressed with everything about this kit (its my first kit so I don't have much to compare it to.) The most surprising thing about it for me is that I mentioned to Rob in one Email that I was going to go for an ESB, Tk. Well once I got home and looked at the kit I found ESB, style hand guards and ESB helmet decals.

 

 

 

The kit even comes with closed drop boxes which I was not expecting.

 

So now that the kit is here I will be going over Darth Alohas, SolderMaster, and all the other great build threads I have found here.

 

I now understand why people ask over and over where do I start. Even after months of scouring this site I find myself in the same predicament. I have tried a few test fits with the arms and can tell I will need to do a bit of trimming on those pieces for sure. So tomorrow after work I will be getting some Velcro, elastic, and painters tape then start doing the build.

[darksideemt]

if you are using the cover strip method of assembly make sure you cut the correct lines, especially on the front strips.

[NastyNoah[TK]]

I'm on the fence about the cover strips. I really don't think I am going to go that route. Ill know more once I get some painters tape and do some test fitting.

[Mopar McNeer]

Glad to hear you finally got your gear! Looking forward to seeing your progress as I'll be on that same path Noah.

[Thalizar[TK]]

Get in touch with Soldermaster, his RT-Mod build is awesome. Awesome guy, he's really helped me get my build together.

[captsafe66[Admin]]

Good luck on your build!

 

BTW, your avatar is just wrong in so many ways....LOL

[NastyNoah[TK]]

I found my avatar pic years ago and thought it was perfect for this site.

 

Quick question : Should I buy both black and white Velcro and how much 1" elastic do I need to get?

[Griffin-X[TK]]

Good luck on your build! Can't wait to see your progress pics. It's always good to have b&w Velcro and elastic (1 yard or so).

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

I found my avatar pic years ago and thought it was perfect for this site.

 

Quick question : Should I buy both black and white Velcro and how much 1" elastic do I need to get?

 

I would buy as much elastic as you can possibly get your hands on

 

For velcro I use white velcro on my forearms and shins so its not so noticeable. But I have black velcro inside holding my iComm and other stuffs on.

 

Aloha,

 

-Eric

[NastyNoah[TK]]

Biceps

 

OK so I glued up my bi-ceps tonight after doing a test fit and everything about them was perfect.

 

 

So I moved on to my right forearm which fits good around the wrist but towards my elbow is very loose and moves around a lot. So now I am wondering if I should trim it some and if the method I am thinking about using is the way to go?

 

Forearms

 

In this picture you can see that it is tapped up to the position where it is snug and comfortable. I then drew a line and undid the tape.

 

Here is the line where I need the over lap to meet.

Using a guide strip to make sure I leave the correct amount of plastic for the under lapping plastic.

And here you can see the line showing the amount I think I need to cut. My question to all you veterans is. Is this the correct way, would you do it this way? Is there a better way, will everything line up correct if done like this? And should I glue both side or velcro one of the sides? I am confident enough to make the cut but need some support from the experts before making "The First Cut" plunge.

Edited March 24, 2012 by NastyNoah

[darksideemt]

are you clam shelling these or putting them together with cover strips? I recommend cover strips and you should leave 7.5mm on each side. If it is big you just put some foam inside. The ridge just below your black line is where you measure the 7.5mm from. This way when they are butt joined together there will be 15mm and that is the size of you arm coverstrips. The legs are done the same way just 10mm on each side to equal 20mm. The back of the shins clamshell and that is where you would use white velcro. Measure and cut the front of the thighs and leave the back. Once the front is put together then you can size for the back. You might need to leave more than 10mm on each side but still use a 20mm coverstrip.

Edited March 21, 2012 by darksideemt

[NastyNoah[TK]]

I am going with everyone's advise on not cutting the forearms and just adding foam to get a snugger fit. As for tonight's progress just gluing up the calves and belt.

Here I am applying the white Velcro to the backs of the calves

 

 

Exciting action shots of glue drying

 

Gluing my first snap plates on to the belt. Darth Aloha gave me this idea earlier today in an email message.

 

[NastyNoah[TK]]

I moved on to the thighs and noticed that my right side is trimmed very differently. I think some one got crazy with the scissors on this piece.

 

 

 

 

 

I plan on cutting it something like this. I just hope the difference in the thighs is not obvious.

[NastyNoah[TK]]

I am now going against everyone's advise on not cutting the forearms.

 

Ok I couldn't take the loose forearms so I trimmed them up a bit and I am much happier now.

As you can see in the picture where I marked a line along the inner lip on the inside of the forearm. I then scored and snapped that piece off.

 

 

I am only gluing the bottom half where I cut off the strip for tonight. When I close it up it puts a little bit of pressure on the molded cover strips so I am going to let the E-6000 fully cure before I "Move along" to closing it up completely.

 

The Belt

 

I went ahead and finished up the belt tonight by adding snaps to Tkitell cloth belt. To do this I lined up the plastic belt on the cloth then marked holes where I would need to add the female snaps.

 

I then used a drill bit and punched holes through the belt in the locations I marked using a hammer.

 

I totally penetrated the belt.

 

 

To secure the snaps I used rivets with a washer in the back to add some strength.

 

You can see the rivet and the washer in the above picture and the female snap in the pic below.

 

 

And here is the completed belt with my Hasbro E-11. I hope to have the majority of this project wrapped up by next weekend then I will start adding the electronics and do some more mods thinking about EIB.

Edited March 24, 2012 by NastyNoah

[NastyNoah[TK]]

Is this about where I need to glue the sniper plate ?

 

 

The RT plate does not fit on the shin all that well so I will wait for some input before attaching it.

[Griffin-X[TK]]

Great progress pics Noah! Maybe mount the sniper plate just a bit higher on the shin...

[NastyNoah[TK]]

...More basic gluing, not much to see here.

 

Not much progress to show you tonight. Just did some gluing on one thigh, the arms, and the sniper plate. Now I understand why you can never have enough magnets.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2012 by NastyNoah

[NastyNoah[TK]]

RT-MOD Sniper plate !!!

The Sniper plate does appear to be off another kit has Darth Aloha has stated in a previous thread. It just doesn't seem to fit the shin correctly.

 

 

Should I go ahead and put some rivets in the sides of the plate ?

Edited March 24, 2012 by NastyNoah

[NastyNoah[TK]]

Attaching the ammo belt.

 

So I have my front seam of the right thigh glued up and drying and will move on to the ammo belt later today. If any veterans are reading this post I need some input. I purchased some Centurian acceptable "movie accurate" split rivets off eBay and I have since realized I need to find a way to split them or find an alternative fastening device.

 

The glued up front side of thigh.

 

The ammo belt

 

Molded rivet in the belt

 

"Movie accurate" split rivets

 

Is there a simple way to put these on where I won't have to spend any more (or very little) money, what are some alternative ways to attach the ammo belt?

Edited March 24, 2012 by NastyNoah

[NastyNoah[TK]]

Replacing the smoke colored lens with accurate green lenses.

 

This was probably the easiest thing so far. I removed the original smoked lenses, the laid that on top of some of the green lens material they sell over at trooperbay.com. Traced around it with a Sharpie, then cut along the lines with some cheap scissors I bought at Wal-Mart. It cut very easy, I was surprised that regular arts and craft scissors did the job. I then used my trusty Dremel to put the screw holes in, added the trim piece and I was done.

 

Trace the original on to the new lens.

 

 

Cut the lens

 

 

 

Comparison picture.

 

Inside shot of what it looks like now.

I stole this pic from Xaoslords great RT build thread since I forgot to take a picture of this step.

 

...And now here it is !!!!

 

I am very happy with how this came out and the simplicity of it. If I wouldn't have stopped to take the pics it would have only taken 5 min.

Edited March 24, 2012 by NastyNoah

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Looking good! The sniper plate is a real slave Leia. Please don't rivet it. Use lots and lots of clamps and glue. If you need more photos of mine other than the ones in my build thread let me know. It takes some real force to get it to line up with the top of the shin, but it'll go. You may need to bend the living crap out of the sides of the sniper knee to make them lay flat. I hit it with a heat gun but not enough. Because I didn't let the E-11 dry long enough (3 days is money) I tossed some CA in right before a troop before the whole thing popped off.

 

I'm a little jealous of your snap plates for your belt. I ended up riveting them on in an emergency repair last weekend (thanks to TK5707 for the tools and old AM rivet covers)

 

You could glue the knee pack on and just use the spit rivets for show. Just drill a hole after the glue dries. With glue you won't need to bend the split rivets so far back. A healthy drop of hot glue or epoxy putty on the tines will help keep them in place. I didn't use glue on my knee pack. My splits in my knee arent bent back far enough, nor did I use a washer to back them up.

 

Sounds Iike a test fitting is in order soon. Get out the blue tape and a mirror stat!

 

Aloha,

 

-Eric

[NastyNoah[TK]]

Looking good! The sniper plate is a real slave Leia. Please don't rivet it. Use lots and lots of clamps and glue. If you need more photos of mine other than the ones in my build thread let me know. It takes some real force to get it to line up with the top of the shin, but it'll go. You may need to bend the living crap out of the sides of the sniper knee to make them lay flat. I hit it with a heat gun but not enough. Because I didn't let the E-11 dry long enough (3 days is money) I tossed some CA in right before a troop before the whole thing popped off.

 

I have already learned my lesson with the heat gun and E-6000. I only waited 24 hrs before trying to reshape one of my arms. It good to know "3 days is money" I will wait until at least Tuesday to do anything else to the sniper plate.

 

 

You could glue the knee pack on and just use the spit rivets for show. Just drill a hole after the glue dries. With glue you won't need to bend the split rivets so far back. A healthy drop of hot glue or epoxy putty on the tines will help keep them in place. I didn't use glue on my knee pack. My splits in my knee arent bent back far enough, nor did I use a washer to back them up.

 

Ouch Eric that is so simple !!!!!! I should have realized I could do that.

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Oops. I mean to say that 3 days is money (so money you don't even know it) to wait to take the clamps off the knee plate. I took mine off prematurely and the very ends came off... which caused me to use CA glue to fix it before a troop.

 

 

I applied a heat gun before putting it on the shin, but it didn't help much. I still had to wrastle it on.

 

E-6000 will likely melt under a heat gun no matter what.

 

Aloha,

 

-Eric

[xaoslord]

Some good work here. I'm interested in how the belt is working for you. I was considering taking a hobby iron to mine to flatten it out, rivet the snaps to the belt, then put rivet covers on, but this may work even better.

[lmr]

I used velcro for the center of my belt, and snaps for the sides. Saved me a bit of effort. Seems to hold up just fine too.