How small can one make your armor?

[gazmosis[501st]]

I really don't fall into this catagory, but there are more and more ladies buying armor that is designed for guys that are 170 -200 lbs. and the ladies themselves are 110.

Most armor has raised areas on the halves like arms and legs. You trim down each half until, when placed together, this raised area is the width of your finishing strip. Now, what if one takes this down to the max (15 MM on arms 20mm on legs) and it is still way too big? Has anyone actually gone past this and removed the raised area all together thus gluing the finishing strip to the flat armor? I know this would take a little custom return work at the tops especially on the thighs, but has it been done?

 

Wow! Is this really post 600???? I need to get out more.

Edited May 10, 2012 by gazmosis

[bigtrev503]

I am wondering the same thing. I am not a lady, but I am only 160 and 5 10. I don't want to have big plastic tubes flapping all around my body . I just stare at the ANH reference pics and hope that my thighs will fit properly

 

 

like this:

Edited January 24, 2021 by gmrhodes13
photo updated gmrhodes13 2021

[Rich330[TK]]

I don't see why it would be a problem cutting out the moulded seam. In fact, wouldn't it end up looking more correct in one way?

The original armour didn't have a raised area. This is only in some replica kits because they are cast from original suits which had overlapping seams (ROTJ derived).

So, if you cut out the raised area, you're left with a flat part. Then you put your finishing strip over the top of the join and you have an authentic-looking butt joint. Right?

Edited May 10, 2012 by Rick330

[bigtrev503]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're blowing my mind! I could be more accurate by cutting ALL the raised parts off? I'm willing to if it is accurate....

[gazmosis[501st]]

If you look at the front trooper in the pic above, you can clearly see the raised area on both the forearm and the thighs. Keep in mind, for the film, they built one size of armor and hired similar size actors to fill them. We have a million different body types here. Cutting off the raised area might not be completely accurate, but for the small framed trooper, it just might be an option.

We have a girl (Beans) in out Garrison who is a tiny little thing. She just fiished her new AP armor. She made it as small as the raised areas would allow. She still needs to put foam IN her undersuit to fill out the thighs, calves and arms. She gets really hot with all that padding.

[Rich330[TK]]

If you look at the front trooper in the pic above, you can clearly see the raised area on both the forearm and the thighs.

 

Yeah, obviously we're only talking about the extra raised areas from the overlapping seams on the opposite side. I don't mean you should go hacking out the raised areas as seen in the original moulds on ANH suits.

[bigtrev503]

I'm talking about removing the raised part pin the backs of the thighs in a tapered way to custom fit my legs. Is it cool to do that?

[troopermaster]

ANH armour only had the raised strips on the fronts of the thighs, shins and forearms. They didn't have any on the backs of any parts or the fronts of the biceps, so hack away to your hearts content.

[Mongoose[TK]]

I just started my ATA kit and working on the forearms I ran into this as well. If I leave it at 15mm for the cover strip it's still going to be a little big. My plan is to go down to maybe 14mm or 13mm max so that there won't be too much of a difference. Then i'll just have a cover strip on my arms that are a few mm smaller. That way if I happen to be standing next to another trooper with the 15mm cover strip there won't be too much of a difference.

[Locitus[Admin]]

I just started my ATA kit and working on the forearms I ran into this as well. If I leave it at 15mm for the cover strip it's still going to be a little big. My plan is to go down to maybe 14mm or 13mm max so that there won't be too much of a difference. Then i'll just have a cover strip on my arms that are a few mm smaller. That way if I happen to be standing next to another trooper with the 15mm cover strip there won't be too much of a difference.

While you can do that, you're going at it the wrong way. Trim the forearms, not the coverstrips.