LF Suggestions, enlarging leg armour

[kaa1304[TK]]

Hi all, I need some advice,

 

I've recieved my ROTJ TK armour which I had assembled for me to save sometime (and potentially disasterous results due to my lack of ability!) but it seemed I neglected just how big my leg muscles are! Basically, I can't even get the thigh or calf armour within cm's of fastening and so am going to have to enlarge it.

 

I think I need to widen the thighs by about 5cm, the calves by between 3 and 4cm. I took a photo but simply couldn't keep it on me long enough to get a shot, so have had to take it as is.

 

Given the size of the area, I thought maybe the best way was a solid plate covering the gap, as you can see with the bad white box I've drawn, below, with the velcro moved to the edge of it, but this will loose the nice rims, i thought.

 

So, basically, any advice is welcome, I'm kinda scratching my head right now.

 

I'm also going to have to alter the biceps, but that isn't such a problem, I think.

 

Many thanks

[RATBASTIRD]

I'm on the same boat as you with the same exact situation due to cycling leg muscles.

I've reached out to my local Garrison Liaison for help also.

When I receive info/advice I'll share with you also.

 

However, I'm certain a lot of info/help will be offered up on here as well.

Thank you for starting this post!

[kaa1304[TK]]

Ha yeah taekwondo for me 0.o the problem isn't so much mass, but firmness. My legs just wont move enough to fill up a different shape! I'm also chatting with the maker who suggests adding in really quite large shims My biggest concern really is colour matching as the rotjk stuff is quite off white.

Edited September 21, 2012 by kaa1304

[LadyInWhite[TK]]

If you are doing that like a cover strip in the back it won't be the most beautiful thing ever but it will probably suffice. I know it's tough getting thigh armor just right. 3-4cm is pretty wide, though - you can also unglue the front and add maybe 5-10mm in the front and it will help lessen the width in the back. Depends on what your front looks like. The goal is to essentially get it to fit properly without looking too weird/shimmed.

 

It also looks like you have the overlap method. I'm not an expert in ROTJ so that might be the preferred method, in which case you can't really undo your front. But if you can do the butt-join cover strip like ANH you'll actually gain a few mm there anyway. The CRL doesn't specify but I know there's usually a "preferred" way for accuracy.

[rhapsodyred99[TK]]

ROTJ uses overlaps not coverstrips for screen accuracy, and I am in the same boat with my CFO armour.

 

The arms/chest ab fit great, but the thighs and calves are several inches at the widest off.

 

Those darn English 80's actors must have had twigs for legs!

 

I used ladyInWhite's method for my RS props ANH armor and it worked well, but for ROTJ If you want screen accuracy you are going to have to put that wide thing in the back when you wear it.

 

 

I had thought about RT mod legs, but they do not color match.

[kaa1304[TK]]

Yeah they are overlap and I really dont want to open up the fronts unless it's last resort. I, hoping that if I can get some colour matched pinseal, then some clever glueing and sanding might make it look at least inobvious. But it's always going to be a wide strip, there just doesn't seem to really be another choice, which is a shame.

 

But at least if I can make the thighs and calves match, with the strip, it'll look more uniform.

[Spectre]

Moral of the story, don't buy pre-assembled armour if you are tank.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

the whole goal of pre assembled armor is correct and detailed measurements of your arms and legs.

 

not to mention your head cheeks and neck. some people just have large heads!

[Spectre]

I've heard a lot more horror stories like this about pre-assembled armour than good stories. I'll never take that road.

[rhapsodyred99[TK]]

Would not have mattered with cfo.

 

The way the armor is made the molded in overlaps only make for so much play. You have to be twig legs or else even if you get it untrimmrd the molded overlap will still be there and still look wierd.

 

Rotj isnt like anh you can just pop a coverstrip on.

 

I knew this when i got it and had skunky add some extra plastic to act as shims for the legs.

 

Cfo is molded from screen used made for lil guys so us biguns jest have to take our chances if we want screen used.

[kaa1304[TK]]

Would not have mattered with cfo.

 

The way the armor is made the molded in overlaps only make for so much play. You have to be twig legs or else even if you get it untrimmrd the molded overlap will still be there and still look wierd.

 

Rotj isnt like anh you can just pop a coverstrip on.

 

I knew this when i got it and had skunky add some extra plastic to act as shims for the legs.

 

Cfo is molded from screen used made for lil guys so us biguns jest have to take our chances if we want screen used.

 

This, as mine is CFO also. My legs wouldn't have fit if I'd have trimmed it, so pre-assembled or not, it makes no difference.

[troopermaster]

Simply put wide joining strips on the backs like everyone else does. It may not be screen accurate but at least you will be able to wear the armour.

 

Just out of interest, what do the tops of your thighs and calves measure?

[kaa1304[TK]]

Simply put wide joining strips on the backs like everyone else does. It may not be screen accurate but at least you will be able to wear the armour.

 

Just out of interest, what do the tops of your thighs and calves measure?

 

A quick measure got me 45cm(calf) and 60cm (thigh). Not massive by any means, but a quick inside measure of the armour comes to around 42cm and 56cm with zero room for movement.

 

Could anyone perhaps point me at a photo of a completed joining strip? Would help my visualisation.

 

cheers

[troopermaster]

I don't have a photo handy but you want something just like the white highlighted strip you put in your photo. Basically you just want to bridge the gap using some matching ABS.

[kaa1304[TK]]

I don't have a photo handy but you want something just like the white highlighted strip you put in your photo. Basically you just want to bridge the gap using some matching ABS.

 

Ok cool, thanks. I guess I can only do my best... how hard can it be? <grin>