Geaux Saints' ANH stunt build (TM)

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

wow I love your live build thread, motivates me to start putting my RT-Mod armor together but I am scared to mess up and ruin it all

 

Remember....that 100 mile journey starts with that first step. I decided the first thing I would do (after loving on the Big Brown Box) was just open it up and look at the parts. With my kit, it was pretty obvious from most of the parts where the trim lines were, so I decided to go ahead and start trimming all the pieces. I used a pencil to run along the trim edges to give me a reference point. Remember, there are tons of reference pics and people here to help you with the trimming. If ever in doubt, take a picture and ask. Once you trim all the pieces, you get that feeling of accomplishment and that determination to get started building. Lexan scissors are a MUST. I didn't get mine until about half way through my trimming, and regretted not getting them earlier. Also, remember....MEASURE X times (where X= 2 or more), then cut. Never be afraid to ask questions. That's what we are all here for. And lastly, don't forget to just have fun with it. Most makers of the kits can/will make individual parts if you mess up, so IF you do make a mistake, it's not the end of the world.

[Dday[501st]]

Don't be scared of the RT, it's probably fully trimmed from the get go, you will just have to do some final trims to fit, but you can get moving right away. Sometimes it's best to just dive in and look at everything, like Tony says. Open it, look at the pieces, hold them together, and just start to understand how they all come together.

[TrooperJesse[TK]]

Don't be scared of the RT, it's probably fully trimmed from the get go, you will just have to do some final trims to fit, but you can get moving right away. Sometimes it's best to just dive in and look at everything, like Tony says. Open it, look at the pieces, hold them together, and just start to understand how they all come together.

Thanks guys! Yea just fully opened my armor up and started looking at everything. Looks like a beauty! . Now to get started haha

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Started working on the strapping tonight. Paul suggests painting all the screw heads before strapping which would make sense because they would be a little more difficult to reach once strapped together....not impossible, just difficult.

 

 

 

Unscrew one screw from each bracket so that you can put one end of the strapping loop over it, then retighten the screw. Paul suggested to start with the kidney first (make sure you have attached the side strapping to the abdomen with split rivets before finishing the bracket strapping). Add all the loops to the kidney first. Attach the butt piece, then the back. Next attach the chest to abdomen.

 

 

 

 

Here's kidney to butt plate.

 

 

 

Kidney to back.

 

 

 

Chest to abdomen with a closeup of one of the chest brackets.

 

 

 

And finally a very rewarding sight to see. Ladies and gentlemen.....we have a torso!

 

 

[troopermaster]

And a very nice looking torso it is too

 

I like to paint the side rivets as well as the screw heads before I strap it together (after fixing the ab and kidney together) so all the white paintwork is done in one go. I also like to attach the cod strap before I connect the kidney since it is a bit tricky doing last.

 

A little tip. You can undo the middle chest-ab strap on your tosro for more movement. Doing this will allow you to bend more without getting choked by your chest plate.

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Great pointers! Thanks! A little test trial felt like the chest piece was digging a little in under my arms. How much return edge should be there?

[Locitus[Admin]]

Great pointers! Thanks! A little test trial felt like the chest piece was digging a little in under my arms. How much return edge should be there?

Not much at all.

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

I worked a little tonight on the shoulder bells. Here's my "instructional" pics. If anyone sees that what I'm doing is wrong, PLEASE speak up. I don't want to misguide ANYONE. I go a little overboard with the pics, but if you're like me you like plenty of visual stuff to reference.

 

These pics are for the RIGHT shoulder bell. Note the snap on the white strap (for the shoulder bell to snap into) will be on the neck side (inside) of the strap with the CHEST snap being forward (chest side) and facing UP.

 

 

 

 

This pic is for orientation purposes...looking into the RIGHT arm hole.

 

 

And these are just the white strap clamped into place for reference/orientation pics. The top is the CHEST, and the bottom is the BACK.

 

 

 

This would be the orientation of the RIGHT white strap if you were looking from the bottom up through the neck. The BACK would be to the LEFT and the CHEST would be to the RIGHT.

 

 

 

And here's the same shot with the RIGHT shoulder bell strap snapped in place.

 

 

 

With the BELL strap snapped to the WHITE strap, the shoulder bell should be brought right to the edge of the WHITE strip.

 

 

 

RIGHT bell orientation....CHEST would be UP, BACK would be DOWN, and NECK would be to the LEFT in these pictures.

 

 

 

Once everything seems to be in the right spot, glue the black strip down the inside groove of the SHOULDER BELL. I left the BELL strap snapped to the WHITE strap to make sure the BELL was right up to the WHITE strap. Once I was happy with that, I applied magnets and a clamp and then unsnapped from the WHITE strap to let the BELL strap dry.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, so wordy. It seems like overkill, but that's how I learn better. Hope this helps.

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Here's a few shots of the placement of the white shoulder straps to secure the BACK piece to the CHEST piece.

 

This is the RIGHT side with the CHEST on the bottom and BACK on the top.

 

 

 

This is the LEFT side with the CHEST on the bottom and the BACK on top. Notice SHOULDER BELL snaps are on the NECK side in each picture.

 

 

 

Another little thing I like to do throughout my build is get a lighter and melt/seal the fraying on all of my straps. Not sure if it is necessary, but it makes me feel better.

 

 

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Here's a little test fit of the upper body for critiquing. I don't have the white elastic shoulder ties on, obviously no belt, and the crotch strap is not installed, yet. Waiting on mic tips as well.

 

 

 

 

[Dday[501st]]

Looking good man!

 

If you find that after a few motions, your shoulder bells are rotating back to much (leaving to much black) you might consider taking the snap plate out of the groove and pitting it just forward of it's current location. This will make the strap pull it forward and will close the gap some. The gaps look good right now on your kit, but I found after moving a bit the gaps seemed to be open more, so I shifter the snap plate location forward to fix it.

 

It probably isn't screen accurate the way I did it, but it helps keep the gaps closed. If you don't know what I mean, let me know and I can go into the basement and snap a shot of my shoulder bells.

[Clamps[TK]]

Looking sweet. EiB and centurion in your future I am sure!

 

Keep up the great work.

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Looking good man!

 

If you find that after a few motions, your shoulder bells are rotating back to much (leaving to much black) you might consider taking the snap plate out of the groove and pitting it just forward of it's current location. This will make the strap pull it forward and will close the gap some. The gaps look good right now on your kit, but I found after moving a bit the gaps seemed to be open more, so I shifter the snap plate location forward to fix it.

 

It probably isn't screen accurate the way I did it, but it helps keep the gaps closed. If you don't know what I mean, let me know and I can go into the basement and snap a shot of my shoulder bells.

 

I glued my shoulder strap in the groove of the bell. I didn't use a snap plate. Thanks for the input!

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Looking sweet. EiB and centurion in your future I am sure!

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Thanks! I'm going for Centurion. I tell you what....it's a pain in the butt trying to snap those shoulder bells to the white strap with the torso on and one of the bells already on.

[Dday[501st]]

Yeah, that over the shoulder grab is the hardest part of the entire dress-up I think.

[Clamps[TK]]

 

Thanks! I'm going for Centurion. I tell you what....it's a pain in the butt trying to snap those shoulder bells to the white strap with the torso on and one of the bells already on.

 

I attach my forearm/bicep to the shoulder bell and then the combo to the shoulder snap. I do not insert my arm until the other side is built and attached and then I put one arm in at a time. Other option is to attach prior to slinging on the chest/back.

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

To install the crotch strap, I made sure all original strapping was done and my side and shoulder snaps snapped. Paul instructed me to hang the torso and then just bridge the gap with the strap. I snapped into the first snap on the butt piece and then bridged the strap over the crotch hole (starting to sound dirty here) and marked the hole. The strap was then secured with a split rivet. I'll have to trim some of the excess. It's a little difficult putting the split rivet in at this stage, so I had my wife hold up the torso while I secured the strap with the rivet (she was "thrilled"). Here's the results...

 

 

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Next I started working on the belt. Get out your umbrellas because I'm about to make it rain pictures.

 

I first started by snapping the belt to the abdomen and then measuring and marking the midpoint between the snaps. I also measured and marked the midpoint of the ABS belt.

 

 

 

 

At the midpoint marks, I then measured and marked the WIDTH midpoints and this is where I would put the holes for the rivet.

 

 

 

 

 

I taped the sides of the ammo packs before I hammered to protect any scuffing, just in case I got a little to wild with the hammer.

 

 

 

Rivet on the back side of belt.

 

 

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Next I worked on the side belt rivets. Looking at some of Paul's reference pics, it looked like the side cover squares were closer to the edges rather than centered between the edge and last ammo pack, so I went with that. If that is incorrect, then....woops.

 

So I eyeballed the distance from the side that I liked, and then placed the cover square and marked the side.

 

 

 

I then measured and marked the midpoint of the WIDTH of the belt, as well as, the midpoint of the square.

 

 

 

Placing the outside edge of the square on the original line, and then lining up the top of the square with the (WIDTH) midpoint line, I marked the rivet spot at the SQUARE midpoint mark.

 

 

 

That is where I drilled a hole for the rivet (9/64 drill bit to give room for the rivet cap to squeeze through). I placed the hole on the canvas belt, and pulling the canvas belt taught, I marked the canvas belt through the hole in the ABS belt (sorry, forgot to take a picture ). I cut a hole through the canvas belt with an exacto knife, and then hammered the rivet through to secure.

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Next I secured the drop boxes on the belt.

 

Paul told me to take a 1" white elastic strip and loop it over and between the ABS and canvas belts. The strap will be between the end rivet and end snap.

 

 

 

There should be some space between the drop boxes and the belt to allow the boxes to swing some, but NO MORE than 1/4" max. I measured a 1/4" down from the bottom of the belt and marked the strap.

 

 

 

The straps should attach to the BACK of the drop boxes, not the inside (unless of course that is your preference). The rivet should attach the straps about 1" from the top and be centered. I measured the center of the box, and then marked 1" down.

 

 

 

I then placed the strap on the box with the top being at the 1/4" mark, and then marked the 1" mark on the strap.

 

 

 

I then found the center of the strap at the 1" level, and marked it there. I cut my hole in the strap, and drilled the hole in the INSIDE (insert) box.

 

 

 

The order of placement is rivet post, straps, inside (insert) box, rivet cap (which will be on the inside of the box).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you've riveted the straps in place, you can glue the outer box to the inner box and use tape to hold the edges closed until dry.

 

The elastic loop is glued directly to your canvas belt and it hangs between your outer rivet and snap. If you find there is not enough room now,simply trim an arch in your elastic if it crosses over the snap.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Geaux Saints

[8BitBry]

Nice job, is that AP armor?

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Nice job, is that AP armor?

 

Thanks! No, it is TM (Troopermaster) armor.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

looking very nice, keep up the good work

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

Next I worked on the knee ammo pack. I first clamped one side and bent the pack across the knee for positioning. I decided to go with 3 boxes to the inside and 2 on the outside of the knee. The great thing about this 1.5 mm ABS is its flexibility to allow this kind of bending.

 

 

 

I marked the edge of where I wanted to cut. I then cut off the excess.

 

 

 

To make the rounded edges, I used a techinique that Locitus suggested using a spray can (http://www.whitearmo...e-belt-corners/). The only difference I had was I cut my length first, then I placed the can where its sides were flush with the bottom and side of the ammo pack. I made my mark, then cut the rounded edge.

 

 

 

I then balanced a rivet on top to visualize where I wanted the rivet to go. I pressed down on it to mark the spot, and then drilled it.

 

 

 

I placed the pack in the position I wanted, and then marked the drill hole onto the knee ridge. These pics are a mix from both sides (sorry, I forgot to take pics of the trimming process from the first side), but the process is the same for both sides.

 

 

 

Drill hole in knee ridge, place rivet through both ammo pack and knee ridge, then hammer rivet. Reaching these rivets are kind of difficult. Be sure to place some sort of anvil to hammer against, and be careful not to damage ABS.

 

Once you rivet one side, place the ammo pack across the knee (angled up some) and mark the edge of the opposite side. Repeat process of trimming, marking and riveting.

 

 

 

Once knee ammo pack is riveted in place, put a little glue to the bottom of knee to keep the pack from shifting up and down.

 

 

Edited November 19, 2012 by Geaux Saints

[Locitus[Admin]]

Looking good