Samurai's NE Armor Build

[silentsamurai]

Here is a better side shot with it cut up at the top. As you can see, once drilled the face will be flush with that edge:

 

[CRISTONAMO]

Nice fix! Every NE builder should acknowledge this little tip!

[GunsDKP]

Great post, thanks for taking the time. I'm working on my NE helm at the moment also. Would you mind posting any other pics you have of your helmet progress? Basically, where the back curves around (and covers the front piece), the ear will be flush with that curve line? Also -- your fix helps with the overlap gap at the ears, but it doesn't change the fact that the ears will be sitting a little low, below the ridge line, correct?

[silentsamurai]

Hey Stuart,

 

I will post more pictures this weekend. I am throwing an armor party and going to get a lot done.  You are correct, this helmet is made with low ears, and both sides aren't even either. meaning they will both be low, yet one sits lower than the other. Technical questions should be emailed to the creator though. I will be as specific as I can with my pictures this coming weekend.

 

Thanks for looking,

Adam

 

 

 

 

Great post, thanks for taking the time. I'm working on my NE helm at the moment also. Would you mind posting any other pics you have of your helmet progress? Basically, where the back curves around (and covers the front piece), the ear will be flush with that curve line? Also -- your fix helps with the overlap gap at the ears, but it doesn't change the fact that the ears will be sitting a little low, below the ridge line, correct?

[heavyarms[TK]]

I hope this will help anyone doing a NE build... particularly the area highlighted in yellow.

 

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The first helmet build step should be attaching the dome to the rear piece. Once they are glued together, the build works very much like most other 2-part helmet builds found on the web. The rear piece fits into the recessed areas in the dome. Once you feel how they should sit in the recess, simply center it in the recesses and cement. Let this dry and cure COMPLETELY to ensure it is a strong bond that won't move around as you work with the rest of the helmet build up.

Also remember when working with the front faceplate - gluing it to the dome, only glue along the CEMENT RIDGE. This leaves a small gap below for the rubber brow trim to push UP onto when it dries. See attached diagram.

 

Remember . . . The front and back parts of the helmet are designed to overlap on the sidesso that the small nuts and bolts can be installed through both layers to hold the sides together. 

 

They are what create the visible screw-heads on the comm covers (ear pieces) that are seen in the original screen used helmets. (See attached pics)

The lower edge tube on the front (faceplate) is a bit smaller than the tube in the rear piece, and this requires VERY CAREFUL and gradual trimming of the comm covers to make the transition - trim a bit more from the comm covers in the rear where the tube is bigger, and a bit less in the front where it is smaller. The comm cover will almost act like a "step" in between the two sizes.

The attached pics of a Screen-Used helmet help to show this.

Picture 1 shows the drill holes for the bolts.

Picture 2 shows larger rear tube and smaller front and the visible screw heads on the comm covers

Picture 3 shows larger rear tube and smaller front from another angle

Some builders are mounting the comm covers to the helmet too low, leaving a space between the top of the comm cover and the line where the dome meets the rear piece. This space should be minimized, as seen on the screen used helmets. They have not trimmed the bottom edge of the helmet opening up enough

I left extra material on the helmet bottom so builders could customize them, trim them up to make the right look and fit. When they mount the comm covers using the (untrimmed) lower edge as a guide, it's causing them to be too low. 

 

It's probably best to secure the dome to the back piece first, but I would trim the back piece for the ear covers prior to actually cementing. 

 

The face is really easy to secure, the face piece just needs to trimmed along the cementing ridges, cut just before the ridge touches the side decals recesses.

 

If you notch out the face piece and trim it just before the cement ridge touches the side decal recesses, the face piece will sit and fit much better

[GunsDKP]

Hi Brett, thanks for sharing -- but I could not find any attached diagrams or pictures. 

[Obey Wann[501st]]

I hope this will help anyone doing a NE build... particularly the area highlighted in yellow.

 

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Some builders are mounting the comm covers to the helmet too low, leaving a space between the top of the comm cover and the line where the dome meets the rear piece. This space should be minimized, as seen on the screen used helmets. They have not trimmed the bottom edge of the helmet opening up enough

 

I left extra material on the helmet bottom so builders could customize them, trim them up to make the right look and fit. When they mount the comm covers using the (untrimmed) lower edge as a guide, it's causing them to be too low. 

 

 

Interesting. I wonder if this is something I can fix on mine...

 

[silentsamurai]

Had a BBQ / Amror party at my house last saturday, but didn't get too much done. Just the arms and a part of my helmet.

 

For the helmet I just took the ears and made the outline of where I think they should be and trimmed the back side of the helmet to mid ear so it covers both front and rear parts of the bucket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll probably trim the bottom of the back piece 1/4 inch. as you can see there's a lot of extra abs on the bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to make the ears even, i found a razor tip that was a good size to use so I am even on both sides:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

how it looks without applying any pressure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

How it looks while applying pressure: (will need to sand the inner roundness of the ear quite a bit more (3-5mm)

 

[silentsamurai]

So i got tired of messing with the helmet and moved onto my arms.

 

First thing, trimmed the return edge at the wrists:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

after making slight cuts with the razor on the inside, i took some grips and just bent back and forth till they snapped clean:

 

 

 

 

[silentsamurai]

Now, since I am skinny, and the arms need 15mm strip covers, I measured 7mm on each side and it was still big on me.

 

one side of the arms have a flat side where you HAVE to have a 15mm strip. the back side is where you make the size cuts and trim as you please.

 

So I cut 7mm on each side, and took about 17mm off the back of each side and it was still about 1.5 inch gap inside the armor.

 

 

**So in order to solve the huge space at the wrist I took an extra 5-6mm at the wrist, and left the top as is. cutting at almost a " /|  |\ " so when you put the two sides together itll be tight at the wrist and thick at the top:

 

 

 

 

Next project: Tri-Tip!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I felt that this would be a good fit. Keeping the size 14mm at the top and cutting the back side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I took off 10mm at the bottom, and nothing from the tip. making the wrists tighter and the elbow thicker:

 

 

 

 

test fitting with gloves on. Plenty of room to fit gloves first, and slide them on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15mm strip applied with E-6000 and used magnets and tape to secure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

extra secure strap placed inside:

 

 

 

 

[silentsamurai]

For the right arm, it's a bit different. the side wrist piece is must larger than the outside. SOOOOO...You cut the bottom. Not the top. Take out the return edge at the wrist (if you want) and I left the top return. (you dont have to)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that the wrist is even you will see the top is still out of proportion. Like I said I am skinny. So when I cut another 10mm or so from the back side it will actually even itself out and won't have one side being taller or shorter than the other:

 

 

 

 

 

Now that that's done, more magnets and strips placed, glued with E-6000 now have to wait 24 hours for it to sit. (ran out of magnets had to use jumper clamps ha)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going to start the shoulders and biceps this weekend.

 

Adam

[gazmosis[501st]]

Those look like and assemble just like RS Props. Hmmmmm

[silentsamurai]

Those look like and assemble just like RS Props. Hmmmmm

 

regardless of the controversy brought between the makers of this armor and others, us NE owners have no other option but to build what we have and go with it. 

I'd like to keep my post about my armor and my journey on becoming a trooper for 501st. Comments like this should be left in a thread about the maker, not my build thread. 

 

Cheers,

Adam

[quigonjim]

Looking great bro. Just found out about NE armor last weekend and looking to upgrade soon. Ill be asking for tips in a couple months when I get the funds.

[Griffon King[TK]]

Hey man, any recent updates on your armor build? I've been using you as something of a guide for my own build and just started working on the bucket yesterday. I'm interested to see if you found a way to solve the ear piece issue (I loved the solution to the gap at the seam).

[silentsamurai]

I'm backkkk. Apologies for the lack of updates I put the project on hold. I haven't touched the armor since the above post so nothing new to report. Planning on starting again this thursday. 

 

Cheers,
Adam

[maxsteele[TK]]

I can't tell you how many times I saw that shot of your tri-tip while referencing your build thread for my forearms.  

 

Glad to see you're getting back on the build!  Post up any issues you're having and I'll give you as much input as I can.

[silentsamurai]

I can't tell you how many times I saw that shot of your tri-tip while referencing your build thread for my forearms.  

 

Glad to see you're getting back on the build!  Post up any issues you're having and I'll give you as much input as I can.

 

 

Glad to help, and thanks for the support. Can't wait to get started....again...