Maxsteele's New NE Armor Build

[maxsteele[TK]]

Ab buttons painted:

 

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Nice painting Ron

[maxsteele[TK]]

How about an (almost) full test fit?

 

I don't have the thermal detonator or the holster yet.  I have the belt rivet covers taped on, but they're in the positions they will be when I glue them.  I don't have a strap between the butt and the cod yet.  Everything else is complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looking really good, Ron!!!

[Raintrooper]

Niiiiice!!    Looking awesome Ron!  EIB in no time!

Edited July 9, 2014 by RainTrooper

[Pencap510]

Lovin it Ron! Looks great - your time and research is paying off!

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks guys!  It's been a long road (and an equally long thread!)

 

I definitely need to come up with a solution for my butt plate.  I know I don't have the strap running between it and the cod right now, but even with that, I don't see the butt plate tucking between my legs as well as it should.  I will probably try dipping that part of the plate in boiling water and bending it to get a nicer curve.  If that doesn't work, then I'll need to <gulp> use a heat gun.

 

I'm also hoping that once I get the strap installed it will be "enough" and I'll be able to troop with minimal issue.  A concern I have with that is the plate will tuck under, but not enough and will interfere with the tops of my thighs on the inner legs.

 

I also noticed my left shoulder was feeling some discomfort, specifically on the rear part of the shoulder.  All of the snaps I have on the shoulder connections are at the front of the shoulder.  I think it's the return edge points on my back plate shoulder transtition that are digging into my shoulder.  I'll need to come up with a method of filing that down to give a more comfortable fit.

[Raintrooper]

Once you get the crotch strap installed, you should be ok.  The elastic will pull the butt piece up just enough, and you shouldn't have any issues with it touchng the tops of your thighs.  You're SO close! 

[maxsteele[TK]]

On the opinion of Lighty2627 and Gazmosis, I have separated the shoulder bridges and cleaned off the e6000 on the chest and bridge pieces.  The shoulder bridges were too far back on the chest piece, causing the backs of the bridges to stick out too far on the back piece.  

 

I will have 5 bumps (not including the big one at the end) on the chest piece, instead of the 4 I went with originally.  There was a concern that I'd have to do some minor heat bending to get the shoulder bridges to curve nicer.  I taped down the fronts and with the way the bridges are shaped and putting more of them on the front of the chest, they hug the back plate very nicely without further modification.

 

I'm going to glue them back down over the next couple of days.  I'm waiting for my holster and TD clips, so I have time before I can submit for base approval.

[JLight[TK]]

Hey now, don't go crazy and put me in the same category or level as Steve. But I do think it would take a good looking build and make it better.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JLight[TK]]

Hey now, don't go crazy and put me in the same category or level as Steve. But I do think it would take a good looking build and make it better.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[maxsteele[TK]]

I am awaiting my TD clips and holster. In the meantime, I dipped the tab of the butt plate into boiling water and bent it so it curves in better. I also trimmed away some of the return edge at the ends of the tab for comfort and may trim some more. It won't affect the look at all. The butt plate is certainly fitting better.

 

I figured out the proper way to lace my thigh straps so they don't slip while I'm wearing them. I may need to sand down some more from the tops to get away from rubbing against the cod, and a bit in the back to stop the rubbing against the butt plate. I'm looking at real small amounts that won't affect the look, but stop the catching that's happening.

 

Finally, I know his will disappoint some, but I've decided for the moment I'm not drilling any more holes into my armor. This means for now I will not be installing the snap on the top right side of the ab, the split rivet in the cod, and the two snaps in the butt plate. I'm going to glue a strap on the butt side and a snap plate on the cod side, with a snap on the strap. I am very comfortable with removing glued items from my armor so I can absolutely go back and put in the snaps and rivet when I apply for centurion. Mark this post as a promise I will go back after some trooping and get these touches back in!

[maxsteele[TK]]

(Duplicate post)

Edited July 17, 2014 by maxsteele

[maxsteele[TK]]

I've resolved the issue with my shins riding up from my boots with velcro on the top of the boot and the inside of the shin.  Special thanks to Lighty2627 for the tips on how to best put it in place! 

 

Unfortunately, I didn't follow his instructions exactly and I put the fuzzy velcro on the boot and the hook velcro inside the shin.  He had said that the hook velcro rubbed against his boots and rubbed the paint off.  Oops!  I'll leave it be for the moment.  It will really only rub the part of the boot that's underneath the shin.  This method really holds the shins in place nicely with no "velcro" sound when walking.

 

I've glued the snap in place on my cod and will make a strap to glue into the butt plate tab for the cod / butt strap connection.

 

I have a shipping number for my TD clips, which should arrive Monday or Tuesday.  My GML is the one making my holster, which will hopefully be ready in the next week or so.

[maxsteele[TK]]

I got my holster today and it's attached to my belt.

 

Now that I have it, it will simply be a part of the costume rather than a functional holster to hold my e11.  Why?  Because my hyperfirm e11 is just too heavy to have in the holster.  It throws off the whole fit of my armor.  It pulls down on the belt, which pulls down on the ab, which makes the cod start rubbing more against my thighs, makes my ab / kidney transition uneven, etc....

 

I'm ok with not using the holster except in "emergency" situations.  A Stormtrooper shouldn't have his e11 holstered anyway, right?       

[maxsteele[TK]]

I got my TD clips in today (Thanks Evilboy!).  Here is what my TD will look like once the panel is glued onto the pipe and the clips screwed down.  I haven't permanently assembled it yet:

 

 

 

 

 

The panel and the end-caps came pre-trimmed.  I do not have the tools to cut the pipe any shorter, so this is what the TD will look like once I drill the holes, install the screws, and glue the panel down.  I know we want the ends of the clips to be even with the edge of the panel, and we want them to be up against the end caps.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looking good!!!

 

Keep on building!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

You could certainly bring them in off the end caps a bit. Current CRL say "little to no gap". The old CRL used to say 3mm. Left hand side of this one is even more. I would square off the ends a bit too, if not too late.

 

 

 

Also, if you want to or need to trim your pipe, remember the ends will be covered by the caps, so any old hacksaw / timber saw / dremel or rough cut will do.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Sith Lord

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks for the tips Ian. I can certainly bring the clips in a bit.

 

As for the ends, I didn't make the clips, and don't have any tools to square the ends off.

 

Since the clips are just screwed on, I think I can go forward with attaching them how they are now, and when I find someone that can square the ends, I can just remove the clips, square them off, and screw them back on.

 

This is the last piece before I take approval pics, which means I don't think I can wait to get them squared off.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Finished!  I can't use these photos for submission, because you can see the green foam I used to push my sniper plate away from my knee.  I'll have to re-take them tomorrow.  These are what my submission photos will look like:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Raintrooper]

Lookin' great, Ron!  

[Redforce[TK]]

Looking good! Good job!

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks guys!

 

Anthony, I'm sure half of the views of your Centurion post are from me. You were a main model for my build, and your work is greatly appreciated!

 

I also noticed I have my shoulders on the wrong sides, which is what is causing the gaps. I'll correct that along with a tighter back / kidney connection tomorrow.

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Lookin shiny Ron! Are your biceps connected any way? They've rotated around a bit in those pics. Obviously rotate them back for new approval pics, but you might want to consider some strapping.

[maxsteele[TK]]

You're absolutely correct! My biceps are free floating. I'm considering bicep hooks, but I didn't want their construction to hold up my approval pics.

I'll certainly make sure they're rotated properly in my next set of photos, and come up with a good method to keep them in place. I don't want to use straps between the shoulders and biceps. I'll start experimenting with hooks.