Haribon72's ANH Stormtrooper NE Hero Build

[Haribon72[TK]]

Hello Everyone,

Finally got my first armor kit - NE (Nostaglic Empire).    I've already started my build and documented them here:

 

 

Opening the brown box

 

 

 

Starting the build

 

 

 

I decided the NE because it was available now and I read it accommodates larger guys like me.  

I'm 5'10" and 230 pounds.    Thank you!

Edited April 27, 2016 by Haribon72

[gazmosis[501st]]

You are a go getter! Great progress so far! Watch the fit of your thighs. No matter if you are a thin guy or a thicker trooper, , the human thigh is conic in shape. It is a smaller diameter the closer you get to the knee. From the one shot of the thigh test fit, it looks like there is a huge amount of room around the knee area. I would definitely refit this with someone's help so they look more proportionate to your legs. The shoulder straps should float freely on your back. I don't know if you put the Velcro on your back for the pic but it should be removed for your final armor.

Edited December 30, 2013 by gazmosis

[Haribon72[TK]]

Thank you Steve for the feedback.    The thighs definitely need more work.   My fiancee suggest I start losing the "thunder thighs" first  LOL!     Yes, I put velcro on the back for now to hold it together until I install the snaps system.

[Locitus[Admin]]

If you must have the raised areas of the limbs wider than normal, adjust the width of your cover strips to match. Using narrower cover strips than the area they are supposed to cover looks really poor.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Also, the cover strips don't need to go all the way down. Stop just before the bottom ridges.

 

By the way you have the same problem with the front of you shins. The flat area is wider than your cover strips. Do you really need the extra room it gives you? Because if not, i would recommand you to adjust the width of the flat sections with the width of you cover strips (around 20-25mm).

Edited December 30, 2013 by The5thHorseman

[Haribon72[TK]]

Thank you Mathias and Germain!  I will look into it again.  My turkey calves and thunder thighs are my challenges.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Thank you Mathias and Germain!  I will look into it again.  My turkey calves and thunder thighs are my challenges.

No problem.

 

You know, having a build thread and posting the images to the thread helps other people keep up with your build and can interrupt you if they see something strange, helping you fix it before it's "too late".

[maxsteele[TK]]

Oooh - it looks like you lined up the forearms at the wrist end and cut off the extra at the elbow end.  

 

You wanted to line up the forearms at the elbow end and cut off the extra at the wrist end.

 

Redforce did a similar thing in his build:

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/23285-ne-armor-build-thread/?p=293568

 

 

To add a little more reiteration on the thighs and shins - the front should always be cut to take a 20mm finishing strip.  That means measuring and cutting at 10mm on each side in the front.  Have you trimmed any from the backs of the thighs / shins?  And if not, are you having a tight fit already with only what you have trimmed in the front?

 

Generally, once you trim the fronts to take a 20mm cover strip, you take off any excess you need to make the pieces fit to your body from the back.  NE armor has *a lot* of extra, so cutting the fronts down to 20mm shouldn't have an issue getting around your thighs / legs, unless you have also trimmed in the back as well.

Edited December 31, 2013 by maxsteele

[Haribon72[TK]]

thanks Ron!  I disassembled the shins and thighs this evening (using the old fashion utility knife and paint scraper / chisel).  I got it safely disassembled (because I used PVC cement).   There's enough room to make the corrections this coming weekend.   I'm doing the 20mm on the shins and thighs front strips.   

 

Question for all:   Is it me of does the E6000 glue really stink?  I placed my armor outside for three days in a row and it still stinks.   I'm not enjoying its gassy smell at all.   Any thoughts on airing out the smell?  I don't want my place smelling like chemical fumes.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Haribon72

[Locitus[Admin]]

No, E-6000 is not supposed to smell that long. It does smell for a couple of hours while it's curing, but are you sure it's the glue and not the plastic that is venting fumes?

[Haribon72[TK]]

We are sure its the E6000 because before the build the armor was spread throughout the living room for a couple nights (no smell).   When I started using the E6000, the family complained about the fumes.    So now i'm gluing the parts together outside and letting it gas in the backyard.  

[Haribon72[TK]]

I stopped using the E6000 and stayed with the ABS cement that came with the armor.  Sorry everyone, the E6000 smell is too strong for me and my family.

 

Here's my latest in-progress (sorry I forgot to take pictures of the re-done thighs and shins).

Edited November 17, 2015 by Haribon72

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

The side rivets are supposed to face each others. Here your rivets on the left side of the kydney plate aren't facing the ones on the abdominal plate. 

[Haribon72[TK]]

Hi Germain, which picture are you looking at for the kidney plate?

[pandatrooper[TK]]

I think he's referring to the photo which shows the side rivets on the left side of the torso. Not sure if its because of the elastic but the photo makes it look like the rivets are not parallel with one another (eg. Top rivet on the ab armor is not at the same height as the top rivet on the kidney armor).

 

It would make it a lot easier if you posted the images directly in this build thread.

 

Also, not sure if you are done the thighs but in my opinion they need to be tapered such that the knee opening is closer fit around your knees. Right now they look way too big. This is what I refer to as "church bell thigh syndrome". . They should taper down if possible.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

 

I was referencing at this pic, but in fact i just realized that it's not your armor, but a reference pic you took! So FYI be aware that you should be able to draw a straight line between two facing rivets unlike on this picture.

[Haribon72[TK]]

Thanks Terry - Yes, I'm working on the thighs again this weekend.   Aiming for no church bells and tapering them down.

 

Thanks Germain - I take pictures of the 501st website to guide my build and show my family and friends on this journey build.    Thank you for pointing out the "should be able to draw a straight line between two facing rivets".   I will add this to my thought and build process.     I wish I had a mannequin of my exact body structure so it will be easier to build.     I'm working with some HVAC duct insulation to make a "homemade" mannequin this weekend.   A seamstress friend of mine suggests that would make it easier for me to wrap the armor and measure correctly.     Like everyone, I'm putting on the armor, making marks or using painters tape, taking off the armor, and then making the alterations and cuts.   Whew, what a build!

[Rawgee]

Those thighs man... Wow they gave me a hard time... First i've cut the front leaving 10-11mm on each side so i can use a 20mm cover strip. Tape the front together (using the tape as the cover strip) then i ended up squeezing both parts on my thigh, bottom ridges aligned as most as possible, then asked the wife to tape it, remove it, make pencil marks where each edges ends as a guide in case they move, then find the middle in the back, make a pencil mark on top directly on the edge of both parts then repeat for bottom, draw your line, double check everything, cut, assemble and it ended up not so bad... I'm sorry i didn't took any picture of the process but if you have any questions feel free to ask i'll do my best to help you out! Like others said, post your photos here so we can help! 

 

Martin

 

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Edited May 13, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[Lucky Jack[TK]]

I'll leave the technical points to my more knowledgable colleagues as I'm still learning the ropes too.

 

BUT....I will give you major props for kicking into hi gear ! Man you are a workhorse !

 

Listen to these Troopers and with your work ethic you'll be a troopin' TK real soon !

[Haribon72[TK]]

Thank you Martin and Jack!   No armor build this weekend.   The football games are on (playoff season).  

[Haribon72[TK]]

Question:  I'm shopping for snaps for the abs and kidney plates.  What size snaps should I be using?   I'm guessing 5/16"????

Here's the 501st reference site, but I could not find the snap size requirements.

 

[gazmosis[501st]]

There are no snap size requirements but a 5/16 post just gives you a little more breathing space.

[Haribon72[TK]]

Question:  I found this image here on FISD that shows the guideline for installing the rivets to the plate.  Does anyone have the proper measurements to install them correctly for both the abs and kidney plate?    It shows 10mm from the edge to the rivet.

 

Edited January 16, 2014 by Haribon72

[Haribon72[TK]]

I only have one shot on the kidney and abs plates.  I don't want to mess up.   

 

Also, I'm a larger trooper.  I will be adding extensions between the abs and kidney plate.    All the centurions have the perfect waist, but for me i'm on the plus side and requiring to add maybe three or four inches.   I'd like to know if there's a correct way to install the rivets / snaps.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Haribon72

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

If you need to add shims to your sides then the split rivets should be set on the shims.

Basically people set the split rivets on the abdominal plate normally, then placed the shims on the kidney plate and once the left shim is set, the split rivets onto it.

 

 

For the rivets placement, follow this pic the closer you can: