TK-31100 Requesting ANH Stunt EIB Status [MTK][363]

[bzb]

Bobby Shively

TK-31100

Georgia Garrison

 

Armor: MTK

Helmet: MTK

Blaster: Hyperfirm E-11

 

Height: 6'

Weight: 170

Boots: TK Boots

Belt: TKittel

Hand Plates: Sonneschein white non-latex

Seal: Darman

Holster: Darman

Electronics: Echo fan kit, Aker voice amp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2014 by bzb

[A Master Builder]

Look Great Brotha! Nice Set of Armor! Good Luck! 

[captsafe66[Admin]]

Great Build!!

 

Good Luck Trooper!!

[Haribon72[TK]]

I like the bucket padding!  Great build!

[Redforce[TK]]

you look great. Good luck!

[Clamps[TK]]

Bobby. This is a good looking build overall.

 

Couple of comments I would have would be that The forearms and biceps do appear to be a little oversized/roomy compared to your arms. Also the tube stripes seem to be a tad low on the bucket. Could just be me on the phone here though.

 

Good luck with your application.

[kylebeagle[TK]]

Looking good trooper!! Best of luck on the application. 

[Toddo[TK]]

Looking good trooper.  Good luck!

[bzb]

Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate the criticism, too!

 

I'll be honest - the forearms and biceps are indeed a little large on me, but that's a bit intentional, as I'm going through a weight training program right now, and will likely gain size in certain areas (the thighs are also a little large). I anticipating having to redo the shoulder straps to adjust for my chest.

 

One thing on the forearms, though: I did adjust them down considerably to fit better - scary thing taking CA glue apart, haha. However, I can just *barely* get my hand through the wrist area now. I tapered them somewhat, but I can't really figure out how to make it taper any more to fit my forearms while maintaining the same width cover strip. Any suggestions here would be appreciated - I don't anticipate my forearms changing size as much as my biceps and thighs.

 

Oh, and one last thing. I added Germain's dang straps to the arm pieces and it feels so friggin weird now, haha! I actually kind of liked the way the biceps looked before, though :|

Edited March 1, 2014 by bzb

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate the criticism, too!

 

I'll be honest - the forearms and biceps are indeed a little large on me, but that's a bit intentional, as I'm going through a weight training program right now, and will likely gain size in certain areas (the thighs are also a little large). I anticipating having to redo the shoulder straps to adjust for my chest.

 

One thing on the forearms, though: I did adjust them down considerably to fit better - scary thing taking CA glue apart, haha. However, I can just *barely* get my hand through the wrist area now. I tapered them somewhat, but I can't really figure out how to make it taper any more to fit my forearms while maintaining the same width cover strip. Any suggestions here would be appreciated - I don't anticipate my forearms changing size as much as my biceps and thighs.

 

Oh, and one last thing. I added Germain's dang straps to the arm pieces and it feels so friggin weird now, haha! I actually kind of liked the way the biceps looked before, though :|

 

Lol, thank for the strap  ! But now that you have it, you can replace your biceps where they were before if your prefer. The strap will keep the forearms close to the biceps when arms at side, but will loose (and stretch if necessary) when you bend the arms and shouldn't block your elbows.

 

I find you forearms good in sizing, your biceps too, there's just the fact the left one is larger than the right one which make it a bit odd.

[bzb]

Ah, ok. I used webbing, not elastic. But that's an easy fix, just a little velcro lost. I'm glad you're happy now

 

So the left bicep (right in the photo) isn't actually bigger - it's shaped completely different - almost like a V. Maybe an issue with MTK's kit? Both also have the "thumbprint". Here's a couple photos, hopefully it shows the vast difference. The strange thing is that the openings at the bottom are basically the same diameter (same issue as the forearms).

 

 

 

[gazmosis[501st]]

Hey Bob! Thank you for your EIB application. MTK is an armor that I think we will be seeing more and more of. It is good quality armor and Mike is making improvements on it that are leading to more accuracy. (Rear thigh seam ridge removal, bicep seam ridge removal, belt rivet cover updates) It is nice to see a good build that shows the potential of this armor! By the way, I was unaware that MTK updated his thermal detonator. Did yours come with the kit or did you order a different one? Let's get to your armor. 

 

CRL Requirements:

From a construction standpoint it looks like you have your bases covered. However in order to fully approve you I need a couple things addressed. Your photo submissions need to be complete to verify everything. I need left and right side pics with arms raised, close up side details, and a right side blaster pic.Also,  It looks like you did a bicep hook mod and would like to see a clear shot of the straps on the shoulders that goes around your biceps.

 

Armor Fit/Assembly:

Again, you did a great job on this build. I do agree that your biceps are a bit big but they aren't too distracting. Nothing wrong with a beefy trooper who's "guns" fill out their armor! I would, however, look into a more mechanical means of attaching your waist belt. Velcro wears out over time and makes a lot of noise if you decide to become a more animated trooper for your fans.  I wanted to touch on a couple things with your helmet. First, you left a lot of material on your ears. I can appreciate the feeling of getting to a point with this challenging aspect of your armor that they fit just right and you don;t want to mess with it any more. Although this won't affect your application, they could stand to be brought down some. Another point is your tube stripes. They were applied a little low. there should be a pencil width between the cheek and the stripes themselves. Also, it looks like you have them on the wrong sides. You have the Dave M decals and the tube stripes are not uniform in their positioning.  The lowermost stripes are supposed to curve towards the outside of the helmet not inward towards the frown.  Neither of these will affect your application either. Just accuracy suggestions. 

 

Centurion Suggestions:

It looks like your build had Centurion in mind right out of the box which is great! Building it with the Original style metal brackets was awesome!!!  Just please review all required photo elements and points to cover before submitting. 

 

Let's get those pics posted so I can pass you!

[Geaux Saints[TK]]

I like the bucket padding!  Great build!

Me, too.  What did you use?

[bzb]

Thanks Steve, and DOH, I knew I'd forget something. I even had the checklist in front of me.

 

Will my 501st submission side photos work? I can take new ones tomorrow, if not. I'll also get photos of the bicep strap mixed with the forearm strap. I don't particularly like the way it fits, but I can at least demonstrate how well the bicep hook works (and it feels far more comfortable when it's strapped on the hook!) This is the photo of how it looks when the strap is on the hook:

 

 

 

Also, I edited the main post to add the following three photos:

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2014 by bzb

[bzb]

And thank you for all the suggestions. I am definitely not 100% on this, and I do indeed aim for Centurion. I already have some adjustments in progress for some bites that occurred during my first official troop.

 

The MTK armor looks great in person, and the kit went together very quick (mine and James' seemed to just assemble itself). Using MTK's techniques and videos, the process is almost too easy.

 

Onto some answers!

 

1. The TD came with the kit, including the pipe already greyed out. I made the clips from aluminum purchased at Home Depot.

 

2. The belt was actually a concern at first with the snaps after talking with a few TKs at the Legoland troop. I was told multiple times how much everyone hates snaps for the belt! During my first troop, the belt wasn't bad at all, but understood on it wearing out and making noise. I'll have to chat with some of the other guys in my Garrison to see what's working for them - maybe a combo of snaps and velcro.

 

3. I do plan on taking more off the ears after seeing Batphobic's ATA in person. Wow, those ears are SLIM. Also, Mike was great in sending me a pair of new ears with a quickness... so I feel confident even if I screw them up again

 

4. A new set of tube stripes just came in the mail. I plan on working on that piece before our St. Paddy's parade.

 

5. The strapping kit from Mr. Nostripes is fantastic. I hit the screws with a little blue Loctite, because I did lose a couple of them after my first troop. Outside of that, my torso is apparently long, so I'm going to have to add some snaps to make sure the chest stays overlapping the abs.

 

6. The helmet liner is from a motorcycle helmet. I used to ride, so I'm used to the "fat cheeks" feel, and after adding this to my bucket it feels so much more comfortable. Additionally, the wicking properties help immensely. Lastly, the plastic backers protects my face from the screw posts!

 

$20 from Amazon, got it in XL.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HB2HY0/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

Thanks for checking my build out!

[gazmosis[501st]]

Thank you for following up on this so quickly, Bob.  Welcome to the ranks of EIB!!!  I do agree that you might need a retainer strap or smaller straps between your chest and ab. I can't see the brackets in these areas and that surprises me that with the brackets it doesn;t hold the overlap but I am certain you will figure that one out  .

 

Congratulations!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Congrats and welcome to the ranks trooper

[kylebeagle[TK]]

Congratulations and welcome!!!

[bzb]

Woot thanks! And thanks for the quick turnaround, as well!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Hey Bob! Thank you for your EIB application. MTK is an armor that I think we will be seeing more and more of. It is good quality armor and Mike is making improvements on it that are leading to more accuracy. (Rear thigh seam ridge removal, bicep seam ridge removal, belt rivet cover updates) It is nice to see a good build that shows the potential of this armor! By the way, I was unaware that MTK updated his thermal detonator. Did yours come with the kit or did you order a different one? Let's get to your armor. 

 

Another point is your tube stripes. They were applied a little low. there should be a pencil width between the cheek and the stripes themselves. Also, it looks like you have them on the wrong sides. You have the Dave M decals and the tube stripes are not uniform in their positioning.  The lowermost stripes are supposed to curve towards the outside of the helmet not inward towards the frown.  Neither of these will affect your application either. Just accuracy suggestions. 

 

 

Let's get those pics posted so I can pass you!

 

 

4. A new set of tube stripes just came in the mail. I plan on working on that piece before our St. Paddy's parade.

 

6. The helmet liner is from a motorcycle helmet. I used to ride, so I'm used to the "fat cheeks" feel, and after adding this to my bucket it feels so much more comfortable. Additionally, the wicking properties help immensely. Lastly, the plastic backers protects my face from the screw posts!

 

$20 from Amazon, got it in XL.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HB2HY0/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

Thanks for checking my build out!

 

Congrats Bobby, I've been understandably following your progess, with my own MTK build.

 

Steve, can you elaborate pn the tube stripe example, or Bobby, can you explain exactly which way they go. I've actually asked the question over here: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/25829-anyone-know-where-to-get-anh-tube-transfers-to-paint/#entry335836

 

Might have to borrow your motorcycle helment idea too. I have an old helmet lying around.

 

Cheers

[gazmosis[501st]]

Trooperbay has the Dave M decals set on the sheet according to the sides they are supposed to be applied to. (looking at the helmet) With the Dave M tube stripes, the curved stripes are mostly uniform until you reach the bottom near the frown. The curves begin to turn outward. Bobby had them turning inward towards the frown. Although these stripes are hand painted, they were marked using the Dave M stencils. You can see the slight outward curve at the bottom.You can the lower stripes curved inward here.

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Thanks Steve. Troopermaster also had a good explanation on the other thread. Paint on tomorrow and helmet just about done!

 

Sorry for the thread hijack Bobby.

[bzb]

Not at all - I need to be sure before I apply my new ones, too

[RampantLion[TK]]

Congratulations! Welcome to the ranks.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Congratulations Bobby!!! Awesome work, and well deserved.

 

Do those motorcycle liners come in different colors, too?