A Slightly Disheveled Medium and a Pristine Big Brown Box Arrived Today - Dark's RT-Mod ANH Hero (and Stunt) Build Thread

[swmand4]

[TrooperJesse[TK]]

I just finished my RT-Mod, best armor you could have man. Best of luck with it.. I love it! . 

If you need any help let me know. I just got accepted and waiting for my TK-ID . 

[Holnave (evan_loh)[TK]]

That's an awesome cake! And great progress on your armour

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Thanks for sharing that, Sean!

 

Jesse - Congratulations on your approval! Did you have to do any cutting to the thighs?

 

Thank you Evan! Would you believe I was slightly chastised for sharing that particular picture of the cake, because it was not completed in that picture. She put some more decorations on it before calling it done so I could take it to work with me. LoL

Edited June 17, 2014 by Dark CMF

[swmand4]

I don't know about Jesse, but I had to cut quite a bit off my thighs to make them fit better. I also seem to remember taking more off the top than the bottom... page 4 of my build thread has some pictures of it.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Looking good so far Tim!

[maxsteele[TK]]

Yeah, you definitely want to do the tapering of your thighs.  The fitted pic you took looks nice, but of course you don't want them hugging your legs.  A little room is fine to have.

 

The way I shaped my thighs was I did the necessary 20mm spacing on the front for the cover strip.  After that, I wrapped the thighs around, found a nice comfortable shape where they follow the tapering of my thigh from the top down to the knee area, and taped it off.  Then, I used a ruler to match up the front cut lines with the back, made marks at the top and bottom of the thighs, and then drew a line connecting the two marks.  That became my straight cut line.  That will remove all of the proper lengths from the top to the bottom and give you a nice straight cut line for your finishing strip in the back.

 

One other tip - you don't know exactly how high you're going to wear your thighs until you put on your ab plate.  I'd recommend doing a test fit of the ab and the thigh pieces to see how far up you're going to have the thighs.  That will let you know if you need to bring the thighs in more or less before you do your cuts.

Edited June 18, 2014 by maxsteele

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Thanks, Ron... You actually answered the question that I've got swimming around in my head next already. That was whether you should wait on the thighs until the torso is at least "fittable" for testing. Seems like a better approach than my taping everything together to test it.

 

EDIT:  Just realized that it changed pages here, and I didn't thank Sean for weighing in on the thigh cutting.  Thank you, brother!!

Edited June 20, 2014 by Dark CMF

[maxsteele[TK]]

Yeah, if I had the chance to do everything over again, the first complete fit I'd do is the ab and kidney.  Most everything else revolves around those two pieces.

 

Biceps, forearms, and shins can be fitted independently from the ab/kidney, but every other piece relies on how the ab/kidney sit on your body.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Yeah, if I had the chance to do everything over again, the first complete fit I'd do is the ab and kidney.  Most everything else revolves around those two pieces.

 

Biceps, forearms, and shins can be fitted independently from the ab/kidney, but every other piece relies on how the ab/kidney sit on your body.

That's the realization that I came to last night when I wanted to do a "taped" test-fit...   LoL.  Now...  I guess I'll work on shoulder bridging while I wait for my brackets and heat sealing iron to arrive so that I can put the torso together.  I guess that I could always begin the maddening process of learning to make the necessary snap plates, too.  Going to have to get it done eventually.  :/  LoL 

[maxsteele[TK]]

I am a big fan of using webbing snap plates rather than ABS snap plates.  They adhere to the ABS well, they take e6000 nicely, and they will conform to the surface if they're getting attached to an area that is curvy.  You can also use a cheap soldering iron to burn the hole for the snap, which gives the added benefit of sealing off the hole when it makes it.

 

I took a precaution and covered the part of the snap that touches the ABS with a round piece of duct tape.  There have been threads talking about e6000 having a reaction with snaps and causing damage to the plastic itself.  Nothing conclusive.  It didn't take me much more time to cut out and put some duct tape circles in place.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Already bought the webbing for the snaps. 

Since I intend to use the "original strapping method" for the torso, I'll have to create proper return edges on the torso pieces that will require them for the brackets.  The other strapping bits and pieces will be done in the manner that BIDS did for his build.  Two snaps per web plate, with velcro sewn on for added strength to both the plate, and the elastic strapping before the snaps are attached.

 

My wife suggested that we not stay up past midnight tonight, as we've both been lacking sleep lately, and I said "OH, excellent.  We can build snap plates!"  She was only moderatly as excited about it as I am. 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

LOL keep it up Tim, such an understanding wife

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Aye, Q. She is at that!

 

Snap Plate construction has begun, using BIDS' build as the template: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/21968-bids-anh-hero-build-thread-rt-mod/

 

I'll get the pics up eventually. Right now, it is fuzzy webbing. Not really exciting, but still progressing on the build while I await the arrival of my brackets - my heat sealing iron and heat gun did arrive today though, so a new set of skills must be learned soon!

Edited June 19, 2014 by Dark CMF

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Well, I mentioned the Heat Sealing Iron was on the way. It is here. The brackets are here. I guess I can get a little bit comfortable with the heat sealing iron, and get back to some good progress this weekend!

 

I also mentioned snap plates, and being me, I took some pictures

 

Here they are:

Heat Gun/Sealing Iron Combo by Hangar 9 on smile.amazon.com - less than $40 shipped, and a donation went to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Not too shabby!

 

Cutting webbing to the 50mm x 40mm size for the double snap plates, and at 50mm x 80mm for the shoulder's four snap plates.

 

Matching pieces of "soft" industrial strength, self-adhesive Velcro to go on the plates.

 

Velcro stuck on the webbing. Now, all I have to do is sew around the edges for reinforcement, and put snaps on them! Also, I need two more for my shoulders.

 

The webbed side inspires the adult in me with it's strength and dependability - also the fact that it will bond well with E6000.

 

But the kid in me loves the playful Velcro side!

 

And here they are, awaiting a trip to the sewing machine!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Moving right along...

 

The brackets that I mentioned having received. Looking great so a big thanks to Mr. No Stripes!

 

The Heat Sealing Iron I mentioned having received! LoL. I immediately had to get comfortable using it, so I put a return edge on a spare piece of ABS and decided that I am capable of using it. Then, I got brave...

 

Before Shot... Biceps. Both of which clearly have thumbprints in them.

 

My "Right" bicep, now without a thumbprint (mostly). Steve planted the suggestion and I thought "I want it to be accurate, and I want to make it my own RT-Mod armor. Why the hell not, aside from being afraid of destroying the bicep?"

 

Here you can see that it is not quite perfectly removed yet. I'll be giving it another treatment to see if I can smooth it out more perfectly, but for now I'm really happy with how it is looking.

 

Another quick look at the bicep's thumbprint area.

 

On a side note: Ironing ABS in the house is apparently very bad. I guess it smells horrible. I didn't really notice it too much, but my pregnant wife, who can smell a gnat fart a mile away was deeply traumatized by this act. I suggest that anyone else who decides to use a Heat Sealing Iron on their ABS be either A: Single, B: Home alone, C: Prepared to face the consequences.

 

I was none of the above. Consider this a very important lesson passed on to you all.

 

Thanks for checking in and leaving any comments/questions/observations you happen to have.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Dark CMF

[usaeatt2]

AWESOME!!!

 

Nice work removing that thumbprint.  LOL, what's next, bank robbery?  You can barely see it and I'm sure another session will erase it completely.  Working a large, open area like that with a heat sealing iron is no joke - it takes plenty of patience to do well.  I don't hesitate near edges, but an open area is reason for pause.  It seems to me the ABS has a bit of "memory", so you have to push it just a little past where you want it to end up.

 

I never thought about the smell...  I considered myself lucky the other day when my wife came home from work and I was "baking" E-11 parts in the oven...I thought I was doomed until she said her coworkers couldn't believe what I was doing.  "You told your coworkers?"  She said, "Oh ya, nobody else has a husband baking gun parts in their oven.  I think it's cool."

 

Looks like I'm golden!  <swaggers back out to the garage> 

[Zarlon[TK]]

Looking good Tim! I found a heat gun yesterday in the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart but I'm going to hold off on an Iron to make sure I need it. My armor won't be available until early 2015 but I'm trying to collect items I know I'll need as I find them.

[gazmosis[501st]]

You are a master of the heat iron!!!!! Well played!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

You are a master of the heat iron!!!!! Well played!

Thank you sir, but we'll see how that "other project" pans out before we go throwing around words like master.    Of course, I've got to finish the thumbprint, too.   

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looking good Tim! I found a heat gun yesterday in the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart but I'm going to hold off on an Iron to make sure I need it. My armor won't be available until early 2015 but I'm trying to collect items I know I'll need as I find them.

I'd say that's a good call.  The likelihood of needing a heat gun is probably higher than needing an iron. 

[Tolo[TK]]

Nice build Tim.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Nice build Tim. Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

Thank you, Eric.

 

Tonight, I began preliminary work on the TD. Filed the ends to ensure that the caps fit, drilled an air hole in the tube, painted it, and yeah... Watched paint dry. :/

 

I did also manage to wrestle with the heat iron, the right bicep, and the forearms. Mixed emotions about it at the moment, but am pretty certain that I'll come back prepared to get it done.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

So, part of my plans for the weekend's build activities did manage to happen. A great many more (Fix/create return edges, apply brackets and straps) didn't, because someone decided that he was NOT going to take a nap on Sunday afternoon. Sigh... So far behind my mental timeline at the moment.

 

Anyway, some of that stuff DID get done, and I did take pictures of it, so here they are:

 

Before the heat iron, the forearms, and the right bicep.

 

After the heat iron, the elbow ends of the forearms. From here, they look pretty awesome. They're going to need another pass or two to get the outsides looking right.

 

As I mentioned, the actual outsides of the forearms still need some work to get them shaped properly.

 

As mentioned, I started working on the TD. The pipe measures in at 7.5" as it should, but the pipe is so large relative to the caps, that the ends will require some sanding in order to work.

 

The caps are very nearly spot on to the 13/16 that they should be. If anything, they're a scant bit closer to 12/16, and I can't add any material so I'll live with it.

 

Ends of the pipe have been sanded to allow the caps to fit.

 

Based on reading something that TM said someplace, I'm going to drill a hole in the pipe, to prevent airlocking from taking place.

 

Hole is drilled, and the TD is ready to paint.

 

One last look before painting happens.

 

Watching paint dry. Fun!!!

 

Hit the control plate area with some sandpaper prior to applying the E6000.

 

E6000 is applied, caps are in place (which I'd advise you to wait to do until the plate is glued in place, because you can use your magnets on the control plate. I stuck the caps on to see if they fit, and they wouldn't come off, so I proceeded to applying the control plate.

 

I took the soldering iron to the snap plates, and made all of the holes for the snaps.

 

Started to put the snaps in, and remembered that I had not bought all of my snaps yet. So, after a quick trip to Walmart (and Sonic!) I had enough to continue.

 

Here they are. Assembled and ready for installation - once the armor is ready to have them installed, anyway. At the bottom are the snap casualties from the process.

 

I've seen a lot of talk about the E6000 eating plastic when it is applied to snaps and ABS, so I wanted to conduct an experiment.

 

So far, so good, after a few hours.

 

I'll be posting a test-fitting of the torso parts in a short while. I'd like some opinions on how it appears to fit, so if you happen to pause long enough to read through the posts, please weigh-in on it for me.

 

Thanks.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

For the test fit, I'll just post the pictures up without a lot of commentary, other than to say that I realize that the butt is not aligned properly during this fitting. LoL

Overall, I feel like it is a pretty solid fit right now (granted, it is over street clothes, so I'll try again later with the undersuit) but my curiosity is really at the abs and kidney seam. Currently, there are no return edges there. Should there be, or is straight-up flush-fitting ABS alright?

 

Here's the pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, there they are. Anxiously awaiting community comments before I forge ahead - I think. I guess that depends on how long all of you take to chime in. LoL.

 

Thanks for reading/following along/commenting!