Jes Gistang [KWDesigns] build thread

[jnnfr72[TK]]

UPDATE - I am approved! Yay! In case some future Legacy builders are struggling, like I did, here's an inside view of what I did. I'm sure there are way better ways to build, but I just kept trying things until it worked.  * DONT GIVE UP - YOU CAN DO IT!!!  *  I've re-done the strapping, painting, put holes in the ab plate, changed my mind... E6000-ed... rubbed off the E6000... and then re-E6000-ed again. I permantly attached the chest to the ab plate, and permantly attached the left ab side to the kidney plate, like a clamshell.  The back plate is permantly attached to the kidney plate.

I basically cut off the top inch of my ab plate - like they say  NOT TO DO. Well, I was so frustrated, and it just worked for me - thank the armor gods. 

 

Here's some pics. WARNING - These are scary! I'm not saying MY way is the way to go... I'm just saying ~ Don't give up little Troopers! You can get through this.

 

I took off my hand painting, which basically was horrible, and bought the stickers. I really wanted to say "it's all hand painted" but I had to admit defeat and move along...

 

 

 

Attached knee piece to shin piece and added padding inside the knee...

 

I should have used black elastic... but I black markered it.. and now the black ink keeps rubbing off. Arggh! haa haa..

Oh - i made the elastic strip too long... so then i went back and made it shorter by sewing.

 

 

 

 

Belt had to get hooks. I discovered that I LOVE hook - n- eye closures. I made the elastic strip longer b/c I have a hard time

seeing down the chest and the extra length seems to help. I am able to twist my belt 1/4  way around, hook that sucker, 

then twist it back into place.

 

 

see how there's extra velcro on most pieces ... i just add more strapping over what i previously tried...

 

 

 

More hooks attached to the inside ab plate. At the top of the ab plate you can see where I bent the top over and it cracked, but it cannot be seen.

 

 

This crazy mess is the inside of the back plate connected with black nylon strapping, where I used snaps.

Next, I used old blue rings from my chain mail project. I E6000-ed them to the back plate and used white elastic

to tie the back plate and kidney plate together. They are basically always tied together. 

You can see a long white elastic strip with the hook hanging. There are 2, which I glued to the right side kidney plate, 

and the closure bars are glued to the middle of the inside AB plate.

 

 

This shows the clam-shell approach I ended up with.... I still have blue 

painters tape to take off from my recent changes.

 

 

Chest and back plates are attached with snaps, there are holes in my kidney plate from who knows what I tried... and it looks crazy, but it functions.

 

 

Here's my shoulder bells and biceps. I added more velcro and moved each bicep slightly more forward, which helped secure the bells so they looked better. 

 

 

Hope this can help somebody. I've had lots of help on these forums and from Chris.  He's my GA garrison GML and he was so nice - I didnt even cry once! haa haa I needed to make adjustments on my wonky thermal det... I ended up re-E6000-ing it two times. I decided on buying the cheek stickers from trooperbay after 2 attempts at hand painting them. I'm glad I gave up that battle. It got too frustrating. Oh, I ended up adding the elastic strapping with hook - n - eye closures for both legs - and Chris was right... all those things needed fixed. I could use some more padding and adjustments to my helmet, so I will work on that next. Thanks for reading. Cheers to all the troopers!

Edited October 26, 2015 by jnnfr72

[Griffin-X[TK]]

Congrats and well done Jenny!

Edited October 26, 2015 by Griffin-X

[Toddo[TK]]

Well-done!

[Mutter]

Congratulations on your approval!