Fuumantroop's AM armor build

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Well, i was going to do some touch ups on my helmet, BUT my testors gray paint somehow exploded. Perhaps a crack in the glass, or I simply did not put the lid back on right...needless to say I will try to get on that tomorrow. Kinda frustrating! But at least its a cheap replacement!

[Starfox2010]

Could be worse, I just started painting my blaster and the paint can head exploded while painting so my hands are now a hammered black, lol.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Wowzers! Lol that does suck indeed! Now your making me hesitant to paint my sons clone trooper blaster lol.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Thanks to a squad mate, got the trimming done in my thighs and shins! Time was rather limited, but it was MUCH easier having a helping hand than guessing, as i do not seem to have eyes on the back of my head...peculiar isnt it??

 

Thigh fronts being shimmed.

 

And calves wrapped in tape for test fitting. I used pretty much all of my magnets on my thighs, so they will just have to sit here while i get the thighs completely finished up. Again, I am holding off on cover strips JUST incase i need any further adjustments after everything is trimmed.

 

As this is my first build, i am using E6k all the way to the finish line. Perhaps my next build I will use something with a quicker cure time.

 

In the mean time, I will hopefully begin trimming my chest, back, kidney, and COD, in no particular order, while the legs are finishing up. Or perhaps i will work on my extra helmet

Edited September 7, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Okay, so I did have a little time for touch ups on my helmet. Cleaned up the vocoder and rounded it off a tad bit, touched up the ears(no pics of that as it was simply a small touch up), and painted the far edges on the frown to get that point.

Vocoder

Frown

 

 

AND I got the backs of my thighs shimmed up.

 

 

Now to set those aside until tomorrow night, and I will get to shimming the fronts of my shins!

 

 

And as always, input(whether positive OR negative) is always greatly appreciated!

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Quite potentially getting to end of my magnet party...going to velcro the backs using the cover strip trick for the shins. In the mean time, got the fronts shimmed together right now.

 

And now the waiting game continues!

 

I have an exclusive mail in dioramma of the cantina, which is whats behind these music lovers, but debating whether or not to actually open it up and use the background(its never been assembled or punched, i have the receipt of the original purchaser too). But there ya have it, for now. Gotta find something to wrap the ammo belt to match the curve of my thigh. Then onto gluing the sniper knee onto the shin. Once the fronts of the shins are nice and cured, ill shoot some pics for everyones viewing pleasure

[nz-stormtrooper]

Looking at the shins briefly, looks like I have duplicates as well. Already contacted MightyTank and it is being resolved.

I purchased the same kit, and have yet to start construction. How do I know if I have a shin problem? Did some of them not ship right? Thanks.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

The main thing you will have to do is try to think how our shins and calves appear from the front. You want the "bulgier" or more muscular side on the insides, and the straighter sides on the out.

[Snaps[TK]]

Great progress!

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Thank you Steve!

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Okay so i tried to get that cod up as high as comfort allows, but had an issue with the extra flap underneath(have not trimmed it prior to test fitting my legs)...

 

This is what I got. Also just taped the sniper knee down(its on the left leg if anyone gets confused by the mirrors reflection)

 

 

I will probably end up cutting the top of the back on the shins a bit and also the bottoms backs of the thighs to allow movement. I dropped my phone before snapping pics, and lemme tell ya, it felt like a turtle on his back, STANDING UP! Lol i now have a newfound respect and appreciate handlers even more at this point!

[Starfox2010]

Lookin good, bro. We're almost there! How does the front part of the thighs feel? I can't really bend my legs like I see some do. Gona wait till I have it built before I mess with it more.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Oh man i can bend much at all lol! Doesnt help that everythings just taped up and keeps coming undone either. I may put a small piece of foam behind the sniper plate before gluing it so it doesn't get caught under my thigh. I really had to fight that COD for proper placement! Ended up just cutting the bottom after my test fitting was done. I may go ahead and glue the cover strip on half of the calf and get the velcro going. Still trying to conquer that in my head lol.

 

Since my cars not driveable I had to call in to work, so guess i get to play with armor a bit

[fuumantroop[TK]]

I do have a small question regarding my thighs, is it best to trim a bit off the COD to raise them a bit? Or would trimming the top of the thighs be a better solution?

 

Or is the placement fine as it is?

Edited September 10, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Also, prepping my ab buttons for paint! Instead of spending more money, i used the paint and primer combo that i used as the base coat for my E-11, since I will probably not need use it anymore after I paint my sons clone blaster.

 

Edited September 10, 2014 by fuumantroop

[zeroskillz]

Since my cars not driveable I had to call in to work, so guess i get to play with armor a bit

Lucky! That'll be me tomorrow...or maybe *cough cough* a 24 hour cold...

 

Your armor's looking great...it's keeping me inspired to keep going on mine. Funny though about the thighs, I was just asking you about that in my thread. I think I need to trim the tops down by an inch or two to be able to bend my leg.

 

 

Edited to add: yeah I was just looking through panda troopers build thread and he cut an inch off the tops of his thighs... And Kung Fu'd a return edge with a heat sealing iron

Edited September 11, 2014 by zeroskillz

[Starfox2010]

Also, prepping my ab buttons for paint! Instead of spending more money, i used the paint and primer combo that i used as the base coat for my E-11, since I will probably not need use it anymore after I paint my sons clone blaster.

 

If I may suggest, use washers and pre-screw them into the nuts before painting (blue and gray) and installing.  I tried doing it after painting and I started smudging the paint (1 week of dry time).

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Dang i wish i saw that post earlier lol. My kit didn't come with washers, just nuts. I have them drying right now, just no pictures yet. I probably will wait to install them anyways until i get my body components fitted. If i have to, i was even considering waiting until i get my snaps installed as well.

 

Thanks for the tip though! Im sure it will help those that follow this build with the same armor! I was just in and out of the house working on my wifes car and then my armor when time permitted.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Quick question, what size cover strips is everyone using for the back of the shins with velcro?

[Starfox2010]

I did 25mm

[fuumantroop[TK]]

I only did 20 mm for the backs. Wondering if that will be enough for velcro. Will hopefully test it tonight to see how it holds

[zeroskillz]

I only did 20 mm for the backs. Wondering if that will be enough for velcro. Will hopefully test it tonight to see how it holds

I did the same, and got the stronger of the two velcros at hobby lobby--it holds really well. Really really well--I have to start at one end and slide my fingers up the joint to undo it.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Here is my result of velcroing my right shin. Wanted to get some opinions on it before continuing to the left side. It measures roughly 7 MM, and seems to hold extremely well(i bought the white industrial velcro). Is it common to have a slight gap near the middle of the shin? It doesn't sit completely perfect, but like I said, it holds.

 

Edited September 12, 2014 by fuumantroop

[Starfox2010]

Use a liter for the edges of fuzzy stuff.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Thanks for that tip Rick! I was contemplating how to get rid of that