Fuumantroop's AM armor build

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Okay, so I attempted to test fit to find my trim lines by myself. Id like to go ahead and throw it out there before someone else does, i put my shirt on backwards! I realized it only after i got my ab plate/cod taped around my abdomen, what a noob! Haha, okay now thats out of the way...

 

Looks like I got some trimming to do! The kidney plate almost wraps around dead even with my stomach. No big deal though, just more extra ABS to add to my ever growing pile

 

 

 

Here you can clearly see my shirts backwards LOL

 

 

Defintely looks like I will be needing to trim my kidney plate. I would imagine it be best to trim it from the top, correct?

 

I could not get any pics with my back plate semi attached, but there is quite a bit of overlap, maybe around 2-3 inches.

 

THAT being said, should i trim JUST the kidney plate, or ALSO trim some of the back? Obviously it would be much easier to say with pictures, but everyone is fast asleep so I am on my own until tomorrow for that.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Also, should i leave my butt plate as it is, or trim a bit off that as well?

Edited September 12, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Btw, is anyone using the hardhat liner supplied with their kit? Im at the point where im about to give up installing it and just using the MICH pads i got for my other helmet

Edited September 14, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Moving along, got the cover strips on my shins done, now have the cover strips on my thighs curing. I know I said I wanted to hold off on cover strips until the build is basically completed, but I am going to attempt to attach the sniper plate and the thigh belt tomorrow, so they had to be done.

 

 

 

Still have not made any cuts to my kidney plate just yet. Still kind of hesitant on that, and it has been a long weekend, so, hopefully tomorrow, if my wife is so kind to help me out

[zeroskillz]

Btw, is anyone using the hardhat liner supplied with their kit? Im at the point where im about to give up installing it and just using the MICH pads i got for my other helmet

 

yeah, I'm not too keen on using that myself. I like the idea of the pads that stick in with velcro much more.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

yeah, I'm not too keen on using that myself. I like the idea of the pads that stick in with velcro much more.

Yeah i pretty much just gave up. I dont own a hot enough glue gun apparently and am sort of watching my build budget right now. So i velcroed in the MICH pads, i got plenty of velcro for my other helmet so i should be able to just swap them out between helmets. Pictures to come later today, after work :/

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Was only able to glue the middle of the sniper plate tonight, got my MICH pads installed in my bucket last night. Might have to trim my thigh ammo belt a little, maybe about an inch or two. Had some unexpected company show up so just wanted to share my helmet pic for now.

 

[Snaps[TK]]

Glad to see those pads worked for you in your helmet! Before you know it, you'll be out representing the 501st in awesome looking armor!

[fuumantroop[TK]]

They worked awesome! And you can take them apart fairly easily. Took a while to find the "sweet spot" for the pads, I even ended up with one extra pad that won't be needed. I tried to instal it a couple of different ways, just found that my head doesn't like that one lol. Never hurts to have extras of anything though!

 

They are a pretty thick pieces of memory foam, so thats what made it a little tricky as far as placement.

 

I tried messing around with the fitting of the thigh ammo pack, but am again hesitant on trimming it at all. If i do trim it, perhaps ill trim the piece that gets riveted to the inside of the leg. We will see. My hands are fried from work today, and my body is just simply exhausted at this point so that will be it for tonight.

 

I did trim the sides of the shoulder straps, definitely did not help my hands what so ever, but i think I got them where i want them. More pics tomorrow, maybe if I buy my wife something nice she will be more inclined to not have guests over and help me mark my trim lines on my body components

 

 

I cannot wait to be apart of the 501st family. Everyone I have met within my garrison and right here on FISD have been overwhelmingly helpful and friendly, it really does feel like one big family. Seeing peoples faces light up when confronted with the joy of Star Wars is truly an amazing thing, I hope to help spread that joy however I can.

 

On a side note, Steve, my son just got his Captain Rex costume in today and I have completed painting his clone blaster(as the rex pistols are a hard find locally).

 

Heres his blaster drying 2 days ago. I opted to not add a protective coat yet, that way he can naturally weather it until a couple of weeks before halloween.

[Starfox2010]

I tried messing around with the fitting of the thigh ammo pack, but am again hesitant on trimming it at all. If i do trim it, perhaps ill trim the piece that gets riveted to the inside of the leg. We will see. My hands are fried from work today, and my body is just simply exhausted at this point so that will be it for tonight.

 

Did you trim the top and bottom edge (pic bellow)?  Very scary cut for me.  I think im going to glue the belt to the thigh before I add the rivets just to see if it looks good.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

I did not. I will take some measurements with my calipers tonight to see what theyre at out of the box. I did out the radius on the ends, but am now thinking i need to shorten the thigh belt a bit

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Measured up the thigh belt. It is roughly 6-7 MM from the edge to the boxes. Trimming that small of a difference to give it the 3-5 MM, in my eyes, will be tough. I don't think I will, personally, mess with it, as that small of a difference isn't very noticeable. These measurements were taken using my 6" digital calipers, on a side note(its the machinist in me! I can't escape my work routines!).

 

I am holding off on installing my thigh belt for the time being, as I simply want to get the main body components done before doing that. Well that, and it scares the Jedi out of me!

Edited September 17, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Well, here it is! Picture time!!!

 

Here I have the sides of my sniper knee being glued to my left shin using the oh so wonderful and patient E6000.

 

Got my wife to help me do some more test fitting of my main body components. I have marked where I think I should trim with a black china marker.

 

The measurement on the backplate trim is 3". That basically will take off all the material right up to the O II plate. I am NOW thinking that i should split that 3" into two trims. 1.5" off the bottom of the back plate, and 1.5" off the bottom of the kidney plate, giving me a total of 3" between the two, and thus making my back look more evened out(as opposed to being lopsided by only trimming the back plate).

 

What say you FISD?

[Starfox2010]

Knee plate looks great.  did you trim any of it or did you glue it just as it came?

 

I wonder what is the normal distance between the box and the bottom?  Mabe that could help us out.  Hopefully someone reads this.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Trimmed the kidney and ab plate to fit. Its as tight as it can go without being uncomfortable. Also gives me just enough room if i were to be a little full

Edited September 17, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Knee plate looks great.  did you trim any of it or did you glue it just as it came?

 

I wonder what is the normal distance between the box and the bottom?  Maybe that could help us out.  Hopefully someone reads this.

I glued it how it came. May end up trimming a hair after its dry, just wanted to get it on there first before moving forward with it. I used E6k for it so in the event that I do need to alter it I can do so easily. Another member of my squad recommended putting a small bit of foam behind the sniper knee to help it from getting stuck under the bottom of my thigh. I may end up going that route eventually, but wanted to see exactly how the armor would come together before doing that as well.

 

The photo you posted shows a suggested trim line, but i do not think something that small will be the cause to reject basic approval or EIB, as it is a small difference. Correct me if I am wrong FISD, I want to hear any criticism if there is any. Constructive please, if you don't mind

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Glad to see those pads worked for you in your helmet! Before you know it, you'll be out representing the 501st in awesome looking armor!

On another note, I am still trying to figure out how exactly to mount the lenses supplied with my kit. It was too flimsy for trooperbays method, and I am doubling up the film as it was too transparent with just one. Perhaps i will use some double sided tape, or I may even use the lens I purchased on the forums using the furniture repair dowel method(i have PLENTY of those handy) so I can also swap out lenses AND pads between helmets. We will see!

[Snaps[TK]]

I had trouble with mine too and after taking a couple pics, I noticed you can see my eyes. Yours is a different kit so you might not have that problem.  I ended up ordering new lens from trooperbay, much darker and easier to mount!

Edited September 19, 2014 by Slangen

[fuumantroop[TK]]

I may go with the lens from trooperbay. I am going to attempt to install the lenses i bought here off FISD in the on going projects/sales forum. If i can make the to where they are removeable, and create some sort of fixture using another members idea with furniture repair dowels, then i should be good to go. I think I will be able to manage it, we will see!

 

Also have a quick update, but no pictures as I was back and forth between working on armor and tending to my sick 5 year old. I trimmed about 1.25" from both the bottom of the kidney, and the bottom of the back plate to get rid of a 3" overlap of the back plate over the kidney. Now that that is all squared away, and just a very slight overlap, my kidney plate and my ab plate do not align.

 

My question is, to get these two to align again, shall I

A.) trim the edges of the COD to get things even once again

B.) split the COD from the ab plate completely, trim off the 1.25" difference from the top of JUST the COD(much like what Pandatrooper did in his AM build). THEN shim the ab plate back to the COD internally, therefore virtually recreating a shortened one piece AB/cod.(i just don't like how the COD would move with my groin if i kept it split). I could use ABS paste to fill in any seam NOT covered by the belt, and I do have 2 of the Novus polish kits in hand

 

 

I am trying my best to avoid buying a heat sealing iron, but if i absolutely have to then i will have to pay the piper.

[Starfox2010]

Post pics. 

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Will get on that tonight. May also use the heat gun to barrel the chest just a hair and bring the sides in closer

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Has anyone attempted to do a return edge using a mini fashion iron? My wife has one she used to iron on patches and it just got me curious.

 

Heres the link

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/mini-fashion-iron-468629/

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Answer is "yes", and you can even find a HOWTO about that:

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/tutorials/article/13-howto-make-a-return-edge-on-armor-using-a-heat-sealing-iron/

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Thanks Germain! The iron has no heat control but is always set to low heat. This thing fits in my hand easily. Just wanted to make sure I didn't have to get an actual heat sealing hobby iron.

 

 

Here are the pics I have managed to take.

 

I pressed my chest plate because of the makeshift shoulder straps i was using, just so it sit right on my chest. I am considering to reshape the bottom of the chest plate to be more "accurate." The swoop is pretty defined, making the edges cover more on the sides.

 

 

I was hoping to avoid splitting the COD from the AB, but since I cut my kidney plate to have my back plate fit better, it seems as if I have no other choice.

 

 

Ideas?

 

Someone please slap some sense into me if i am simply overthinking this thing.

Edited September 20, 2014 by fuumantroop

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Ok ok so i think i am just not seeing the "bigger picture" with my previous posts. Cutting the kidney did help me raise my butt plate in position better, although the following pictures show it temporarily put on. I used lots of painters tape to get the armor semi assembled, and after doing so, I have come to the conclusion that I have been over analyzing myself way too much. I can see the white at the end of the tunnel, and have been fighting off the antsy feeling to get this armor completed.

 

Anyways, heres some pictures. I'd like to go ahead and put it out there that I was COMPLETELY on my own for the semi assembly, and in true TK fashion, my aim was terrible in some of the pics.

 

 

And the infamous, missed selfie...i blame the rebel cat

 

On a side note, is it JUST me, or does it seem that most builds lately include our furry friends in some of our pictures? Its like Endor all over again!!! Perhaps we should partner up with the SPCA and do a FISD/animal combo calendar LOL!