My AP Build....From PEI Canada...Definitely a WIP

[Racasey06[TK]]

Hello FISD,

Here is my build.  I haven't uploaded anything to this yet.  Have been trimming and talking to friends online in the Canadian Garrison.    Getting closer and closer to straps and fittings.  Thoughts, opinions, suggestion etc...all are welcomed.  I'll be trying for EIB eventually.  I still have to order some things or create them myself...Neck seal, belt, holster.  Everything else should be in line though.  Chime in if you wish.  Thanks.

Ryan

[Racasey06[TK]]

I think I'm doing this wrong.  Smaller pictures are needed.

 

[SCTrooper[TK]]

I think I'm doing this wrong.  Smaller pictures are needed.

Get a photobucket account, it's free, then you can upload your pic's.  Then just copy the  image code into the post. 

[Snaps[TK]]

Best of luck Ryan....measure twice, cut less than you think you need to and work your way to the proper fitting. Most of all, have fun. Oh and keep the pics coming lol!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

You appear to have a couple of miniature feet stuck to either your shorts, or your knees.

 

You've got the proper advice above already. Good luck!

[Sly11[Admin]]

Yes ever get the feeling your being followed

[Tolo[TK]]

You could go for centurion too, it's not that much work than EIB. Good luck trooper

[Racasey06[TK]]

You appear to have a couple of miniature feet stuck to either your shorts, or your knees.

 

You've got the proper advice above already. Good luck!

Oh yeah....I've had lots of help.  Sometimes too much.

 

Here is one of my helpers.  Shoulder bells make nice firemen hats.

 

Edited August 10, 2014 by Racasey06

[Racasey06[TK]]

Here are my teeth...Very rough first cut.  I go for what I call milestone moments.  

 

[Racasey06[TK]]

[Racasey06[TK]]

This was a huge moment.  Lots of people have said I should smile more, but I was not breathing or moving for fear that the whole thing would just fall off me.  

 

[Sly11[Admin]]

Very serious, as a true Stormtrooper should be, Lol

[Racasey06[TK]]

So this is my first go at fitting two pieces together.  They are not trimmed for butt joints yet.  But you see how at the top of this picture, the cuts go in a point - that's the wrist.  I assume that will disappear?  And the lip on the inside wrist will need to be cut down?

 

 

Second is the elbow end, when I put them together with the butt joint, one will be higher than the other...do I cut those flush as well?  I drew a liner where that would go if this was the actual spot.  15 mm cover strips right?

 

[Snaps[TK]]

The wrist accuracy is no lip, aka return edges. If your building towards EIB and centurion then yeah, remove the return edges. I didn't cut down the higher edge by the elbow but did sand down the sharp corner. The shims will help with making them look nice.

 

Take a look at EIB and centurion builds marked with AP in the titles and you can see what other troopers have done!

Edited August 12, 2014 by Slangen

[maxsteele[TK]]

I'm not exactly familiar with AP assembly, but the information I have been given with forearms is line them up at the elbow end and cut off excess at the wrist end.  However, do not cut off excess that would remove any of the molded dimples.

 

You'll also need to take the return edge off completely on the wrist ends.  I also took the return edge off completely on the inside elbow, and trimmed the return edge on the outside elbow down.

 

As for cutting to fit on your arms, You have a nice molded ridge there for the fronts of your forearms.  Measure 7.5mm from the start of the raised part back toward the edge, then cut off the rest on each side, so you have a measured 7.5mm raised part on each piece.  That will give you 15mm when you bring the two pieces together for laying down a 15mm cover strip right in the middle of the cut.

 

Then tape together, wrap the pieces around your forearm, find a comfortable fit, tape it off, slip it off, find the mid-point by measuring across from the cut line in front, mark that on both pieces, then cut off the excess, put another 15mm cover strip down, and forearms are done.

 

Do the same measurements for the biceps.

 

Also, make sure to take off the return edges you're going to remove before you do rear sizing.  It will throw off your sizing if you fit the pieces before removing the return edges.

[Snaps[TK]]

Line up the forearms at the wrists....you don't want to cut off the excess on the wrists end except the return edges... After you get the cover strips on, it won't look so weird and confusing.

[Racasey06[TK]]

Alright...so I measured the 7.5mm on each side, assuming I would put a 15mm cover strip on the seam for butt joints and it was too tight...Still I put them together where I could get the arm in and it's still too tight.  There is about a 5mm space between pieces.    I cut out the return edge at the wrist and it's almost gone on the inside forearm at the elbow.  I think it's too long as well.  I can't bend my wrist at all.  Thoughts?

 

[Racasey06[TK]]

 

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

The 7.5mm measurement on each side is for the front cover strip.  Did you do the same measurements for the back cover strip?

[Racasey06[TK]]

Yes.  What should've I done?  Fit the front to the 15mm strips and then just bring the back around to where it was comfortable?  Cover whatever was there with a 15 mm strip or whatever size necessary?  

 

I did have some success with moving the forearm up my arm and around my elbow.  I think I could get some movement if I trimmed the inner elbow area.  

 

 

Im basically trying two things...fit for circumference of arm and for length of arm.  Arm is short.

 

 

Still having fun despite the issue.

 

Edited August 16, 2014 by Racasey06

[maxsteele[TK]]

The back is where you wrap it around your forearm and get it fitted to your arm, which is how you know how much to cut from the back part.  The front cover strip is the one you measure 7.5mm on each piece.  The back cover strip is where you cut the forearm pieces to fit to your arm, lining up the back cut with the front cut, like so:

 

 

In this photo, I have cut the front cover strip area to 7.5mm on each side, then I secured that in place with tape (and magnets), wrapped the forearm pieces around my arm, found the best fit, then measured and marked across from the front cut so it matched up in the back.  Then I marked on the wrist and elbow end, drew a line to connect the two, and that's how I knew where to cut to make the forearms fit and have a cut point across from my front cut.

[Sly11[Admin]]

Have you actually glued the fore arm as yet?

[Racasey06[TK]]

No I have not glued anything.  And I still have the pieces I cut of the back of the forearm.  I matched them up.  So I have some work to do to make this arm look good?  Second arm, aside from initial trimming has not been touched yet.  Thanks.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Racasey06

[Snaps[TK]]

Do you have your under shirt yet? I would really recommend having that on when your measuring....even though he under shirt is a tight fit and your forearm is already tight, still should have that on when test fitting.

[Racasey06[TK]]

So on the back or the forearms, I'll butt joint but it may not line up perfectly with the moulded bumps that exist as default?  The Cover strip will make the illusion of the bump?