EJGreen's RT-MOD (Stunt) Build Thread[*RT]

[EJGreen]

Finally!

 

After sitting on the waiting list for several months, the eagerly anticipated brown box finally arrived safe and sound!  I had been tracking it's migration from the time Rob sent me the tracking information for FedEx.

 

Words cannot begin to express what I feel right now!  This is the moment that I've always dreamed of.  Ever since I discovered the 501st's existence, I knew that I would some day be a a part of it.  To finally have the opportunity to build my own suit and join the ranks of some amazing people is, in my opinion, a tremendous honor.

 

I was seven-years old when my dad took me to a drive-in theater during the summer of '77 and I saw Star Wars for the very first time!  I'll never forget that memorable scene when dozens of Soldiers in white armor stormed the Tantive V and took the Princess Leia prisoner.  Now, I have a whole new reason for watching those shots but from a totally different perspective, lol.

 

But enough of my rambling.  Here's some of the "obligatgory" pics that everyone likes to see...

 

 

 

Last year, my wife taught our dog how to open Christmas presents.  Now, anytime a box arrives in the house, he automatically thinks it has his name on it.

 

I have to say that the box was a lot lighter than I imagined it would be.  The shipping label had it listed as being just under 14 lbs.

 

 

 

Rob definitely does a great job at packing his suits for shipment.  Everything was neat and tidy and wrapped in LOTS of Saran Wrap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I couldn't wait to see the bucket.  The dog, on the other hand, was more interested in my belt.

 

 

 

Rob ships his suits with the helmet already built.  I couldn't believe the level of craftsmanship that he puts into them.  There's even a foam headliner inside that adds to the comfort level.

 

 

 

Upon trying the helmet on for the first time, I was amazed at how snug it fit.  I don't know if my head is really big but I have to turn the helmet sideways in order to fit it over my face.  But once it's on--its on!  I've read about some helmets that act like bobbleheads; but not this one!  I can tell it's going to take some time to get used to looking out with it.  There's not much room to exercise your peripheral vision and I have to turn my head in the direction of where I want to look.

 

 

 

Still, I give it a big "thumbs up!" 

 

 

I spent some time carefully peeling off plastic wrap and inspecting all the parts and pieces.  After finally getting everything unwrapped and laid out, I began to wonder if something was missing.  I've poured through several RT builds and noticed that everyone has something I don't: an O2 canister!  Yes, the control panel arrived as did the end caps but I've noticed from everyone else's pics that I didn't get the PVC tube that everything gets mounted to.  Not sure if I should email Rob and ask about it or if I should just run to Home Depot and get a piece of PVC and cut it to the proper length.

 

 

I will say that I'm quite pleased with the quality of craftsmanship that Rob puts into these suits.  The ABS is durable but it's also really light. For whatever reason, I was expecting everything to be a LOT heavier that what it really is.  I guess that's a good thing when it comes to trooping.

 

 

 

 

I'm willing to admit that this is really just the beginning.  I (think I) know what lies ahead but the good thing is that I have lots of patience on my side.  As excited as I am to start trooping and doing all the great things that we do, I'm not under any time crunch.  I'm willing to take my time--slooowly--and build a suit that I can be proud of.

 

I've already made the decision to go straight for Centurian.  I know that means that I'm going to have pay close attention to the details.  As an artist, I can get easily distracted by the details.  I know that there are going to be some modifications that will mean going as far as removing Rob's decals from the helmet and applying a "hand-painted" look.  I gotta say that the only thing I have at this point are my earth magnets which happened to arrive shortly after my armor and I think I've got an undersuit that will meet the necessary requirements.  But I still need to invest in boots, rivets, snaps, tubes of e6000, painters tape, and whatever else it's going to take to get this thing done.  I'm hoping to start work as early as the weekend, doing my first fittings and so forth.

 

But I'm also feeling quite comfortable at this point.  I know that I have access to an amazing group of talented people who are eager to help and answer whatever questions I might have.

[Haribon72[TK]]

Awesome kit and helmet!  Can't wait to watch your build!

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Excellent. More RT troopers! 

 

Let us know if you need any help on your road to centurion. Did you have Rob trim it for butt joints and cover strips?

 

-Eric

[Dougal[501st]]

Congrats bud!! Keep up the pics and updates so the RT troopers "in wait" can learn more!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Rumor has it that Rob is in full production mode right now. If I had to guess we'll be seeing a lot more RT troopers before xmas

 

-Eric

[walt[501st]]

I love rts

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

I think I'm just as excited to finally see your build get underway as you are!!

 

As the others have said, Rob is in full tilt production... There are definitely going to be more giant TKs in the Empire's service.

 

Peripheral vision???

 

Did you check out your shoes yet? LoL

 

You will need to keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to wear an apron in your armor. All the cool RT kids do it.

 

I'd email Rob about the PVC. Yeah, it's easy to run and get it, but I'm sure he'll square you away with one, and you can focus on your build.

 

Good luck, measure twice, ask once, cut. Also - have fun!!

Edited October 29, 2014 by Dark CMF

[pattrooper]

very cool

[Artshot]

Sigh.....one day, I hope to have a brown box full of shiny white armour arrive at my doorstep, in the meanwhile I shall be following your build intently.

[EJGreen]

Excellent. More RT troopers! 

 

Let us know if you need any help on your road to centurion. Did you have Rob trim it for butt joints and cover strips?

 

-Eric

Actually Eric, I didn't know that Rob provided requests like that but I am definitely going with butt joints and strips. Still not sure about the strapping system but always looking for anyone's opinion.

[EJGreen]

Sigh.....one day, I hope to have a brown box full of shiny white armour arrive at my doorstep, in the meanwhile I shall be following your build intently.

I was actually in your position not very long ago. The investment is huge and the wait can feel like forever but you've taken the first steps by actually making the decision to follow your passion. Your brown box will arrive some day and we're all going to be there to help you celebrate.

[EJGreen]

Rumor has it that Rob is in full production mode right now. If I had to guess we'll be seeing a lot more RT troopers before xmas

 

-Eric

 

I can honestly say the rumors are true. My time on the waitlist was suppose to end in early July but he received a bad shipment of ABS from his supplier and that pushed everyone back a bit. But I have heard others say that they expect to be waiting till Spring 2015 or longer.

[Dougal[501st]]

I'm waiting just to get on the waiting list...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[EJGreen]

I think I'm just as excited to finally see your build get underway as you are!!

 

As the others have said, Rob is in full tilt production... There are definitely going to be more giant TKs in the Empire's service.

 

Peripheral vision???

 

Did you check out your shoes yet? LoL

 

You will need to keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to wear an apron in your armor. All the cool RT kids do it.

 

I'd email Rob about the PVC. Yeah, it's easy to run and get it, but I'm sure he'll square you away with one, and you can focus on your build.

 

Good luck, measure twice, ask once, cut. Also - have fun!!

 

Brother, you can't imagine how stoked I am that you're here. I gotta be totally honest, I'm extremely inspired by your build and I'm going to be refering to it A LOT!

 

But with that helmet on, I still can't see my toes unless I'm bent over 90 degrees at the waist!

 

As for the apron, that's one I don't think I know about.

Edited October 30, 2014 by EJGreen

[EJGreen]

I'm waiting just to get on the waiting list...

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I really didn't have to wait long to get on his list but once I got on it, it was close to 7 months of waiting.

[EJGreen]

So it's Saturday morning and I'm sitting here debating where I'm going to start with my kit.  I gotta be honest, I'm not really sure where to begin.  I've had my brown box for less than a week and since it's arrival, I've spent countless hours poring over hundreds of threads and yet I still feel a bit lost.  The good thing is that I'm not forcing myself to complete my build by any deadlines.  My biggest downfall, however, is that I'm an art major and I spend way too much time over-analyzing the smallest, itty-bitty detail to the point where I've rendered myself indecisive.

 

My wife is at work this morning and I had plans to do some shopping.  Yeah, I've got a LOT of that to do still.  Aside from my armor, the only pieces I have are my undersuit, earth magnets (thanks, Dark CMF, for the Amazon link), and my belt from !

 

Right now, my local shopping list consists of e6000, clamps, and a roll of painters tape.  I've added and crossed out, added and crossed out--not really sure which way is the best way to go with certain materials.  Like I've said, I've read through dozens and dozens of threads and there's a lot of great tips out there but there's also a lot of differences in opinion.  What works for some doesn't always work for all.

 

I feel really confident that I can aim for Centurian.  As I've stated, I've got the patience, time, and the attention to detail in order to get there.  I'm just having a God awful time making decisions.

 

Snaps:  Dritz or Tandy?  Again, I've heard some say both have worked for them but I know that it depends on the tools you use (pliers vs. setting tools/anvil).

 

Snap Plates:  I've read countless threads where some are using spare plastic to make snap plates, some are using nylon webbing (for better fit against contours), and some are going with elastic (doubled over at the snap for more durability).

 

Elastic:  Braided?  Knit? Non-Roll?  How wide, 3/4", 1"?  White?  Black?

 

I really don't want to waste time, materials, and techniques that aren't really proven to work?  I'd rather try to get it right fairly close to the first time.

 

If anyone wants to weigh in with their opinions, my mind is wide open!

Edited November 1, 2014 by EJGreen

[EJGreen]

If I were to go with the screen accurate bracket system, would I still require a lot of snaps? I see Mr. No stripes has the brackets I've been looking for!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

So it's Saturday morning and I'm sitting here debating where I'm going to start with my kit.  I gotta be honest, I'm not really sure where to begin.  I've had my brown box for less than a week and since it's arrival, I've spent countless hours poring over hundreds of threads and yet I still feel a bit lost.  The good thing is that I'm not forcing myself to complete my build by any deadlines.  My biggest downfall, however, is that I'm an art major and I spend way too much time over-analyzing the smallest, itty-bitty detail to the point where I've rendered myself indecisive.

 

My wife is at work this morning and I had plans to do some shopping.  Yeah, I've got a LOT of that to do still.  Aside from my armor, the only pieces I have are my undersuit, earth magnets (thanks, Dark CMF, for the Amazon link), and my belt from !

 

Right now, my local shopping list consists of e6000, clamps, and a roll of painters tape.  I've added and crossed out, added and crossed out--not really sure which way is the best way to go with certain materials.  Like I've said, I've read through dozens and dozens of threads and there's a lot of great tips out there but there's also a lot of differences in opinion.  What works for some doesn't always work for all.

 

I feel really confident that I can aim for Centurian.  As I've stated, I've got the patience, time, and the attention to detail in order to get there.  I'm just having a God awful time making decisions.

 

Snaps:  Dritz or Tandy?  Again, I've heard some say both have worked for them but I know that it depends on the tools you use (pliers vs. setting tools/anvil).

 

Snap Plates:  I've read countless threads where some are using spare plastic to make snap plates, some are using nylon webbing (for better fit against contours), and some are going with elastic (doubled over at the snap for more durability).

 

Elastic:  Braided?  Knit? Non-Roll?  How wide, 3/4", 1"?  White?  Black?

 

I really don't want to waste time, materials, and techniques that aren't really proven to work?  I'd rather try to get it right fairly close to the first time.

 

If anyone wants to weigh in with their opinions, my mind is wide open!

 

If you're going for accuracy, check out http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26477-what-we-know-about-strapping-snaps-rivets-etc/

 

It's only really the visible ones (shoulder bridges, shoulder bells, etc) that matter. If it's not visible, no dramas.

 

If I were to go with the screen accurate bracket system, would I still require a lot of snaps? I see Mr. No stripes has the brackets I've been looking for!

 

No way near as much. You can see how people attach the snaps in their EIB/Centurion apps and count approximately how many you need.

 

BTW, I went for the webbing plates, mainly for the contour reasoning. 

[EJGreen]

Once again, it's Saturday morning and I've come to the conclusion that this suit isn't going to build itself.  With the wife at work, I was free to enjoy a bit of "me time" and start off my day with a bit of retail therapy.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's my undersuit which I found at Kohl's using my wife's employee discount.  It's a two-piece set and works more like cold weather garments than anything else.  The material has moisture management, flat seams, UV protection, tag free, and also keeps the odors down.  I'm not going to post images of me in the undersuit because of my Budweiser-toned physique that would just be... well, totally gross.

 

 

Anyhoo.  I also managed to make a stop at Wally Mart where I found a really nice cordless, two-speed Dremel, some sandpapers, the infamous blue masking tape and my very own tube of e6000.  I then stopped off at Lowe's where I found the clamps I was looking for...

 

 

 

With that in mind, I'm thinking about starting some prefiting with the arms.  Will post more later.

[EJGreen]

So I've basically started the preliminary fitting stages with the bicep and forearm.  Using untrimmed pieces, I've simply taped a butt joint to get an idea of how the "out of the box" measurements will look and feel.  It's difficult taking pics when I'm doing it by myself but here are my initial thoughts so far...

 

 

 

 

Untrimmed and butt-joined, there's approximately a 35 mm distance where the cover strips would lay.  It's also the same width on the forearm pieces as well...

 

 

 

If I were to follow the standard 15 mm coverstrip widths for the arms, I'd have to trim 20 mm off the butting edges (10 mm on each edge).

 

 

Thanks to Anheuser Busch, I maintain most of my size in my upper body which leaves my arms and legs slightly out of proportion.  Looking carefully at the forearm I can see it's quite loose at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

Granted, I may not be properly fitting myself the way I should--I'm not using any strapping at this point.  If I let my arm down, gravity takes over and the forearm drops down to my wrist like so...

 

 

 

My preliminary fear is that the length of the forearm is too short. Perhaps you can offer your opinions.  I was kinda looking forward to cutting off some of the return edge at the wrist to make it more screen accurate.

 

 

 

If, however, my forearms are all the way at the wrist, untrimmed, there's a gap between the bend in my elbow and top edge of the forearm.  Something tells me I might have to trim just the return edges and leave the length alone.

 

 

Speaking of return edges, the Centurian guidelines say that no return edge on the inside of the front of the forearm is allowed.  Does that mean that a return edge on the outside of the forearm IS required?  Seems to me like it would look much better to trim the return edges on BOTH the inside and the outside of the forearms.

 

 

Anyway, feedback is welcome.  I'm not trimming anything until I get some input from the group!

Edited November 8, 2014 by EJGreen

[EJGreen]

Bump. Anybody?

[DarthDadio[TK]]

Good thread.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of your progress.  Jump over to the Centurion and/or EIB forums and check out the pictures.  One of the pictures shows the return edges and will answer your questions.

[Sly11[Admin]]

Ok, no return edge at all at the wrist end.

One place you could leave, or should I say can leave the return edge is at the elbow end on the outer half. If you left it on the inner where you bend your arm, you are going to get armour bite. (Skin gets pinched between bicep and fore arm) and it hurts.

As to the fitting of the forearm, again at the wrist end it should be a squeeze to get your hand through. You want your armour to fit you well and not be too loose, and yes the forearms may seem a little short so nothing to worry about there.

 

 

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[EJGreen]

Thanks, guys for the feedback.  Fortunately, Rob didn't leave much of a return edge on the arm pieces.  I did, however, run some 220 grit paper over the edges to remove what little return edges there were.  I gotta say that helps quite a bit on minimizing palm scraping on my hands.  I've not cut any material from the joint edges but I managed to tape the forearms up to what it should look like with the 15 mm cover strips.  It's a lot tighter fit--no sloppiness and although the wrist is a lot smaller in dimension I can still get my hand through it.

 

 

 

After looking at a couple of RT Centurians, I can see where some have left the length of the forearms untrimmed and still got approved.  I do need to cut one more cover strips and then I'll start work on trimming down the butt edges before I begin gluing them together.

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Looking at these shots, it is quite normal for the forearm to be short, just make sure you have less gap at the elbow and more at the wrist. And definitely no return edge on the wrist end of the forearm. I think the CRL referes to the "inside" circumference, rather than the outside circumference.