AP Armour with ANH Centurion as Goal - Build Thread

[Mutter]

Looking sweet so far!  It could just be the camera angle but it seems like either the cover strips on your forearms and biceps aren't wide enough or the raised ridge is too wide.  I'm not sure.

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

They're 15mm (ish), but the ridges could be wide. Is that something I could/should fix? My forearms are a decent size and my hand just gets through the end, so I didn't want to trim more. They are definitely trimmed to the trim line. Did you see the picture of them gluing? Still look too wide there?

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

While on the subject of my forearms, they are quite oval-ish due to the curvatures needing to line up.  They also seem to be oval in sort of the wrong way as compared with my arm bones.  Is this a common issue?  Do people do something to round them out again or reverse the oval-ing direction?  Thanks as always guys!

Greg, if you haven't seen it yet, this is the pic I was talking about re: cover strip size.  Do they look okay here?

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Correctly me if I'm wrong but isn't this armor designed for overlap connections? If so that's why it is so difficult to connect the edges. It's not a bad thing, just a bit more challenging.

 

Still looks mucho bueno   

[Mutter]

It could just be me being overly OCD.  I'd suggest asking Gazmosis or others for their opinions before making any changes.

 

Regarding the ovalness (if that's a word), members have done the hot water bath trick to help reshape their forearms to better fit. 

Edited May 15, 2015 by Mutter

[ukswrath[Staff]]

It could just be me being overly OCD.  I'd suggesting asking Gazmosis or others for their opinions before making any changes.

 

Regarding the ovalness (if that's a word), members have done the hot water bath trick to help reshape their forearms to better fit. 

 

 

If this armor is similar to FX (overlap connections) the ovalness lol, is a normal reaction to how the haves are being connected. I have FX suit I modified to butt and strip method and my forearm result was the same as this. I tried to hot water bath as well with little or no effect, not to say the idea won't work here. Just throwing my 2 cents in.  

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Your OCD is a huge asset to me, so don't ever change! I won't change it yet. Legion first, EIB second, notch third, Centurion fourth, party at my place fifth!

 

I hate the idea of hot water for some reason, and I genuinely don't know why. Maybe I'll just wear them all day at work until they re-shape. Y'know, the ovalish ovalness.

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Quick update while I work on my legs. Forearms all cleaned up. Still planning to de-oval them, as their inability to rotate easily is restricting my movement. Here's the upper assembly on a dummy (there's also one picture of it on a mannequin)...

 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2015 by MechaPumpkin

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Okay so I cut and glued the inner strips for my legs. There are no inner strips on the back of the calves because the calves open and close in back via Velcro under the outer strips.

 

When measuring the thighs I put them on, overlapped them until they were snug. In my case, I cut the ridge that exists on only one side of the thigh with Ap armour, completely off. Then I cut a similar amount from the other side. The pics will show better. You can see the line on the non-ridge sides here...

 

 

 

And here is the traditional clamp heavy photo of the inner strips drying...

 

 

That's all for now!!

Edited May 16, 2015 by MechaPumpkin

[ukswrath[Staff]]

That's a whole lot of clamps lol

 

I was going to say don't cut, instead add foam padding but... TOO LATE!! haha

 

Looking awesome Dan 

[Sly11[Admin]]

Looking very good so far, and wow, that's a lot of clamps

 

 

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[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Tony, how high in the back can I get away with cutting?  Like I know you can sort of cut the inside of the forearms as much (to a point) as you want so you can bend your arm properly.  I have seen the back of the thighs cut as high as the trim detail (removing virtually all of it), is that okay?  I just feel like I would be able to bend my knees a bit more if they were carved out back there.  Right now they're carved ZERO, so maybe just to the top of the trim will be enough.  Just looking for some advice on that whole thing.

 

Thanks!

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Thanks Andrew!  Your thread is one of my go to references, so I'm glad to hear you approve so far!  

My (soon-to-be) XO is Clamps, so I gotta represent! hahaha

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Tony, how high in the back can I get away with cutting?  Like I know you can sort of cut the inside of the forearms as much (to a point) as you want so you can bend your arm properly.  I have seen the back of the thighs cut as high as the trim detail (removing virtually all of it), is that okay?  I just feel like I would be able to bend my knees a bit more if they were carved out back there.  Right now they're carved ZERO, so maybe just to the top of the trim will be enough.  Just looking for some advice on that whole thing.

 

Thanks!

 

How tall are you?

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

5' 8" which is why most of the AP fits me like a glove (and I am SOOOO thankful for it). 

 

I may have to trim the tips off the top of the thighs and a little off the bottom of the calves.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

5' 8" which is why most of the AP fits me like a glove (and I am SOOOO thankful for it). 

 

I may have to trim the tips off the top of the thighs and a little off the bottom of the calves.

 

Unless it's impossible to wear as is, I personally would assemble it, get through all your approvals then trim it if you still need to. But that's just me

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Nope, won't be even close to impossible.  Good point.  I should be able to walk in it just fine . . . unfortunately no dancing until I maybe do that cut out.

[Mutter]

Dan, I would agree with Tony.  Wait until everything is assembled and strapped together before trimming.  And it's OK to remove the trim from the back of the thighs, they did it in the movies.

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Okay, but you guys don't think I screwed myself by trimming my thighs so they fit me width wise do you? I taped them up and they were nice and even. Or are you only referring to the trimming of the top of the thighs and the bottom of the calves?

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Okay, but you guys don't think I screwed myself by trimming my thighs so they fit me width wise do you? I taped them up and they were nice and even. Or are you only referring to the trimming of the top of the thighs and the bottom of the calves?

 

I would only trim the thighs vertically. Trimming at the angle you have shown will result in the tops and bottom edges being way off.

[Mutter]

I was referring to the top/bottom of your thighs.  Your approach to sizing and trimming for the width was correct. Usually, it's best to cut a little, do a test fit, cut a little more, another test fit and so on until they fit.  You don't want them too snug. Did you do the fitting with your (compression) pants underneath?

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Yep, body suit on. Okay good, phew, hahaha. Yeah, you're right about the slow approach, BUT, in my defense, my girlfriend did the measuring and we double and triple checked and I could theoretically move them out about 10mm with outer cover strips if it was an issue. Updates soon. As always, thank you SO much guys!!!

Edited May 17, 2015 by MechaPumpkin

[MechaPumpkin[TK]]

Two quick questions, as I was sure of a few things, but after speaking to a couple people, I am a little less sure.

 

1. What are the proper cover strip sizes?

 

I know the bottom line answer to this is that they used different sizes in different armours in the movies, and there is no "right" answer.  I also know you should make them look apropriate to your armour, and you can make them slightly bigger if you need more room, etc.  For the sake of something to go by, this is what I have read in more than one place.

biceps/forearms = 15mm front and back

thighs = 20mm front and back

calves = 20mm front, and 25mm back

 

Now I assumed that 25mm in back was to accommodate the velcro strip, so it would have more surface area (one half of 25mm is bigger than one half of 20mm).

 

Some people, however, say that the calves are both 20mm front and back, and it's the thighs that are 20mm front and 25mm back.

 

Do you guys have any feedback on this?  I was going to go with the first numbers, as I don't need particularly wide thighs, and the extra velcro surface, on the 25mm back calf strips, makes good sense for me.  

Now, speaking of Velcro, here is my second question...

 

2.  There appear to be two methods of attaching velcro.  I have images below.  I planned to go with the first one, but then I was shown the second one by Narc, and I found it very interesting.  Since the VELCRO OPENING ALWAYS FACES BETWEEN YOUR LEGS (thanks again for pointing this out before I screwed up, Narc!), does it really matter?  Does method two really provide any more stability (I doubt), or more hidden seam?  It just seems like more work.

 

Method one . . . 



Method two . . . 



I'm just not sure I see the benefit of the two strips (method 2) over one (method 1).  Since the velcro displacement of the alignment (due to the thickness of the velcro) is just as bad in either case, and since it is only attached where the velcro is, there's no extra support.  Method one, looking from between the legs, you might see velcro.  Method two, looking from between the legs, you'll see gap.  

Any wisdom on these two points would be greatly appreciated.

 

Again, anyone following this thread, OPENING FACES THE INSIDE, which is counter intuitive.  Instintctively, you want to reach to the outside to put on your calves, and adjust them (like ski buckles), but this is WRONG because the outside is the part that is seen most, so that is to be the fancy glued side.

 

[Tusken RTT]

15 for arms, 20 for legs.  The 25 for the backs of the legs is a last case scenario, if you after 20's you cannot get your leg's into the pieces.  

 

Dont think it matters of which method for velcro, as you said as long as they open to the inside.  I started out with velcro shins, but you could really see the openings still.  I then went hook and loop and did some heat bending with a heat gun and LOVE them!  I really dont need the hook and loops now even, after the heat bending and shaping, they pretty much close up on their own without anything with no gap at all.  Something more to think about! 

[Crusader_6[TK]]

15 for arms, 20 for legs. The 25 for the backs of the legs is a last case scenario, if you after 20's you cannot get your leg's into the pieces.

 

Dont think it matters of which method for velcro, as you said as long as they open to the inside. I started out with velcro shins, but you could really see the openings still. I then went hook and loop and did some heat bending with a heat gun and LOVE them! I really dont need the hook and loops now even, after the heat bending and shaping, they pretty much close up on their own without anything with no gap at all. Something more to think about!

I'm curious about this heat bending method you're taking about... How's the process?

 

 

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