Ryth_[501st] Posted July 14, 2015 Report Posted July 14, 2015 (edited) Got my brown box from Walt's Trooper Factory today, and after hours of smiling and dancing.. I'm in a world of angst. I promised myself that I would start trimming as soon as I've got my hands on the armor, and that I did. Following the tip about not starting with the bucked, I begun with the arms and bicep. ==== Trimming ==== Started with the arms and biceps. Going for close to no return edge here. Don't want it to cut me, since I'll need to trim a bit. Walt gave these parts a bit more abs for play. Note that I've done close to nothing with the return edge on biceps. Work in progress finding the cut-lines. Edited July 14, 2015 by Ryth_ Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 14, 2015 Report Posted July 14, 2015 Every time I see WTF I smile. Good luck with your build and remember to measure twice and cut once. 1 Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 15, 2015 Author Report Posted July 15, 2015 I'll make a postit with that quote on it Going to the store to buy clamps and grid paper after work. After that I'm all over the biceps. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 15, 2015 Author Report Posted July 15, 2015 (edited) Sanding is so teraputic.120, 280, 600, 1500 and 2000 grid paper. Edited July 15, 2015 by Ryth_ Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 15, 2015 Author Report Posted July 15, 2015 First obstacle. How am I supposed to trim this? Much return edge? - how far in? etc. Or should I focus on trimming the width before the opening? Quote
Khazid[TK] Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Start with a little return edge on every piece, then remove to match the CRL's (i.e. no return edge on forearms at the wrist). When doing your final fitting, you'll find return edges in some places (i.e. butt plate) give one heck of an armor bite, so you'll start trimming back in those places as well. It is much easier to remove the plastic in little bits than it is to try and fix a mistake by adding it back. 1 Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 16, 2015 Author Report Posted July 16, 2015 Start with a little return edge on every piece, then remove to match the CRL's (i.e. no return edge on forearms at the wrist). When doing your final fitting, you'll find return edges in some places (i.e. butt plate) give one heck of an armor bite, so you'll start trimming back in those places as well. It is much easier to remove the plastic in little bits than it is to try and fix a mistake by adding it back. That gave me the boost I needed, and an idea. Using dremel a lot now, since it's quite tricky to cut at this point. (biceps) So here's a bit of progress. Ready to trim this mother. Also trimmed down this. I feel good about the RE here. It's been sanded down with 120 - 280 - 600 and 1500 grid. Saving the 2000 for when I'm more done. I'm not trimming down the sides for fit just yet. We're having an armor workshop saturday, or sunday - so I'm saving it for then! Quote
Khazid[TK] Posted July 16, 2015 Report Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) For your sanding stopping at the 600 will be more than fine enough. Save the 1k and 2k grits for fixing surface scratches Edited July 16, 2015 by Khazid Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 16, 2015 Author Report Posted July 16, 2015 @Khazid; Will do Some progress done. It was hard to trim the biceps, so dremel were used a lot here. Spendt a few hours on them, but the result is good, me thinks. Notice, that only one bicep got the thumb print. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 17, 2015 Author Report Posted July 17, 2015 A bit more trimming, removing the curved edges on biceps and arms. Will do the final fitting at the armor workshop tomorrow. Shoulders! Should I cut just below this line? It's a natural line in the mold. The shoulders won't be too small with this cut? Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 Did a heck a lot of work yesterday. Much help from the garrison. I'm now gluing together two biceps and one forearm, only one side at the time. Here's the trimmings. Will add photos of the glued parts later on. Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 A bit more trimming, removing the curved edges on biceps and arms. Will do the final fitting at the armor workshop tomorrow. Shoulders! Should I cut just below this line? It's a natural line in the mold. The shoulders won't be too small with this cut? Yeah that is the cut line. Yes they will be a little small but that's how TE lineage shoulders are like. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 Yeah that is the cut line. Yes they will be a little small but that's how TE lineage shoulders are like. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Cheers! Finished them today. Got trimming help yesterday, and I think they fit good. Great being smaller framed... thou there's a lot of trimming needed. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 I'm having a hard time working on the shins. Can't make the buttjoints straight for the life of me. Been trying sanding and measuring, but it turns out crooked and won't line up. Any tips here would be greatly appreciated. So onto this piece for now. Including a full picture for those interested. Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 I'm having a hard time working on the shins. Can't make the buttjoints straight for the life of me. Been trying sanding and measuring, but it turns out crooked and won't line up. Any tips here would be greatly appreciated. If you're talking about the armour itself it's not so important as it gets covered by the cover strips. But a steel ruler is always helpful when making straight cuts. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 If you're talking about the armour itself it's not so important as it gets covered by the cover strips. But a steel ruler is always helpful when making straight cuts. The shins. Lower legs. It's insane. And they're about 15mm each now, so the next trimmings needs to be flawless Really stressing me out. Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 What are you using to do the trimming with? Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 Scissors. Hard to score and snap pieces this long. Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 Should be pretty easy with scissors. Tried marking a cut line with a pencil. Might help guiding you while cutting. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 It's quite curvy. That makes it hard to measure and use a ruler. Tried to sand it on the table, but with same result. Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted July 19, 2015 Report Posted July 19, 2015 It doesn't have to be perfect. The cover strip will hide it anyway. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) Just want to get it in somewhat level, at least. Don't understand how it can fluck up so bad. I guess it's safer to bring these to the next armor party on sunday and focus on the rest. ---------------- Last night / today; - Glued together the last sides of both biceps - they'll be done tomorrow. - Trimmed ab, chest and kidney. Left approx 6mm return edge on top and bottom. What's the best way to clean off e6000 residue on the armor? Edited July 23, 2015 by Ryth_ Quote
Locitus[Admin] Posted July 20, 2015 Report Posted July 20, 2015 You can just rub the E-6000 with your fingers. Eventuelly it will let go. But anything hard and pointy also works. Depending on location you may want to switch between a blade and a piece of scrap ABS. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Posted July 20, 2015 Great thing that my GF wanted to help me out with the armor. Quote
Ryth_[501st] Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) Pictures, pictures, pictures! Bicep gluing. One problem I hit were that the clamps pushed the joints apart, so in a moment of brilliance - I used my bigger magnets as spacers. Edited July 20, 2015 by Ryth_ Quote
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