Butt joints without coverstrip possible?

[Curanthir]

Sorry for all the threads, but as my questions are so vastly different, I think it's better to separate them.

 

So, my AM 2.0 armor is about to arrive, and I am wondering if it is possible to do a butt joint style without the outer coverstrip, perhaps using plastic weld to melt the joints together (with a strip on the inside for support).  Anybody happen to know anything about this? I know it's not good for anything but basic certification (I think it is still certifiable >.>), but I am going for a smoothly idealized TK.

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

It can be done, I suppose, but not without hours and hours of work.  Also, it would never get you approved at any level, even basic.

[Locitus[Admin]]

The cover strips are not just for covering the join, but to provide structural support. Without them I imagine it's very easy to break apart the halves if exposed to any flexing. Like pulling on your shins.

[Dday[501st]]

Sorry for all the threads, but as my questions are so vastly different, I think it's better to separate them.

 

So, my AM 2.0 armor is about to arrive, and I am wondering if it is possible to do a butt joint style without the outer coverstrip, perhaps using plastic weld to melt the joints together (with a strip on the inside for support).  Anybody happen to know anything about this? I know it's not good for anything but basic certification (I think it is still certifiable >.>), but I am going for a smoothly idealized TK.

 

If you are using a rear strip for the reinforcement it would work, but it will look bad on the front.

 

Unless you fill and paint the front edge to cover the seam between the two parts, it will look pretty shoddy.

 

Even if you made it look good, you're not likely to get 501st approval unless it has an overlap or coverstrips.

[wingnut65[Staff]]

If the goal is to reach 501st approval, before you go to all the effort, check with your Garrison Membership Liaison (GML) to get an opinion of what he/she is looking for.  I just rechecked the CRL and it appears the requirement for butt joint with cover is only for Centurion level approval, so, there may be a chance even for EIB.

 

Technically, it should be feasible to do what you are trying to. As Locitus mentioned, the cover strip is the second layer of reinforcing to secure the joint. Having just the inside strip and filling the exposed joint with goop (styrene melted in acetone), sanding smooth and then polishing, could work, but that will be the weak joint for potential cracking. It would be most concerning on the shins that need to have flex.

 

If the goal is to make it look like one piece, consider the cover strip and then blending it in to the surrounding areas with goop or even Bondo. Sand it smooth and the seam would be gone.

[Curanthir]

If the goal is to reach 501st approval, before you go to all the effort, check with your Garrison Membership Liaison (GML) to get an opinion of what he/she is looking for.  I just rechecked the CRL and it appears the requirement for butt joint with cover is only for Centurion level approval, so, there may be a chance even for EIB.

 

Technically, it should be feasible to do what you are trying to. As Locitus mentioned, the cover strip is the second layer of reinforcing to secure the joint. Having just the inside strip and filling the exposed joint with goop (styrene melted in acetone), sanding smooth and then polishing, could work, but that will be the weak joint for potential cracking. It would be most concerning on the shins that need to have flex.

 

If the goal is to make it look like one piece, consider the cover strip and then blending it in to the surrounding areas with goop or even Bondo. Sand it smooth and the seam would be gone.

That sounds like a much better idea, I might have to try that out.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

I'm not understanding why you would want to do this? The original armor had cover strips,it wasn't a smooth seam like clone armor.I can't see this method passing basic 501st standards.<br><br>

The 501st still allows overlap construction but its not much harder to do butt joints.

Edited September 24, 2015 by pandatrooper

[Curanthir]

Im one of those few people who wants to wear what stormtrooper armor was supposed to be, not what the props turned out to be. I'm probably going to experiment with smoothing out the cover strips to make it look a bit smoother and idealized while leaving their general look and support. On that front I'm also going to be attempting to carefully slightly reshape the helmet to make it a bit more symmetrcal with some hot water and a heat gun.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Curanthir

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Then buy a RMQ armor rather than denaturating the Stormtrooper armor. The RMQ armor is made by KW Design and recreates what the stormtrooper was supposed to be based on the original design by Ralph Mc Quarrie.

[wingnut65[Staff]]

Im one of those few people who wants to wear what stormtrooper armor was supposed to be, not what the props turned out to be.

 

Neat idea.  I've always wondered what it would look like if the belt boxes, drop boxes and knee boxes actually worked.

 

And what if the Ab buttons actually did something?

 

Edited September 26, 2015 by wingnut65

[Curanthir]

After looking over how the cover strips look, I think I'm going to try to smooth out the seam-like edges on the side and bottom of the strips while leaving the sharp ridges on top as it complements the overall sharp, angular look of the classic TK armor. I'll probably try my hand at using ABS paste (on some scrap ABS first until I get the micture and application technique right) to slightly build up the seam so it looks more like a raised part of the armor instead of a plastic strip glued on.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Curanthir

[Eddie TK Head]

Why would you do that?!?!,

 

 

 

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[Coastertk]

I believe the goal when building a TK is to try your hardest to look like the TK trooping beside you, and the one beside him. A renegade TK design will probably stand out in a crowd and create a lot of questions for your Garrison mates like "What happened to that guy?" We all build based on what was actually seen on screen, not an idealized version of it. Just my 2c.