Cricket's RS Stunt Build (for the Vertically Challenged)

[Cricket[TK]]

Feedback requested, troopers!

So I trimmed the shoulder bells about 1cm on each side.  Does this look better?  I don't feel like as much of a linebacker now, but would like to get another set of eyes on them to be sure they're okay.  Before on the left, after on the right.

 

And while I'm on shoulders, I have a question about the back plate.  I've had to trim the shoulder strap areas on the back plate in order to accommodate my smaller size.  On the right shoulder where the shoulder bell meets the back plate, it's fine.  See pic below. 

 

 

But on the left side, there is some overlap of the back plate and the shoulder bell.  

 

Should I just trim the extra part of the back plate to remove that overlap?  That's what I would like to do, but would like to hear some feedback first.  I don't want to move that shoulder bell out because it'll leave a gap between it and the shoulder bridge, especially as seen from the front.  I like the shoulder bell position as it is right now.

***Edit***
 

I screen grabbed this scene of Luke getting into an elevator.  It shows how his armor was altered in the same area that I'm having questions about.

 

 

I'll probably take a little off the top of the area where the back/shoulder bends.  But it seems like the shoulder bell/back plate overlap is to be expected.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Cricket

[Cricket[TK]]

A little off topic question...  Looking through reference pics today.  Saw the pic below for the gazillionth time.  Noticed something new in it that's puzzling.  Ever notice Han's chest?

 

Okay, whose chest can flex THAT much?!   It's bending.  Like super bendy.  Like it's rubber.  I couldn't imagine my ABS chest plate doing that without choking me unconscious.  So for you ANH history buffs, is Han's chest made of rubber?  Or what?  I've looked through the threads to find info on this, no luck.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Cricket

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Nop, just vacuum-formed in ABS. For example (pic from Troopermaster):

[troopermaster]

[TKZombie[TK]]

Your shoulders look way better! The back I'd leave it unless it interferes with moving about.

[Cricket[TK]]

Wow!  Thanks for showing me how flexy ABS can be.  I went back and viewed that scene, and it looks as if Han's chest is already bit more 'puffed out' even before he sits down, like it was kind of pre-bent outwards along the pectoral region (I see a small crease in right side return of Han's chest @ 2:13).  Maybe they did that to make him look more "Hero"?  Either way, it's all great stuff to learn!  Very cool.

 

Got my order in for replacement thighs today, so I'm really in the home stretch.  Yes, this build actually has a finish line, and it's within sight!  Lots of little detail stuff going on now.

Like replacing all the industrial velcro in my arms with proper snap plates.  I installed velcro in there initially so that I could see how things were fitting until I was happy with how it all was trimmed up.  Everything is trimmed and sized to my liking, so to snaps I go now.  Woo!

 

 

 

Doing the same kind of thing to my thigh garters, too.  Initially, I put velcro on the ends.  But now I am ready to make things more stable on them.  This was an easy mod.   Just trimmed out some ABS, riveted it to the garters, added snaps.  Made some snap plates to fit.  Those will go on the new thighs once they arrive.

 

Just about done with my lid. I need to still clean up some of the vocoder edges and install the S trim.  Minor stuff, though.  I'll soon be installing my fans and fan bracket.

 

 

At the beginning of this thread, I had compared my ATA Hero helmet (bubble lenses removed for cleaning) to this RS Stunt one.  Out of the box, the RS looked larger to me.  I figured that it was because the RS was unfinished.  But now comparing both of them finished, I can say that the RS lid is a little larger than the ATA.  At least mine is.  

 

I'm happy to have both, though!  

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Yes, that's because the ATA helmet is from several generations of recast, when the RS is straight from an original helmet. Basically, the RS lid has the correct size when the ATA is too small. But with your smaller frame I guess it's a good thing for you!

[Cricket[TK]]

Yes, that's because the ATA helmet is from several generations of recast, when the RS is straight from an original helmet. Basically, the RS lid has the correct size when the ATA is too small. But with your smaller frame I guess it's a good thing for you!

T'as un très bon cerveau, toi!    Yep, the smaller ATA looks proportionally better with my reduced-sized armor.

 

Okay, so I've made inserting the snaps as one of the last things on my kit.  And that's because, honestly, the placement of the snaps was really intimidating.  How would I get them in the right space?  Where would they go, exactly?  Happily, Bill Hag made this handy chart:

 

 

Now, the next part was making me crazy, especially for the forearm to bicep connection.  I found Ukswrath's measurements for the size of the space between the bicep and forearm.  Essentially, they should almost touch when the arms are straight.  So using his tips as a guide, here's what I did to secure elastics on the forearm and bicep:

 

First, when making my snap elastics, I strongly suggest to add a little piece of thin ABS in between the fabric and snap.  It strengthens the snap and makes it very easy to pop off the snap when you need to take it off (one finger!).  

 

 

I used 2" elastic for the forearms.  Some use smaller elastic.  I like how the 2" elastic hangs better than the 1.5" stuff.

 

Alright, so here's the forearm.  I measured from the middle of the glued snap to the edge of my forearm.  It was about 25mm.

 

 

Here's the bicep.  I measured from the center of the snap to the edge of the bicep.  This was about 50mm.

 

 

Cripes, that is some serious shade of messy in there.  Gotta clean that up before submission.  Okay, so numbers...  You'll want to add the two sets of measurements now:  25mm plus 50mm equals 75mm.  Tony suggested to add 5mm, but I actually added only 4mm because I wanted a slightly narrower gap.  So for me, the total is 79mm.   

 

Using this method, you'll end up with the distance needed between snaps on the elastic in order for you to get a small gap between the forearm and bicep.  I measured from the center of one set female snap to 79mm.

 

 

Make your holes for your snap, set the snap, and you're set!

 

 

On my right arm, the forearm/bicep connection just touches in the back, but has a small gap in the front.  I don't think that the armor that touches in the back can be adjusted that much, aside from trimming a bit off of the top of the forearm back there.  Seems like a natural quirk of the armor itself.  I'll leave it for now.

 

 

And on the left arm.

 

 

In a nutshell, if B is bicep measurements from male snap to bottom edge, F is forearm measurements from male snap to top edge, and G is gap size you want, the formula looks like this:  B+F+G= good lookin' arm.

 

My list of things to finish on this kit is getting smaller.  Yay!

Edited January 26, 2017 by Cricket

[Addertime[TK]]

Snaps?? Hmm...

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Great looking arm strapping. Elbow gaps should definitely be mentionned in the CRL and forbidden in my opinion. However, with time you will probably realize that using a snap to each end of the elbow strapping is actually "over-engineered". Gluing one end, and using a snap to the other is actually more than enough.

 

I see what you mean Michael. For ultimate accuracy these straps should just be glued, but Christine has already done few things differently than the originals for her strapping so it's not that bad. At least the outside look is great.

 

 

T'as un très bon cerveau, toi!     

Haha, not something we would really say in french! I guess we'd rather say "T'as de la jugeote toi" .

[Addertime[TK]]

I see what you mean Michael. For ultimate accuracy these straps should just be glued, but Christine has already done few things differently than the originals for her strapping so it's not that bad. At least the outside look is great.

 

 

Yeah. She's done an awesome job. I thought the snaps were a curious detail. Having spent quite a few hours in my kit, I feel they are wholly unnecessary. Glue them and be done with it. 

When I was building, I was nervous about stretch, adjustments, etc. and it make take a few tries but once it's right, they never, ever need to come apart. Just my two cents.

[Cricket[TK]]

I know that the snaps are over engineering things a bit. I think I'm addicted to making snaps right now, so it's a healthy outlet. Snaps on both ends gave me the most control of adjusting the elbow gap in the shortest amount of time<br>

I don't have much space to store my kit, so snaps (on at least one end) give me the best ability to nest everything together when stored. Forearms inside biceps, biceps inside bells, bells inside shins, shins inside thighs. In short (like me), all the arms and legs get stored inside the thighs. <br>

I tossed out inside strapping accuracy a long time ago. Magnetic shins? Nuff said. As long as everything outside is up to Centurion regs, I'm a happy trooper.<br><br>

An honest opinion and critical eye are ALWAYS appreciated from you guys. So THANK YOU for the feedback my brothers and sisters in white!

Edited January 27, 2017 by Cricket

[Cricket[TK]]

Haha, not something we would really say in french! I guess we'd rather say "T'as de la jugeote toi" .

 

Dang it, French idioms have never been my strong suit.  I lived a year in La Rochelle, and two years in Paris, and I still can't get them right!  Gah!

 

I finally wrapped up the "Jorge-inspired" tab stabilization system on my kidney/ab.  Glue was still curing on the bracket, which is why you still see the blue tape in there.

 

 

The black ABS is flexible enough to curve easily on the ab plate.  Here's what it looks like from the outside when closed up with the inner tab fastened on the inside snaps:

 

 

Best part is that it doesn't shift up and down.  So I tried it on to make sure it actually works.

 

 

Yup. It works great.

 

Now, back to shoulder bells.  After trimming them, they're better, but I'm still not completely happy with how they are fitting me.  They catch on my chest plate in a quite annoying manner when I move my arms forward.  I reviewed the Planning the Escape clip again so I could see how Luke's and Han's shoulders looked.  

 

 

My shoulders look nothing like theirs.  Their shoulder bells are slightly rounded and tapered as they get near the chest so they don't really rub that much on the chest plate.

 

Mine aren't like that right now.  Mine are straight.  Completely straight.  See?

 

 

I have to hang my arm out at an angle for the shoulder bell to clear the chest plate without serious interference.

 

 

I expect some knocking around of armor, but my shoulders are doing waaaaay too much banging on the chest plate right now.  They're just not fitting correctly.  I have made a pencil line following the curve of the chest plate along the shoulder bells to see what needs to be removed.  It's not much, but I think that it will make my armor fit better overall.  Thankfully, nothing needs to be altered in the back.

 

I wish there was something that I could do about the overall length of the shoulder bells (they're a little long).  I mean, I could cut the bottoms to shorten them and recreate the returns, but I would end up losing detail on the outer spine (don't want that).  At least I can get them fitting better along the chest plate, so that's something.  If anyone has suggestions about methods to shorten the shoulder bells, please chime in!  

[sylverbard[TK]]

I'd take half an inch off on the body side, which will shorten them as they raise up to attach.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Are you sure it's the shoulder bells that catch on your chest plate and not the biceps hooks? I broke at least four hooks because of that. When I extended my arm, it would catch on the chestplate and either break or block me.

 

I've always found that many of the shoulder bells on the original armors seemed quite heavily reshaped at the bottom. Or perhaps it's just the combination of a very flexy ABS, with a tensed elastic at the bottom? Anyway, maybe you could just try making yours wrap a bit more around the biceps with a heatgun. It's alway a risky move however.

 

Or maybe a bit of padding inside the shoulder bell like this guy seemed to have could help (but as he's a stunt man, this foam may just be extra protection so he doesn't hurt himself because of the fall):

Edit: In fact this isn't padding, but an explosive charge set inside his shoulder bell 

 

But if it's the fact the shoulder bells get inside the chestplate that bothers you, don't stress too much about that as it's quite a common thing. two of many examples (enjoy the flex on the chestplate BTW):

Edited January 31, 2017 by The5thHorseman

[Cricket[TK]]

Are you sure it's the shoulder bells that catch on your chest plate and not the biceps hooks?

 

Yeah, it's definitely not the bicep hooks.  Actually, my right bicep hook seems to like hooking onto my back plate if I move my arm backwards in just the right way.  In the front, it's just the chest plate.  

 

 

I'd take half an inch off on the body side, which will shorten them as they raise up to attach.

 

Agreed.  I took off an additional 10mm, and it seems a tiny bit better.  Still, not as short as I would like them to be.  Ah well, perils of being vertically challenged and trying to fit into armor much bigger than I am.

 

 

 Anyway, maybe you could just try making yours wrap a bit more around the biceps with a heatgun. It's alway a risky move however.

 

 

I could also try it with a hot water bath.  Less risk there.

 

 

Or maybe a bit of padding inside the shoulder bell like this guy seemed to have could help (but as he's a stunt man, this foam may just be extra protection so he doesn't hurt himself because of the fall):

 

 

But if it's the fact the shoulder bells get inside the chestplate that bothers you, don't stress too much about that as it's quite a common thing. two of many examples (enjoy the flex on the chestplate BTW):

 

 

Haha... that padding!  I would really look more like MoSc0ut's Space Marine if I plump my bells out to clear the chest plate.  Trying to steer away from that look.    

 

I might be able to reshape the edges of the bells in a hot water bath so that they curve more inward.  I'll try this before doing any curvy trimming to the edges of the shoulder bells. Seems like it might work.  I don't want to shape the bells via scissors unless I absolutely see no other option.

[fragarock[TK]]

Hi Christine,

 

I happen to be working on my bells as well today (at home with a sick kid). So you're last few posts couldn't have come at a better time.

 

What I noticed on mine were they seemed to be really tapered in at the bottom, almost as of the were pinched. Both are like that so I'm surprised to hear yours aren't quite the same. Looking at the film stills you posted it does appear that they are supposed to have this pinched look at the bottoms. Just like Germain said, a bit of heating may help get that bottom pinch you're looking for. You could also try shortening your bottom elastic straps a bit to force the bottoms to pull in more.

 

Here are some reference pics of mine. Your thread helped me identify which was the left....there's a tell-tale swoop on the ridge of one that matches Luke's left bell. That's the best evidence I've seen to identify left vs. right on these RS pieces.

 

 

 

Here's the swoop from the film.

[Cricket[TK]]

Yep, and did you know that Luke wears two left forearms and two left shoulder bells?  I'm going for that look on my Hero kit (next build).

Both shoulder bells are also kind of pinched (as you mentioned), but my issue isn't so much the bells squeezing inwards.  It's more a matter of needing the edges to gently curve inward on the vertical edge.  As they are right now, the edges are very flat.

Still, it seems like the shoulder bells should closely follow the line of the chest plate.  As mine are now, they're straight.  There needs to be some curve in the edge somehow.  

Action shoulders below.  Dig the flexy chest plate on the trooper on the far right!  haha...

 

And at attention.

 

My shoulder bells are completely overlapped by my chest plate when standing in this position.  The tops of the bells touch my shoulder straps, but the bells seem too large still.  Gah.  I need a break.

 

***Edit***

Found this pic of a screen used shoulder bell (the one on the left).  It's got a curved cut along the edge.

 

 

And the right:
 

Edited January 27, 2017 by Cricket

[fragarock[TK]]

Yep, and did you know that Luke wears two left forearms and two left shoulder bells? I'm going for that look on my Hero kit (next build).

 

Both shoulder bells are also kind of pinched (as you mentioned), but my issue isn't so much the bells squeezing inwards. It's more a matter of needing the edges to gently curve inward on the vertical edge. As they are right now, the edges are very flat.

 

Still, it seems like the shoulder bells should closely follow the line of the chest plate. As mine are now, they're straight. There needs to be some curve in the edge somehow.

 

Action shoulders below. Dig the flexy chest plate on the trooper on the far right! haha...

 

And at attention.

 

 

My shoulder bells are completely overlapped by my chest plate when standing in this position. The tops of the bells touch my shoulder straps, but the bells seem too large still. Gah. I need a break.

Tow left forearms? Mind blown! The things you learn on this site are amazing.

 

I agree with the idea that the bottom of the bells need to follow the contour of the chest. I noticed this and marked it on one of my posts....same pic you posted of them all standing in ranks. I didn't do that taper yet, was going to see how everything fit and hear what the pros out there thought about this taper.

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Cricket[TK]]

I agree with the idea that the bottom of the bells need to follow the contour of the chest. I noticed this and marked it on one of my posts....same pic you posted of them all standing in ranks. I didn't do that taper yet, was going to see how everything fit and hear what the pros out there thought about this taper.

 

 

I'm going to take a look through Centurion posts and see what others have done with their bells.  I have a feeling that I'm going to end up tapering mine in a bit.

 

Oh!  Also, hope your little one feels better soon!  

Edited January 27, 2017 by Cricket

[Addertime[TK]]

My TrooperMaster bells are curved like the screen used ones in your top image. Paul has a great eye for details.

[Cricket[TK]]

My TrooperMaster bells are curved like the screen used ones in your top image. Paul has a great eye for details.

 

Ah, yes, Paul makes gorgeous armor.  

 

Not trimming anything today, just adding padding in the helmet.  I have a small head, which means I need lots of padding in there.  

 

 

I realized something today about my kit.  While I can size down the armor to fit me well, I can't size down the lid.  I tried on the RS helmet and ATA helmets for my family today, and the verdict was unanimous:  I look like a bobble head with the RS helmet on.  

 

So my plan is this:  once I get this armor approved to the higher levels, I'll be converting it to a TD.  I'll be ordering a full armor/helmet kit from ATA for my Hero build.  I'll be taking the Stunt helmet from my new kit and using that one for the TD.  The RS and ATA colors don't match, but it won't matter once they're dirty.  

 

For me what's important is that the helmet looks good with the armor proportionally.  I'll probably end up selling my RS lid because I won't need it now.  Bobble head is not a good look on me.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

That T-shirt rocks!

 

Now, no offense to your family, but be careful with the advices of untrained eyes. The original stormtrooper helmet is big. Almost oversized compared to the rest of the body. I'd be curious to see what you look like with your armor and the stunt helmet one.

 

About the side of the shoulder bells.

I didn't understand what you were talking about before, but yeah most of the originals appear to have been trimmed in a curve and not straight along the chestplate. If the RS ones are straight, the only way to fix this will be trimming I guess. 

[Addertime[TK]]

That T-shirt rocks!

 

Man! I was thinking that too! Awesome. I want one!

 

Now, no offense to your family, but be careful with the advices of untrained eyes. The original stormtrooper helmet is big. Almost oversized compared to the rest of the body. I'd be curious to see what you look like with your armor and the stunt helmet one.

I agree completely.

 

Christine, Show us side by side photos of both helmets worn with the armor.

[Cricket[TK]]

I'll get suited up and take pics soon.  I got wrapped up in helmet mods today.  Namely installing a fan bracket and fans.  I've ordered a few plastic brackets that are en route, but I wanted to try out making my own metal one.

 

I cut my bracket using a template that fit in my helmet.  I cut it out from a piece of sheet of metal that has black on one side so I don't have to paint it.  I should have used my jigsaw to cut it because I spent about 20 minutes using tin snips to cut the bracket, and it was a major PITA.  I ended up having to sand the edges smooth.   I used my drill press to make holes for the wires and switches.  I've also applied some thick neoprene to the back of the metal to cushion it.  The metal edges scraped off some of the PlastiDip coating.  I'll have to repaint those areas.

 

Here's a pic of the bracket initially fitted into my bucket.  The blue looking stuff is protective film that was removed after cutting.

 

 

Then I removed the film and installed the switches.

 

 

Attached the fans with some velcro, soldiered the wires, and popped the bracket back in the lid.

 

I'm just waiting on some small USB cables to finish it up, which is why the wires aren't yet finished in the back.  I'll be using a portable battery pack to power the fans.  Can't wait to get it up and running!