MTK Shorty ANH build

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

5 minutes ago, Aeosyn said:

Question: how do people secure the hand plates? Mine are of the non-flexible variety, and I don't want them to HAVE to go on the rubber gloves, I'd like to use generic black gloves if possible for more comfortable trooping. Is it common place to use elastic so they just fit over your palm's regardless of gloves? 

Some glue elastic to the inside of the hand plate which then goes around the glove, you could also attach Velcro to the glove and hand plate, I find E6000 to hold really well.

 

The more times you put on armor the easier it gets, I practiced about half a dozen times before my first troop, then got there and realised I had been practicing with everything set out on a table and when I got to the trooper and there wasn't any tables

 

I get kitted up these days within 5 minutes, definitely gets easier

[Harbinger[IPM]]

So, so true. Figuring out how to pack/unpack becomes easier as well.

 

Aeosyn, I'd recommend just getting a set of flexible hand guards, even if EI/Centurion aren't in your sights. I had planned on using my ABS plates that came with my Anovos kit on my second (non-rubber) pair of gloves for when I wanted something more breathable, and they just aren't as comfortable. Then you can glue and forget.

[TheSwede[TK]]

5 hours ago, Aeosyn said:

and OMG how do people reach around to snap those?!?!

I snap it in and then step into the clam-shell pulling it up

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Thanks for the input! 

 

It's good to know it gets easier. I like the idea of keeping them snapped together, and then pulling it up, it's a nightmare. 

I also watched a few people suit up at the armor party and they had the same struggles. #validation

 

So, my phone's dead that has all my pics, but just wanted to update that I'm back from the holidays (and busy season from work) and in action. 

 

There was an armor party last weekend and I got up to a good place. 

 

We got the ammo pack on the thigh, button plates cut out.

The detonator pieces cut out. 

I'm re-doing a LOT of the strapping.

I actually broke the side strapping where I had put elastic in with the rivets for a "permanent" closure and it broke on a fitting, so I'm going snaps on both sides now. I had 1 or 3/4 inch white elastic for the front to back shoulder straps, and am now using a wider piece where two snaps can fit instead of one in-line. I also got rubber hand guards that meet centurion requirements. 

 

hmm... I think I'll be doing the sniper knee this weekend and finishing up the re-strapping. Then I'll work on the belt, weird shoulder things (my b... o.O) and arm strapping. 

 

I guess I'm basically doing everything I can BUT the bucket. I'm afraid of the bucket. 

Hopefully progress pics tomorrow. 

I took a REALLY awesome pic of me all suited up (minus accessories) and it looks waaayyy better than some of my previous ones. :3

 

My goal is to now wear it for Megacon in Orlando in May.

[Aeosyn[TK]]

I know I haven't posted in awhile. I honestly haven't worked on it since I went to an armor party and had to take a lot of the inner strapping apart. The side fixtures came apart when I put it on and the shoulder snaps were vertical as opposed to horizontal (same for thighs, but I may not redo those just yet). 

 

This is what it looked like before it broke. 

https://imgur.com/AOUYxO0

 

I now have the thigh ammo on, the sniper knee, and have redone the strapping so I can actually put it on again. Phew! In the picture there were no straps for the bells. Those are underway and almost done. 

 

I also have trimmed and cut out the ab button plates, boxes and belt. So those are just assembly. 

 

I've actually lost almost 20LBs since that picture was taken. If you look, there's a bit of a flare on the left side kidney piece and that has gotten much worse since I lost weight. Any ideas on how to get that to stay flat align with the ab piece? 

 

I'm also currently in search of a fully assembled bucket, or at the least a new separate kit that won't take months to receive. There was a recent post in the commissary so my fingers are crossed I'm first in line as I'm totally desperate. I broke my rear half of the bucket. For a more experienced maker, I'm sure it's fixable... but I am not confident in my abilities and that's why I saved it for last to begin with. So here's hoping. 

 

I still can't believe this has all taken me just about a year now. I very well could have worked on it more diligently, but life and such. Hopefully, since I won't have it done till after Megacon and Solo release, there will still be enough troops to attend once I do get it approved. 

 

 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

How's the buttons looking? 

 

https://imgur.com/hdGjyN0

 

There's a slight smudge on the bottom blue. Is it noticeable? 

 

I tried getting it off by gently sanding with fine sandpaper and resmoothing with watered down acetone on a paint brush and immediately wiping it off so that it wouldn't melt/disfigure anything. 

 

if it's not that noticeable, I'll stop messing with it. 

[TheSwede[TK]]

57 minutes ago, Aeosyn said:

How's the buttons looking? 

Good to go

[wook1138[TK]]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 8:00 AM, Aeosyn said:

If you look, there's a bit of a flare on the left side kidney piece and that has gotten much worse since I lost weight. Any ideas on how to get that to stay flat align with the ab piece? 

The belt will make a difference here - it might hold things together for you.  If not, you could make a tab and slot connection to join the ab to the kidney.  Or a hot water bath to shape the pieces a bit.  I had to make a tab and slot connection for my right side ab to kidney and hot bath my butt plate so it didn't flare out (which is a common issue with many trooper's armor). 

 

Here is what I did for the tab and slot connection

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/43437-wooks-first-build-anh-stunt-tk-ap/?do=findComment&comment=594738

 

I lost weight during and after my build.  I've had to go back and add foam padding everywhere.  It worked pretty well.

 

Good luck with your build.  Looking good so far.

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Awesome! I tried the hot water bath. I'm working on the belt now and will be able to refit this weekend. I like the idea of the slot especially since it would take away having to do so many snaps!!

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Ok so I'm having trouble with what to do in lieu of the male snaps on the abdomen for the belt.

 

http://imgur.com/gallery/vsiJu0R

 

I have reinforced the piece when I cut it in half for size (5'2). So I can't just poke a hole and put the snap in. I tried putting it in a thin piece of abs but that won't lay flat... Any recommendations?

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Alrighty, so I sanded down the area behind the ab where the snaps would go to get them through and that worked out well. 

 

I went on a test run to Megacon this weekend! Pics below. 

 

 

 

 

 

Issues I had at Megacon: 

 

Problem:. Bicep kept going underneath shoulder bells

Solution: Add inner arm strappings to keep them in place

Question: Should I make the bicep/bell smaller? 

 

Problem: Kidney kept overlapping (on top of) ab

Solution: trim kidney - recreate notch - tighten elastic closures

 

Problem: thighs kept going over/under ab. right thigh kept spinning off to the side. 

Solution: ??? 

 

Problem: right belt snap (to ab) would not stay snapped.

Solution: add slack to canvas

Question: someone mentioned I was using the wrong snaps? what are the right snaps? o.O 

 

Work to be done, so close but so far!! 

I just got my detonator clips in the mail today. I'm thinking about painting the tube, can I use the same gray that I used on the buttons? 

 

Edit: Squeal of joy for first time wearing it in public. XD 

 

Edited May 29, 2018 by Aeosyn
note on bottom

[lucnak[TK]]

Hi Alicia,

Some tips/recommendations based on these photos:

• Biceps going into shoulder bells: I don't think you will need to resize these. Definitely adding a bicep to forearm strap will help to keep them in place - if you feel your bicep is slipping up, just bending your arm will pull it back down. Adding these straps will also stop your forearms from rotating like in the second photo.
• Think you'll be good with the kidney situation. Just be aware that there's a chance your kidney and butt plates no longer align. Another potential solution is adding some foam or creating a tab system for the ab and kidney to interlock.
• Thighs: You could trim the tops of these down if they are just too long. Regarding rotating, the thighs seem a little large, so you could resize them, though that's a lot of work. Perhaps creating a sort of v-strap hanging from your garter belt to two snap plate in the thigh could solve this?
• Ab to belt: Line 24 snaps are the most commonly used. In the second photo, your belt has detached from your ab, but also your ab plate looks crooked. Perhaps there is something to tweak in your chest to ab straps?

You'll surely run into new challenges as you wear your armour and it will need some small tweaks here and there! Almost there!

[shashachu[TK]]

Strapping between the shoulder bell, bicep, and forearm will definitely keep things in place. Here's mine:

 

I agree that it looks like your thighs are long.

[JenEcho[TK]]

Hey Alicia! I just found your build thread - We're almost exactly the same height/weight, so I feel all your struggles on a personal level. I just finished my TK, so really don't have any advice, but just want to say you're looking great! 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Thanks for the feedback!! (so many months later.... ) 

I'M BAAAACK

 

I actually moved states! So I used to live in FL and now I live in CO, hence the uh... 7.. 8 month hiatus. 

My stuff was packed away in boxes and trucks and storage for the past 5 months. 

I finally got to a place where I can work on it again, 'cause gosh darn it, I'm wearing this to CELEBRATION and HOPEFULLY I'll get to submit approval pics by then, even if the approval may not come through or I have more work to do. I've lost more weight as this is technically my second year on the build. So while I'm glad to be getting fit, it's making more work to do. lol XD Just wanted to preface all the resizing/shaping mods on my to-do list.

 

Anyways - after taking it out of storage I've made this list of things to do: 

 

Arms: 

-resize biceps  done

-resize forearm done

-add strapping for secure placement - in progress

 

Chest - reshape maybe trim sides, we'll see  kind of done?

butt - heat to form potential trim again

 

abs:

-increase curvature to fit done

-add split rivets back (had to cut them off to cut down on kidney to ab gap

-replace strapping (again, cut off due to sizable gap between me and armor) done
-created tab slot for side closure  done

 

Bucket: 

-needs padding 

-repaint inside for second layer

-secure visor

-secure frown mesh

 

thighs - trim top down to prevent getting under abs

belt - redo snaps to ab (not strong enough, may need new snaps)

Thermal detonator - needs to be put together

 

shins - nothing

kidney - nothing

Back - nothing

 

General notes: I'll be switching to mostly a stretchy connections to allow for more fluid movement and a little less likely for things to come unsnapped during wear. There were tugs when I had it on that caused the chest to ab unsnapping. Most other connections were solid (minus the lack there of in the arms). I'm relatively unhappy with my garter belt I made. I'll probably have to remake it, but hopefully I can put that off till the end since, honestly, I'm just not looking forward to it. Any recommendations on a garter system would be appreciated!

Edited March 14, 2019 by Aeosyn
update status of list

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Any tips on how to fix this?

 

http://imgur.com/a/QQROzuy

 

If it's not obvious, the butt overlapping the kidney

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Aeosyn

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Depends where you have your elastic/snaps placed behind and how tight, you should have some on the sides close to the end of the kidney/butt plate

 

You can also add some tabs behind to help stop it butt plate pushing outwards

[Digz Graavz[TK]]

I think you need to get everything aligned properly first, then once you have your strapping in it will all line up.  It doesn't look like you've cut out your notches yet either.

 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

44 minutes ago, Digz Graavz said:

I think you need to get everything aligned properly first, then once you have your strapping in it will all line up.  It doesn't look like you've cut out your notches yet either.

 

That's true. I was sure if the placement of the butt would matter cutting in relation to the notches. But notches first approach makes sense!

 

I have the side snaps gluing now so the ab/kidney will hold in place. Once that's secure than I'll take another gander and see what can be improved on the butt! 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

48 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Depends where you have your elastic/snaps placed behind and how tight, you should have some on the sides close to the end of the kidney/butt plate

 

You can also add some tabs behind to help stop it butt plate pushing outwards

I love this!! I do have snaps fair close to the edge of the butt/kidney and I think they're tight ish? But the straps for those snaps aren't elastic - that can be improved too. 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

I did a test fitting with the body/legs and it looks off to me? Can anyone give me general tips just based off what you're seeing?

 

Fitting https://imgur.com/a/rDQq3Wc

 

Things I've already listed: 

right ab - kidney needs to be pulled closed

belt is too big?

raise ab with shorter chest to ab straps so theres more space between thighs

Edited March 14, 2019 by Aeosyn
notes

[Aeosyn[TK]]

 

So basically the only things I have left from my new ultimate list are the butt plate to keep it from flaring out and then the bucket (oh and the arm strapping). Question so has anyone ever primarily used the teeth to see out of? If I use the eyes - it sits on top of my shoulders, but if I use the teeth, it looks like I have a neck... haha.

 

I'll post pics when I can. In the mean time, here's more pics of why it's taken me so long and how much weight I've lost.. might not be as impressive as some, but it's still interesting to me and is literally the cause for a lot of modifications. Thighs, arms, waist pieces.. everything. 

 

 

[Alay[TK]]

Great job!  Having to modify it smaller from a weight loss is one of the best problems to have I think

 

For the butt plate, tighter elastic should help bring it closer.  You might need to trim down your kidney plate if it's too large now.  I had the same issue with mine, and it's not too hard to do.

 

 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

The belt did a decent job of keeping the butt plate in place, so after a few other minor tweaks and adjustments, I posted to the Pre-Approval thread to see if I'm ready or if there's community census of good-to-go. 

 

https://imgur.com/VS0hwNn

 

We'll see how well this goes!!! This is my nervous face. 

 

[Aeosyn[TK]]

Hi guys!! 

 

So amazing news!! I was approved! 

 

TK-23148 reporting to the Legion for duty Mountain Garrison - Pikes Peak Squad. 

 

I HIGHLY recommend going through the TK Pre-Approvals prior to submitting for approval. It made the process absolutely flawless. I'll still be making comfort improvements to strapping to ensure nothing slips out of place or unsnaps and tightening the loose ends of unpainted rivets. But I am so excited to be heading into Celebration as an official member and being able to look out for local events. 

 

Super thanks to everyone's ideas, tips and tricks that helped me along the way. I hope to be able to provide half the guidance to fellow shorties and nervous newcomers.