Big Deal Posted October 12, 2017 Report Posted October 12, 2017 The big box(s) arrived... Plus my splitter for the helmet electronics. I only had time for a quick look but as others have said I don't see much to do in the way of filling and touch ups. I did a few quick test fits too and I'm hoping that things will be pretty close. The forearms, biceps, and shins seemed really close. The thighs were a bit big. I have to admit, now that it's here, it is a little overwhelming, but as they say, "you just have to eat the elephant one bite at a time." Quote
darthcue[TK] Posted October 12, 2017 Report Posted October 12, 2017 This is very good!!! i will be following.... Quote
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted October 12, 2017 Report Posted October 12, 2017 Nothing better than BBB's looking forward to the build good luck Quote
Big Deal Posted October 19, 2017 Author Report Posted October 19, 2017 Couple of questions... Is there a rough recommendation for thigh fitting? Should they sit above the knee cap and roughly reach where your hip bends when sitting? I know everyone is different, but I'm look for a place to start with these thighs. I guess my next question would be shins. Right now they fit quite well, but the top edge reaches just past the bottom of my knee cap, I'm thinking for comfort reasons at least, I'd like it a little lower. Where do other troopers shins reach? Quote
Parquette[TK] Posted October 19, 2017 Report Posted October 19, 2017 (edited) The R1TK thighs can be just above the sniper knee guard, or slightly behind it. Just know that if it's behind it, it'll involved more risk of the guard being overlapped by the thigh. ---------- Edited April 17, 2022 by gmrhodes13 link removed no longer working Quote
Big Deal Posted October 19, 2017 Author Report Posted October 19, 2017 I'm thinking my shins will be okay, but I will need to trim the thighs. I was worried because the top of the cover strip is nicely beveled, but it should get covered by drop boxes. Maybe I'll start an inch at a time. I have started doing the teeth on the helmet in the meantime. Lots of other little jobs to do... Quote
Big Deal Posted November 22, 2017 Author Report Posted November 22, 2017 I have finished up the teeth... and am working on the tube stripes... Cleaning out the fiberglass can be a little messy... And pretty much done... Maybe a little clean-up here and there. I find that when ever I think I have one spot finished, I turn the helmet to tackle the next pot and I see more to clean out. I started fitting the lenses as well. They were hard to cut. I plan on using the T-Nut method, but I find that they are a little too long - the ones I found anyways. I have cut about half of them off and it seems to help the lenses sit more flush. You can see where I am cutting compared to the original T-Nut. 1 Quote
ukswrath[Staff] Posted November 22, 2017 Report Posted November 22, 2017 Nice work on those tube vents Quote
Big Deal Posted November 22, 2017 Author Report Posted November 22, 2017 Thanks. I'm going to try and add the blue behind them and then I'll get a better idea if they need to get cleaned up any more. Quote
Dragon_a[TK] Posted November 22, 2017 Report Posted November 22, 2017 Looking good. I'm leaving my helmet until last so that I can (hopefully) skill up on the other armour parts before tackling the most important piece. What did you use on the teeth and tube stripes? Quote
Big Deal Posted November 23, 2017 Author Report Posted November 23, 2017 (edited) I started with just a drill bit on the teeth and then used a bunch of different files. On the stripes I got a little bolder and used a dremel for most of it, then the files. Edited November 23, 2017 by Big Deal Quote
Big Deal Posted December 1, 2017 Author Report Posted December 1, 2017 Worked on the lenses among other things... I used three T-nuts which I trimmed down a little so the lenses would sit closer to the openings. I also shortened the bolts a little. And from the front... I plastidipped the inside after adding some velcro for padding. I'm waiting on some fans and some flexible loom then I hope to try and get that all worked in. I was going to wait for warmer weather before I started painting, but I really feel like I could finish this helmet up pretty soon... Quote
Big Deal Posted March 10, 2018 Author Report Posted March 10, 2018 I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked but I'm slowly pushing through. I'm ready to attach the back plate to the abdominal section, but I'm not sure how it's supposed to sit. The plate has a curve that doesn't really sit flush. Have others shaved it down a bit? Quote
Dragon_a[TK] Posted March 11, 2018 Report Posted March 11, 2018 10 hours ago, Big Deal said: I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked but I'm slowly pushing through. I'm ready to attach the back plate to the abdominal section, but I'm not sure how it's supposed to sit. The plate has a curve that doesn't really sit flush. Have others shaved it down a bit? This is something Im trying to figure out too. I was thinking about attaching it with magnets so I could put it on myself when dressing. On that subject, how are you closing the kidney / ab section at the back? Quote
Big Deal Posted March 11, 2018 Author Report Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) I was thinking magnets too. Now that I’ve closed it, it seems to sit a little better. As for closing at first I had Velcro, but I switched it to velcro(small pieces) with elastic in between. I’ll post a pick tomorrow. I only have the small magnets right now so I’m going to get some thicker ones to sit in the indent of that back plate a little better and mount the smaller magnets to the ab/kidney plate. Do you know of it matters where it sits? It should be covered by the back plate and belt once fully dressed. Edited March 11, 2018 by Big Deal Quote
Big Deal Posted March 14, 2018 Author Report Posted March 14, 2018 Here is what I am looking at doing. Maybe a better view with the elastic pushed to the outside. This is how it looks like the back plate will sit. I found thicker magnets that I will use inside the back plate and then ad small disks to the ab/kidney surround. Quote
Dragon_a[TK] Posted March 14, 2018 Report Posted March 14, 2018 That's pretty similar to how mine is looking. Ive got velcro on some pieces of elastic which allow me to put it on back to front and then it stretches enough to let me push it round. I've then put a small piece of velcro at the bottom to keep it inline. Lastly two pairs of rare earth magnets, one pair glued to the back plate which will connect to the other pair glued inside the ab / kidney. I'll take some pics tonight. Quote
Big Deal Posted March 20, 2018 Author Report Posted March 20, 2018 Has anyone cut down the "side wraps"? I don't know what else to call them. The black painted pieces that connect the chest to back. They seem to be curved properly to sit well as is, but I really only have about 4-5" showing so it seems like a lot of extra material to have to make sure it's all tucked in nicey nicey. I'd I'm also thinking about trimming the belt back a bit. Has anyone cut it back? Quote
Big Deal Posted March 21, 2018 Author Report Posted March 21, 2018 (edited) Just attaching the boxes to the belt. The two "angled" boxes are pretty straight forward as they line up with buttons on the ab and a notched are on the belt. Same with the two thinner, inner boxes, they seem to be evenly space between the two notched boxes. But the outer "square" boxes. Are they lined up with anything in particular or are they just continuing the spacing? Also, the drop boxes that hang from these square boxes, it almost looks as if the black strapping is as wide as the drop boxes in some cases. Any thoughts? Edited March 21, 2018 by Big Deal Quote
Big Deal Posted March 23, 2018 Author Report Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) So I cut out the magnets on the ab/kidney so they'd sit pretty flush, but when the back plate is attached when I'm wearing the kidney surround, the magnets are too curved to meet strongly enough. I removed the magnets from the back plate and am going to try to add a wedge and thinner magnets to the back plate and see how that goes. Also I finally tried out my "Tube Stripe" back fill. I made small inserts from thin styrene that I built up a bit and shaped as best as I could. Then I'm going to magnet them in so they're easy to remove for painting etc. This is just the test fit so far, but I think they're pretty close. Edited March 23, 2018 by Big Deal Quote
Big Deal Posted March 23, 2018 Author Report Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) The control doesn't really lean towards the gloves being tactical gloves, but i really picked up a pair of these: It's too bad they have the extra vents on the upper fingers, because the ribbed material is almost a perfect match. Has anyone bought the anthology gloves from Imperial Boots? Edited March 23, 2018 by Big Deal Quote
Dragon_a[TK] Posted March 24, 2018 Report Posted March 24, 2018 I've got the ones from Imperial Boots: 1 Quote
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