Harbinger's first build - ANH Stunt (ANOVOS) [Centurion Approved!]

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Anyone know of something more durable than Testors white enamel for painting rivets? Keeps chipping off...

[jethroskull[501st]]

Nail polish. It's pretty tough.

[magni[TK]]

You'll have to do touch ups while working for the Empire!

It's a jungle out there!

[Harbinger[IPM]]

I'll give nail polish a try. I was also thinking white Plastidip may work as well.

 

While I wait for comments/approval on my EIB application, I've gone ahead and started addressing some final things before applying Centurion. Here's what's on the menu for December:

- Replace hovi mic mesh, paint inside/rim off-white

- Re-paint vocoder (ANOVOS paint job sucks)

- New chest-to-back/shoulder strapping (to eliminate gap)... will also probably have to remove most/all of the return edge on my shoulder bells

- Lower 'han hook' on right bicep (sits higher than left)

 

...Plus anything else that may come out of my EIB submission.

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Got started on the mic tips tonight (white discs are sign material for reinforcing the very thin plastic on the helmet where the mic tips mount):

 

New and improved chest/back straps arrived today (thanks, Tony!), so I'll have to get started on those soon as well:

 

New straps are 1/4" shorter and much thicker, so hopefully they will tighten up the shoulder bell gap.

Edited December 5, 2017 by Harbinger

[ukswrath[Staff]]

1 hour ago, Harbinger said:

Got started on the mic tips tonight (white discs are sign material for reinforcing the very thin plastic on the helmet where the mic tips mount):

 

New and improved chest/back straps arrived today (thanks, Tony!), so I'll have to get started on those soon as well:

 

New straps are 1/4" shorter and much thicker, so hopefully they will tighten up the shoulder bell gap.

Sorry my sewing is not the best, working on it. lol

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Better than mine.

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Made some discs to reinforce the inside of the helmet where the mic tips mount - boy is this some thin plastic, feels like a board game insert:

 

Repainted the inside of the mic tips off-white to match the props:

 

They were then given a clear coat of spray paint to seal them up.

 

Afterwards I made another 'doohickey' for molding the mesh I received from Tony:

 

Mic tip mesh was then installed (I put a bead of E6000 on the lips of the mic tips beforehand):

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Cleaned up the vocoder paint, didn't take a before photo but here is half way through removing some of the Anovos paint:

 

Here's after doing the other side and touching up the paint:

 

Also re-did the right bicep han hook to get them to sit at the same height (not pictured).

[ukswrath[Staff]]

18 hours ago, Harbinger said:

Cleaned up the vocoder paint, didn't take a before photo but here is half way through removing some of the Anovos paint:

 

Here's after doing the other side and touching up the paint:

 

Also re-did the right bicep han hook to get them to sit at the same height (not pictured).

Excellent job!

[Harbinger[IPM]]

New straps are done!

 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Centurion application is in... so I guess now the focus is going to be on electronics. Fans are going to be a must, so I suppose the question is if I go "all in" and get hearing and audio as well.

 

Thoughts? Anyone doing all three, do you run them off a single power supply or have it split up? Seems to be a lot of very good options out there.

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Centurion approved - goal met! Thanks to everyone who helped me get there.

 

Now on to help others get there... I'm only the second Centurion in CCG, we have one other who is an ESB trooper so between us lots of knowledge for new recruits, hopefully.

[likemike973]

Great build so far! I have a question on the strapping? Do the strips come with the kit? The strips for the forearms/legs. 

[Steaditrooper[TK]]

7 hours ago, Harbinger said:

Centurion approved - goal met! Thanks to everyone who helped me get there.

 

Now on to help others get there... I'm only the second Centurion in CCG, we have one other who is an ESB trooper so between us lots of knowledge for new recruits, hopefully.

Congrats Brien! Great news. You certainly have been helping me. 

[wook1138[TK]]

7 hours ago, Harbinger said:

Centurion approved - goal met! Thanks to everyone who helped me get there.

 

Now on to help others get there... I'm only the second Centurion in CCG, we have one other who is an ESB trooper so between us lots of knowledge for new recruits, hopefully.

Great job, Brien!  Congrats! And thanks for your input during my build - and a thank you in advance for more input as I continue  

[Harbinger[IPM]]

2 hours ago, likemike973 said:

Great build so far! I have a question on the strapping? Do the strips come with the kit? The strips for the forearms/legs. 

Coverstrips? Yes, the Anovos kit includes them.

 

For strapping, the forearm-to-bicep and bicep/shoulder elastic is included, I purchased the garter system sold here for my thighs:

 

I also recommend buying better, industrial-strength Velcro if you do choose to use it. Everyone I know who used the included Velcro has had it fall off their armor (shin closures especially).

[Harbinger[IPM]]

I spent some time Thursday morning making up a plate to cover the Husky logo on my armor bin (wanted to get it finished before trooping the premier):

 

It's a piece of 3.25" x 12" white ABS (leftover snap plate material) that I painted black. I then drew up and cut out the design with my vinyl cutter. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Very nice, great work

[TheSwede[TK]]

14 hours ago, Harbinger said:

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

And so you should, looks great

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Very nice!

[Harbinger[IPM]]

The more I troop in this armor, the more I find I want to tweak/fix. Today's menu is my boots, which like to pop out of my shins.

 

I removed the velcro I'd previously glued to the front and made some new velcro tabs for the front, and leather tabs for the back:

 

These will be used in conjunction with some Velcro tie-downs I bought off Amazon (these ones, for those interested) so I can cinch the boots tight to my ankles:

 

Preliminary tests seem positive, but I'll find out in about two hours (last troop of 2017!).

[ukswrath[Staff]]

I've been installing velcro on the front of most me boots for a few years now. Works excellent. Like the boot strap idea 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Yeah, Velcro on the front stopped the entire shin from rotating/riding up the boot, but whenever I needed to go up or down stairs the boots would flex and the rear portion would pop out and go over the shin (leading to plastic grinding against my ankle, oh so fun).

[jethroskull[501st]]

10 minutes ago, Harbinger said:

These will be used in conjunction with some Velcro tie-downs I bought off Amazon (these ones, for those interested) so I can cinch the boots tight to my ankles

Something else I can use toestraps from the bicycle junk box for!