Timberwoof's Anovos ANH TK Build Thread

[Timberwoof[TK]]

I've liked full-body armor such as Stormtrooper and Halo for a long time. (As a hockey goalie I was the best-armored player on the team!) My persona Timberwoof is a swashbuckling anthropomorphic wolf space cadet in space, and he needs appropriate boarding armor … but I don't know anything about building, let alone designing, amor of this type. So this build is a step to that project, and a worthy project in its own right. I was goofing around on that place you're not supposed to buy Stormtrooper armor kits on when I found this set. I researched it here and found that yes, Anovos can be approved. I like the ANH Troopers the best even with their weird asymmetrical knees. From what I read on the Anovos web site, this particular kit is no longer available, and was at a decent price, so I sniped the auction and won. 
Then I received an email from the sales site saying that the seller's account had been compromised! *Facepaw!* All I could do was wait: they had already shipped the kit and FedEx confirmed the tracking number. Today it arrived. I was prepared to find a BBB containing a brick. But it was a real Anovos box, somewhat worn but had not seen the inside of a trash compactor. I opened it up, took inventory (Thanks to ukswrath, I have the Anoos book, which did not come with the kit), and inspected the parts. None of them had their protective plastic film, and some have suffered over the year. The photo shows the worst of the damage. Most of the parts look good aside from some scuffs here and there, probably about the same as a suit might get in action. 
I believe that the kit had been opened and repacked at least once, for it was upside down in the box. All the pieces were in baby-suffocators. At the "bottom" of the box I found an envelope containing a packing slip for 2 Shadow Trooper Decals dated April 2016. I suspect that it was a project someone never got to. 
I felt like a physical anthropologist digging up a grave at Sutton Hoo. I laid out all the parts on a table barely big enough. This will be a project to take in small, managed steps. The helmet is astonishingly asymmetrical: Are they supposed to be like that? The mic tips are not very symmetrical in their niches; that looks wrong to me. The lens setup seems dodgy to me. I tried with glasses but not green lens. Okay. I can see better than out of my fursuit without glasses. I'm not going to try glasses and green plastic; I don't want to scratch the plastic. I rejiggered it to be what I think is right and tried it on. The world is blurry and green' my eyes don't lie! There was an odd piece of black velcro with sticky back on the inside of the helmet; it's not clear where that's supposed to go. The suspension system for the helmet is cheesy; I may redo that with foam rubber. 
The strapping kit has a bunch of stuff; the Thermal Detonator is complete; the belt is all there. I'm missing screws and split rivets and washers, but these are easily replaced at a hardware store. 
"You came in that? You're braver than I thought!" 

Edited November 10, 2017 by Timberwoof

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Awesome to see another build thread in the works. Good news the photo you posted is not damaged goods but indeed peeling the protective layer off. I'm suspecting if you peel it back a bit you'll find the armor in good condition. Looking forward to your build.

[Timberwoof[TK]]

Thanks, Ukswrath. That is god news; it means I may not have to start out with a 'weathered' look. And hey! You're in the GGG too! 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

51 minutes ago, Timberwoof said:

Thanks, Ukswrath. That is god news; it means I may not have to start out with a 'weathered' look. And hey! You're in the GGG too! 

GGG Yes sir! 

[Timberwoof[TK]]

29 minutes ago, ukswrath said:

GGG Yes sir! 

Please don't call me Sir, Sir. I work for a living! (Actually, I'm spending severance pay for a few weeks.)
And yes, the protective film is still on the pieces. That one piece is safely stowed away as I start in on the arm-or. It's time for sandpaper. 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

2 minutes ago, Timberwoof said:

Please don't call me Sir, Sir. I work for a living! (Actually, I'm spending severance pay for a few weeks.)

Copy that soldier, carry on 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Your kit looks to be in pretty good condition! I picked up a second-hand Anovos kit as well, been building with aim of Centurion (link in sig if you're interested!).

[Timberwoof[TK]]

First Cuts
I used an X-Acto knife with a straight cutting edge. That worked more evenly than a curved blade. Long cuts didn't seem save or controllable, so I made a series of jabbing cuts. Careful as I was, the resulting edges look pretty rough.
Q. How much does the cleanliness of these cut lines matter where they get hidden by glued strips? 
Q. Bandage shears cut the material but it's not clear what control I'd have for tight curves. Should I just cut directly with a Dremel? 
Q. As you can see, these two edges are not the same length. The outside matches reasonably well. What's the right procedure here? Set up the same overlap on the two ends of the joint? 

 

[Timberwoof[TK]]

59 minutes ago, Harbinger said:

Your kit looks to be in pretty good condition! I picked up a second-hand Anovos kit as well, been building with aim of Centurion (link in sig if you're interested!).

Yup! The blemishes I seem to be just protective-film deep and can probably be buffed out if not. The odds and ends I can get as I get to those parts. As this is the first model kit I've put together in forty five years, I'll be happy with basic approval. But I'm a perfectionist (I do software QA for a living) so I might as well try for Centurion from the start. I'm pleased that the Anovos can be taken there … and I hope I can bring this one to life after a year and a half of waiting in his box. 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

1 hour ago, Timberwoof said:

First Cuts
I used an X-Acto knife with a straight cutting edge. That worked more evenly than a curved blade. Long cuts didn't seem save or controllable, so I made a series of jabbing cuts. Careful as I was, the resulting edges look pretty rough.
Q. How much does the cleanliness of these cut lines matter where they get hidden by glued strips? 
Q. Bandage shears cut the material but it's not clear what control I'd have for tight curves. Should I just cut directly with a Dremel? 
Q. As you can see, these two edges are not the same length. The outside matches reasonably well. What's the right procedure here? Set up the same overlap on the two ends of the joint? 

 

A. It doesn't. You just want to have enough surface area for the cover strip to glue to, and avoid frayed edges that may snag on your under suit.

A. Whatever you're comfortable with, have more control over, etc.

A. Align the lower return edge. The offset upper is normal. If it bugs you trim the excess off.

[mikidymac[TK]]

The easiest method is to score with a utility knife then snap. I found that starting and ending with a snip from lexan scissors helped it break clean at both ends. Search for the score and snap method.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

10 hours ago, mikidymac said:

The easiest method is to score with a utility knife then snap. I found that starting and ending with a snip from lexan scissors helped it break clean at both ends. Search for the score and snap method.

Heck just look at most build threads lol

[TheSwede[TK]]

14 hours ago, Timberwoof said:

Yup! The blemishes I seem to be just protective-film deep and can probably be buffed out if not. The odds and ends I can get as I get to those parts. As this is the first model kit I've put together in forty five years, I'll be happy with basic approval. But I'm a perfectionist (I do software QA for a living) so I might as well try for Centurion from the start. I'm pleased that the Anovos can be taken there … and I hope I can bring this one to life after a year and a half of waiting in his box. 

 

If I may..then go for Centurion! It`s a rewarding feeling knowing your TK looking at its best - be all you can be Trooper -  and...if you`re a perfectionist..well...then that should be an easy ride Best of luck

[Timberwoof[TK]]

I have two questions about this helmet 

1. The flashing around the eyes looks obviously wrong. Is that best trimmed with a Dremel or an X-Acto? 

2. The mic tips look walpyjod to me. I was surprised at how asymmetrical the helmet is, so this may be more of the same. Or are these thingies supposed to be off like that? 

[ugh. Photobucket irritated me and was broken with two browsers. I'm trying a different service. I'll update this when I get that done.]

Edited November 14, 2017 by Timberwoof
malfucntioning radio

[ukswrath[Staff]]

5 minutes ago, Timberwoof said:

I have two questions about this helmet 

1. The flashing around the eyes looks obviously wrong. Is that best trimmed with a Dremel or an X-Acto? 

2. The mic tips look walpyjod to me. I was surprised at how asymmetrical the helmet is, so this may be more of the same. Or are these thingies supposed to be off like that? 

http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/Timberwoof1/media/DSC_6973 tk helmet.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Here's some reference photos 

[Timberwoof[TK]]

Thanks! Added to the to-do list. 

[Timberwoof[TK]]

Finished with cutting out all the big pieces. Next, a break from that and gluing them together. I got a box of 20 Nedynium magnets; I liked how they were carefully packed in foam with spacers to prevent them from achieving critical mass.  (My last encounter with Neodynium was when I had to stick my head into a big 3T magnet.) 

[Timberwoof[TK]]

I've been cutting and gluing and filing. You know the drill, so to speak. Ukswrath's thread has been tremendously helpful; I didn't have anything to add. One set of magnets wasn't enough; with two sets I might have gone faster. Once everything was glued up, setting up the strapping went pretty fast. I think I will replace the velcro straps with riveted later on. I screwed and glued the Dermal Thetonator this morning. As gloves were not included with my kit, I am off on a mission to get some appropriate gloves. 

 

I used my label maker to make labels of the TK number I want and stuck them to the insides of the pieces. It's an odd effect seeing your armor with your number on labels inside. (If you have a labelmaker, use it. Printed labels don't have your hand-lettering's individuality.) 

 

I've done some initial fitting and discovered that this armor just doesn't move very well. It looks good and is even becoming comfortable  but it's the sort of thing I'll ask a friend for help with. Then I will ask him to shoot me—with his Canon! 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

Two sets... yeah, you'll want like, ten.

 

PS: Shoot you with a Canon or out of a canon?

Edited December 13, 2017 by Harbinger

[Timberwoof[TK]]

The set of magnets I got has twenty. 19. One leaped to rejoin its brothers and died. Broke in half.  I wish I had had forty of those or twenty thicker ones. Get the thick ones. 

With his Canon or his Nikon. My old Canon barked when it shot people. (It would howl on self-timer.) It would be silly if cameras made blaster noises. 

[Haribon72[TK]]

Look like Tony is already guiding you!  You're in good hands!    I'll stop by from time to time to hang out with you guys (online).

[Timberwoof[TK]]

I'm calling my suit done. Friday or Saturday it's off to the Trusted Friends who can help me get everything aligned for the photo shoot. Getting everything set nicely isn't something I can do on my own, and right now I feel as though velcro is better than rivet or snaps as it is more adjustable. Once I have the sizes and positions of straps figured out, then I will replace them with sturdier options. 

 

Hmmm. We have Build Parties. Maybe I should clear out part of my work room and host a Photo Shoot.

[Timberwoof[TK]]

Got my friend to help check the armor out and take photos. I look with a critical eye at a few dressing errors that I could not see and my friend did not know to look for. It's a lot of ask of friends. 

 

Yeah. When locals build suits, I will host Photo Shoots and help get the armor to look right. 

[Timberwoof[TK]]

• background: gray
• lighting: lots
• a mark to stand on
• camera on tripod, long lens, correct height, correct framing, focus
• costume checklist: fiddly bits
• photo list: sides and poses

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Photos to aim for, front, side, back, side, action and helmet off. Good luck.