GF007 First TD Build

[GilFran007]

My BBB was yesterday!  Thanks Mark at AP for all of your help throughout this purchase.  What a great experience!

 

 

I was very impressed with the quality of AP's product.....even though I've never handled armour before.  I was definitely not disappointed with what I received

 

 

I wanted to work on the helmet first as my under-suit is still in transit....and already found out how scratchy this stuff can get on bare skin

Edited February 20, 2018 by GilFran007
spacing

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nothing better than a BBB, you will find a lot of use sand edges of the armor with fine sandpaper to stop a lot of the scratching, you still can get the odd armor bite or two depending how active you are in armor  .

 

Good luck with the build

[TheSwede[TK]]

Happy BBB-day Doing a Sandtrooper I´m sure the guys over at MEPD would be thrilled to have you post a build there as well, you are most welcome here though

[imperialbrewer[TK]]

Happy BBB day!! Good luck on the build, take it slow, measure a few times before you trim, and cut slowly. good luck!


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[magni[TK]]

Looking foward to seeing this come together.

We don't get many Sandy builds here. 

Thanks for sharing and Good Luck Future Trooper!

[GilFran007]

Got the bucket built and painted....couldn't use AP's decals except for the tubes.  I've seen a fan made schedule for ear rankings.  Are there a lot of troopers who follow that?  I'm torn between marking the furthest back 'bump' per ANH or using the fan based schedule and add another bar for captain.  Thoughts?

 

The helmet was definitely an easy build....and painting (outlining) was a little harrowing at first but I definitely had lots of fun with it.  I felt better having the 'polish remover of nyeel' by my side

 

I hope the rest of the kit is just as enjoyable

 

[GilFran007]

I know, I know.....too clean for a Sandy.....LOL

[GilFran007]

Okay, 

 

I've completed the bucket, biceps, forearms, and started on the body snaps.  It's very relaxing to work with my music in the background.

 

My mind starts to wander about 501st approval.  There are certain elements that I'm leaning towards that would negate approval in the 501st in the near future.  Number one being, I want my TD armor to see daylight in the same manner that all new TD's come out.....squeaky clean.  I want to find opportunities to wear my costume first and then dive into the weathering and requesting 501st approval.  Also, I'm not very particular to sporting the field pack at this point.....maybe in the future.  I also want my own configuration of Spanish ammo packs around the belt and to probably sport some 'rebel kill tally' decals on the bucket.  There's lots of stuff that is out of spec.....but I think this is how I would like to build it.  Thoughts?

[Harbinger[IPM]]

It's your armor, but anything you do that would void 501st membership is something I would think heavily about - at the least, making it reversible.

 

FWIW, you can always do a Heavy Weapons Trooper, they don't have to be dirty for basic approval. Mostly a TD but different pack and sniper knee/ab buttons.

[magni[TK]]

Heavy Weapons Trooper

 

[ABS80]

Thank you for choosing AP! 

 

Avoid nail polish remover it contains acetone which will ruin plastic finish, better use model paint thinner instead.

 

Happy building!

 

Mark (AP)

[Harbinger[IPM]]

BTW, someone is selling a pack RIGHT NOW:

 

[GilFran007]

On 08/03/2018 at 6:29 PM, ABS80 said:

Thank you for choosing AP! 

 

Avoid nail polish remover it contains acetone which will ruin plastic finish, better use model paint thinner instead.

 

Happy building!

 

Mark (AP)

absolutely.... did my homework and made sure I bought acetone free

[GilFran007]

Thanks for all the input gents.  Food for thought.......

 

More progress today.  I got the body mostly assembled aside from the kidney rivets and the anything involved with drilling holes in my beloved armour.....going to need to prepare, measure, test on scraps, etc.....deep breaths, deep breaths....

 

Here is the fit in the body so far.....white is very slimming on me....I like it....LOL

 

 

 

at first I was concerned with the gap between the back plate and kidney panel.  I think it's acceptable after viewing some screen caps from ANH....thoughts?

[Frank75139[501st]]

Thanks for all the input gents.  Food for thought.......
 
More progress today.  I got the body mostly assembled aside from the kidney rivets and the anything involved with drilling holes in my beloved armour.....going to need to prepare, measure, test on scraps, etc.....deep breaths, deep breaths....
 
Here is the fit in the body so far.....white is very slimming on me....I like it....LOL
 

 

 
at first I was concerned with the gap between the back plate and kidney panel.  I think it's acceptable after viewing some screen caps from ANH....thoughts?

I think your right on point. Looking real good.


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[GilFran007]

I found the "easy button" for putting holes into the armor/belt/reinforcement plates etc.....I've seen it been done on YouTube and in various tutorials here.

 

I use an old soldering iron to melt a small recess into the plastic and then just take the drill bit and ream it through by hand.  Makes a clean hole ready for your snaps, rivets, etc.....

 

It's way less harrowing than sitting there with a power drill over your beautiful armor....imo...

[wook1138[TK]]

Hi Gil.  So far things are looking good! 

 

Have you decided which direction you want to take the build?  I am just gearing up for a TD build myself.  If you do go TD, you don't need the backpack for basic approval - but you will have to get dirty.  The decals on the helmet would be a no go, but I believe there is some flexibility with the pouches.  I am planning my build so I can emulate a few different characters (same armor used in different scenes).  They all have slightly different pouches/blasters/pack.  If not going for a specific character... as long as you have one proper shoulder pouch and one hip pouch (and of course your pauldron) I think you should be good for basic approval. 

 

Either way, I don't think it would be very hard to convert TK or HWT armor to TD (clean) and vise versa.  Aside from the helmet paint, the main differences are the ab button plates, sniper knee, and shoulder bridges.  All can be changed out easily enough later if you use E6000.

 

Have you asked the troopers over at MEPD for input? 

 

[GilFran007]

hey Wook, thanks for chiming in.   I have decided to get dirty..... like Dirty-D dirty from Pootie Tang!!!  LOL

 

I'm gonna have to drop in on your build thread to compare notes

Edited March 15, 2018 by GilFran007

[GilFran007]

More progress on the upper body

 

Since the picture was taken, I dropped the left belt snap strap 1/4" to level the belt off.  Thank god I chose to glue the snap to the armour instead of drill it in.  Bullet dodged.

 

 

I'm quite happy with the results thus far.  I believe that my chest is just a tad too wide for AP's front and back plate though.....probably just at the cusp.  The ab and kidney were secured with pretty much zero tolerance....gonna have to watch my carbs, but at least I have elastic straps on the clamshell hinge and an elastic closure strap.

 

I am using two large Spanish pouches at the hips because I dig the symmetry.  For basic approval though, I need a pouch on my shoulder and just one on my hip.  Quick question, can I use the large Spanish pouch on my shoulder instead of the 3 slot MP40 pouch?  I wouldn't even ask, but I was watching the ST knockoff of "COPS" called "TROOPS".....and the captain is using a large Spanish ammo pouch on the shoulder....and I thought it looked cool.

 

If I relocated my right hip pouch to my shoulder just for basic approval, I wouldn't need to buy the MP40 pouch.  I believe those hook on to the field pack strap and I am not planning to troop with a pack at the beginning.

Edited March 20, 2018 by GilFran007

[sandtrooper[501st]]

Your question about the pouches may need to be directed to someone on MEPD.net.  The CRL (copied below) seems to say MP-40s are required for shoulder and right hip.  I'm not sure how you would attach the shoulder pouch since it attaches to the left strap of the backpack, which isn't required for 501st approval.  Your best bet is to ask on MEPD.net.

 

Ammo Pouches For 501st approval: All Sandtrooper armor parts are weathered. See the Sandtrooper weathering page for more information. Black in color, made of canvas, leather or leather-like German MP-40 style ammo pouches. The standard configuration calls for a minimum of two pouches: one pouch on the left shoulder and one on the right hip. A third worn on the opposite hip is allowed.

[GilFran007]

Thanks Pat,

 

I've read some topics over there with respect to the pouches and the CRL.  There is discussion with respect to why a shoulder pouch is required for basic approval and a field pack is not.....and why are there packless sandtroopers in the CRL which cannot qualify for basic approval.  I've heard that some TD's just mounted the MP-40 pouch to their chest plate via magnets for the photo submission without the pack.....I will poke my head in there and ask

[GilFran007]

Okay...I've got down to building the shins now.  The thighs are clamped and glued and looks to be well on their way.

 

My concerns is with the clamshell design of the shins.  In my construction thus far, if I pry open clam shells with the hinged end just glued via a cover strip, there is a tendency to rip the entire piece in half/pop the cover strip off.  I've done this with the forearms and had to re-glue them and then had to change my construction approach.  The forearms are pretty solid now but I am concerned with the shins as there will be constant compression at the cover strip which would lend itself to shearing off of the shin.

 

Mark's AP plastic is quite robust and therefore not as flexible as some of the others I've seen in videos.  Also, my calf needs the piece to open a good amount in order for me to put the armour on.  I will try the conventional way and hope she holds ("you here me baby?  hold together!").

 

I'm thinking of making a real hinge on the front cover strip via elastic but keeping it plumb will be tricky......thoughts?

 

 

[TheSwede[TK]]

Have you let the glue harden enough? If using E-6000 a few days is not amiss before putting the peices under pressure and adding a inner strip should be all that’s needed

[GilFran007]

1 hour ago, TheSwede said:

Have you let the glue harden enough? If using E-6000 a few days is not amiss before putting the peices under pressure and adding a inner strip should be all that’s needed

Sounds good.  I will factor in extra curing time and the reinforcement shim before going to the drawing board

 

Thank you

[GilFran007]

Now that the thighs and garter system is complete, I strapped on the 2 pieces and tested mobility.  With the thighs strapped to a comfortable level, walking is manageable especially after I cut some material out from behind the knees....but stairs are still challenging....my little girl laughs at me when I try to climb the stairs.  To get full mobility, you probably need to redesign the armour so that it's not a cylinder...LOL......probably more on the lines of hockey pants.  Knowing that, I figure this is the best it will get for mobility unless I want to digress from canon.

 

I taped the shins on while wearing my boots and the thighs.  The bottom ridge of the thigh armour and the top ridge of the shin armour are nearly (if not) touching when I'm standing straight.  Because of that, there is a lot of plastic rubbing together when I try to walk (these two edges are interfering as I move).  I definitely don't like how that sounds so I need to get some gap in there via trimming the lower shins....but the question is how much?

 

My best guess is to trim it to a level where the top shin ridge just hits the bottom of my knee cap.  That should allow for room to move, allow the TD sniper plate to cover the knee and armour gap, and also let the ammo belt cover the right side armor gap.

 

Does anyone have any tips here?