Terry TK2135 - 2018 TKC Build Thread

[rapstertee]

As in my introduction post, I'm looking at building a TK Commander.

My brand of kit is the relatively new TKUK kit, which is now the lowest priced clearable suit on th emarket. I'm expecting some mods and some innacuracies, but these have been cleared in the 501st and UK Garrison, so it IS doable. You get what you pay for, after all.

Despite the warnings and some naysayers, I've received the kits (you get two for the price of one!) and made some initial observations.

 

I'll post a link to my box opening video and early thoughts in a future post, but here are my initial findings:

 

• Neatly packed - comes with all pieces in plastic film.
• Trimming is neat and well done in general, saving time and trouble for makers. no rough or sharp edges.
• Accessories include tube stripes, helmet decals, TD pipe, TD clips, velcro, canvas belts, eye lenses, elastics, helmet trims and cover strips.
• A very large butt plate that will need a lot of trimming at the 'under-gusset' part.
• Built - in ab buttons
• Built in Belt rivet covers.
• Decent sharpness of detail. Forearm indentations look sharp
• Separate cap for helmet (3 piece helmet)
• Ears look good
• 1.5 - 2mm ABS in a bright white with the tiniest blue hue.
• Face plates aren't bad - BUT:
• Eye holes have been massively over trimmed. Almost no return edge. They're pretty bad. I'm dissatisfied with these and I'l be returning them and requesting a new set that are untrimmed.
   

So as you can see - so far so good, aside from the badly trimmed eye holes.

 

Pics to follow as soon as I work out how to do it, since the great Photobucket Exodus .

- Tel

 

 

 

[Pretzel]

I am very interested in seeing this all come together. When I first joined, my initial goal was to become a commander. I am hoping one day that I will be able to tackle this build. Looking forward to it and learning with you. 

 

Good Luck Terry!

[rapstertee]

Here's my initial box opeing video. Don't worry, it gets better. Feel free to subscribe and follow my progress.------------

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working removed

[Pretzel]

Great Video Terry. Interesting points you made on the eyes. I am surprised that they trimmed the eyes. Not much experience with TKUK, so not sure if that is the norm.

[rapstertee]

Video #2

[magni[TK]]

 

Looking foward to next video!

[salshred]

Hello! Great videos. I Just finished putting this kit together and I was pretty pleased with the results. I just have to reposition the thigh ammo belt on one side and then I will be submitting my photos to the GML of my local Garrison. Have you received the new face plates yet? I plan on ordering two more kits, one for the wife and a Sand Trooper for me, and I wanted to see how the untrimmed face plates looked. Hopefully when I order I can ask David to send mine untrimmed as well. Also, did your plastic belt come with the corners trimmed? That's another thing I would like to ask him not to trim, as they are trimmed more than 1/2" at 45 degrees. Thanks and looking forward to seeing your Commander come together! 

[rapstertee]

On 7/25/2018 at 3:32 PM, salshred said:

Hello! Great videos. I Just finished putting this kit together and I was pretty pleased with the results. I just have to reposition the thigh ammo belt on one side and then I will be submitting my photos to the GML of my local Garrison. Have you received the new face plates yet? I plan on ordering two more kits, one for the wife and a Sand Trooper for me, and I wanted to see how the untrimmed face plates looked. Hopefully when I order I can ask David to send mine untrimmed as well. Also, did your plastic belt come with the corners trimmed? That's another thing I would like to ask him not to trim, as they are trimmed more than 1/2" at 45 degrees. Thanks and looking forward to seeing your Commander come together! 

Hi, yes, it took 4 months as David was unwell and offline, but here are the replacement plates. This is how they came, so I'm happy that they're not overly trimmed. Since taking this pic, I've trimmed one plate completely and it looks much much better. Yes, the belt came with corners trimmed but it looks ok to me.  I've started a build thread for my TKC on the UKG forum too.

[rapstertee]

In the TKUK kit, the ab buttons are moulded into the ab plate, so I cut out the button plate, and inverted it. I might fill the cut line, but it'll all br painted dark blue anyway, so probably not noticeable.

[magni[TK]]

Getting there!

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work, looking forward to the progress

[rapstertee]

Okay, so today, I looked at adding the fifth ab button, even though it's not mandatory for level 2 clearance. Or so I believe - the CRL doesnt mention that the main ab plate is inverted, and only mentions the fifth button under Level 3 criteria.

I cut out five ABS strips, glued them together into a block, and added five large brass drawing pins for the buttons, glued in place by epoxy glue. In the pics below, you can see the size and shape of it next to the existing 4 buttons. I'm going to cut out the four, and insert the new block with five, then add some filler (most probably 'porcelain white' Milliput) , sand it and see how it looks. The weathering and scorch marks will be handy to hide a multitude of minor sins...

[rapstertee]

Latest on the ab buttons. I've inserted the block and new buttons into the existing area, and epoxied at the back to keep it (very) firmly in place. my plan now is to do some more filling and smoothing, then a very localised coat of white gloss over the 5 buttons to get it to blend in, hopefully seamlessly. As for the central block, I'll do a wee bit of filling in the thin gaps, then the blue stripe should cover all of that area anyway.

[rapstertee]

I'd like to tackle the arms and legs next. While Ive built many ANH stunt kits using the cover strip method, I'd like to ask some advice form those of you who have built using the overlap method. Simply - where do I start? My thighs are in two parts and they're still going to need strips at the front and back. Are there any reference pics I can look at to get my head around it?7

 

EDIT: a photo of the front of my thigh.

Edited October 5, 2018 by rapstertee
adding pic

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

You will find a lot of ROTJ build threads with the overlap method https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/84-rotj-build-threads/

 

Recent updates to the TKC CRL now allow both methods of assembly but most prefer the overlap due to ties to ROTJ armor.

 

 

[rapstertee]

Just now, gmrhodes13 said:

You will find a lot of ROTJ build threads with the overlap method https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/84-rotj-build-threads/

 

Recent updates to the TKC CRL now allow both methods of assembly but most prefer the overlap due to ties to ROTJ armor.

 

 

Really? That's good to know, thanks. I'll check I've got he latest CRL, but looking at my own kit, there's nothing there to overlap with. Might have to go the cover strip route. Cheers!

[magni[TK]]

Looking at your thigh photo it appears to be cut for butt joint. The ridge needed for overlap has been trimmed down to much already.

 

 

[rapstertee]

17 minutes ago, magni said:

Looking at your thigh photo it appears to be cut for butt joint. The ridge needed for overlap has been trimmed down to much already.

 

 

Yes, you're right. Thankfully the CRL doesn't insist on overlaps any more.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

1 hour ago, rapstertee said:

Yes, you're right. Thankfully the CRL doesn't insist on overlaps any more.

You can thank @gmrhodes13 for that, as he was the one who put in a huge amount of time & research needed to get the TKC CRL updated to where they are now.

[rapstertee]

8 minutes ago, Daetrin said:

You can thank @gmrhodes13 for that, as he was the one who put in a huge amount of time & research needed to get the TKC CRL updated to where they are now.

I'm very grateful to @gmrhodes13 for this, as it opens up the TKC and Shock trooper builds for many more people. As the CRL is usually regarded as law, this helps me greatly. Thanks guys.

[rapstertee]

Okay, I've had my delivery of rubber edge trim (Thanks to Mark aka @sskunkyat CfO for this), and I want to start putting it on the torso parts - Looking at other builds, I guess I need to trim off the return edges before adding the trim? Can anyone confirm please, before I start cutting?

Edited October 13, 2018 by rapstertee
Tagging member sskunky

[giskard8[Staff]]

20 minutes ago, rapstertee said:

Okay, I've had my delivery of rubber edge trim (Thanks to Mark at CfO for this), and I want to start putting it on the torso parts - Looking at other builds, I guess I need to trim off the return edges before adding the trim? Can anyone confirm please, before I start cutting?

 

Indeed, off they go.

 

I suggest you start with the Ab plate and Kidney/Butt plate first, they are fairly straight forward cut, then put the trim on and temporarily fix them with painters tape, match the chest and back plate and see how it goes, then move on with the cut.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by giskard8

[magni[TK]]

On 10/13/2018 at 2:09 PM, giskard8 said:

 

Indeed, off they go.

 

I suggest you start with the Ab plate and Kidney/Butt plate first, they are fairly straight forward cut, then put the trim on and temporarily fix them with painters tape, match the chest and back plate and see how it goes, then move on with the cut.

 

 

 

 

+1

[rapstertee]

Ok, bulk update: Fitted rubber edges to chest, ab/cod and back. Used ABS & Acetome mix to fill the rear seam (shown unsanded, working on that now) and used millput and spray paint for the ab mods. If I'd realised how good the ABS paste method is, I would've used that and saved myself some hassle with painting. However, I'm sanding as much of the white paint off to minimise the disparity in shades of white, and I'll be painting the blue stripe over the centre ab buttons anyway. Weathering shouuld help disguise any discrepancies.

[rapstertee]

Did a second line of filling and sanding on the rear seam tonight. The ABS paste is a little off-white, and I think I need to do a third before I put the polishing wheel on the dremel, but it's almost invisible. Will update tomorrow to show y'all where we are.