RS Vlog Build-A-Long ANH Stunt

[Bullseye[TK]]

1 hour ago, troopermaster said:

I measured my bells earlier today for what it's worth. They were 305mm long and 300mm around the lower edge. They do curve nicely. Here are some photos I took a while back that might help you.

Amazing. Thank you!!

[hazamel[TK]]

Back from business trip and a day at the Comic Con at Stuttgart...

 

That's my face after I carefully sanded of my shoulderbells to get closer to the chest line and shortening the straps.

 

 

I feel like it's better but still not great. 

[hazamel[TK]]

A little frustrated and annoyed by my arms, I tried to get an easy success: Finishing the belt!

I bulid the second box like I described a little while ago and secured them with snaps. To keep them in place I used little strips of velcro on the inside of the belt.

So... Tada!

 

 

Really rewarding sideeffect: That plastic clanking sound of the belt boxes. Finally I sound like a moving TK and not just squeaky stealth mode.

Also my right thigh is still lying around taped for further fitting.

Well, I said goodbye to the idea of putting my mobile into the inside of my thigh... And I have to stop doing sports where I get bigger thighs (Looks at his rollerblades...)

 

And I need to remove the pokey end at the back. And for more freedom of movement I'll cut out the lower back.

 

 

All in all it slowly comes together. Will continue with the arms tomorrow when the glue dried. Using velcro for the shoulder-biceps-strapping was a failure.

[hazamel[TK]]

Glue dried, finished the straps and hobbit-trooper appeared in our living room searching for his third breakfast..

 

 

Status of the shoulderbell issue: I'm more or less happy with my shoulderbells. I like the current look and I'm afraid that they'll be too small when taking any more material off. Also depends on movement.

I tried velcor on the inside of the bell and the strap but after loosing my biceps several times while adjusting I got back to my original plan and used snaps.

 

Any suggestions by the experts before I move on to the legs? Can't wait to have white legs...

[hazamel[TK]]

Before I start glueing my thighs:

RS uses 25mm coverstrips in their Video-Tutorial for the thighs.

is that the same size I have to use for the shins as well to get a uniform look?

[hazamel[TK]]

Did some research on the coverstrips (or it is this "screen accurate" thing):

Left thigh coverstrip: ~22mm

Right shin front: 21.5 mm

Left shin front (looks like the sniperplate came off): 25mm

Back of the shins: 25mm

 

So I guess I'm fine with using 25mm all around. Or even more screen accurate by mixing the front coverstrips from 22 to 25mm

 

What's the screen accurate drink for achieving this result?

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Roughly 25mm for the calf closure, 20mm everywhere else on the legs. That said nobody is going to make you drag out a ruler if you're a mm or two off. Uniformity is key

[hazamel[TK]]

Thanks @ukswrath
I don't know where I got the 25mm from. I've now a lot of 20mm coverstrips to finish the project.

 

Today I had a confidence boost, a military grade haircut and I needed to do something sensible after my dayjob. I returned to my old enemy: Thighs!

 

Right one wasn't a problem. Left one on the front was also pretty easy. Again looks like there's no right or wrong when it comes to the upper part of the rigde on the left thigh. Saw RS with the ridge running out sideways at the top and saw with a straight ridge. For me it seems like you can do what you want and it depends on how you cut your thigh there.

Back was more of a problem. Really struggled to get the raised area on the lower end in one line. Also was afraid that I had cut too much.

However I twisted and turned the thigh I didn't get a really straight line.

This is the closest I could get there.

Also have to remove the return edge at the upper end and some of the return edge on the lower end.

Any suggestions so far? Or "Looks good, put glue on it"

Moving in these things is pretty funny so far. Not sure if I made them to small or if it's just because they aren't attached anywhere so far. Like when I was working on these things before: My real thighs are in the way of my plastic thighs and I'm a little stuck in the middle

 

[hazamel[TK]]

I won the fight over the thighs... or just gave up and decided that this is close enough to perfect for me. I get used to screen accurate inaccuracy...

But I saved the best for last: The shins!

 

 

This one looks a little weird because I turned my leg in a very unnatural way to take this picture. Maybe I should have asked my wife but she was too busy laughing about the squeaky noises I made walking around.

 

 

First question: Return edge! On all pictures of shins there's a pretty broad return edge.

I went for 10mm as usual then tried it on and... well to much sport. There's no "must have" for the return edge in the CRL but it seems like good manners to have so. Can I reduce them by half to give my calf  little more air to breath.  Also I would like to get rid of that pokey spike in the back....

This will also solve issue no. 2:

 

I didn't trim anything at the calf and it barely touches. I read that the shin should close alone by the pressure of the shin coverstrip. Those bra-hooks are just for alignment.

 

And with great shins comes great sniperplate:

Roughtrimmed it and marked the line where, judging from other builds, the cutline should be.

 

Tried to get a feeling where to attach the sniperplate on my shin but no way because of big legs and rough cut sniperplate.

[hazamel[TK]]

Trimmed the shins and did some fitting with tape and magnets. They barely close in the back but I think it‘ll work.

Another thing I came across is getting into the shins. How do you do that?

The order I found was putting on the boots and then pull apart the calf to slide in. With maxing out the size of the shin I‘m afraid to rip apart the buttjoint in the front.

Is there a way for people with not so small calves to get into the shins? Like sliding into the shin and then into the boots? Or a special techniques to open the shin without putting much stress on it?

[PhilBobTheFish]

I've seen a lot of people double joint the front of the shins to handle the stress of putting in on many repeated times. You could also try putting on the boots first, then opening the top of the shins enough to fit over the narrowest part of your ankle and sliding it up onto your shin. That would make it so you don't have to open all of it enough to fit over your entire shin, and would probably reduce stress.

[PhilBobTheFish]

Also, if the return edge is uncomfortable, then take off some more, because nobody wants to troop and be pinched the whole time. But, if you want to keep the look of the return edge, then just remove the return on the back side of the armor.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Looking good Florian

 

As for the shin installment the most common method are thighs, boots then shins in that order. If the armor assembled correctly should be able to flex them open far to get around your legs and boots without any issues. Hope this helps 

[hazamel[TK]]

Thanks for your feedback @PhilBobTheFish and @ukswrath
Had a pretty productive day today.

I tied up my thigh while glueing. I hope this helps to reduce the gap in the back while the clue cures.

Also thigh-related. Trimmed my ammopack and an old tupperware came in very handy 

 

 

But back to the main topic. My shins and the sniperplate. Read horrible things about it so I'm a little worried because it felt so easy so far ;

 

Shins first. Trimmed the returnedge a little more and they feel almost comfortable...

 

And the sniperplate.

First try:

I did some minor adjustments after that

I'll remove the upward-facing edge on the right side to have a flat end. Also the edge of the shin seems to be above the sniperplate-edge. Is that normal? Can't raise it because it's aligned like that with the edge of the shin.

 

 

And there's a loooot of space between the sniperplate and the shin. Guess that's normal, too.

 

Another shin question: Because shins are always right shins in the original, do I have to adjust the lower edge of the left shin? Where? Or just fine like it is?

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Movie shins. Note the trim angles (vertical) and placement of the sniper knee

 

[hazamel[TK]]

21 minutes ago, ukswrath said:

Movie shins. Note the trim angles (vertical) and placement of the sniper knee

 

Thanks for the hint with the trim angle. Will cut them vertically on both ends. Used @Crickets Post as reference and the Post she linked

 

Besides the trim angle anything wrong with the placement? Tried to align the lower edge of the sniperplate with the shin an the plate in one line with the coverstrip

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Preferably centered with the shin but it doesn't have to be perfect.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work, make sure you sand inside the bottom of the shins to get off any rough edges or they will cut into the boots  

[hazamel[TK]]

9 hours ago, ukswrath said:

Preferably centered with the shin but it doesn't have to be perfect.

You mean from the above view and move it slightly more to the left? Thought this shifted placement is a result of the asymetrical shins as long as the two bumps at the bottom of the sniperplate are in line with the coverstrip.
I won't get sloppy on the last pieces  But that's now higher movie accuracy right?

8 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Nice work, make sure you sand inside the bottom of the shins to get off any rough edges or they will cut into the boots  

Trimmed it down to no edge and sanded to edges with very fine sandpaper. Once in its final shape I'll repeat that and hopefully get a round edge instead of the blade I've now.

[hazamel[TK]]

Sniperplate - Sundaymorning magnet edition.

I cut the ends and moved from painters tape to magnets to keep it in place:

 

 

 

 

Slowly getting into this sniperplate-insanity.

Please correct me if I'm wrong:

With this sniperplate...

a) I can align the ridges of the wings with the ridge of the shin but then the plate itself is tilted slightly towards my knee. That's because shin and plate don't have the same angle (and nobody cared back in 1977)

b) I've a vertical plate and a slightly not straight in line shin to wings. Reading the CRL that's a no go for me

c) I've to narrow down the upper end of the ridge of the shin from currently about 45mm closer to the 35mm of the lower end of the plate

d) I've to do something I haven't even thought about

 

I also moved the plate more to the center of the shin

 

 

but this feels like it's currently the least of my problems

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Looking pretty good to me

[hazamel[TK]]

I stayed strong and let cure the E6000 for the full 24h... Didn't move or try my left shin before it was time. And it was really tough.

Tried it on with coverstrip and strip as reinforcment on the inside and nothing broke apart. But I'm still sure that plastic is not ment to be bent in that way.

 

Now rear-coverstrip...

Is it fine for the rear coverstrip to be that angled?

 

 

It looks like it's running diagonally across my calf.

 

Would be an easy fix to reduce the diameter of the lower end, but wait there's this thing I really like: My ankle.

 

So diagonally is fine  and I cut the strip a little above or find a plastic (no pun intended!) surgeon for my ankle? I mean... who needs an ankle if he can be a Stormtroooper?

 

Good thing I didn't start with the shins. I would have given up month ago.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Depends on the armor kit but some do require a little heat to help flatten the rear so it sits flush. I use a heat gun but you need a bit of practice, others use a hot water bath.

 

Be aware depending on temparture the glue can take up to 72 hours to fully cure, I don't like putting any strain on parts until they have sat for a few days  

[hazamel[TK]]

6 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Depends on the armor kit but some do require a little heat to help flatten the rear so it sits flush. I use a heat gun but you need a bit of practice, others use a hot water bath.

 

Be aware depending on temparture the glue can take up to 72 hours to fully cure, I don't like putting any strain on parts until they have sat for a few days  

Yes, I saw this on RS shins like mine some time in other builds. But it was always just for reshaping and realigning the ridge as far as I understood. From what I tried and moved yesterday I would need another ~15mm of additional material at the bottom for the outer half.

Then I could could a wedge out of the inner half for the perfect straight line up.

 

My guess was to shorten the coverstrip in the back so it does not get over the edge at the bottom or angle the end to follow the shape of the cutout.

 

And again I feel like I'm overthinking this thing...

[hazamel[TK]]

Waiting time is always a good time to do research. Talked to @Ripper_L I had the pleasure to troop with in May and send a picture of my calves to our GMOs...

In the meantime I started to paint the buttons... and felt like a monkey holding a brush for the first time. It's not like I have shelves full of Warhammer Miniatures with freehands and all the tiny details...

 

 

Maybe I should have painted the imperial insignia on that button...

But it's on the ab and doesn't look that bad.

 

 

It's the typical thing I've with my miniatures, too.

 

And while the Legion's bureaucracy takes time, it came to my mind (like very often) to scroll through EIB and Centurion applications and look for the calves of RS armors. Well... More or less diagonally coverstrips everywhere. Can someone do me the favour and hit me with a sign that says "LOOK AT OTHER APPLICATIONS!" when I run into things like that? Thank you...