Linz AM ANH build thread WIP

[Linz[TK]]

Lol! Wouldn't be a real armour build without "D'oh!!" moments.

Biceps look great! 

Not to keep going on about return edges, but it has just occurred to me that the upper, outside return edges of the biceps won't ever been seen because they will be underneath your shoulder bells. I only mention this because part of strapping your suit together will involve reducing the black gap between chestplate and shoulder bells as much as possible, and the upper bicep return edge may serve only to push your shoulder bells further out while offering no aesthetic benefit. The upper, inner return edge (near your armpit) will at least be seen, providing some tradeoff if you like the look.

The choice is yours, and you can always trim that return edge down if/when necessary once you get to the strapping stage.

Keep up the great work! 

Thank you. Makes sense about return edges at top. I’ll be losing more of the elbow end return edge to allow a bit more movement too.
Glad others had those moments, stupid mistake but easily fixed.
Did a basic test fit of body parts and think I’ll need to lose some of width from torso and kidney as currently overlap but rest feels like a good fit for my height/width. I’m 6’4” tall, slim to medium build which is why I went for AM armour but it also caters for the wider trooper so fair bit to trim.
Blue tape trooper slowly taking shape



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MakeNoiseMan[TK]]

33 minutes ago, Linz said:

Blue tape trooper slowly taking shape

Looking good! Always exciting to see pieces start coming together, even if only for test fits. 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Blue tape is always handy when building and test fitting, looking good.

[Linz[TK]]

TeaK arms nearly done, tomorrow final glue of lower arms to close them and cover strips. Biceps lower return edges gone which feels much better.
Wife helped tape body parts together.
Very square sides to butt piece, do people trim these down on AM armour?
Feel like I need to trim some off top tabs of chest and back pieces as they are butted together in picture but seen everyone has a gap between them where white elastic will join them together.
Need to trim about an inch off kidney/torso as currently overlap and would be be too baggy if left.
Any advice, links to threads etc always appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Linz[TK]]

Ok, so did a bit more reading and reviewed submitted kits. I need to take off several inches evenly from torso and kidney piece sides to get a comfortable flush fit, assuming these should be straight cuts. Pencil marked the overlaps onto abdomen piece. It’s AM kit so pretty generous and I’m a 36” waste. Also still not sure about the square sides to the butt piece and whether this needs trimming and shaping differently.
Gonna crack on glueing snaps in to areas I know I won’t need to modify which should help with fitting of next pieces


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I would advise waiting to trim your sides until you have your front and back strapping fitted, I do have some gap between the back and front of my armor but it hangs nicely on me once it's all strapped. I would also not trim the sides at an angle, you can see on your side photos that the back is pulled in on the top which angles the whole back armor but this will/may change once you have the front ab/chest and back/kidney/but areas all joined, the cod/butt strapping will also pull the bottoms together.

 

Also when ever possible wear your undersuit as this can make a difference to sizing

[Linz[TK]]

I would advise waiting to trim your sides until you have your front and back strapping fitted, I do have some gap between the back and front of my armor but it hangs nicely on me once it's all strapped. I would also not trim the sides at an angle, you can see on your side photos that the back is pulled in on the top which angles the whole back armor but this will/may change once you have the front ab/chest and back/kidney/but areas all joined, the cod/butt strapping will also pull the bottoms together.
 
Also when ever possible wear your undersuit as this can make a difference to sizing

Thank you. Good advice. I’m doing as you say, get front and back strapping done then refit. Before any cutting, I’ll re measure with undersuit and intend on very cautiously trimming even amounts off each part until they meet. I’ll be cutting straight, pencil lines we’re just a guide at this point to see how much excess there was. Heading to garage now to glue in some snaps I’ve set into webbing to join back-kidney-butt and add some to top inner of ab, will wait to see how it fits before working out where to glue in snaps on chest as overlap may change when refitting after connecting back pieces


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Linz[TK]]

Good bit of progress made today. Elastic into shoulder bells, seems added to biceps, all poppers glued into body parts, right forearm closed.
Left forearm is a nightmare, went to close it and other seem split open, think I’ll need to hot water bath it to bring edges in more to create a more flush joint, found when you add inner strip, it sets a bit further apart than you’d think it will and takes more to bring it together.
Trimmed a small amount from each side of kidney and butt piece, going to trim lightly until I’m happy with width when joined with ab section.
I’ll see when done what needs to happen with shoulder tabs as think they might need trimming to allow a gap


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Linz[TK]]

Quick question. Do I need to trim sides and length of shoulder straps on chest plate and back plate? I’m going to trim a bit of the sides from the bumpy strip but even before trimming the straps below will be visible, more so with the back plate straps/tabs as per photos? Also is there a set distance to have between the straps as currently when the kit is on, they touch and most other builds seem to have a gap where the white poppered elastic will join them?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Really depends how they are sitting once on, ideally the front should have 1 large and 4-5 small ridges attached.

 

A nice thread full of detail pics can be found here

 

 

[Linz[TK]]

Really depends how they are sitting once on, ideally the front should have 1 large and 4-5 small ridges attached.
 
A nice thread full of detail pics can be found here
 

 

That’s really useful info and has probably saved me asking about 5 more questions.
What I also need to know is how much gap should there be between the back and chest shoulder extensions? When fitting these touch. Does that matter as they’ll be joined underneath with white elastic and covered on top with bumpy strip? Should I trim a bit off to allow wider gap or just leave them touching?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

You'll notice on Luke he has a small gap, I would trim a little off. Just remember it's easy to trim more off later than try to add it back  

 

 

[Linz[TK]]

Think I’m nearly there with width of ab-kidney, just waiting for shoulder poppers to dry, then will do final fit before starting on side poppers and rivets when they arrive.
Quick one regards button panels. How much do I take off of each before glueing? Marked up pictures with rough lines, just wondered if there was a definitive centurian level approach?
Might start legs this weekend. Seems most approach this by getting fronts trimmed and edges added then move onto the backs



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Linz[TK]]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TK-42775[TK]]

 

Off the top of my head its 5mm on the larger plate

[TheSwede[TK]]

44 minutes ago, Linz said:

just wondered if there was a definitive centurian level approach?

There´s not, use the pic provided by James as a rough guide - idealy the button plates stay within the mounting area and don´t go to big on the paint as seen below (same pic, only bigger) and your golden

 

[Digz Graavz[TK]]

And square corners on the cutouts for the ab buttons as opposed to rounded.

[TheSwede[TK]]

14 minutes ago, Digz Graavz said:

And square corners on the cutouts for the ab buttons as opposed to rounded.

Correct

[Linz[TK]]

Thanks all, I’ll use photo as guide and crack on


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MakeNoiseMan[TK]]

If it's any help, AP ships its kits with directions to leave an 1/8th inch lip around the bigger ab plate. Different kit, but should be the same-ish measurement, yeah? :-)

Keep it up!! Looking great so far. I agree you'll want your ab/kidney connection to be a straight edge instead of on an angle like it is in your first picture, but that's already been addressed. Remember to leave some material for the little kidney notch! :-)

 

[Linz[TK]]

If it's any help, AP ships its kits with directions to leave an 1/8th inch lip around the bigger ab plate. Different kit, but should be the same-ish measurement, yeah? :-)

Keep it up!! Looking great so far. I agree you'll want your ab/kidney connection to be a straight edge instead of on an angle like it is in your first picture, but that's already been addressed. Remember to leave some material for the little kidney notch! :-)
 

Thanks for this.
I’ve done several test fits with under suit and keep resisting the urge to trim more from sides. I’ll make final decision when shoulder straps done, can’t afford to have a gap where there wasn’t a need.
So kidney notch? Is this a requirement? Is that the little square cut out. Ive marked up butt piece to trim so it has that angled finish as AM kit is very square on butt piece sides.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheSwede[TK]]

12 minutes ago, Linz said:

So kidney notch? Is this a requirement?

It´s not - straight from the CRL Cut-out notches at the bottom of right and left sides of the Kidney Armor are optional.

• If present, each notch is approximately 22 mm tall and the back of the notch ideally is aligned with the front edges of the Posterior Armor plate.

However the original armor had it so if you want to ad a little extra ANH-flair to your suit I recommend adding them

[TK-42134[TK]]

I’m late to this party, but I’m all caught up. Im looking to get an AM kit in the near future, so I’ll be watching this with great interest.

[Linz[TK]]

I’m late to this party, but I’m all caught up. Im looking to get an AM kit in the near future, so I’ll be watching this with great interest.

I think just yesterday AM had sets ready to go. It’s nice thick plastic and good if your taller or wider.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ukswrath[Staff]]

6 hours ago, Linz said:

I think just yesterday AM had sets ready to go. It’s nice thick plastic and good if your taller or wider.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

RT-Mod also. Both great choices