ANH armor build - RS

[tsongololo[TK]]

Well, I’m making progress. I was able to salvage the kneeplate, but it required a lot of sanding, filling, sand some more....and fill. Again. I’m happy with the contours and hopefully can start the final sanding/polishing.

 

There’s enough parts put together to try on. The thighs attached to the belt turned out ok, and with everything on it looked like a stormtrooper! Those shoulder bells though.... and my left bell is attached too far back. The elastic is glued on with ABS paste. Is there a preferred method of getting it off? I was going to try a cotton swab soaked with acetone and gently peel it off. I have my work cut out for me.

 

The boots came from Groupon and were $35. That will be another post.

 

 

[Cricket[TK]]

Making great progress, Jennifer! 

 

I know you've put a lot of work into that sniper knee.  It is a major PITA for most of us!  It looks like you could still stand to move it up a bit.  Typically, the bottom ridge of the sniper knee lines up with the ridge of the shin.  They overlap and kind of lock on to one another.  You know you've got it correct when there is not really much distinction between the line of the bottom of the sniper plate ridge and the bottom of the ridge on the shin.  Here are some screen grabs to show correct alignment.  The green dotted lines help to show where the sniper ridge should overlap on top of the shin ridge. 



And another to illustrate how 'seamless' the sniper knee and shin look together:

 

Those shoulder bells!  haha!  Huge, aren't they?    I strongly suggest waiting to trim your bells until you've fully adjusted sizing of your back and chest plates.  This tends to mean that for best fitting your kit, make sure your torso is fully adjusted to fit first, then work on getting those bells cut down.  The inner curves of the bells follow the curves of the chest and back plates (don't cut the bells straight!), and it looks like your chest plate could still use some trims on the sides still for better sizing.  It's ridiculously easy to overtrim the bells if you cut them first before finalizing the chest/back plate fitting.  

Use these troopers' bells as your reference.   

 

10 hours ago, tsongololo said:

The elastic is glued on with ABS paste. Is there a preferred method of getting it off?

I would simply cut it off instead of trying to pull it off or use acetone.  You don't want to damage any of the armor, and acetone can make quick damage happen.  Reglue your elastic with e-6000.  E-6000 is your friend!  It's strong, flexible, and stays put.  And if you need to remove it, it can be done fairly easily without any damage to the ABS.     Save the ABS paste for filling in holes.  I'd avoid it for elastic adhesion in the future. 

[tsongololo[TK]]

I bit the bullet and got a new shin on order. The original just wouldn’t line up on both sides and the front. If I lined up the edges, then the kneeplate was angled in at the top, with only a small contact patch.  If the kneeplate lined up, then the edges would meet at the bottom, but resulted in the off angle, as seen in the photos. I went with lining up the kneeplate, but maybe it’s not that important? Is it supposed to work out with the best of both worlds, and if so, what went wrong?

 

Also have the ANH bucket arriving soon!

 

I use predominantly ABS paste because of the low(ish) toxicity of acetone...I’m exposed to a lot of fun chemicals at work and getting sensitized to a few, so my preference is to avoid exposure while doing fun hobbies. Has anyone discovered a non-volatile alternative?

 

[troopermaster]

The problem with the RS shins is the original it was cast from had two identical shins made up from 2 outer left halves and 2 outer right halves. These two parts were never meant to match up because they were supposed to match up to inner halves (not present on their original). People go out of their way trying to make them into something they are not meant to be. That said, they can be reshaped using the hot water bath method.

 

In regards to the knee plate not matching up, see above  But again, I wouldn't worry too much about it. The originals were exactly the same if you look closely at the knee plates. Not many matched up perfectly. You can go overboard trying to match everything up for your own pleasure but when you scrutinise the original ANH armour, you will see thy are far from perfect and to me, that's what makes them look fantastic  

[tsongololo[TK]]

Time for an update! I haven’t had a lot of time to work on my armor this month, but have been going fairly good for the last week. Got my new shin from ATA completed, bells have been trimmed, and I reworked how the ab closes. I’m ready to test fit the armor, but with the wrong boots for now. Still need to dye boots, make a holster and neck seal. In theory, I’m ready for...HALLOWEEN! I have a completed R1 bucket. I’m making good progress on the ATA helmet, got the left ear trimmed and fitting nicely. Then it looks like the right ear...just won’t fit the way I rough trimmed it. I *thought* I was following the transition lines. I’m unclear if the kit comes with two sets of ears, or one of each for regular TK and sandtrooper. But at least I have another!

 

Pics to follow soon, as long as I can get into the armor by myself.  

 

[TheSwede[TK]]

13 minutes ago, tsongololo said:

I’m unclear if the kit comes with two sets of ears, or one of each for regular TK and sandtrooper

The ears are the same for Stunt and Sandtrooper, only different on a Hero TK that has 3 bumps instead of four

[CableGuy[TK]]

Hi Jennifer,

Not sure that anyone replied to you regarding the calves. They should open at the back and I don’t think this would pass clearance as is. I believe you’ll have to cut them open and use either Velcro or the original bra hook method to have opening calves.







Best wishes
Dan

[tsongololo[TK]]

Thank you Daniel for clarifying that. I thought maybe I read that sandtroopers were different somewhere, but I’ll go with information overload instead.

 

Cableguy Dan - the replacement calf has been done correctly (insofar that it actually is split), with magnets to help the bra hooks. I gotta say, the ATA parts have been really easy to work with. Though maybe experience helps too. Maybe I can get away with one calf fused - if not, I can always split it. And then maybe replace it. 

 

Here is the RS right calf:

 

And the ATA left (with....unconventional closures):

 

 

The helmet is going together without too much fuss. It’s got more charm than the R1 bucket, AND I have binocular vision!!! It fits my face way better. Here’s a comparison with the Hasbro R1:

[tsongololo[TK]]

WOW!!! I just tried everything on, and I wasn’t really expecting to be as stoked as I am. It looked awesome! But I don’t think I can see the flaws through my excitement. Maybe once I get some pics that weren’t taken with a potato, I can get some feedback.  But if anything sticks out with today’s post, please critique!

 

Once I got the helmet and gloves on, I swear I totally felt incomplete with no blaster! Odd, since that wasn’t on my radar - I wanted to get basic approval before starting that project.

 

 

So so far so good....got the boots on!

 

Got the belt on and the TD is on. I can’t even tell if it’s centered, but close enough for today. Arms are next...

 

One down...

 

Full suit of armor!

 

Using the R1 helmet for now...found the gloves, got them on...looks cool!

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

DANGED fine job on that armor, Jennifer!  If I could make a few small suggestions, they would be as follows:

 

1.  Trim down the tops of the thighs a bit,  There should be a small gap between the tops of them and the cod area as shown:

 

     

 

This is a really easy fix with a pair of Lexan scissors and perhaps a Dremel tool.  It will give you a greater range of mobility and prevent that "clicking" sound (which you may be experiencing) when you walk.  If you opt to do this (suggested) just follow the existing lines when trimming.

 

EXCELLENT job on lining up the back/kidney and especially the posterior/kidney.  

 

[tsongololo[TK]]

11 hours ago, justjoseph63 said:

This is a really easy fix with a pair of Lexan scissors and perhaps a Dremel tool.  It will give you a greater range of mobility and prevent that "clicking" sound (which you may be experiencing) when you walk.  If you opt to do this (suggested) just follow the existing lines when trimming.

 

EXCELLENT job on lining up the back/kidney and especially the posterior/kidney.

 

Thank you! I’ll gladly take you up on that suggestion, especially if it will only enhance mobility. Better to err on the side of caution. Easy fixes are the best fixes.

 

 

I just ordered electronics for my helmet. <sigh> There goes another $75.  The plan is to make this self-contained to the helmet and more professional looking. Hopefully I can get tutorial quality documentation this time. My beta helmet is interesting for sure, and a proof of concept, but not what I’d consider something that should be replicated.

 

One more question: The Tube Stripe Masking Templates files are missing from that thread. Are they located somewhere else on the forum? Were they intentionally removed, or would it be ok to PM Panda Trooper?

 

[tsongololo[TK]]

Helmet update -

 

I'm now in the last 10% of the project, which could take as long as everything else if I let it. I'm totally feeling the frustration (and excitement) of being SOOOO CLOSE but still a lot of work to do.

 

Anyway, I found a template for the tube stripes with a Google image search. It helps a lot to get the right keywords. Hint: search "tube stripes", NOT "stormtrooper helmet" template.

 

I sized it in Word, printed it, and cut it out. I had to trim off a few stripes to make it fit. Without the luxury of vinyl, I came up with a creative solution that sorta worked. I applied Micro Mask to the paper, which is water soluble.  It softened the paper up nicely, which made it flex and adhere to the tube without buckling. I let it dry, but perhaps not long enough (10 minutes max). I had water based Testor's French blue, which went on really thick. I think this combo wasn't ideal - there was some running underneath, but better than just paper taped on for sure. And when I peeled it off, it took some of the paint with it. I forgot to get a picture of the immediate results. It was disheartening but I was able to make it acceptable with about 30-40 minutes of effort. Still not awesome, but good enough. 

 

 

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

While I admire the fact that you did a LOT of work cutting those templates out and painting them on,and the positioning is spot-on (about a pencil width from the cheek), I'm not sure they will pass at basic, Jennifer.  That will depend on your Garrison's GML.  Some are sticklers for details, others not so much.  If they don't, there is an alternative, and this would be my suggestion:

 

1.  Using some NON ACETONE paint remover, gently remove the paint.  (This is not as hard as you may think).

 

2.  Order a set of templates from Trooperbay (well worth the money):  https://trooperbay.com/trooper-tubestripe-masking-templates

 

3.  Position them so that the front stripe is the one that leans forward as seen below:

                                                                                                                                                                      Reference images

          

 

4.  You mentioned that you had some "bleed through" around the edges.  To prevent this, first hit them with a thin coat of WHITE paint first (this will help seal the edges) and let it dry for 15 minutes or so.

 

5.  Apply the blue as needed.

 

DONE!

 

I know a lot of these details can seem frustrating (believe me, lol) but hang in there.  You are doing a great job so far and I have every faith that you will have that TK # soon, so keep those photos and questions coming!  

 

 

 

 

[tsongololo[TK]]

15 hours ago, justjoseph63 said:

1.  Using some NON ACETONE paint remover, gently remove the paint.  (This is not as hard as you may think).

No worries, in fact I like a challenge so I'm not frustrated (yet), though like most mechanics I don't like to do work twice. I'm all for trying new techniques and being creative with supplies on hand. R&D is fun! Some of these techniques could potentially transfer to actual work.

 

 

What I've learned so far:

Micro Mask says right on it to not use with water based paints. I think I let the paint dry a wee bit too long too, and it was much too thick. I haven't decided if I want to try again by airbrushing white, then blue with the same masking technique. If I had oil based paints I definitely would.

 

Denatured alcohol and a microfiber cloth works GREAT to remove day old Testor's acrylic French Blue (and is safe for plastic). It does take a bit of elbow grease but it had both sides paint free in about 5 minutes. It did, however, stain the plastic underneath with a very faint ghostly blue image of the stripes, including the runs. 5000 grit sandpaper polished both sides out in less than 2 minutes.

 

 

Now to change the subject:

Does that ear bar stripe look too fat?

I put my screwed up ear to good use as a test bed. Electronics showed up today, and I positioned a microphone in the rear stripe. The thin one was drilled off center so I abandoned it, and it's roughly the same width as the finished ears.

 

I wanted to duplicate the installation of my R1 helmet, but it had a nice slot to cut out and cover with fabric. That won't work on this style. The other alternative is mounting behind a smaller hole. 

 

 

[tsongololo[TK]]

15 hours ago, justjoseph63 said:

3.  Position them so that the front stripe is the one that leans forward as seen below:

 

One more question: Which is the front? I'm assuming it's the one with more of a banana curve? I did trim two stripes off to make it fit, so I'm not sure which end I trimmed.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

28 minutes ago, tsongololo said:

One more question: Which is the front? I'm assuming it's the one with more of a banana curve? I did trim two stripes off to make it fit, so I'm not sure which end I trimmed.

 

Back //////////////// Front

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

44 minutes ago, tsongololo said:

Now to change the subject:

Does that ear bar stripe look too fat?

I put my screwed up ear to good use as a test bed. Electronics showed up today, and I positioned a microphone in the rear stripe. The thin one was drilled off center so I abandoned it, and it's roughly the same width as the finished ears.

 

The back bar looks a little big. I don't have the steadiest of hands so I paint what I can with the black then use a permanent marker to straighten lines and corners  

 

Can find some nice helmet references here: http://www.starwarshelmets.com/original-ANH-Stunt-Stormtrooper-armor-helmets.htm

 

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

The one without the hole does look a bit wide, but perfect idea from Glen about using the permanent markers for the ear bumps, Jennifer.  Note that it was normally the rear bump that had the stripe but there were several that had it in various places  If you are (hopefully) aiming for level 3, there can only be one.  AWESOME job on that ear alignment!  The way you have the screws lined up with the rear trap is danged near perfect!  You may want to drop it down just a hair to where the top is in line with the bottom of the brow trim.

 

                  

[tsongololo[TK]]

LOL that’s my scrap ear. I just slapped on some paint in about 2 seconds to get a feel for how wide that stripe has to be. There’s a microphone fitted in there! The microphone is tiny, but still wider than a normal stripe. So the big question is, would that pass being that wide? It looks funny to me so I’m guessing no. I’m not sure if I could paint the margins of the mic grey so I can get the stripe width down. I must say, it seems to be well camouflaged! Or maybe the weird stripe dimension draws attention away from it.

 

I don’t have any pictures of the completed ears, I’ll have to add them when I get home. The comparison photo with the R1 has a fitted, but unpainted ear.

[tsongololo[TK]]

Alright, here's some pictures of the real ears. I hope the alignment holds true.

 

 

Gap is larger than I'd like, but hopefully fine.

 

 

And here's the fat stripe one. You can see the large hole where the microphone was hanging out -

 

[tsongololo[TK]]

Here's a few more pics clarifying (hopefully) what I'm trying to do. Please excuse the excessive photos - I just got a replacement laptop after having been without for almost a year. Posting photos is now *easy*!

 

A fresh coat of paint to start over on the scrap ear. Microphone placed in hole.

 

Here's a new black stripe. The featured bump seems to be larger overall than the "correct" one. It almost works.

 

And here's the mic overlaid on the good ear, no holes drilled. It's wider than that stripe.

[tsongololo[TK]]

Time for an update. I haven't had much time to work on the armor, but did determine the microphones are worthless for this application. I ended up with a slightly larger mic, with a pre-amp built in:

 

I also finally had a friend over that could get some better photos. The helmet is not complete, so the lens is just sort of placed in there over the screws, and the ears are taped on. But the stripes are looking pretty good! Trooperbay decals. I didn't trim the upper thighs yet. And there seems to be alignment issues with my left limbs.  Dying the boots is a tedious process and there is still dye left. I think it they'll need all of it.

 

[tsongololo[TK]]

Can't believe it's been just over a month since my last update! I have been working it, but not a lot, and progress has been somewhat slow. All because I wanted to try an expanding foam insert for my head. It took a lot of tweaking, but I'd consider it successful. I carved out a place for some hearing augmentation electronics (which I've abandoned for the moment), and interestingly, there's a LOT more room on the left side of the helmet. It also has some channels for a blower system. I have some ideas that involve a largeish blower fan, though I'm not sure where I'll mount it. Probably under the chest plate, but I haven't started that project yet.

 

I lined the helmet with a trash bag (taped it in) and did the insert in two pieces. I wanted to make sure it would come out:

 

 

 

 

I have mics fitted in the ears, and got the ears fitted to the helmet. The green lens is kind of disappointing, and will probably be replaced. There are some annoying scratches, but since visibility is poor, it might be something I can live with. I also wired up a mic to a speaker, and it works, but isn't very loud (yet). Feedback will probably be an issue but as long as it's louder than my muffled voice, it's an improvement.

 

So the helmet is "done", finally! Minus cleaning all the smudges, painting the screws, and all those types of details. But I'm well into the last 10%.

 

 

Now I'm down to just two more things: Neck seal and holster. I'll probably wait for approval before I start the blaster.

[Rob .T .[TK]]

You need to check the c.r.l. 

Ive not looked in a while, but I'm sure it specifies one ear black stripe to the rear of the ear , not front.  

But I may be wrong . 

[tsongololo[TK]]

Rob, I do vaguely recall reading a discussion about it that hints at what you're saying, but this is copied from the CRL for Centurion level: 

Ear bars have only one bump painted in black (rank stripes). That's it.

Basic says:

The “ear” bars may have three or four bumps and are grey or painted grey, with a black outline.
Painting the bumps with a rank stripe (highlighted) in black is optional.

 

It feels good to be closer to completion. I've almost completed the neck seal (and it's possibly "good enough" right now), and based on my experience over the last three days, JUST BUY ONE!!! But I'm a glutton for punishment, I guess. I still need to come up with a way to cover the zipper in the back, but that should be relatively easy.  Finding good reference photos might be harder, other than the one side view of Han in the Death Star that sure looks like a cover.

 

This was made with heavy weight spandex, rubber weatherstripping from Home Depot, and a felt-like "Absorbent Super Shammy" from Amazon. The idea is that the material is breathable and will help with cooling.