MV's ANH TK Stunt [ATA] 1st Build Thread for Centurion

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

As for the biceps, in the grand scheme of things there are no hard and fast rules, especially since you have the "thumbprint" on both.  What I would suggest is to use G for the left side.  I really like the way ATA designed this (super practical) and the reason being is that it has more of an rounded shape.  You will be spending a LOT of time with your arms bent (carrying your E-11), and your right arm will be bent at more of an angle than your left.  Having that extra curvature may make it more comfortable.  You are correct about the swoop on the bell being on the left.

 

          

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

OP (MV) Post #18

 

"The first cut is the deepest"

 

Maybe not the deepest, Cheryl, but definitely the scariest, at least thus far. That status may soon be supplanted when I start on my bucket and work on the ears, frown, and eyes. Armed with Joseph's Return Edges 101 thread, at the crack of dawn this morning I began on my forearms, and some of you L3 folks will be excited to hear that my very first cuts were to remove the return edge on the wrist-side (bottom?) inner forearms. I figured there would be plenty of room for error in that area and I played it conservatively and didn't go all the way to a complete flat surface. In the photos below, do you guys think I took off enough, keeping in mind that I still have sanding to do? I suspect more needs to be shaved.

 

Bottom Inner Forearms

 

     

 

     

 

 

Here are some before and after shots of the arm pieces I hit today. In my eagerness panic to make my first cut I failed to photograph the front edges of half the forearm pieces (shown above), so I set the cutouts in their respective spaces for reference. I tried to capture it all for all the following cuts. Does it look like I'm near where I'll need to be for Centurion status, or must a lot more plastic be removed?

 

Bottom Outer Forearms

 

     

 

     

 

Top Inner Forearms

 

     

 

     

 

Top Outer Forearms

 

     

 

     

 

Top Inner Biceps

 

     

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

Just a couple more observations and pre-cut questions. In general, it seems that ATA designs their arm return edges pretty minimal, as shown in the photos below. I guess that doesn't leave me much choice with the forearms and the shoulder bells, does it? Can't argue with strong-arming (haha) builders into higher levels of accuracy. Any reason I shouldn't cut all the way to the main surface edge and remove the returns completely on these next pieces, or should just a tiny bit be left? Also interesting that one of the raw ATA shoulder bells has much more excess than the other. Chop chop.

 

Shoulder Bells & Bottom Biceps

 

 

     

 

     

 

 

Trimming will continue for days, if not weeks, as I squeeze in time after putting my 13-month old to bed and spending some evening time with my wife. Basically my window for building is after 11:00pm, and before 7:00am, and any late-night work tends to limit me the next evening due to needing rest. It's a good thing I'm still working from home (started March 23, nearly two months ago) so at least I don't need to account for commute time (or dressing time, haha) into my daily schedule. For those of you who remember, when I officially began this journey my daughter was only seven months old, and I estimated the long road to the Death Star would take me 6-9 months to negotiate. Yeah, my hyperdrive motivator is faulty. That means I have three months left to meet my estimate, and roughly seven months for my stretch goal for EIB (1,000) and Centurion (500), based on roughly five approvals per month. Time to bypass the compressor and make the jump.

 

Quote Response:

On 5/18/2020 at 5:34 AM, justjoseph63 said:

As for the biceps, in the grand scheme of things there are no hard and fast rules, especially since you have the "thumbprint" on both.  What I would suggest is to use G for the left side.  I really like the way ATA designed this (super practical) and the reason being is that it has more of an rounded shape.  You will be spending a LOT of time with your arms bent (carrying your E-11), and your right arm will be bent at more of an angle than your left.  Having that extra curvature may make it more comfortable.

Joseph - That's an excellent point about bent arms while trooping with an E-11. Question though, would using the more squared-off G piece on the left side be assuming a right-handed or left-handed carrying of the blaster? I am personally right handed, but had planned on carrying my E-11 left handed, with the magazine pointed forward away from my torso, as is most common in ANH. To me, it would seem this would result in more bend in my left elbow, but I'm not sure how my left shoulder would be impacted. Would you still suggest the squared-off G piece be on my left bicep with that carry orientation?

Edited February 28, 2022 by MaskedVengeance
Added section sub-heading; typo fixed; photo width reformatting

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

You are super close on the forearms, but still a bit to go.  100% of the return edge will need to be removed for Centurion, so it's best to do it at this stage before final fitting/gluing.

 

 

          

 

 "Any reason I shouldn't cut all the way to the main surface edge and remove the returns completely on these next pieces, or should just a tiny bit be left"?  My feelings on return edges are well known, lol.  The examples below show that there were none (or very minimal) on the arm pieces.

 

 

   

 

 "I am personally right handed, but had planned on carrying my E-11 left handed, with the magazine pointed forward away from my torso, as is most common in ANH".

 

That is an entirely personal preference, and since both biceps have dimples, are interchangeable and the tops are usually covered by the shoulder bells, do whatever works better for you!

 

Odd Fact:

The original Sterling machine guns had crazy long magazines on the left hand side, as they assumed most soldiers were right handed.  When modifying them the prop makers cut down the magazine significantly, but the actors found that the magazine/power pack was still to long and awkward, causing it to constantly hit the chest piece when gripping it with the right hand.  It was then decided that they should grip the blasters with the left hand for comfort reasons, thus, most of the TKs were "left handed" in the film(s).

 

Since we don't do a lot of stunts, (well, not intentionally, lol) I carry mine right handed.  It also helps me to keep my dominant hand free for adjustments, etc.

 

 

 

[Sly11[Admin]]

Do your fore arms have a different dimple count?

Left arm has 11 dimples the right arm has 12. as the fore arms might be a slightly different size the inner parts may also to suit.

This may impact your Biceps and degree of movement or bend so my advice it tape them together and try them on to see which is more comfortable.

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

OP (MV) Post #19

 

40 years ago today was the premiere of my favorite Star Wars film, so I guess I know what I'll be watching during my build session(s) today. Thus far I've had How I Met Your Mother on in the background while I work, but once I finish ESB tonight or tomorrow I may need to transition to my collection of Star Wars soundtracks, as @Blast 'Em! has been doing during his build. That or just play the films themselves. Harmy or Adywan, anybody? =)

 

Do or do not. There is no try. Today is arm day:

 

 

 

Haha, jk. To continue my up-tempo progress, I've removed even more of the returns on the bottom of my forearms as well as continued trimming the forming excess on various pieces. I've been taking lots of photos for documentation purposes, but I'm starting to wonder if I should continue posting all of them, or simply keep them archived for future review if necessary. My recent posts have been quite photo heavy, and I don't want to overload any of those of you following along; your continued insight is invaluable, and I don't want to burn anybody out. Here are some samples of my progress on all the arm pieces; first up, the forearm bottoms.

 

 

 

With my trimming I continued to remove return edges, but haven't gone all the way yet. I figured I'll have more to take off once I get to the fitting process; I just didn't want to hastily shave off too much. Best to leave a margin for error or adjustment in the future.

 

 

 

     

 

 

While revisiting saved forum threads and various resources I came across this nugget below, from @pandatrooper on MEPD. This screenshot from his ATA TD build thread confirms that my identification of the forearms was correct, and at least tells me how the biceps were intended to be worn. Since both biceps have a thumbprint, per Joseph, I could decide to interchange them depending on how I elect to carry my blaster (and bend my elbows). I'm including my own armor parts in the second photo below for comparison.

 

 

 

 

I've also begun the holster stretching process, per the guidance of Christine (Cricket). Here are the steps I'm taking:

1. Remove the blaster strap secured by a Chicago screw
2. Fill a 5-gallon or similar bucket (or your sink) with hot water
3. Place the holster in the water allowing the water level to reach all the areas which need to be stretched
4. Let the holster soak for 10-15 minutes, or however long it takes for the leather to be soaked through. I have Darman's 8oz version.
5. Remove the holster and set aside and empty the bucket
6. Wrap blaster, in my case a Hellhounds E-11, in two grocery bags and two large ziplock bags
7. Squeeze the blaster into the soaked holster to stretch it out while drying. I'm leaving mine in the bucket and expect it to take a couple days.
8. Repeat the process, adding more bags for extra stretching if necessary, until the blaster is easily removable
9. Once a properly-stretched fit has been achieved, consider adding holster lubricant to the leather

 

          

 

 

Quote Responses:

On 5/20/2020 at 6:13 AM, justjoseph63 said:

You are super close on the forearms, but still a bit to go.  100% of the return edge will need to be removed for Centurion, so it's best to do it at this stage before final fitting/gluing.

 

That is an entirely personal preference, and since both biceps have dimples, are interchangeable and the tops are usually covered by the shoulder bells, do whatever works better for you!

 

Odd Fact:

The original Sterling machine guns had crazy long magazines on the left hand side, as they assumed most soldiers were right handed.  When modifying them the prop makers cut down the magazine significantly, but the actors found that the magazine/power pack was still to long and awkward, causing it to constantly hit the chest piece when gripping it with the right hand.  It was then decided that they should grip the blasters with the left hand for comfort reasons, thus, most of the TKs were "left handed" in the film(s).

Joseph - Hopefully I took enough off on my second go, with images shown above. I still have sanding to do, so that will likely shave a tiny bit more too. I'm definitely going to make sure everything fits well with the appropriate returns (or lack thereof) prior to gluing, since I want to minimize deconstructing pieces. I always assumed the reason for southpaw TKs was due to the E-11 protruding magazines on the left side, as you state, so I figured I'd avoid the rubbing myself and carry left handed. This will also leave my dominant right hand free to wave passers by [move] along and cuff rebel scum.

 

On 5/20/2020 at 6:13 AM, Sly11 said:

Do your fore arms have a different dimple count?

Left arm has 11 dimples the right arm has 12. as the fore arms might be a slightly different size the inner parts may also to suit.

This may impact your Biceps and degree of movement or bend so my advice it tape them together and try them on to see which is more comfortable.

Andrew - I'm so glad you mentioned the forearm dimple counts, as I had saved that distinction in my research notes from 4-6 months ago, but had forgotten about it while trimming this past week. As is seen in Terry's arm piece photos above, and mine below, my bicep outers have 11 dimples each, which I take it is common in some derivations of TE armor. 

 

 

 

To close, today my wife, who is a kindergarten teacher, received a shipment of books she bought her students, and Scholastic gifted a sheet of these cards as well. Baby "Leia," meet Baby Yoda.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by MaskedVengeance
Rephrasing, typo correction; photo width reformatting

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Looking great, Caleb!  Don't forget that the areas inside the "humps" need to come out as well. 

 

 

Before final fitting/gluing, make sure that the scoops at the top of the forearms are deep enough.  This is the main area that "armor bite" happens in due to the arms being constantly bent.  You should be able to wear them for extended periods without that small bit of return edge cutting into you.

 

 

"My recent posts have been quite photo heavy, and I don't want to overload any of those of you following along..."  There is no such thing as too many photos, lol, so bring em' on!  

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

OP (MV) Post #20

 

So they don't get buried after all my photos, I'm starting out with some QUESTIONS I have: 

• I never rinsed my armor pieces after receiving them, so would it be helpful for me to do that now, to remove any lingering release agents, or after all cutting and sanding is done but before gluing? Water with mild soap of some kind?
• Rinsing after rough-sanding, on cover strip adhesive surfaces for example, is probably a good idea too, correct? To remove ABS dust?
• I'm planning on reinforcing many, if not all, of the edges on my chest, ab, back, kidney, and butt pieces, since most of them won't have return edges. My concern is that such extensive reinforcement may completely restrict the flexibility of the ABS and actually result in stress creases and cracks. Are there certain areas which I should leave UN-reinforced in order to provide stress relief? Below are the pieces with edges numbered for identification; which areas should be:
  • Reinforced with ABS strips?
  • NOT reinforced, but instead left flat?
  • Left with a return edge, but still L3 approvable?

[Note: the piece below are all exterior facing down, but the perspective may give the illusion of being face up]

 

     

 

     

 

 

Actually I do have another question. Yesterday I noticed that part of my ab piece appears to be warped, and I'm not sure if that's normal with the molding process, or if it was a defective pull. Notice that the button box angles downwards toward the top, and also isn't level with the other ab protrusions. Thoughts?

 

     

 

 

 

 

Save your ABS trimmings I keep reading, so save them I have. These pieces shown thus far may come in handy if I need to make ABS paste, and I also intend to keep the excess from the butt-joint portions of the arm and leg pieces to hopefully use as inner cover strips. As long as I don't make too many outer cover strip cutting mistakes, I should also have extra ABS material from the two sheets I received with my ATA armor.

 

 

 

So two days ago was arm day, and then yesterday I was on leg duty. Boy were my fingers hurting at 2:30am after hours wielding lexan scissors, and the tops of the shin pieces were definitely the most difficult due to the angles. As with the arm pieces, I trimmed the leg parts close (actually not really close, just closER) to where the final cuts will be, with the exception of where the butt-joints areas, where I left a lot of material. I will soon begin rough sizing and then determine exactly where return edges should be adjusted to and also cut the long edges down for the joints. The bells have a TON more material that needs to be removed. Everything is finally beginning to look like real armor components, rather than blobs of white plastic.

 

Right Thighs

          

 

Left Thighs

          

 

Calves (duh)

 

     

 

     

 

Bells (double duh)

 

I suppose that's it for my photo dump. Hopefully future builders will find all this documentation helpful. =)

 

Quote Responses:

On 5/22/2020 at 5:32 AM, justjoseph63 said:

Looking great, Caleb!  Don't forget that the areas inside the "humps" need to come out as well. 

 

Before final fitting/gluing, make sure that the scoops at the top of the forearms are deep enough.  This is the main area that "armor bite" happens in due to the arms being constantly bent.  You should be able to wear them for extended periods without that small bit of return edge cutting into you.

Joseph - I will definitely make sure to take off the edges of the humps either with my lexan scissors or while sanding. I wanted to initially play it safe and plan on sanding them rather than cutting too far, since there's not much material between the edge and the first dimple. I'll also plan on taking more off on both the forearms and bicep scoops. Ain't nobody got time for armor bite. lol.

Edited February 28, 2022 by MaskedVengeance
photo width reformatting

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

12 hours ago, MaskedVengeance said:

OP (MV) Post #20

 

So they don't get buried after all my photos, I'm starting out with some QUESTIONS I have: 

• I never rinsed my armor pieces after receiving them, so would it be helpful for me to do that now, to remove any lingering release agents, or after all cutting and sanding is done but before gluing? Water with mild soap of some kind? This is really more for fiberglass armor than ABS, to remove mold release and any stray fiberglass hairs that may be itchy. ABS forming doesn't use a true negative "mold" (like fiberglass) but rather positive "bucks" that the warm ABS sheet is pulled down on top of. It wouldn't hurt to rinse it after trimming, but no big deal.
• Rinsing after rough-sanding, on cover strip adhesive surfaces for example, is probably a good idea too, correct? To remove ABS dust? Eh, at least blow em off or maybe wipe with a microfiber towel.
• I'm planning on reinforcing many, if not all, of the edges on my chest, ab, back, kidney, and butt pieces, since most of them won't have return edges. My concern is that such extensive reinforcement may completely restrict the flexibility of the ABS and actually result in stress creases and cracks. Are there certain areas which I should leave UN-reinforced in order to provide stress relief? Below are the pieces with edges numbered for identification; which areas should be:
  • Reinforced with ABS strips?
  • NOT reinforced, but instead left flat?
  • Left with a return edge, but still L3 approvable?
• Personally, I like return edges and feel that they give the suit some 'depth' to where it really looks like armor. I tried to balance comfort, accuracy, and appearance as best I could. The main places that I consistently see armor cracking is around the neckline, under the arms, and along the edges of the kidney plate. Return edges are tricky because they add rigidity and strength to the armor, but also create stress points. I would leave as much as you can at first, then continue removing it if you find areas that bind or rub. Can always sand more, can't make return edges grow back. I've seen guys reinforce with little ABS tabs, superglue and cloth, fiberglass resin/mattting, ABS slurry... you've got options for repairs, but I've never preemptively reinforced panels, just fixed existing cracks. Maybe I should start haha
• The other big thing is if you haven't heard it yet - REINFORCE YOUR SHOULDER BRIDGES. I wanna shout this from a mountain. I just run a strip of ABS that I heated and bent to shape from the end, all the way down into the chest pieces, so it reinforces the tabs as well. 
• All that being said, the only place to my knowledge that return edges are mentioned in the CRL is at the wrist. Definitely remove it there, but otherwise it's mostly up to you.

 

Actually I do have another question. Yesterday I noticed that part of my ab piece appears to be warped, and I'm not sure if that's normal with the molding process, or if it was a defective pull. Notice that the button box angles downwards toward the top, and also isn't level with the other ab protrusions. Thoughts? Weird and honestly unsure. ATA is "affordable" for a reason and not perfect (nor are ANH suits in general), but I'm not sure if that's standard to his armor or not. If the whole panel is wonky, you can always heat bath and try to tweak it back a bit.

 

Save your ABS trimmings I keep reading, so save them I have. These pieces shown thus far may come in handy if I need to make ABS paste, and I also intend to keep the excess from the butt-joint portions of the arm and leg pieces to hopefully use as inner cover strips. As long as I don't make too many outer cover strip cutting mistakes, I should also have extra ABS material from the two sheets I received with my ATA armor. Nice! I highly recommend using inner cover strips - both for strength, and because they make assembly easier (though longer with E6000) by creating a little "shelf" to glue the next piece onto. It's also way easier to glue outer cover strips on straight and clean when you're not trying to hold the whole piece together simultaneously. Hopefully the only slurry you may need to make is for filling in the bottom front of the left thigh, but even that's optional. Good to have on hand though!

 

So two days ago was arm day, and then yesterday I was on leg duty. Boy were my fingers hurting at 2:30am after hours wielding lexan scissors, and the tops of the shin pieces were definitely the most difficult due to the angles. As with the arm pieces, I trimmed the leg parts close (actually not really close, just closER) to where the final cuts will be, with the exception of where the butt-joints areas, where I left a lot of material. I will soon begin rough sizing and then determine exactly where return edges should be adjusted to and also cut the long edges down for the joints. The bells have a TON more material that needs to be removed. Everything is finally beginning to look like real armor components, rather than blobs of white plastic. Yeabuddy. If you have access to a belt sander (or $80 at Harbor Freight! Look for coupons!), that's 100% now my preferred way to trim - rough hack off the sheet with snips, smooth the lines out and bring them almost all the way to the final cut line on the belt, deburring tool around the edges, then dremel/sanding blocks to smooth them out and final shape. 

 

On the thighs, I left return edge on the OUTSIDE for appearance, but removed it flush on the INSIDE so it doesn't rub. Sand the cod and posterior connector area edges well too, trust. On the shins and forearms, I left a little return edge at the top, and removed it almost flush at the ankle/wrist. Again, that's just me. And of course, I'd advise cutting up into the thigh ridge at the back of the knee, as well as either flush or down into the ridge at the top of the shin, back of the knee. Armor bite back there HURTS. It helps to secure your thighs snug when you first put them on so that they don't sag as you troop - I wear my garter belt up high and tight at my actual waist.

 

I suppose that's it for my photo dump. Hopefully future builders will find all this documentation helpful. =) Very thorough and I'm sure people will appreciate it! Keep up the great work and keep asking questions! Always better to ask a dumb question than make a dumb mistake! Yours have been excellent so far and again, I appreciate the research you've already done!

 

Here are some words about some things.

Edited May 24, 2020 by TheRascalKing

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

 

UPDATE: This post has been moved to a separate thread (linked below) within the Getting Started forum. Topics covered on that post remain below in green for reference. Here is a direct link:

 

 

 

OP (MV) Post #21

 

In addition to documenting my journey and seeking help with my TK build, another one of my intentions with this thread is to provide future builders with a helpful resource for ATA and general (any armor maker) OT TK builds. To that end, this will be a RESOURCE POST containing reference links and documents which have been insightful to me, as well as helpful build threads. My intention will be to continue to update this list as my progress continues and I come across additional resources.

 

NOTE: I am considering starting a new thread with this content. Would that be more helpful to the general TK community? Perhaps this post could serve as a draft, and feedback could be given? What do you think, @justjoseph63, king of TK tutorials? Getting Started or Tutorials & Tips forum? Working title: "2020 Index of Tips, Tutorials, and Build and Request Threads for OT TKs"

 

501st Legion Links:

FISD Forums

Getting Started Forum Pinned Threads (selection)

Supply Lists

Build Tips and Resources

Strapping Systems

Photo References

Helmet/Bucket/Lid Interior

Armor Cleaning, Sanding, & Shining

Armor Yellowing

Image Posting

E-11 Blaster

Armor Storage/Transport

FISD and Stormtrooper Supplemental Posts

Recasting

ANH Stunt Build Threads (WIPs)

ATA Build Threads (WIPs)

Pre-Approval Requests

EIB & Centurion Informational Threads

EIB Requests

Centurion Requests

Purchase Options (my build)

Alternative Accessory Options:

Other External Resources

 

Quote Response:

On 5/23/2020 at 12:15 PM, TheRascalKing said:

 

Here are some words about some things.

Justin - Thanks for all those notes; super helpful! I've seen several people mention reinforcing shoulder bridges, so that's definitely on my to-do list. I'm also going to do my best to stay true to screen-used ANH armor return edges (or lack thereof), while also balancing that with ensuring the armor does look like cheap flat plastic sheets. Oh, and obviously comfort will play a part as well, and I'm planning on using the clean angled mobility cuts behind the knees which Mark from AP employs. And lastly, a belt sander is on my wish list, as I currently only have a palm sander, which won't be good for maintaining straight lines.

Edited June 5, 2020 by MaskedVengeance
Color changes for better Tapatalk clarity, transfer of content to new post

[T-Jay[TK]]

Wow, that is a pretty complex link collection! Must have taken ages to make.

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

I hope you realize that once your 501st approval is granted that I am expecting even more great things from you here on the FISD, Caleb.  

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Amazing !!! 

[Cricket[TK]]

Hey @LTM, I think you were looking for Caleb's thread?   

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

OP (MV) Post #22

 

It's been almost two weeks since I posted an actual build update due to my efforts being temporarily redirected at compiling the resource list from my previous post. Which, by the way, has now been moved to its own thread in the Getting Started Forum. Here's the direct link for future access:

 

 

But first, an outline of the items which will be included in this post, in case the extensive photos clutter up the format too much.

• Raw UN-cut and ROUGH-cut photos of the torso pieces, sniper plate, shoulder bridges, drop boxes, TD, and ab buttons
• Kidney orientation (top and bottom)
• Ab/button box dip clarification
• New equipment: Cut resistant gloves + Rivet tool
• Holster stretching results
• 501st donation
• Leaderboard reputation points?
• Lego TK template

Some of you may be wondering why I continue to post raw PRE-cut photos of my armor pieces—the reason is simple. I want to provide future ATA builders or individuals on the market for any armor an idea of that to expect on their BBB day. To that end, here are some looks at armor pieces both pre and post rough cut. Note that in most cases I have simply approached where the final cut lines will be, and intend to cut and sand more as I begin fitting.

 

As a reminder, clicking each photo will open a full-sized high-resolution version of the image, and my posts are also formatted to best display on a computer, rather than Tapatalk.

 

Uncut

          

 

Rough Cut

     

 

Uncut

          

 

Rough Cut

     

 

Rough Cut

 

Uncut

          

 

Rough Cut

     

 

Uncut

               

 

Rough Cut

     

 

Uncut and Rough Cut

          

 

Uncut and Rough Cut

          

 

Uncut and Rough Cut

     

 

Uncut

     

 

Rough Cut

     

 

By the way, though I know I still need to trim the ab plates even more, a discovered a little trick for cutting right at the end of the curve so as not to accidentally remove too much of the flat area. As shown in the photo above, press your curved lexan scissors blade right up against the edge on the underside.

 

I also discovered that a blister was starting to form on my thumb after all the scissor trimming of the ABS, so I grabbed the closest pair of gloves I had laying around, which were extra rubber gloves originally for my suit. Authentic armor crafting.

 

 

 

I should also point out that I have yet to do any trimming on the kidney piece (and sides of the ab for that matter), as I first wanted to determine which sides are the top and bottom. I reached out Terrell, the ATA armorer, and he informed me that the edge with the extra ridge is the bottom, which is what I expected. Better to ask for clarification than be sorry later. Here are some images which show the proper orientation of an ATA ab piece.

 

     

 

     

 

Rough Cut

     

 

 

In that same vein, I also checked with Terrell about the dip in my ab piece which I observed and made note of in a previous post. I'm not sure how I missed this in my research, but apparently this dip is a "feature" of TE-derived armors—at least on suits in which the armorers haven't altered that feature. As this is apparently intentional, I'm now wondering if I should leave it as-is, or ever so slightly bend it a little closer to flat with a hot water bath. My OCD self wants flat, or at least flatter, so at least the button plate will sit more flush.

 

Here's a quick shot I sent some of my work buddies yesterday. Slowly I'm growing a stormtrooper!

 

 

 

In other news, yesterday I received two more tools, shown below, which will help me with my build. For months I've fought the advice to get cut-resistant gloves, but I finally broke down and decided my safety is worth the money. I opted for the NoCry Ambidextrous Level 5 gloves on Amazon; 14,000 customer reviews must be a good sign. The other tool was a TACKLIFE Hand Rivet tool from Amazon, and frankly I'm not sure how I left that off my shopping list months ago.

 

 

 

Now for an update on my E-11 holster stretching, which I first documented a couple posts ago. It appears that my single round of water soaking my 8oz Darman holster will actually be enough, as there are only a couple small rub spots left (front sight tips, bayonet lug, and edge of folding stock). I fear that if I stretch it out any more I'll risk the blaster wobbling around, or worse, invite pesky rebels to grab it if I don't have the strap engaged. For now I will try applying some Quick Draw Holster Lubricant (from Amazon, shown below) to see if I can alleviate that little bit of rubbing on my rubber blaster's weathering.

 

 

 

I also want to take a moment to bring attention to the current Legion/Detachment fundraising campaign which Glen posted about the other day. In light of the fact that many of us spend hours per week (or day!) on this forum, I would ask you to consider donating a small amount to the drive, which is specifically for Legion and DETACHMENT web hosting. Want to continue to see whitearmor.net as your homepage? Step up and give a little, as I did. There's no amount too small, and every little bit counts!

 

 

 

Moving on to a weird, and practically unimportant question. This morning I noticed that on my FISD profile there is now a "DAYS WON: 1" note. I've seen this on the profiles of other troopers, and understood the numbers to indicate days in which that individual received the most liked posts. Is that correct? I spent a little time on the "Leaderboard" section of the "MORE" navigational tab and saw the rankings are related to "reputation points," nine of which I earned two days ago. Are those simply accrued via likes? Again, I know this is of little importance, but I'm just curious about the system.

 

 

 

And finally, my semi-traditional non-build anecdote. Recently I went on a search to locate a digital copy of a Lego stormtrooper helmet template which I first came across in a Lego Club magazine when I was a child. I had actually stumbled across a digital source about half a year ago, but failed to save it properly. Alas, many google searches later, I found it, and behold, the template and the actual Lego helmet I built as a 12-year-old back in 2001! Yes, this piece has been on first my parent's shelf, and now my own, for the past 19 years. Looking at it, I can really see how white ABS apparently yellows with age.

 

     

 

 

 

Quote Responses:

On 5/29/2020 at 12:58 PM, Cricket said:

Hey @LTM, I think you were looking for Caleb's thread?   

@LTM and Christine - I'm counting down the days until I can finally meet and troop with you guys in person!

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by MaskedVengeance
Typo correction; first documented link added; photo width reformatting

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

OP (MV) Post #23

 

More RAW UNCUT photos incoming. For those of you who don't know, ATA helmets are bumpy in the same fashion that the screen used ones were. Most helmets from approved vendors are like this, with a few exceptions where the armorers have smoothed out the details. Some of the bumps on the last two profile-angle shots below will also be invisible due to being covered by the ear pieces. Now, commence transmission.

 

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

Qty 2 Sets of Stunt Ears (included by default)

 

     

 

     

 

 

Included Hardware

 

TD End Caps

 

Qty 2 Extra ABS Sheets

 

Helmet S-Trim

 

Brow Trim

 

That's all for now. Just a quick photo dump to document out-of-the-box pieces.

Edited February 28, 2022 by MaskedVengeance
Added "Stunt" to ears description; photo width reformatting

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Great work so far. Love how detailed your thread is

[CableGuy[Admin]]

Great thread, Caleb. :-)

If you’re looking for a way to achieve really crisp, return-edge-less forearms (wrist end), you could try this;

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

7 hours ago, CableGuy said:

If you’re looking for a way to achieve really crisp, return-edge-less forearms (wrist end), you could try this;

Thanks for that link, Dan! I've actually been going through your build video series, and appropriately, Part 3 was next in the queue. I just took a six minute break from work and watched it, and flat sandpaper seems like a great idea. I planned on using that technique on my belt and ammo edges (and possibly for smoothing cover strips) and now I'll definitely need to employ that on my L3 wrists. Your information has been very insightful already, and I'm sure will continue to help me get through my build! Thanks again!

[CableGuy[Admin]]

Thanks for that link, Dan! I've actually been going through your build video series, and appropriately, Part 3 was next in the queue. I just took a six minute break from work and watched it, and flat sandpaper seems like a great idea. I planned on using that technique on my belt and ammo edges (and possibly for smoothing cover strips) and now I'll definitely need to employ that on my L3 wrists. Your information has been very insightful already, and I'm sure will continue to help me get through my build! Thanks again!

Ah, super. So glad it’s helpful. :-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

OP (MV) Post #25

 

FIRST BLOOD.

 

 

A very minor cut, from a lexan scissor slip, and now that I've experienced this rite of passage, my build can officially commence. Ha. In today's update I will cover the following topics:

• Uncut belt and knee ammo pieces
• ATA vs. AP belt
• Rough cuts of belt and knee ammo pieces
• Additional trimming and sanding of drop boxes, shoulder bridges, and sniper knee plate
• Cover strip cutting
• E-6000 question
• Recent purchases (Trooperbay, Amazon, Lowes)
• Holster lubricant function

 

The belt and knee ammo pack are the last two pieces of raw untrimmed armor which I have yet to present individually photographed, so here they are. They appear to be very crisp pulls and in the second series of images you'll see my ATA belt alongside an extra AP belt I purchased for my HWT build.

 

Raw Uncut ATA Belt & Knee Pack

 

     

 

AP vs. ATA Belt

     

 

 

 

Rough Trimmed Belt and Knee Pack

Today I finally trimmed the return edges off both the belt and knee ammo pack. After pondering what would be the best strategy to take, I opted for scoring the back corner edges at roughly a 45 degree angle. I decided on that 45 degree angle in order to keep some of the rounded (aka smooth) edges on the front side, but I may still need to trim more off each side once I measure; I know I'll need to shoot for around 3-5mm. The ATA belt has quite crisp lines, so there was a very distinct corner for which my blade to follow, and it only took less than five passes of my xacto blade to score most of the way through the ABS. Then some simply folding back and forth freed up the excess strip.

 

     

 

     

 

Knee Ammo Pack

I used the same technique for the knee pack, but first had to cut off the two short edges at either end. It only took two passes of my xacto blade to score nearly through the pastic, and in a couple areas I actually accidentally cut all the way through. Additionally trimming, with the rounded edges for example, will occur at a later time.

 

     

 

     

 

 

 

I also did some additionally trimming on the drop boxes and the shoulder bridges, and tested some rough sanding. I tarted with 60 grit on the drop boxes and 120 on the shoulder bridges, and plan to later move up to 220, and maybe even 320 for a super smooth finish. Be sure to always wear proper PPE; this white plastic dust is no joke, and you definitely don't want it in your lungs. Quick technique note: cutting off the corners of the drop boxes made it easier to get to those straight runs. Just be careful not to take off too much in the corners at the beginning. I'm shooting for 15mm deep outer boxes, and flush inner boxes (likely around 12mm). 

 

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

 

 

Finally, as far as trimming is concerned, I did a little more scissoring on my sniper plate, and I think brought it a lot closer to the final profile. Mainly I was concentrating on the curve/angle up to the raised section, as I know I'll still need to cut the back corner edges and the bottom return. Does the side profile look ok, or should I make the curve a more distinct angle?

 

     

 

     

 

 

 

Concerning Cover (finish) Strips

I finally cut my first cover strips and here are the resources and technique that I put to use. I figure I would document my steps since they are sometimes overlooked in other builds, and I only did the two front thigh pieces, and opted for a 20mm width. Terrell from ATA writes 7/8 inches (22.23mm) as the measurement on the spare ABS sheets included with the armor, but that is simply a rounded imperial figure, and I want to avoid any imperial entanglements. To account for potential improper blade angle and sanding, I added 1mm to my measurements, so my cut marks were drawn at 21mm. Provided that fitment allows it, my plan is to utilize 15mm cover strips on the fronts and back of all arm pieces, 20mm on the thigh front and backs, 20mm on the shin front, and 25mm on the back calves. These are shown visually in the two graphics below, which I borrowed and adapted from ukswrath's ANOVOS build.

 

 

 

Here are resources I found helpful regarding the sizing and cutting of cover strips. The build thread links below are for posts in which cover strip cutting techniques are described with photo illustrations.

 

Forum discussion threads for dimensions reference (by year): 2011  |  2013  |  2014  |  2015  |  2017

Build thread references: Ukswrath (pages 1-2)  |  A.J. Hamler (#1, #2, #3)  |  Cricket  |  StrmTRPR85  |  wook1138  |  LEGOeatPokemon/justjoseph63  |  dereferenced (#1, #2)  |  LadyInWhite's Google Doc

 

As far as my technique is concerned, first I measured (thrice) and marked the cut lines with a pencil and then I clamped the ABS sheet nice (outer) side facing down onto my cutting mat and desk, with a metal ruler on top. I cut my score lines into the back of the sheet in case my blade slipped, therefore leaving any potential stray cuts on the back of the cover strips. I did not want to cut all the way through the plastic, so instead used the score and snap method. I used a metal ruler WITHOUT cork backing in order the keep the metal guide as low to the ABS as possible, thereby increasing my chance of cutting a perfect perpendicular line into the ABS. 5-7 runs with the xacto knife did the trick, then it was on to folding and snapping the piece.

 

 

During my first attempt (shown above) my cut line was under the clamp arms, which complicated things, so for the second strip (shown below) I flipped my ABS sheet around so the cut line was unobstructed.

 

 

The resulting cut on the back of the sheet, perhaps about halfway through the ABS. I then re-positioned the entire piece with the ruler situated right on top of the newly-scored strip. I then leveraged the entire remainder of the sheet, bending it downward off the edge of my table.

 

     

 

Once I had a solid fold line along the entire length of the sheet I bent the strip back and forth multiple times before it eventually snapped off on its own. No additional use of a blade was required, nor would I suggest it, to avoid any stray cuts (likely with very sharp blades).

 

     

 

Immediately after cutting the strips I labeled the front/back with masking tape to ensure I glue the correct sides when that time comes, and below is my finished product. The cuts are perfectly straight, and I'm very happy with my product. Sanding will wait until later.

 

 

 

Quick question regarding E-6000 and armor forming. I understand that E-6000 can maintain adhesion in boiling water baths, but is there a limit to the amount of time it should remain underwater? I'm anticipating needing to form my arm pieces after I've glued them together, but I will hopefully I'll have gotten it close prior to gluing with water baths using rubber bands or zip-ties. Thoughts?

 

I'm hoping to have finally purchased the last several tools that I'll be needing for my build construction this week, but I do still need several components/accessories such as my TD belt clips from @ukswrath. Tony - I believe your hovi tip screen mesh is more accurate than that provided by ATA, shown in my previous post, correct? I also still need to order my canvas belt from Rob Kittell, but I don't yet have an armor-on waist circumference measurement yet, so that will need to wait a little while longer.

 

Items recently received (shown below):

• Dritz 9334W 3/4-inch white braided elastic from Amazon, for drop boxes
• Blue Hawk chemical gloves, for hot water armor baths, from Lowes
• Buckle straps for thigh garter waist and HWT pack from Amazon
• Novus 7100 plastic polish kit - 8oz, from Amazon

 

 

Items on order:

• Humbrol Mediterranean, Midnight, and Sea gloss blue paint from Trooperbay. I couldn't resist by try them all. I STILL CANNOT LOCATE ANY FRENCH BLUE. Will one of these aforementioned options suffice, or does anybody have a US purchase source, preferably online?
• Humbrol Admiral Grey #5 to go along with my Testors 1138. Any preferences to one or the other?
• Tube stripe and tear masking templates from Trooperbay, hand-painted style
• Screw thread protectors from the screws inside my helmet, from Amazon
• Craft foam for cutout around my frown screen mesh
• Cotton fabric by the yard for magnet sachets
• Sugru form justjoseph63

 

To briefly follow up on my holster lubricant application. I gave the inside of my 8oz leather Darman holster several sprays, and my rubber E-11 really does slide in and out of it more easily. It seems the final catch points mentioned in my previous point are now slick enough, and hopefully no additional weathering will get rubbed off.

 

Finally, in case any of you are wondering why my build progress is always so slow, it's because I'm limited to only doing my research or construction between midnight and 3:00am, or 5:00am-7:00am. This build is currently my own side-project, rather than an entire household endeavor, so basically family (wife and baby) time come first.

 

 

TTFN

Edited February 28, 2022 by MaskedVengeance
typo correction, added uks cover strip graphics; prev post link added; photo width reformatting

[Blast 'Em!]

Caleb your photo quality, post formatting, and level of detail continue to blow me away. Great work!

 

For French Blue paint, I recently ordered this from Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-Master-ACRYL-4659-Gloss-French-Blue-GP00463-Acrylic-1-2-oz-/233156684095. Model Masters is a Testors brand if I recall correctly. 

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Hello there, Troopers. I'm dealing with a family and financial crisis right now, so I'll probably be going dark on my build for several weeks—likely until this time next month. I hope to find time to maintain a presence on the boards via Tapatalk to keep up with you all and continue my research. Feel free to chime in if you have any tips to questions I've asked on my build thread thus far. Until next time,

 

MV

[CableGuy[Admin]]

Hello there, Troopers. I'm dealing with a family and financial crisis right now, so I'll probably be going dark on my build for several weeks—likely until this time next month. I hope to find time to maintain a presence on the boards via Tapatalk to keep up with you all and continue my research. Feel free to chime in if you have any tips to questions I've asked on my build thread thus far. Until next time,
 
MV

Best wishes to you and your family during tough times. I hope things turn around soon and we see you frequenting the boards again.

Best wishes
Dan

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

4 hours ago, MaskedVengeance said:

Hello there, Troopers. I'm dealing with a family and financial crisis right now, so I'll probably be going dark on my build for several weeks—likely until this time next month. I hope to find time to maintain a presence on the boards via Tapatalk to keep up with you all and continue my research. Feel free to chime in if you have any tips to questions I've asked on my build thread thus far. Until next time,

 

MV

Be strong trooper and keep the faith. 

Hope everything turns right soon. 

 

Take your time, 

 

 

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

We'll be here when you return Caleb. If you need anything please let us know